Page 97 of Undying
The lingering effects of the poison leave me with a massive hangover.
Which is the least of what I deserve.
Every atom of my soul aches to gather Jolie into my arms and finish the bond, desperate to claim the woman I’ve waited for over two millennia to find.
But what I want is immaterial, especially after virtually attacking her.
If I want to be worthy of taking her as myreina, I need to earn back her trust.
And the only way that will happen is if I can figure out a way to keep her alive long enough first.
Not one to be intimidated, Jolie clears her throat. “It was a calculated risk. Milo mentioned he could smell the pheromones from the poison, but my blood prevented him from reacting to it.” She purses her lips, then shrugs, and I’m jealous when Castle snuggles her close. “It was logical to assume that if you took some of my blood, it would counteract the effects of whatever poison they used.”
“It’s called sweet blood,” I answer, scrubbing the back of my neck, unable to take my eyes off her. Not ready to let her out of my sight, I keep talking. “When administered to a human, it sweetens their blood, turning it irresistible to vampires. Once consumed, it reacts much like a drug, leaving the vampire vulnerable.”
“It’s highly illegal to use,” Milo mutters, pacing the floor restlessly. “The last of it should’ve been destroyed centuries ago. There can’t be many doses left in the world, if any. That Julius would use it now…”
“Means he has no intention of allowing me to remain in possession of this territory,” Jolie finishes, taking over when Milo hesitates. “We would’ve been vulnerable at the gathering, susceptible to whatever challenge he would’ve issued.”
“If you hadn’t been immune…” I trail off, unable to finish that thought.
I don’t give a shit about losing the territory, but the thought of her being at the mercy of Julius has me balling my hands into fists. The bastard is a brute who sees humans as nothing more than walking blood bags and women as chattel to be used however he sees fit.
Jolie crinkles her nose adorably, confusion swirling in her dark brown eyes. “I’m not immune. I could smell the allure of the poison, but that same poison was killing her, rotting the woman from the inside out. The stench overwhelmed everything else and killed any craving.”
I tip my head to the side as I gaze at her, then nod. “While your physiology is similar to ours, part of you is still human. You being a dhampyr might be the only thing that saved us.”
I’m grateful for her intervention, knowing without a doubt that Julius wouldn’t hesitate to kill me if he got a chance. My team and I have been a thorn in his side ever since we created HQ. The vampire hates anyone who disagrees with him. He’s a typical megalomaniac who believes that he should be king and will do anything in his power to achieve that end.
And he could do that if he takes control of Jolie.
Thankfully, she’s a lot more powerful and ruthless than I expected. She’s going to need all her cunning to survive the gathering in the morning. My cock hardens at the way she took charge so efficiently. When she thought we were in danger, she didn’t even hesitate to step forward and remove the threat by whatever means necessary. She didn’t act rashly, but waited until she had the facts before taking her vengeance.
She might have qualms about her ability to lead, but I have none.
She’s going to make an amazing queen.
And I’m determined to ensure she lives long enough to take the crown.
I stand, and my heart sinks when Jolie stiffens and rears back slightly against Castle. Both wolves glare at me, and even the infernal cat shifters edge closer, ready to intercede if I try anything, and I suspect I wouldn’t survive a second encounter with the shifters.
I can’t say that I blame them.
What I did was reprehensible.
In their place, I wouldn’t have hesitated to kill them. No amount of remorse is going to make up for losing control and attacking her. My actions are inexcusable, and I’ll have to work hard to prove myself worthy of her forgiveness.
Though it pains me to be away from her, I take a step back, hating myself just a little bit more when she relaxes slightly. I plow my hands through my hair, pulling on the strands, but barely feel the physical pain over what feels like a mortal wound to my soul.
Then Jolie lifts her chin, determination hardening her gorgeous dark eyes. She pushes out of Castle’s arms, then stands.
Only to sway alarmingly.
All of us lunge forward at the same time to catch her. I try to stop myself, but I’m unable to override my vampiric need to protect myreina. Before any of us can reach her, she gains her balance and pushes us away.
The wolves don’t like that she won’t allow them to take care of her, but they obey, dark scowls on their faces when they gaze down at her with concerned eyes. Knowing those two will be useless until they can confirm for themselves that Jolie is okay, I take charge.
“You need food. Since none of us are familiar with dhampyrs, why don’t we see what kind of food you can eat?” The wolves growl, pissed at me for being the one who weakened their mate in the first place and furious I’d even suggest that their blood isn’t enough to keep their mate healthy.
