ZEDKIEL.
I donât know what heâs hidden from me and a part of me doesnât want to believe that there even is anything. He should have told me everything when he returned, to know he has been keeping something from me⦠someone who I thought has no secrets from me.
I trust Kash with my life and more, from him and his half-brothers who are all of beta b***d, if I were to take the throne Kash would have always been my choice for beta. I trusted him and I hope I still Can.
Heâs standing there, a deep frown on his face.
âWhat are you not telling me?â I ask. My voice is deadly calm, my eyes burning red as I watch him carefully, my aura surging around me as it takes everything not to simply lash out and attack him.
âI. Itâs not what youâre thinking and to be honest you canât trust them, Zed.â He answers me quietly.
âIâm not asking you to give me your advice. Iâm telling you to fill me in on what you have kept from me. My patience is depleting fast, Kash.
Answer me now!â I snarl venomously.
He closes his eyes, and I can tell heâs agitated, as he brushes his hair off his face.
âAlright, hear me out. Before you jump to conclusions, you need to listen to everything I say.â He counters, and that is enough to tell me I wonât like whatever heâs going to come out with.
âYeah? Now? You could have said that when you returned!â I thunder.
âZed. calm down.â Evangeline whispers, rubbing my shoulder and neck. Her touch is calming.
âI know but I also know how irrational you are. I was thinking of a way to deal with things without it coming to this.â
âComing to what, exactly?â I ask icily.
âLook⦠I was captured by none other than the Vampire Princess Ziahra..â
Princess?
I thought I was the only heir⦠I glance at Evangeline and sheâs frowning too.
âA princess?â Evangeline asks.
âThatâs what she saidâ¦â Kash looks uneasy and I c0ck a brow.
âKeep talking. Seems like thereâs more.â I reply coldly.
âI just.â He looks away and I observe him. âIs there something about this woman that you want to share?â
âShe⦠She claims that you are one of them.â
âIm a hybrid. This was something you should have told me.â
âYeah, I know I just⦠â He sighs, reaching for the bottom of his shirt. He winces before he pulls his shirt off, and I c0ck my brow until my eyes fall on his shoulder. Thereâs no b***d or injury, but the entire shoulder has a black disgusting patch that seems to be latched onto his skin, the surrounding skin looks dead, and I can see the angry veins spreading from the patch, slowly creeping around his neck.
âYou were bitten.â Evangeline gasps as she jumps up from her seat. âI saw youâve been rubbing your shoulder. Why didnât you say anything?â
Sheâs by his side, worry clear on her face and I donât know how to react knowing heâs poisoned⦠how was he poisoned? Why isnât he healing?
âHow the f**k did that happen?â I ask, âWhy havenât you gotten it checked?â
âI have⦠â¦butâ¦. itâs not curable. Once it spreads to my entire bodyâ¦â He places his hand over it but it doesnât cover it all as he looks away.
âThen what?â I ask, my stomach twisting.
âThen it âll take my life.â
A soft gasp escapes Evangeline before silence ensues as those words sink in. Until my own anger flares up.
âWhat did they f*****g use?!â I snarl, standing up, hating his casual tone as if heâs f*****g discussing the weather. Heâs my closest friend, I canât lose him. I sent him on that mission. If anything happens to himâ¦
My heartâs thundering. He refuses to answer me, determinedly glaring at the ground, his eyes turning black as his wolf surfaces.
âYou were bitten..â Evangeline says softly, her eyes sadden as she places her hand on his shoulder.
I look at her sharply, my heart thudding as Kash gives a small nod.
Bitten⦠meaning⦠I stare at her, trying to make sense of it. Bitten.. meaning by a vampire⦠did that meanâ¦
Iâm fine⦠your bite didnât poison me.â She says through the link, understanding exactly whatâs on my mind.
But it could have⦠I was always told it was forbidden⦠I could have poisoned herâ¦
There has to be a way to cure you and I will find it.â Evangeline says firmly, her eyes flashing with determination. That white aura around her spreads and again she doesnât look⦠human⦠thereâs something about herâ¦
âHow did you survive if you were caught.â
âWell, sheâs as cruel as she was beautiful.â He scoffs and I c0ck a brow. âShe wanted information, and I wasnât going to give it to her.â
âIs she the one who bit you?â I ask.
âYeah.â He frowns, his eyes flashing.
Ziahra.
I donât know why, but thereâs a curiosity that is rising within meâ¦
âWhat did she want to know?â Evangeline asked, touching Kashâs shoulder, gently prodding it. I see him flinch, and she removes her hand instantly.
âShe.. wanted to know about Zedkiel?â She asks him. He nods.
âThey said, if you were handed over to them, then they will fall back⦠and if you were not relinquished over to them, they will destroy everything.â He answers her quietly.
âAnd you didnât think that this was something you should have told me!?â I growl,
I could sort this sh!t out! I would go and-
âYeah, I didnât tell you, because youâre doing what I knew you will! Right now youâre thinking about going, right?!â Kash growls, his eyes flashing with irritation.
F**k it.
âAnd if I am?â I snarl.
I can hear Evangelineâs heart thudding and I glance at her sharply, but sheâs pale.
âYou canât go Zed. Iâm with Kash on thisâ¦â She whispers.
âWhat I do has nothing to do with anyone else.â I growl. âIf thereâs a way to stop this war and Iâm that answer, then whatâs wrong if I go meet them.â
âBecause Raziel told me that this would happen!
Everything will be ruined Zed!â Evangeline pleads suddenly, as she rushes to me, but I donât want to hear it.
âI can handle myself; we can put a stop to this war Evangeline! All I need to do is go there.â I growl, frustrated. This can all be resolved, people donât need to die if I go. Kash warned me of their numbers, but I need to resolve this!
âZed, she isnât wrong. What if something happens to you?â Kash growls, stepping forward until he stood beside Evangeline â No, beside his Queen and Lunaâ¦
âZed, Raziel seesâ¦â She stops, and I can sense her struggle as she glances at Kash and then at the floor. She shakes her head, sighing.
Sheâs their queen⦠Iâm her mate. itâs my duty to protect her and them⦠if I went, we could avoid all of this.
âNothing will happen to me, and if it does..â I leave my sentence hanging.
I have to try, because now more than ever, I want things to f*****g be sorted out. I want to be able to spend my life with the woman before meâ¦
âNo.â She says, shaking her head. âYou canât go Zedkiel, letâs arrange for a public meeting or something.â
âAnd you think both sides are going to agree to that sh!t? No, they f*****g wonât Evangeline, the two species have been at war for far too long.â
âBut they tried! They reached out through Kash!
They let him live!â She exclaims. âWe can try it.â
âNo. They want me, and I will go to them and try to make amends. You yourself said itâs worth a try! To reach out and try to stop the goddamned war!â I growl.
âI know I said that! But I donât trust them enough to have you go alone!â She snaps.
Them..
Am I not part of thatâ¦
For a moment I donât recognise her, the woman before me⦠she isnât my timid little mouse⦠suddenly I feel like I donât even know her.
Iâm going to go and thereâs nothing on this f*****g planet that can stop me.
âZed, at least listen to her if not me.â Kash urges, putting his top back on.
âFor someone who withheld vital information from me! You do not have a say!â I snarl.
âThank you, Kash⦠you may leave. I will find a way to fix this.â Evangeline says to Kash softly,
I donât get how he doesnât look too bothered despite the fact heâs f*****g dying and didnât think to tell me.
I glare at him, and he simply c0cks a brow.
âDonât shout at her, just listen.. weâve got to figure this sh!t out together before everything gets worse.â
âLike the two of you did before the chamber?â I shoot back.
âThat was my decision.â Evangeline interrupts in his defence.
âAnd this is my decision.â I reply dangerously.
Our eyes meet and I can feel Kash look between us.
âIâll head out.â He says quietly, lowering his head before he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him.
Iâll sort him out tomorrow. He needs a good damn beating.
I stride over to the door, locking it swiftly before I close the gap between me and Evangeline.
I cross my arms, glaring down at my beautiful little mouse. I take a step closer and lean down. âFor someone who keeps defying me⦠you sure like to give orders.â I growl lowly.
Her heart skips a beat as she stares up at me with those eyes that still hold that innocence in rare moments. Little by little Iâve made her anything but innocent and the way sheâs looking at me nowâ¦
She wants more. She wants meâ¦
I pinch her chin, forcing her head up to get a better look at those gorgeous eyes.
âThat punishment is pending, Little Mouse, and if you continue to defy me beautiful, you will be walking around with a raw a-ss tomorrow.â
My eyes flash when she licks her lips, and steps closer to me.
âJust the thought excites me, my love⦠Perhaps you can release that pent-up frustration on me first .. and then weâll talk.â She whispers sedvctively.
âSounds like a planâ¦â
The most dangerous thing in this world is a woman who has you falling at her feet. The one who has you wrapped around her fingers, and you donât care⦠Sheâs an addiction⦠Sheâs a temptress⦠this beautiful queen before me is my f*****g salvation and downfall..
I know weâll fight over it later. Weâll argue over our paths, the realm of the gods⦠meeting the vampires. but right now itâs just her and me.
She cups my face, tugging me down, and our lips meet in a smouldering k!ss. That ignites pleasure through me and I yank her close, crushing her body against mine. I wrap my arms around her tightly, aware of every inch of her body pressing against mine.
She lets out a s3xy m0an as I k!ss her roughly, one hand now tangling into her hair as I hold her head firmly in place and slip my tongue into her mouth, ravishing every inch. Throbbing against her stomach, I can smell her ar0usal and it only awakens the hunger within me.
âOh, f**k Zedâ¦â She breathes through the link.
I yank her head back, c0cking a brow as I smirk down at her. âThis was meant to be a punishment,
Beautiful..â My gaze dips to her bre-asts which are heaving and I release her, taking a step away.
âNowâ¦â I back away and take a seat on the sofa, spreading my arms across the backrest. Our eyes meet as I rake my eyes over that s3xy body of hers, every inch of every curve.. they entice me and I want to tear that dress off her and f**k her senseless. but tonight I plan to not only punish her but playâ¦
âZed.â Her heart is thundering, but I can see the glint of excitement in those eyes already.
I simply smirk coldly, tilting my head and say only one word. One simple command..
âStrip.â