She screams as our feet leave the earth.
I fly, taking her back to my master suite within minutes. Our feet land on the balcony, and I release her.
Her fingers flutter to the spot on her neck where crimson stains her porcelain skin.
“Don’t run away from me again, or else Rao will drain your blood.”
Her eyes hold mine in a feisty challenge. “You’re threatening me now?”
I hold up my hands in surrender, knowing I need to calm this situation. “Allison, I know you’re scared. I know you probably have a million questions.”
“It can’t be true.” She stares at me, not blinking. “You have a disease. I researched it for my paper.”
“What?”
“Porphyria.”
I laugh. “I’ve heard of the disease, and this isn’t it.”
“Yes, it is. You crave blood because you have low iron. You’re sick and doctors can help.”
I step closer, bringing my face mere inches from hers. “I’m a vampire. I was born in 1757. I’ve been on this Earth for centuries and seen more than you could ever imagine. I’m not sick, Allison, not in the sense of a curable disease. I’m a creature of the night.”
She shakes her head, her blue eyes full of shock. “No.”
“Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t make it untrue.” I rip the metaphorical band-aid off. “Simon’s a vampire too.”
She opens her mouth but stops.
“How do you think he could always find you on campus?”
She still holds her neck, even though her blood has clotted now. “How?” she whispers.
“Your blood. It smells unlike any other. Sweet. He smelled it too.”
She shakes her head, removing her hand from her neck. “No, I don’t believe you.”
“Allison, you hold a power that would ruin every vampire on this earth. They’ll all be hunting you soon.”
“I thought you said I’d be safe as your wife?”
I shake my head. “Things are difficult. It’s a time of great unrest.”
“Unrest?” She folds her arms. “What does that even mean?”
“Remember when I told you about the three vampire clans?” She nods, and I inch closer. “There’s a civility between us, each of us pretending to get along while we all plot secretly to stab each other in the back.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Politics. I believe the three of us should form a council of sorts.” I shake away my words, not wanting to explain all of this right now. Not when she looks at me like I’m a villain. There’s too much at stake to not keep pretending with Rao. He’s the weak link that I need to form my council. “You’ll sleep in my room.”
Her eyes grow bigger than I’ve ever seen them. “I’m not sleeping with you.”
“Goddammit, Allison. Will you just please do as I say,” I grit out, hyperaware of the anger creeping into my system.
“Will you be drinking more of my blood?” she asks, surprising me with her question.
“Not unless you want me to.”