A frigid wind cuts through the library, sending papers flying from the desk. Faline dashes away with the breeze, the sound of the door slamming the only indication that she’s gone once the wind dies.
Such an odd turn of events. Extortion. Blackmail. Manipulation.
And here I thought that King Marr’s death would finally bridge the gap between kingdoms.
But we’re as different as ever. I’m not even sure I can make Faline’s requests happen.
After gathering my papers from the floor and closing the books, I leave the library, my body buzzing with irritation while my head pounds with hunger.
I can’t hurt her. I just can’t. I must send her away.
It’s for her own good.
Chapter 15
Amber
EverystepItaketwists my stomach. It’s been about three days since my brain scan with Aerial and I can’t shake the uneasy feeling that came with the process. I’ve been having weird dreams of women scooping up vampires from a battlefield but it’s unclear what they’re doing with them. It makes me nervous.
What’s worse are the interludes to my dreams. Fuzzy purple teddy bears keep prancing about in a cushioned fortress. Balloons float in the sky and cotton candy sprouts up in the fields. It doesn’t make any sense.
And I can’t stop thinking about cheeseburgers.
I take a deep breath when the doors for the ballroom come into focus. My vision is much sharper these days and my senses are heightened. I can’t tell if it’s because of the improved diet here or the occasional sip of Darius’s blood—among other things I’ve been taking from him.
Like that wicked hot way he grabbed my throat and buried his cock in my—
My heart leaps right out of my chest. I clutch my ribs for a second, trying to make sure there wasn’t a wide-open wound spilling my organs onto the tile. I stare at my boots, blinking to keep myself from losing my dinner.
Until nausea hits me like a tornado.
I cover my mouth and bolt for the service stairs at the end of the hall behind me. Down one flight and to the left leads me into the resident medical wing. Vampires who don’t actively practice medicine aren’t allowed to be in here. I sprint past the desk, grab a trashcan, and hack up my entire stomach.
If I had taken five more steps, I would have thrown up right in the middle of the court with Darius, Drake, Lolita, and her twin entourage watching. Hell, the Historical Society would have gotten a good show, too. They requested my presence at his application review.
What kind of embarrassing things would they have said about me? Would Darius have chided me in front of them to save face? Would they reject his application based on that little social slip alone?
Sweat beads on my forehead as I allow my body to heave. My stomach twists so tightly that it hurts, causing me to squeeze my eyes shut as another wave hits me.
A cool hand lands on the back of my neck. If it hadn’t been so soothing, I would have freaked out. But I imagine it’s probably one of the vampire nurses.
“Easy, take it easy,” they whisper. “Did you just recently feed your vampire?”
I mumble something and then groan my disagreement. Thankfully, she understands Nausea Talk.
“Let’s get you checked into a room. When was the last time you ate?”
My right hand swings out to grab something—it’s the nurse’s elbow. I catch a glimpse of her face, light amber with black brows and straight black hair hanging down her back. Blue eyes filtered with teal peer back at me with a calm energy that puts me at ease.
That must be her charm, to ease fear and anxiety with her patients. Every vampire has their own specialty charm that they can use on humans. I’m not sure about Darius as his doesn’t work on me, but I imagine it’s as standard as any, impressionable. He can twist and manipulate all he wants.
Which means he’s not tricking me into having sex, I realize as I let the nurse guide me to a white room.It means I’m choosing to do it. Every. Single. Time.
Another tsunami of nausea crashes over my shoulders. I drop onto the medical table and curl into a ball while the nurse flutters about the room.
“My name is Vanessa. I’ll be tending to you today. Does Darius know you’re here?”
I seal my lips shut. Thinking about Darius makes me double over.