Novels by Elle Zimmermann

Chapter Fifty FiveMargotThe dizziness clings to me like a bad perfume. By the second day after the hunt, even tea tasted wrong. It was acidic like my body was repelling everything inside of me. There was a small part in the back of my brain that told me something was wrong, but I ignored it. Instead, I clung to the idea that there was a doctor here that knew me personally that was at my disposal. I made an appointment myself with Cassia and asked for a few hours of quiet from Celia. When I told her I had a personal matter to attend to, she didn’t ask the questions that were in her eyes and gave me my spaceI was getting tired of this room. It never felt warmer in temperature or emotions. Always the same stark whiteness and icy cold breeze. I was quiet as my blood was taken and waited until Cassia joined me. I had noticed a shift in the Binding and I was worried that whatever strong connection Nathaniel and I had was waning. Last night he had asked me several times what was wrong,

The court saw a Queen tonight, I saw the woman I loved continue a centuries old tradition like she had prepared for this her entire life. Her voice carried throughout the garden and marked the beginning of the chase. She sounded like a Queen, not a girl forced into this role weeks ago. I stood beside her, proud, as I handed her binoculars. Her human eyes couldn’t make out the shadows in the further darkest parts of the property, but I could see plenty of vampires had already made their way through the hedges. She looked at me with a smile on her face and pressed the binoculars against her eyes. She seemed fine to the public, but I wasn’t so daft. I noticed her falter at seeing Natasha Chen. Margot had caught me feeding from Natasha the night of our Binding ceremony. I had known the donor for a few months. She frequented the blood club closest to Tencrest. She was young and nice, but there was nothing truly romantic between us. Although I recalled intimacy during our feeding, that w

It amazed me how easily it was to be hidden in a house built to hold dynasties. Tonight was my first night back in front of the Founding Ten. I had enjoyed my relaxation but now as I sat before them, I realized this was my place as Nathaniel’s wife and the Founding Ten’s Queen. I had missed my family and felt welcomed at their hugs tonight. My heart beat normally, no trace of stress lingered as Nathaniel gripped my hand under the table.He, on the other hand, had been a mess the past 24 hours. He constantly asked me if I was okay or if I was mad at him. Our argument yesterday might not have been a yelling match, but the undercurrent of it still laid heavily on our hearts. We had admitted our love for one another, but we also had established that honesty was at the forefront of our relationship. We would not last an eternity if there were lies between us. I would not stand for any more false narratives or hidden truths. Thankfully, my darling husband had understood and agreed. It w

Before my fangs leave her skin, I know she’s seen it- the memory I never meant for her to touch. It was just a few seconds of the hour I had spent watching her, but it was apparent in the vision we just shared, that I had creepily watched her from afar that night. Abigail had spent the last several months joking about my stalker tendencies which I had brushed off, but now seeing the vision we just shared, I could see how disturbing it looked. She’s waiting for an explanation and I am stuck between being honest or downplaying it as a coincidence. I looked at my beautiful wife and saw the blood dripping from her neck. Taking out my pocket square from my suit, I hold it firmly at the bite and sigh. “I know it looks bad. It was a few months after Vivienne’s death. I was curious. Ivan was reporting to me.” Her eyebrows rose up at that information, but I continued. “He said you seemed better with your grief and were spending more time with friends and going out. I wanted to see you.” I r

Cassia had said the Binding would always be awake between Nathaniel and me, but today I woke up and it was subtle, a whisper of passion. No urgency ran through my veins. I usually felt the strong need for my husband first thing in the morning, but when I stretched my toes against my sheets, there was only a dull pull.I ignored the questions that ran through my head and focused on the task at hand. Relaxing. Celia would be here soon. I leisurely did my morning chores that consisted only of making coffee and drawing a bubble bath. I rarely touched my phone these days, but I scrolled social media as I sat in the warm water, willing myself to enjoy the morning. My body ached, like it had run a few miles yesterday. But I had done no such thing, only enjoyed a scandalous fuck in a stairwell with my husband. Warmth spread throughout my body, remembering how he threw me up against the wall. Last night was exactly what I needed: an honest conversation, low-key dinner, and good sex.My sched

I slipped out of bed this morning early after watching my wife sleep peacefully for a few minutes. Her dark hair was a mess and she hadn’t moved in hours. At this point, an earthquake wouldn’t wake her. After our talk last night, I thought back to the past week. Was she so exhausted that I hadn’t noticed? I could feel the slight hum of our Binding between us, but ignored it. I refused to wake her up for my own pleasure when I should have been satisfied with our excursion in the stairwell last night.A few hours later, I was still staring at my computer screen, dumbfounded by the failed deal that sat in front of me. It was apparent that not everyone wanted to be in business with the Blackwell name. Although we had a good reputation, it was obvious that we cornered a market that was having some backlash. I scrubbed my hand over my face, desperate to wipe away the stress. But it wasn’t just the business that was bombarding me with curveballs. It had been relatively silent since our w