Chapter 6

I spent the rest of the day trying to get my head straight. The black gown in the wardrobe was stunning, it was a  dark fabric that clung in all the right (and terrifying) places, making me look way more powerful than I felt. 

I stared at myself in the full-length mirror for a long time, barely recognizing the woman looking back. The fear was still there in my eyes, but so was something new. Steel. Anger. A spark that refused to die no matter how many times he tried to smother it.  

By the time evening rolled around, I could feel the place humming with energy. Servants moved through the halls like ghosts, and the air felt heavier and thicker with anticipation. The tether kept tugging, reminding me exactly where Caius was waiting. 

Part of me hated how aware of him I’d become. The other part, the part that was starting to scare me, was almost curious about what tonight would bring.  

I wasn’t naive. I knew walking into that court or whatever it was,was like stepping into a pit of vipers. They’d smell the human blood in my veins and want to tear me apart. But I’d survived a car crash that should’ve killed me, a kidnapping by an actual vampire king, and a binding that rewired my damn soul. If they wanted fragile, they were going to be disappointed.  

I straightened my shoulders, took one last look in the mirror, and headed out. The tether pulled me forward like an invisible leash, but this time I walked with it instead of fighting. Let them look and let them underestimate me.  

I was done being the scared girl dragged out of the rain. Tonight I’d start showing them and Caius exactly who they’d invited into their world of monsters and I’d make sure they regretted it.

As I stepped through the archway, the room went dead quiet. Hundreds of eyes turned my way some curious, some hungry, all of them sizing me up like a piece of meat. I stood at the threshold, my heart pounding in my throat, but I forced my chin up. I wasn't going to look like a victim.

Caius was waiting at the far end of the hall on a slab of dark stone. He looked like a statue of a fallen god, his presence so heavy it felt like the air in the room was being sucked toward him. He didn’t come to get me. He just watched me cross that floor, his gaze tracking every step, daring anyone in the room to make a move.

"Andrea," he called out, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

I walked up to the dais, and he reached out. His hand was freezing, a sharp contrast to the burning intensity in his eyes. He pulled me up next to him and slammed his arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his side. It was a total power move, a clear message to every monster in the room: She’s mine. Don't touch.

"This court isn't for the weak," he whispered against my ear, his breath a cold shiver down my spine. "They can smell the human blood on you, Andrea. They’re waiting for one slip, one moment of panic. If you show them you’re scared, they’ll tear you apart."

"Then let them try," I murmured, keeping my voice steady even though my blood was running cold.

A tall, creepy guy with eyes like jagged glass glided toward the dais. He looked at me with open disgust.

"My King," he purred, sounding like dry leaves being crushed under a boot. "A human? In the inner sanctum? Surely the legends of your wisdom were exaggerated."

The room held its breath. Caius stiffened, a low, dangerous growl starting in his chest. I didn't wait for him to jump in.

"The King knows exactly what he has," I said, stepping forward so my voice rang out, sharp and clear. "And if you have a problem with his choices, maybe it’s your wisdom that’s the problem."

Total silence. Caius’s hand tightened on my waist, not because he was warning me, but because he was impressed. He leaned down, brushing his lips against my temple in a public display that made the courtiers visibly recoil.

"You have a sharp tongue, Andrea," he muttered, his voice just for me, low and rough. "It’s a dangerous habit in a world that thrives on silence."

"Maybe I don't want to be anyone’s damn consort," I shot back.

He didn't argue. He just steered me away from the dais, moving through the crowd like a predator parting the sea. The monsters, the shadows, the freaks they all scrambled back, bowing their heads like they were terrified of getting too close to us. I could feel their glares hitting my back like needles, but I kept my chin up.

We stepped out onto a private balcony, the cold air hitting my face like a slap. Caius leaned against the railing, looking out over the dark, jagged skyline.

"Valerius won't let that slide," he said, sounding bored, like he was talking about a fly he’d swat later. "He’s been around for centuries, and he’s stuck in his ways. You just painted a giant target on your back, Andrea. Even with me, you’re not invisible."

"So, what? I’m just supposed to stand there and take his crap?" I snapped, turning to face him.

He finally looked at me. His eyes were burning again, that crimson hunger bleeding through the cool, detached mask he wore. He moved closer, sliding into my space until I was pinned against the railing. He didn't touch me yet, but his presence was so heavy it felt like I couldn't breathe.

"You’re supposed to survive," he said, his voice dropping into that dark, dangerous register. "And you do that by making them fear you more than they hate you."

His eyes dropped to my throat, then back up to my mouth. He stopped playing around. He grabbed my waist, his grip bruisingly tight, and yanked me flush against him. Before I could even gasp, he hooked his arm around my neck, dragging my head to the side.

"They need to know who you belong to," he growled.

He didn't wait for permission. He leaned down, his fangs grazing the sensitive skin of my neck before sinking deep. Pain and pleasure crashed into me at the same time, a white-hot sting that turned into this rushing, liquid fire flooding through my veins.

 I let out a choked sound, my hands flying up to grip his shoulders, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt as the world tilted sideways. It wasn't just a bite; it was a brand. I could feel his darkness seeping into me, rewriting the rules of my blood, binding me to him in a way that made my head swim.

He held me there, drinking, claiming, marking me as his in front of the entire godforsaken kingdom. My knees gave out, but he caught me, his arms locking around me to keep me upright as the energy surged through my body, changing me from the inside out.

When he finally pulled back, I was gasping for air, my skin burning, my heart racing with a rhythm that felt faster, stronger than before. He looked down at me, his eyes were glowing with this dark, smug pride. He didn't just look like a King anymore he looked like a man who’d just secured his future.

"There," he whispered, his thumb tracing the sting on my neck, his touch possessive as hell. "Now they’ll know."