Todos os capítulos de The Vampire Lord Wants My Blood: Capítulo 51 - Capítulo 60

Alistair's POV The quiet of the outing was replaced by the familiar tension of the palace. I walked toward my study, my boots clicking rhythmically against the stone. Axel followed close behind, still smelling of the night air and horses."The people seemed happy tonight," Axel remarked as we turned a corner. "They do not yet know how close the fire is to their doors.""They do not need to know," I responded. "It is our burden to keep the fire at bay. But the Night Market was good for Lena. She needed to see the world she is about to lead."We reached the doors to my study. Kael was standing there, his face like a mask of granite. He bowed deeply as I approached. "My Lord. The messenger arrived under the cover of the third hour.""Enter," I commanded.The three of us stepped into the room. Kael reached into the inner lining of his leather jerkin and pulled out a small, tightly rolled parchment sealed with a wax stamp I didn't recognize. He presented it to me on a flat palm.I broke t

Lena’s POV I sat in the oversized tub, the water a murky, steaming brown. It smelled like a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and about ten other spices I couldn't name. Helen insisted I soak for exactly thirty minutes to "soften the spirit and the skin," but I was mostly just worried I was going to come out smelling like a holiday ham.Before the bath, we had practically gone to war. Helen had produced a bowl of thick, greyish-white paste that smelled slightly of sulfur."What is that?" I had asked, eyeing the bowl with deep suspicion."It is a concoction to remove the hair from your limbs and body," Helen replied calmly, rolling up her sleeves. "Every inch must be as smooth as polished marble.""Every inch?" I yelped, backing away. "I’m not being prepped for surgery, Helen! I don't see why I should be as hairless as a plucked chicken. It’s weird.""It is to make you smooth and pleasing to the touch of the Lord," she noted, taking a step toward me."That is all the more reason not to con

Alistair's POV Years ago, when Axel first told me he had found his fated mate, I felt a rare spark of happiness for him. But since that day, I had lived with a quiet, nagging curiosity. I had known many women over the centuries, seeking some shadow of that connection in many different beds, but there was never a link. No matter how beautiful they were, I remained solitary in my own mind. Now, standing behind the shimmering silk curtain with Lena, I felt the truth of it. I was glad she was mine. She looked up at me with such absolute trust that it humbled me. I knew the Council expected a full union, but I wanted our first real time to be special, not a performance for priests behind a thin veil. I had to make this experience good for her while still satisfying the ancient laws. I reached out and cupped her face, pulling her into a kiss that was anything but ceremonial. It was deep and desperate, our tongues tangling as a low groan escaped my throat. Lena moaned into my mouth, the s

Lena's POV Helen led me to a large drawing room in the royal wing where the head seamstress and her assistants were waiting. The room was draped in heavy velvet and gold thread, smelling of expensive cedar and starch. In the corner, sitting on a low stool, was a vampire woman who looked completely out of place. She was beautiful, but her eyes were hollow, and her skin lacked the usual luster of her kind. She looked worn out, like a flower that had been stepped on one too many times.Two women from the High Council were standing near a rack of silks, whispering loudly. They didn't seem to care that I was in the room."Look at her," one hissed, gesturing toward the sad woman. "That is Silas’s blood mate. I heard he used to lock her in the cellar when he was displeased. It serves her right, really. She chose to stay with a snake like him for the status.""Indeed," the other replied. "A woman who consents to such a man deserves the mess he leaves behind. She is lucky the Lord hasn't thro

Lena’s POV The moment the Great Hall doors slammed shut behind Alistair, the air in the room seemed to thin. The celebratory music had stopped, replaced by the panicked murmurs of nobles and the clattering of plates. I looked down at my hands. I was wearing a crown that felt like it weighed a hundred pounds, but there was no time to be a porcelain queen. "Axel!" I called out, my voice cutting through the noise. He was at my side in an instant, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "My Queen. We must move you to the inner sanctum." "No," I said, standing tall. "If the Drakos bypassed the Iron Gate, they might have sent small scouting parties ahead to infiltrate the city while everyone was distracted by the coronation. We need to lock down the palace, but we can't just hide." I looked at the layout of the palace in my mind. "Axel, the servants' tunnels. They connect the kitchens to the outer walls. If scouts get in, they’ll use those. Block the southern entrances with iron bars and st