Blood of the True King
In the fifth year of loving Gabriel, he inherited his late brother’s title as Vampire Lord—
along with his brother’s widow, Chloe, the former Blood Queen, and, by blood and law, my sister-in-law.
Every time he returned from her chambers, Gabriel would hold me gently and whisper,
“Isabella, Chloe is only my Chosen Consort. Once she conceives and bears the heir of the Blazetooth Coven, I will bind myself to you through a Blood Bond.”
He said it was the only condition his family demanded for him to ascend as Vampire Lord.
During the six months after we returned to Blazetooth Coven, he shared Chloe’s bed a hundred times.
At first, once a month.
Then once a week.
And eventually, every single night.
On the hundredth night I stayed awake waiting for him, Chloe finally conceived.
The news arrived together with another announcement—
Gabriel and Chloe would soon be bound by Blood.
My son looked up at me, confused and innocent.
“Mom… didn’t they say Dad would form a Blood Bond with the Blood Queen he loves? Why hasn’t he come to take us home yet?”
“Because,” I said softly, brushing my hand through his hair,
“the Blood Queen he loves was never your mother.”
“But that’s all right,” I added. “I’ll take you home. Our own home.”
What Gabriel never realized was this—
as the only daughter of a reigning Vampire King,
I had never cared for the title of Blood Queen of Blazetooth Coven at all.