Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84864 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
My eyebrows rose.
“Accepted,” Alek said without question.
Conclave concluded, and we all headed back toward our separate entrances, but I kept my eye on Ruyan until our door was sealed behind us.
“Saint will appreciate what you did,” I told my king as we armed ourselves once more.
“The hunters-only rule is a crock of shit,” Benedict snapped.
“It’s half the order,” Alek reminded him, his voice low and level. “When it comes to Xavier, we take what we can get.” The king turned to me. “I’ve been thinking about your mate.”
A growl rumbled up through my chest. No one needed to think about Grace besides me.
“About how she might live,” he quickly added.
I blinked. “She has a terminal brain tumor. It’s hereditary and aggressive, and she’s already refused treatment.”
Alek nodded. “I understand. But she’s only refused treatment as a human.”
My heart thundered in my chest as I caught his meaning.
“You need to take her to Gabriel.”
I clasped Grace’s small hand and led her down the stairs, past the entrance to the war room and into the tunnels of our underground compound, keeping my pace as slow as possible so she could keep up.
I’d treasured my time with her before the mark appeared, but the bond growing between us reveled in her nearness now. If there was even a chance that she could survive, I was going to take it.
“So this is the royal residence, not the palace, because that’s across the yard—courtyard,” Grace corrected herself.
“Correct.” I turned left at a fork in the tunnels, though the wide, expansive hallways that could only be called such since they were windowless and underground.
“Because you’re really a vampire. And everyone here is a vampire—”
“Almost everyone.” I stroked my thumb across the back of her hand, fighting back the hope that had taken root in my chest since Alek had suggested this very course of action.
I could turn her. The transformation would wipe out the tumor. We would be together forever, have the time that we both needed to fall in love, to have what the others in my Order already did.
“Right. Valor and her cousin, Daphne, are human.” Her nose crinkled just like it did whenever she was processing new information. “But the rest of you are immortal vampires on a quest to rid the world of vampire hunters and other vampires who like to drain people.”
“In not so many words,” I agreed as we approached Gabriel’s infirmary. “You’re kind of getting a crash course. When we were brought out of stasis—”
“You and your brothers. The hunters,” she interjected, looking up at me with those incredible eyes to see if she was right.
“Yes.” I lifted her hand to my mouth and pressed a kiss against the back. The sooner we got out of this appointment, the sooner I could have her naked under me again. I paused time around us so we could catch up on…everything. “You’re taking it like a champ.”
“And you didn’t hesitate to pick up on idioms,” she answered with a smile that stole my very breath. “Are your brothers catching on as quickly?”
I paused, my hand on Gabriel’s door handle. “About my brothers.” I swallowed, searching for the right words. “If you need something, you go straight to Zachariah. He’ll know what to do. Dagon and Talon are equally protective, but Saint…” My chest constricted. “I love my brother, and I have no doubt that he would die for you, but he walks an edge between sanity and bloodmadness. Steer clear of him whenever possible. Please. For me.”
Concern furrowed her brow, but she nodded. “Okay.”
“Thank you.” I leaned down and brushed my lips over her forehead.
She squeezed my hand. “And now we’re going to see your doctor.”
“Your doctor, too,” I answered, pushing the door open into the infirmary. It was a spacious area with a trauma room, recovery, laboratory, and Gabriel’s offices, from which he walked out of at the sound of our arrival.
“Ajax,” he greeted me with a smile, sticking out his hand. I released Grace’s hand and shook Gabriel’s. The vampire was big enough to be an assassin and even hailed from some of the same bloodlines, but lucky for us, his intellect matched his physical appearance. He’d kept us alive on too many occasions to count. “I see you’ve brought your mate.”
“Grace,” she said, holding out her hand.
I tensed and my fangs punched downward.
Get a fucking grip.
Gabriel lifted his eyebrows and backed up a step. “No offense intended, but touching the newly marked mate of a warrior vampire is pretty much tantamount to a death sentence. Ask me again in a couple months and I’ll be happy to shake your hand once Ajax has himself under control.”
Grace looked up at me like I’d lost my mind, and I could only offer her an apologetic smile.
“It’s a thing.” I shrugged.
“And how exactly is your doctor supposed to examine me if he can’t touch me?” She arched a brow. “Maybe you should step out.”