Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 72056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Rogan needs to either change or get dressed. Changing will take less time. I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t gotten here yet.
Which could mean...
No. Rogan is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. I can’t worry about him right now. I need to see my father. He has information I need. Or if he doesn’t? He’ll know who does.
He sent me to Rogan for a reason—a reason that had nothing to do with Rogan and me being mates.
He’ll jump through all kinds of hoops to get to you.
No.
No way.
How could he know?
He couldn’t have. He just knew Rogan’s taste in women.
Of course Rogan’s taste in women wouldn’t include a human-vampire hybrid. Would it?
A sharp pain lances through my gut. I can’t help it. I double over, inadvertently withdrawing the blade from the vamp’s neck.
For a moment, I’m sure I’ve been stabbed.
But this vamp knows better than to harm me, and he couldn’t have anyway. But someone else may have.
The pain subsides nearly as quickly as it came. I brush myself off. No wound. The vampire stands before me. He probably outweighs me by over a hundred pounds, but I stand my ground.
“You made a promise to me,” I say. “To your princess.”
“I made a promise to a traitor.”
“Call me what you will. A promise is a promise, and we both know you can’t harm me. Now take me to my father quickly, or my wolf will fucking rip your throat out.”
The vamp grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder, and then he runs, dodging arrows, knives, bullets. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping I'll live until we get where we're going.
Rogan could easily catch us, and again I wonder why he hasn’t come after me.
Fear pulses through me. What happened to him? He was safe in the bunker...but the bunker isn’t invisible.
Someone may have found him.
And—
Before I can think further, I hit the ground with a loud thump.
I open my eyes and look around. I’m inside a cave-like structure, which is decorated in black, red, and gold. My father’s tastes. The sounds of battle outside are muffled, but they’re still there.
“Where is he?” I demand. “Where is my father?”
“Right here, Hannah.” My father steps out from behind a wall.
The vampire drops to his knees. “My king.”
Really? Is he kidding? My father never makes vamps bow to him—unless they’re giving him head.
“Get up, Rousseau,” my father says.
The vampire—Rousseau, apparently—rises.
“This asshole threatened to take my blood,” I say.
“I know,” Dad says, “and he’ll be dealt with.”
“Are you going back on your word, my king?” Rousseau asks.
“What the hell is he talking about?” I dart my gaze from my father, to Rousseau, and back again.
“I’m to be married to the princess Larissa,” Rousseau says.
I drop my jaw. “Are you kidding me? Larissa doesn’t even know she’s half vamp.”
“She will soon enough,” Dad says. “But you can change all of that.”
“Right. If I renounce Rogan. Not in this lifetime.”
“You can, Hannah,” my father says. “And deep within yourself, you know it.”
I shake my head. “Don’t. Just don’t. You’re trying to make me forget why I’m here. I want to know, my king,” I say snidely, “if you believe I cut out those vampires’ hearts?”
61
My father doesn’t reply.
Shocking.
Rousseau removes his steel helmet. He’s blond with blue eyes, large with a stocky build.
Totally not Larissa’s type.
But do I even know my sister’s type? I haven’t seen her in... Months? Years?
I sigh. Now isn't the time to lament my relationships with my mother and sister.
“Do you believe I cut out those vamps’ hearts?” I ask my father.
“No, Hannah. I do not. Why would I have sent you to Rogan if I already had the answers I wanted you to find?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I haven’t quite figured out the intricacies of your mind. Thank God. But you had an ulterior motive, and I'll figure it out.”
Dad rubs his forehead. “Victor Rogan is a strong wolf. The strongest, even. But he is susceptible to mind control.”
“He’s not,” I say. “I’ve tried.”
“You’re only half vampire, Hannah. Your control isn’t as strong as mine.”
“Are you telling me you used mind control on Rogan?”
He shakes his head. “I have not. You know how I feel about mind control. But although I’m the king, not all vampires feel as I do. Some use it for...nefarious purposes.”
“Are you saying...” My heart pounds. “Are you saying some rogue vampire convinced Rogan that I’m the one who cut out those vampire hearts?”
“It’s only a theory. There’s also another explanation.”
“And that is...?”
My father glances at Rousseau. A look passes between them—one I’m unable to decipher. Has Rousseau been on his knees for my father? Is that why he dropped so quickly?
No. He’s not my father’s type. He’s too big and burly.
Dad clears his throat. “The other explanation is that Rogan is correct.”
Anger curls up my spine. “You can’t be serious.”