Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Instead of fleeing, would you have rather I torn off your panties and licked between your thighs?”
I shivered. “No.”
Ambi, yes.
He smirked, telling me that he had read that thought.
“Get out of my head.” I averted my eyes from his mocking view.
“Filling you with my cock was all I thought about the whole afternoon.” He brushed his lips along my cheek. “I stopped myself twice from storming into that room and burying my face between your legs.”
Then, fast Xander crashed his lips onto mine with a fiery passion. My mouth tingled with his shrill, erotic sweetness. His tongue drenched mine in an elixir of honey and wine, the sweet nectar like liquid raced through my veins.
Next, his deep voice entered my mind. If I had come in before dusk, my face would still be down there, gently nibbling.
I groaned.
He sucked on my bottom lip.
By now you would’ve forgotten your husband’s name.
I reluctantly moved my lips from his. “No. . .I doubt that.”
I placed my hand on my chest to touch the locket and realized it wasn’t there. I must have lost it in the sewer.
“You doubt it?” In a blur, he lifted me up by my waist and slung me over his shoulders. “Then let’s see.”
“Wait a minute!” I hit his back. “Put me down! Now!”
“Xander!” The older woman that I now knew as Leeta appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
Instantly, he halted.
“Is this how I raised you?” Leeta asked.
Xander groaned.
Leeta continued, “And don’t you think both of you should be going now? You have a long night ahead of you.”
I whispered, “Put me down.”
Growling, Xander placed me back on my feet. His fangs disappeared. He glared at me. “I’ll gather our things from the room. Meet me by the horses in a few minutes.”
He softened his expression and turned to Leeta. “I’ll be back in four days with Zumaya mushrooms. Please, see if you can get someone to trade me food or supplies for them.”
He stormed upstairs.
Seconds later, a door slammed.
“Be very cautious.” Leeta faced me. “Xander and you have vampire hormones bouncing around inside your bodies. You both will be unpredictable.”
I pretended to be confused. “What do you mean?”
“You already know he’s a prince, a strong one. He told me you saw his marks. And I can smell you on him.” Leeta gave me a sad smile. “Your domina blood. . .it could trigger his powers.”
I shivered.
“He may start to mature into a full-grown king.”
I stepped back. “N-none of this concerns me.”
“It does.”
“I have a family. I just want to get back to them.” I hurried off.
Leeta called out to me, “His power sings to your blood!”
I stopped walking and kept my back to her.
“I witnessed your reaction to Xander just now,” she said. “He’ll be a full-sized king in a few years or sooner.”
I turned around.
Leeta’s smile widened. “And you’ll be his queen.”
“No.” I shook my head. “I’ve already escaped The Quiet King, I won’t be running into another king’s arms.”
Chapter 8
So Hard
Camille
Before we headed off, Xander gave me a sharpened wooden dagger with a button at the bottom of the handle. When I pressed the button, the wood shifted into a silver blade. Never had I possessed a weapon of my own. It made me feel safer and more protected. I appreciated Xander even more for this gesture.
Then, the journey began. Although Xander had bought two brown-and-white striped horses, we rode together on one.
Supplies draped the other horse’s back.
I held the reins of our horse while Xander sat behind me. One of his strong arms circled my waist from behind. His other hand towed the supply horse along with a steel rope.
All night, the horses moved us up and down as we crossed hills and waded through streams. Most of the time, we spoke no words to each other.
Was Leeta correct about my blood triggering Xander? Could it be true that he would be maturing into a king?
I shook those thoughts away and hoped he didn’t hear them. My focus had to be on my family. That was it.
Still, I wondered what ran through his mind and how he must be feeling.
The night continued.
The moons traveled along the dark sky.
We journeyed through areas that had been destroyed from the Great War—a war The Quiet King had initiated and eventually won. The ground out here was harder to travel on since it was more ash and decayed vampire soldiers’ dust than dirt. It sunk in some places and hardened in others. A few times we had to stop to let the horses rest.
Unlike in the city, millions of stars glittered in the sky and the two moons gleamed brighter than usual.
Also, various scents lingered in the cool night air—smoke from smothered campfires, the bitter odor of blue kotaki vines as they hung from tall trees, and the sweaty stench horses earned from riding for a long time.