My King (Two Prince's Book 1) (22 page)

“The townspeople came. They set fire to anything in their path. Homes were burned to the ground, but before they went up in flame the windows and doors were boarded over. The people inside burned with the house. Of course, there were some who fought back, and the townspeople suffered their own losses but in the end it was no comparison to ours. Men, women, and children alike all burned together that night. Including Karen’s mate, his mistress, and their child.”

Rendered speechless by the tragic tale, I stare at Raylen in horror.

When I find my voice I use it to weakly ask, “Why would you tell me this, Raylen?”

I don’t think I want another history lesson if it ends like this one. Don’t these people have stories filled with hearts and flowers? One’s without people dying?

“His hands were tied.”

“Who?” I ask in confusion. Certainly he’s not talking about the Shifter from the story.

“My King.”

Now wait a minute. We weren’t talking about Ian at all here. And I really don’t like where this is going.

“Raylen-”

“You can see why the Council would have concerns about you. Why they would want to
test
you. Mating with a human is all but unheard of these days. And one mated to our King?” He shakes his bald head. “Never heard of. This does not make what happened to you right. They should have gone about testing you a different way.”

I agree wholeheartedly with his last statement.

“What you don’t see though, is that you are a
true
mate. My King can
feel
you. He feels your emotions just as you do. It’s a rare and incredible thing. I’m told that when you were with King Roland your emotions brought the true King to his knees. To
his knees
. You, a mere human girl, brought a man born to be a king to his knees through the bond he shares with you.”

My body stills, my eyes grow round, and I stare at Raylen with my mouth hanging open.

This, none of this, makes any sense. How can it make sense? What he’s saying is insane. Ian can feel my emotions and they brought him to his knees?

My strong and proud, beautiful Ian, brought to his knees with the force of my emotions?

Oh my God, that thought makes me sick to my stomach. If what Raylen says is true and Ian
can
feel me then this past month must have been pure torture for him. I’ve been a miserable wreck all month long.

“Why… why would they want to take me away from him?” I whisper.

His eyes close halfway through my sentence as if my words are too much for him to hear. When he opens them again his brown eyes are filled with something I don’t quite understand. Regret. Determination. Love?

Yes, I don’t understand what I’m reading in his eyes.

“Honestly, Shayne, I do not know who they are testing anymore, you or him. But, I can assure you, this past month has been no picnic for him either.”

I don’t understand it and definitely don’t like it.

“Then why would he let them send me away?”

“Like I said, his hands were tied. He may be a King but the Council holds a great deal of power. Hopefully that will change in time. Corrupt sons of bitches, the whole lot of them. Think just because they were born into money that gives them the power to lord over us all, even when they’re full of shit.”

A startled laugh escapes me.

Red hits his cheeks.

“Pardon my language, my Queen.”

“Oh, no you don’t. You just called me by my name less than a minute ago. Let’s not slip back into this Queen bit.”

“As you wish.”

We slip into an easy conversation, and, much to my delight, as the night wears on I successfully learn how to shield my thoughts. It’s not easy and I can only hold it for a brief period of time, but with a little practice I’ll be a pro in no time.

Feeling more lighthearted than I have in a long time, with the promise of tomorrow and a smile on my face I slip into a dreamless sleep.

Shayne

I don’t know how it happened but somehow the Dwarf and I became fast friends and not superficial friends either. I learned a great deal about him along with the fact he’s got two more brothers besides the recently deceased Neelan. I apologized profusely for what happened to Neelan and I learned something. Raylen feels the same way about Neelan’s death as Traine had, much to my relief.

We spent out day in the Jeep driving, stopping anywhere along the way that struck our fancy.

Around dinner time Raylen found us a decent hotel to stay the night then we went out exploring the town we were staying in. For the first time in a very long time I found myself relaxing and enjoying myself.

Not so much now.

Now is the day after and we’re cruising down the dirt road that leads to Collette’s house.

This was my idea, heading to Collette’s instead of the estate. I can’t stand the gangly Vampire but I have this unrelenting need to see her. Perhaps, it’s because her voice was the last I heard before my memories had been wiped clean. Maybe it’s because I know her to be honest, outrageously so, and I know she won’t lie to me.

It’s important to me that I find people who will be brutally honest with me before I come face to face with Ian. Some small, smidgen of doubt clings to me where Ian is concerned. The Dwarf tried to talk me out of this but I blew him off every time he brought it up.

The Dwarf is great and all but he’s a man. I seriously doubt a man will get my insecurities’ when it comes to Ian. Then again, Collette isn’t really any better because the woman is all kinds of cold bitch.

The way I see it though is there’s no better person than Collette to be able to reassure me when it comes to my relationship, or lack of one. Only because the Vampire loves him so much. Me, she’d rather shove me in front of a speeding vehicle most days than have to talk to me.

I don’t mind this. She’s honest with her feelings and I very much appreciate the honesty.

“What the hell?” the Dwarf mutters.

The car slows down and I look out the windshield to see what the problem is.

There’s a hooded figure standing in the middle of the dirt road blocking our path.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“It’s Caleb,” I inform Raylen.

At my words the hooded figure cocks his head to the side as if he heard me. I’m sure he can. Probably some kind of freaky Vampire hearing thing.

“Hello, Caleb. I don’t know if you remember me,” I mummer. “My name is Shayne Gracie and I’m here to see Collette, if that’s alright.”

Of course, my Queen.

His rich, deeply masculine voice rumbles in my head.

My Queen.

I fought, and thankfully won, the battle against rolling my eyes.

“Uh, Shayne, I don’t know if you noticed or not but that man just disappeared into thin air.”

“It’s some freaky Vampire thing,” I try to reassure Raylen.

At least I hope it’s some sort of freaky Vampire thing and not something else.

“What in the hell did I let you talk me into here? Freaky Vampire thing indeed.”

I study Raylen’s profile in surprise. “Do you have something against Vampire’s, Raylen?”

I’ve only met two Vampire’s up close and personal and considering I don’t like either of them (hello, Sunglasses freaking attacked me!) I’ve decided to hold judgement until I meet a few more that way I’m not being biased.

“Nobody really likes the Vampire’s. They haven’t been liked since… well, since you know when.”

I do know.

Since the Vampires were blamed for the death of a King and two Princes.

This makes me feel unbelievably sad for the Vampires. They had fallen victim to Roland just as I had. Only, theirs was longer lasting and probably came with horrific side effects. Mine last a few hours, it hurt a bit, and I was left with a nifty scar for my troubles. But it was done for me after that. The stain Roland left on Vampires as a whole might not ever wash off.

Yes, definitely sad.

Ian’s got his work cut out for him when it comes to repairing the damage Roland has caused. Hopefully his people are open to this. I would hate to be in his shoes right now. Not that I would ever desire to be in his position.

“Is it just me or does this place look like your stereotypical Vampire house? It’s all foreboding and gothic.”

I close my eyes at Raylens words, not ready to look at Collette’s giant, vine covered mansion.

“Do you know who Collette is, Raylen?” I ask in a weak voice.

“Of course I know who she is,” he huffs at me. “
Everyone
knows who she is. She was once a Council member and a trusted advisor to many of the Kings past. But that doesn’t mean I
know
her know her. The woman is pure ice and we Dwarfs are a friendly lot so I’ve never really had the desire to get to know her, if you catch my drift.”

His words bring a smile to my face because he’s very right on all accounts and his tone makes his ‘drift’ very hard not to catch.

“She’s not so bad,” I boldly lie.

“My Queen,” he drawls, “you might want to work on that shield of yours a bit more before you tell another doosey like that again. I hate to break it to you but you’re a terrible liar.”

Took you long enough. What I’d like to know is what exactly do you think you’re doing here when you should have gone straight to Ian? And, what in the devil are you doing with a Dwarf?

Apparently I more than need to work on constructing a wall in my head to keep others out because I clearly suck at it.

“Practice will work wonders,” Raylen quickly assures me. “And it doesn’t help that you are feeling emotional.”

Yes, evidence was clearly pointing to me seriously sucking.

Still whiney and overemotional I see.

“Whatever, Collette,” I mutter while rolling my eyes, “we both know you missed me.”

And you’ve not answered my questions.

And I’ve no intention of doing so. Even though I’ve just showed up at her house out of the blue (she was kind of expecting me) doesn’t mean I’m going to explain myself or my actions to her. I don’t have to. I owe this woman nothing and I can freely admit to being a horrible person for showing up here and expecting her to give me things I have intention of returning.

Raylen speaks to me at the same time Collette talks inside my head and they end up mushing together, canceling each other out. Not that I bother to try and listen to either voice, I’m done listening to people for the day. I need peace and quiet and aloneness for a few hours so I can get my head on straight and sort myself out. Once I’ve got that done I can dump all my baggage off on Collette.

“You could always talk it out with me if you like, my Queen.”

Christ, we were back to the Queen shit. He makes me want to scream.

And then there’s the…

“Alright, Dwarf,” I turn in my seat to face him and I notice he’s parking the car in front of the house. “First of all, it’s rude to comment on my thoughts when they aren’t addressed to you, and, most importantly, I have not voiced them aloud. I would know seeing as I’ve practiced this my whole life. Second, and this is important here so you might want to pay close attention, from here on out every time you call me my Queen I’m going to kick you as hard as I can in the shin.”

I leave him with his mouth open wide gaping at me and get out of the Jeep. Everyone else already thinks I’m all kinds of nuts, he might as well too.

Shutting the door on the Jeep I take in my surroundings. The building looms before me, standing three stories tall. The entire front save for the enormous front door and windows is completely covered in vines.

Couple the vines with the fact that it stands alone in the middle of a dense forest gives it a creepy almost haunted factor.

Collette could really do the place up for Halloween and sell tickets. She could drag all of the dead bodies it’s highly likely she’s got piled up in her basement out and strategically place them throughout the house. You know, really get into the spirit of things.

“I see in your month of wallowing in your own misery you’ve managed to hold onto your sense of humor. Mores the pity.”

The woman whom the voice belongs to stands in the open doorway to her home watching me with shrewd eyes.

Holy shit.

This time it’s my mouth that drops open, and with big eyes I gape at what I’m seeing.

“You… you,” I stammer. “You look great.”

Belatedly, I realize just how rude that sounds but I don’t care because it’s very true.

Before she’d looked diseased and in dire need of seeking help for her eating disorder. She’d also looked like someone had smudged garish purple eye shadow under her eyes. Her brown hair had looked lifeless, dull, and thin.

Now she looks healthier. Pretty almost. She had to have gained fifteen pounds. The dark under eye smudges aren’t entirely gone but a whole lot less visible. Her once lifeless hair now shines bright and healthy, falling in thick waves around her shoulders.

She looks freaking
awesome
.

“Whose vein have you been sucking on?” I blurt out before I can think better of it.

Her lip curls in response. That’s it.

I was expecting some type of snide remark. Her lack of a response makes me slightly uncomfortable. She’s always quick with some rude and witty comeback.

Next thing I know I’m second guessing my actions. Was it right to have come here? Should I have-

“Don’t get insecure on me now, Shayne.”

Please, as if I haven’t always been insecure.

And…

“Did you just call me Shayne?”

She ignores this. Waving her hand inside the house she asks, “Would you like the room you stayed in last time or a new one?”

I don’t have to think about it. “The same.”

Collette nods regally.

“And Raylen?” I ask. “Can he have a room close to mine?”

“I would prefer,” The Dwarf states snottily, “to sleep in the same room as my Queen.”

I’ll let that one slide because he’s not talking to me. Nope, just about me and right in front of me.

“Why I never,” Collette starts with affront.

“You dare-”

I cut Raylen off, “I would love to use the room and I would be more than comfortable with Raylen sleeping in my room. Maybe you’ve got a cot he can use or something.”

Collette’s eyes go squinty and her lips purse into a frown. “What is it with you and the Dwarfs?”

“Can we not do this now? It’s been a long couple of days and I’m tired. I’d really just like to lay down. We can argue in the morning.”

Thankfully she agrees with me and drops tit. The house is silent and empty as she ushers us up to our room.

Is it a little weird that Raylen wants to share a room with me? Yes, absolutely. But, then again, maybe not. I heard him on the phone with Daisy and I know he wants to keep me safe.

“Here you are,” Collette stops in front of the door. “I’ll have Caleb bring something up for you Dwarf friend.”

With that she turns on her heel and heads back the way we came.

From beside me Raylen mutters, “Cold as ice, what’d I say?”

I huff out a small laugh. “You were not wrong.”

As soon as we are behind the closed door Raylen heads into the bathroom to take a shower. I don’t even bother to change my clothes or to kick off my shoes before I pull back the covers and climb into the big, empty bed.

My last thought before I succumb to sleep is that Raylen can fend for himself.

*****

Heat. I’m surrounded in heat. It’s coming at me from both sides of my body.

“Mmm…” I groggily mummer. I’ve woken up like this before but it seems like forever ago now.

Am I dreaming again? I have to be. This cannot be real.

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart,” a voice filled with heat and tenderness whispers from behind me.

At the sound of his voice my body locks into place and I stiffen. The arm around my waist becomes a bar of steel caging me in place.

No. No. No.

This cannot be happening. I’m not ready for this and I haven’t even begun to sort my head out yet. He can’t be here. He can’t.

“Baby, you need to listen to me,” Ian whispers urgently.

His voice, so deep and incredibly
male
sends a shock through my body all the way down to my core. A different kind of heat burns between my legs.

“Ugh, really?” A different, still unmistakably male, voice groans from the other side of me. “I can smell you, ya know.”

No, I don’t know and right now I don’t really care.

“What’s going on?” What I really want to ask is why they’re here, and in bed with me no less.

“You smell so fucking good. Christ,” Ian groans into the top of my hair where his face is buried. “I’ve missed you so fucking much. You have no idea how much.”