Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
I do.
But I had hoped never to walk to that castle again in my life.
Let alone lay my eyes on Viper.
The last time I saw him, he sent me through a damn portal.
Asshole.
Chapter Seventeen
Cinitta leaves us, and we go back to camp, where Max changes clothes, and I watch in fascination as he dresses in all black. His shirt, which has ties on it, slips on easily, as do his leather pants. He pushes his hair back before his eyes lock on mine.
“I’ll have you after you are on that throne,” he says.
“I don’t want the throne,” I tell him. “I never have.”
He steps forward, brushes my hair back, and starts to dress me. He pulls a shirt similar to his out and slips it over my head, then turns me around so he can do the strings up at the back.
“It’s the greatest leaders who never want the power. Those are the leaders who succeed.” He kisses my neck before securing the last tie. “Plus, you are mated to a king, which automatically makes you a queen.”
“Maybe I can appoint you, and you can do it all.” I hear him laugh behind me.
“Yes, sure, whatever it is you want.”
I smile before he turns me around. Then my thoughts go to my sister, John, and the baby. How did Viper even manage to get them? John isn’t an easy man to capture. I look down as Max drops to the ground and reaches for pants I didn’t see before. He slides them up my legs, dressing me as if I am a small child.
“I’m dressing you because you are lost in your head,” he answers, as if reading my thoughts. “Your sister will be fine. Call your father if you must.” He stands and kisses my head. “He may be a lot of things… the devil himself… but I can see the protectiveness he has for you.”
“I won’t be calling him. We can’t trust him. He is a demon, after all.”
“He is the king of demons.” Max puts both hands on my face, leans in, and kisses my lips. “And you are their princess.” He smiles. “As you are my queen.” I nod at his words before he lifts a knife I didn’t see and pushes it into the back of his trousers. Then holds out a smaller one for me. I take it and slide it into my leather pants and look up at him.
“What if…” A tear leaves my eye.
He wipes it away as if it doesn’t belong there.
“You and I are going to sneak in undetected. No one will even know we are coming.”
“What about your people? Your guards?”
“They will stay here and protect the camp.”
“Okay.”
“Are you ready?” he asks and holds out his hand. I place mine in his. “We aren’t walking, Talia. You need to take us there. Remember, you know where to go. Just think of somewhere they wouldn’t know where to look. Try to remember…”
I close my eyes and be where I want to be. It’s getting easier to move around, and when I open my eyes, we are standing in a room I recognize. It was Veronica’s, but it doesn’t appear the same.
Actually, it doesn’t even get used, by the looks of it. There is dust everywhere, the curtains are hanging at a strange angle, and everything looks unkempt.
“Good. Good girl. Now, where are we?” he asks while checking around.
“The castle,” I whisper. “This was Veronica’s room.”
Max nods and pulls out his knife, holding it close to him.
“If you need to use me, do not hesitate. You know I can handle you taking what you need, so use me whenever required.” When I don’t answer, he grips my arm and locks eyes with me. “Talia, use me.”
I nod, unable to form words. The last time I did that here, I ended up killing someone because I got too high on the power. And Max’s power is the biggest and best drug there is.
He pushes me behind him as he shuffles toward the door and slowly opens it, glancing back to make sure I’m right behind him. It’s late, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything out there. The vampires prefer the night, and Viper… well, who knows what he prefers.
Max nods for me to follow, and I do, staying quiet as possible as we step out. He rounds a corner, and I see the dining hall straight away.
“Where will they be?” Max whispers.
I know where they will be.
Without a shadow of a doubt.
They’ll be in that room.
I thought it was destroyed, but if Viper’s had his way, it would be back in tip-top shape. I nod in the direction of the room, and Max heads that way. He strides forward with power. A power you can practically feel vibrating out of him. When we get to the hallway leading to the room, I pause, unsure if I want to get near it. Max immediately notices, and he turns back to me, kisses me on the lips, nods his head, and turns back around.