Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 661(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 661(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
“There won’t be any convincing.” Lach frowns down at me. “She’ll come or I’ll tie her up and toss her over my shoulder.”
“I taught you well,” Julian says, slapping Lach on the back. “I rather wish I could go, but I’m rushing back to the Vampire plane. I’ve got a trusted employee spying on some officials. It wouldn’t do to have them show up early. Taggart will ensure that doesn’t happen. The Dellacourts and I are raising money and weapons to support your father and the Seelie twins. They won’t go in alone. It’s time to make our push. We’ll take back Tír na nÓg or we will all die trying.”
“Yes,” Lach says, “it’s the dying part I would like to avoid.” He looks pointedly at Duffy.
Duffy’s axe stands straight in his hand. Sometimes he uses it as a walking stick. “Don’t worry none about it, Lach. I ain’t letting no one kill you. The king himself charged me with protecting you both, but I would have done it anyway. I don’t care that you got a kingdom waiting on you. You’re me brothers.”
I pat him on the back, my eyes meeting Lach’s. We’re of one mind when it comes to Duffy. We will protect him. “I appreciate it, brother. Now, how much longer do we have?”
Julian gestures to the small crowd. “It’s getting close. Come along now. Roan wants to talk to you.”
I follow my cousin and Duffy, excitement growing. Before we reach the group, Lach puts a hand on my shoulder.
“You have to stay with me.”
A wealth of guilt washes across me. Since the connection between me and Bron sputtered back to life, I spend more time holding on to her than I do dealing with things in this world. I left Lach to handle the day-to-day problems that come with being princes of the realm. I allowed myself to sink into my waking dreams of her, watching through her eyes as she lives her life. But all the while, Lach was left out. How lonely has my brother become?
“I will stay in this world. I know it’s important.” I can’t say anything else. An apology isn’t enough. It will never be enough.
“See that you do. It’s getting harder and harder to pull you out. I can only imagine that you’ll be able to feel her even more when we’re on the same plane with her.”
“I can handle it,” I promise. “I’ll spend all my time trying to keep Duff alive. Look at him. The vampire’s going to kill him for sure.”
Duffy walks straight up to the lovely Kaja and takes her hand. The woman who has the power to turn into a wolf doesn’t seem to mind. She smiles down at him, speaking softly and clutching his hand. Dante dosn’t seem to mind, either. He looks indulgently on as his wife speaks to the gnome. But the minute he looks away, Duffy stares at Kaja’s ass. He turns and winks cheekily our way.
“That vamp is going to figure out Duff’s game and drain his ass.” Lach has a smile on his face as he says it.
But the very idea has me thinking. First blood. My fangs pop out. We waited a long time, but it will all be worth it. Bron is our mate. It’s only right she should be our first blood, our only blood.
“Gods, hide those things,” Julian says, shaking his head. “You’re going to have the other vamps thinking you’re an untried boy.”
I stare at him seriously. In many ways, I am an untried boy. I’m thirty years old, but I bonded at a young age. It cut me off from many of the things young, wild Fae try.
Julian’s jaw drops. “Are you fucking kidding me? After all the time you’ve spent in my club? After all the women I’ve sent you into private rooms with? You didn’t fuck any of them? I paid a couple of them. Damn it.”
Lach leans in. “Do you have to announce it to the whole plane?”
Julian’s voice lowers. “I’m sorry. I was sure I’d provided adequate opportunities for you to learn.”
“We did learn. We know perfectly well how to top a sub and bring her to pleasure. Ask any of the women we’ve spent time with.” I can’t help but notice that the rest of the party is very politely ignoring us. Of course, vamps have excellent hearing. I’m not ashamed. I’ll tell everyone. “We simply didn’t cheat on our bondmate.”
Julian’s jaw tightens. “I understand, but there were other reasons for me doing this. You have goblin blood. All Unseelie do. Tell me you haven’t thought about the mating fever.”
It’s a thing that happens sometimes with goblins wait too long to mate. They find a suitable female and go a little insane. Luckily female goblins are strong enough to enjoy the experience. Bronwyn is more fragile.