Page 149 of Hunt Me

“I will leave the begging on knees to your pet then.”

“It is your ancient blood that runs through him. Dare I say he is your pet.”

“Nay. I wanted to kill him when we captured him. But, of course, you had other plans.”

“Plans that may free us from the wolves.”

“If the gods shall see to it.”

Matilda gasped and pointed at the spattering of homes in the distance. “Luka… they are building.”

Luka’s mouth tugged at the corner. “They have made far more progress than I anticipated.”

The interspecies community had grown rapidly, and families from neighboring territories and villages began arriving almost immediately after he announced sanctuary protections for interspecies families. Some had come willingly, and others had arrived with trauma and scars from being expelled from their homes.

Some of the stories were brutal. Matilda had heard reports of intimidation, looting, and burned houses as the vampires’ way of sending a message to the families who only wanted to live in peace. In a small number of cases, deaths occurred and were met by swift punishment. Matilda made an example of them and had the violent vampires defanged in front of the citizens before they were left in the stocks to rot.

Luka knew gifting the territories to the interspecies families was a dangerous political move; however, he had to right his family’s wrongs, and he had to create a world that was safe for his daughter.

“They will be safe here, right?” Matilda asked, throwing a cautious glance at Luka.

“They will be safer here,” he corrected. “Nothing is for certain; however, I allocated their tax revenue towards foot patrol and protection for the foreseeable future. Look there,” he said, pointing at the beginning of the structure on the perimeter of the village.

“What is it?”

“It will be a watchtower.”

“Oh, Luka.”

“The watchtower will serve dual purposes—protect the citizens from vampires who wish them harm and an early-warning system for werewolves.”

Matilda’s heart filled with joy as the rain eased into a soft mist once the settlement came into full view. Small stone homes dotted the hillsides. Many were still under construction but would soon be inhabited.

Workers moved between the homes carrying lumber and supplies while smoke curled from newly built chimneys. Children ran through the muddy pathways despite the cold weather, and their laughter carried faintly on the wind. One child had golden eyes, and another had fangs.

Matilda felt Luka’s gloved hand on hers. He was relieved when she didn’t snatch her hand away, and he melted when she wrapped her fingers around his.

“They are not abominations out here,” she whispered.

“No. They’re children.”

Matilda’s shiny eyes met Luka’s firm gaze. “They don’t have to hide any longer.”

“No, they don’t.”

Matilda choked on a sob, holding Denalia closer.

“What ails you, my Queen?”

“Had my child survived, I think we would’ve liked a home like this.”

Luka’s chest clenched as he was reminded of the horrors that befell her at the hands of two vagrant vampires. He could’ve coddled her with sweet words, but his wife deserved the truth.

“This community wouldn’t have existed… not without you, not without her,” he admitted, nudging his chin at the bundle in her arms.

Matilda laughed sharply. “I would’ve still come for you, my King. We would’ve been here eventually.”

Before he could respond, the carriage slowed as it approached the settlement gates. A knock sounded against the carriage door. “Are you decent?” a royal guard asked.