Page 40 of Tempted By the Vampire Prince

Severin’s stern look softened into apology. “I only mean that we all miss Lady Emmaline. I understand these past eight years have been difficult⁠—”

“This has nothing to do with my wife!” I roared. “I’m discussing the return of The Devouring!” I slammed my fist onto the desk. “Here. In our city.”

Severin’s brow drew down. He came around the table. “The Devouring, Uncle?” he said.

I loved my nephew well, but I grabbed him by his pale throat before he could utter another word and shoved him up against the edge of the desk. A wax melter toppled over, and dark purple wax spilled over the letter he’d been writing. His eyes went wide, and he gripped the edge of the table to steady himself as my fingers tightened.

“We will take a search party to The Drowned Goose. We will bring Lou Demarque and any members of his coven into custody. We will confiscate any documents.” I brought my face closer to his. “And if I hear one word spoken against the witch staying as my guest, I will ensure you take your next meal through a mouthful of broken teeth. Do you understand?”

His attention momentarily dropped to my bloodstone, which hung from an ornamental gold chain around my neck. All vampires were given one at birth. When light glowed from inside the red gem, it indicated the presence of a mate.

Suddenly, I understood why he was checking mine. Vampires tended to lose control of their tempers when mates were concerned.

I looked down to find the stone hanging dark against my shirt. My mate bond had not been rekindled. Which meant there was no instinct to blame. No ancient magick pulling at my blood, no mate bond stripping the reason from me. The pull toward her, ruinous as it was, was my choice.

I relaxed my fingers from around his throat.

Severin quickly regained his composure and smoothed a hand down the front of his tailored jacket. “I will lead the team, Your Grace. You must remain here.”

“Oh no,” I told him. Blood boiling. Fangs lengthening. “I’m going.”

“If you leave, Adrien will follow.”

I snarled at that.

“You know he will,” Severin pressed.

“I’ll leave him with Duval.”

“That is not Duval’s job,” Severin countered. “And Adrien has evaded him twice this month. He’s too fast and too stubborn.” Severin held up a hand before I could interject. “You have spent all these years protecting your son. Do not throw that away for this.”

He was right. I knew he was right. And I hated him for it.

“Fine,” I said. “But do so quickly and quietly.”

“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll leave straight away.” Severin collected his papers before leaving, tucking them all under his arm. He paused at the door without turning. “And how long will our guest be staying?”

“As long as she likes,” I snapped.

He nodded once. Then gave me a small, rare smile. “Welcome back, Uncle.”

After leaving the council room, I found my feet had carried me not toward my chambers but toward the windows that overlooked the walled hedges of La Roseraie, where a witch I had no business thinking of was resting.

I stopped at the glass, staring out into the night.

I couldn’t see the cottage from here, only the black shapes of the rose trellises, and past them, the tips of marble wings. The Rose Garden was the most defended place on the grounds because it was the place I had built to hold what was left of my wife: her roses, her bench, the angel I’d commissioned in her likeness after her first death.

Tonight I carried a living woman through its gate and left her to rest in Emmaline’s quiet place.

I had loved Emmaline through more lives than I could count. I had stood at the prow of a ship and felt our mate bond pull at me like a tide, and I had buried her with that tide still roaring in my blood. Some part of me had gone down into the dark earth with her coffin and stayed there. A vampire keeps his vows. To his family. To his peace. To the woman whose name he carried through death.

I did not get to turn away from it because a beautiful witch needed my help and stirred my desires. The sea and the stars had been the only things Emmaline had been content sharing me with. Not another woman.

I would keep her safe because it was my duty, and I would find the rot in my city because that was my duty too, and when the threat was ended she would take her raven and her broom and go, and I would let her.

Setting my grief aside and choosing to live again was one thing. My vow, another.

I told myself all of it, standing at the dark glass.