LUNA
“Remember,” my vampire prince said in a low voice, tightening his grip on my hand as his wing curled around me. “Don’t. Speak.”
A cool breeze blew down the empty corridor, and I nodded as goosebumps prickled my skin. “Understood.”
This time, I would really try to behave. Sebastian looked at me, a brow raised as if he knew this was going to be a struggle for me. He must have seen something he agreed with on my face, though, because after a moment he nodded.
Leading me down the hallway, he dipped his chin in the direction of the two guards standing outside a thick obsidian door.
“Is she expecting you?” the larger guard asked.
“She is,” Sebastian replied.
The guards looked at each other, then the smaller one knocked hesitantly on the door.
After a moment, he pulled it open just a crack. “The prince and princess are here to see you, Your Majesty.”
A pause, then the queen said, “Let them in.”
The guard pushed the door open all the way. “She’s ready for you.”
Sebastian’s grip tightened around my hand, and he led me through the door. The door hadn’t even shut fully before his posture shifted. He tensed, his wings snapping out as he shoved me behind them.
I barely caught a glimpse of the large mahogany table littered with maps as I stumbled back. The vampire prince stiffened, clenching his fists at his side.
“Hello, Mother,” he ground out through clenched teeth.
Wondering what had Sebastian so on edge, I moved closer, peeking out from behind his extended wings. Reclining in a large high-backed chair, Queen Marguerite had a coy smile on her face as a pale-skinned male wearing a loincloth made of red silk ground provocatively against her lap.
Her hands roamed over his body, her fangs glinting in the purple light as she licked a trail of blood running from his neck. Like her son, the queen wore all black. But unlike Sebastian, there was nothing comforting about her.
The only color on her entire body was the enormous red stone dangling between her breasts. It looked like it should have shone, but instead, it sucked in the light.
I shuddered.
The human male’s lifeless blue eyes met mine. He should have been freezing—the gods only knew how cold this entire castle was—but he didn’t show any signs of life.
“Mother,” Sebastian said carefully, stepping forward and blocking my view of the queen entirely. “I need to speak with you.Alone.”
“Now?” She sounded put out.
Sebastian nodded. “Now.”
“Fine.” A sigh escaped the queen’s lips that sounded like it was capable of leveling entire cities. She murmured something inaudible, and seconds later, footsteps padded on the floor. I caught a glimpse of the strange male as he slipped out the door, but he didn’t even look at me.
The air in the room thickened, and Sebastian stiffened as the sound of clicking heels rang through the room.
“Why are you hiding your little wife, son of my blood?” the queen asked. “Let me see her.”
A shiver ran down my spine, but I remembered what happened the last time I was in this queen’s presence. Not wanting to cause any problems, I moved to take a step around the vampire prince. His wings flared even further, blocking me from the royal.
“I’m not hiding her,” Sebastian blatantly lied.
Queen Marguerite tsk’d, and disapproval dripped from her words. “Come now. Deceit doesn’t look good on you, my son. I just want to see her.”
“Why?” he asked.
For someone who told me to watch my tongue, Sebastian was being rather mouthy this evening.