His lips were stained red, as if he'd just eaten. His features were perfect, carved from marble and as pale as his hair. He possessed muscle stacked upon muscle, but that was not what gave him such an air of strength. It was the magic humming from him, so vibrant she could actually hear it singing in her ears. And her ears liked it. Wanted more.
"Your defiance is showing, Targon," the king said to Devyn. There was a slight lifting of his lips. That was it, the only hint of his amusement. His features were too hard to reveal anything else.
"And it's as lovely as the rest of me, I'm sure." Devyn, at least, sounded fully amused. "You haven't changed, I see."
Blank mind, blank mind.
"Rise." Manus waved his fingers to punctuate his command. "All of you. Then someone must explain why I was not greeted properly."
McKell straightened. He, too, seemed carved from marble just then. "We had every intention of seeking you out, Highness. We were simply waiting until the line thinned."
Manus wore a cape of black-and-gold velvet, the material thick and plush. It billowed at his feet, though he didn't move. "There's been much thought about the Targon's arrival, but only a few have wondered at the girl with him, a stranger to our land. I didn't believe it, of course, because everyone in this room knows visitors are forbidden." There at the end, his voice had hardened menacingly. "Who and what is she?"
"She is vampire," McKell said. "Meant to remain here."
You little shit, Bride thought, wanting to slam her fist into his teeth so that he'd have trouble talking
for a while.
"Is she?" Those obsidian eyes slid to the puncture wounds on the female Bride had bitten. "Raised on Earth, found by the Targon. You both want her, and you both expect me to declare who she will stay with. You both expect to be chosen."
Silence.
Thick, heavy.
Bride gulped, no longer quite so confident of her ability to tell this man where he could roast. Mind blank.
"Step forward, Bride of the surface."
Though she despised him for what he'd done to her mother—mind blank, damn it—she only hesitated for a second. Devyn released her reluctantly, giving her a final squeeze. In this underground, the king's word was law. He decided who lived and who died. Who stayed and who was allowed to leave.
When she was a few inches away, she stopped. He was just so big. His body consumed her personal space. Mind blank. But even as she commanded it, thoughts swam through her head. If he tried to hurt Devyn, she would tear this place apart.
He frowned down at her.
Oh, God. He heard. Beads of sweat broke out over her brow, and she stepped backward before she could stop herself. I wish he couldn't hear my thoughts. And she didn't care what the consequences were of that.
"Be still," he commanded. He reached out and placed his fingertips at her temples. His skin was dry and cool. His frown intensified. "Have you no opinions?"
"Excuse me?"
"Your mind is blocked to me."
It was? Her wish had worked? Don't smile. "Huh. Interesting," was all she said, as deadpan as possible, but she thought, How's this for an opinion? Your people and their eating habits suck. And I don't mean that literally.
No reaction.
She couldn't help herself. She smiled.
Sparks of white suddenly dotted the darkness of his eyes. "Your smile is lovely. However, I do not like your ability to keep me out." His head tilted to the side. "But generous as I am, I will allow it."
Wow. Finally she'd met someone more assured of his own goodness and superiority than Devyn. "Thanks."
"Guards," he called, and Bride stiffened. He didn't look away from her as a flood of armed vampires
marched into the room. They lined the wall, awaiting their king's command. "Before we get to know one another, your companions must be dealt with."
"Whatever you're planning, I won't allow it," she said, violently shaking her head, backing away.
"Silence." The king's mouth, hard already with disapproval, hardened further. "Targon, you purchased two vampires from an auction and gave them to your friends at AIR. That is a crime against my people. A crime you knew better than to commit."
"I was going to bring them back. Eventually," Devyn said, unrepentant.
"That hardly matters." The king turned to McKell. "Thank you for projecting the information. However, your plan to ruin the Targon in my eyes has backfired, for you revealed your own involvement, as well. You allowed my people to be imprisoned without a fight."
McKell opened his mouth to protest.
"No. Not a word from you." With a nod to his guards, the king added, "Take them to my dungeon, where they will stay until I decide what to do with them."
"No! Don't you dare move," Bride cried. They ignored her, marching forward, closer ... closer ... "Devyn, stop them."
"Can't," he gritted out. "Their energy is scrambled."
"No!" Bride shouted. I wish Devyn was safe. I wish Devyn was safe. He remained in place, a target of those armed soldiers. "Please, no." Her bravado was gone. "I'm begging you." She hadn't begged for anything since losing Macy. Not even Devyn's touch. Now, helplessness bombarded her. "Please. Allow Devyn and me to return to the surface. Please."
The men didn't pause, so she crouched, fangs bared, ready to fight them all if necessary. Devyn would rather die than be locked away, and she would rather die than let him.
"No one touches the Targon," she stated flatly. "He's mine."
"No harm is to befall the female," the king told his men, who reached their circle.
Bride grabbed hold of one and flung him away. She did the same to another, and then another, until someone grabbed her—Devyn, she realized, catching his wild scent.
"Do not fight this." He released her and willingly stepped back amid the guards, allowing them to tie his wrists behind his back with a whip. McKell's, too.
What are you doing! she wanted to shout. Why are you so accepting?
"As to why your ability doesn't work, Devyn," the king said. "I've been inside your mind before and learned how you do it. I have taken certain measures to ensure you are never so powerful in my palace again."
"Let him go, or I swear to God I will destroy you." Her mouth was so dry, her tongue felt swollen. The thorns inside her had seemingly sprouted thorns of their own, scraping at her, stinging. She had to calm down. "He didn't do anything wrong. I just wanted to see my birthplace and learn about my people. I can bring you the vampires. Just let him go. I wish you would let him go. Please.”