Page 138 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“I won’t let her become one of those monsters,” I say.

“Neither will I.” He says the words with such conviction that I know he means them.

“You won’t?

He shakes his head. “No.”

He rises from on top of me and then holds out a hand to lift me. When I’m standing in front of him, he looks me dead in the eyes with a fierceness I’ve not seen from him before.

“What do you need me to do?” As the words leave his mouth, my heart clenches, and I realize — I do not know when — that these vampires have quietly begun to occupy a small corner of it.

“Shit on a realm, why the hell can you move like a vampire?”

We both turn to find Finn waiting expectantly for an answer.

My eyes are still adjusting to the unsettling darkness as we trudge through the abandoned tunnel. I run my hands over my arms, but it does nothing to stave off the icy chill of the air. According to Ajax, nobody uses the interlinking tunnels beneath the palace anymore, making it easy to come and go if you know that they exist.

“So, you and the prince are…”

I turn to find Finn making a gesture with his hands that is anything but appropriate. I slap his hand away.

“I said that we’re mates, not that we’re sleeping together.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?” Finn says.

“It’s the same thing,” Ajax throws over his shoulder as he steadies himself against the slickened stone wall.I hope he trips.

Athriel seems to find this amusing.

“It’s not…we’re not…Gods, I’m not sleeping with the prince.”

“You’re not?” they both sing in unison as they stop walking to look at me.

“No, we’re not.”

“That explains the sexual tension,” Ajax says.

“Oh, they have sexual tension. I love it.”

I push past them, making my way down the dark passage as my eyes squint to make out the path ahead.

“Will you two shut up? We’re not talking about this.” They hurry to catch up with me, both standing on either side of me, and I already know that I’m about to hate this conversation.

“I’m only saying that mates who don’t…you know. Well, they suffer.”

“Suffer how?” Finn beats me to it.

Ajax shrugs.

“Mates are literally made for each other like a perfect fit, and when they don’t come together, it can be hell for both parties.”

“I wish I had a mate. That sounds kind of hot,” Finn says. “At least I know why you didn't come back to me. You have a mate. I knew my sex wasn’t the problem…youwere.”

I roll my eyes and try to ignore Ajax’s chuckling.

“Wait, you two hooked up?” he asks, laughing.

“Once,” I say.