Page 61 of Bite The Power That Feeds

My gaze shifted elsewhere. “I never told her.” I used to keep my cards close to my chest when I spoke to him, but now, I put them on the table like with my brothers. Even though there were four of us, he somehow managed to maintain a relationship with each one of us individually. He seemed to be more present after Mother died, even though we were all adults at the time, becoming two parents in one. He wasn’t always the cold and empty man he presented himself as.

He watched me for a while, judgment and anger absent from his gaze. “Why?”

“It would complicate my life.”

“So you think she’d make the wrong choice.”

“She might.” Everything Fang had said was right. It was wrong to keep this from her, to deny her an option because it was her life and her soul.

But I didn’t care.

I’d finally gotten everything I wanted, and I wasn’t going to risk that for anything.

Anything.

“Some people are incapable of making the right decision. Which is why men like us must make the right decision for them.”

I should have assumed my father would understand.

“We have other matters to discuss. Just because it’s the eve of your wedding doesn’t mean you’re dismissed from your obligations as king.”

The moment was upon us.

“You will tell me exactly why you and your brothers were in Evanguard for so long—and what transpired there—”

“Father.” If I dealt with this now, there wouldn’t be a wedding. “We’ve been at war with the Ethereal since the beginning. It can wait until I’ve had my wedding and coronated my queen. Then we can decide how to proceed.”

A flash of anger moved across his eyes, quick like a lightning strike.

“We vanquished the Ethereal in the battle and struck down their king. Can we treasure this moment of peace?”

The tightness remained in his face, his eyes still and locked on mine.

“The Ethereal are too weak to come for us. It can wait.”

A fire burned in his belly, and smoke rose from his nostrils.

“It can wait.”

15

LARISA

I stood in front of the mirror, in the midnight-black wedding dress. One of Kingsnake’s servants had opened the vault and presented me with jewels to wear with my gown, and I selected a necklace of black stones mixed with diamonds. I took Cobra’s suggestion and curled my hair, soft and bouncy down either side of my chest. My hair had grown longer and longer since I’d been captured, and now it nearly touched my belly button.

Fang was perched on the bed behind me, his image visible in the reflection of the mirror.Niiiiicccceeee.

“Thank you.”

I won’t be ssseeing either of you for daysss.

I gave a quiet chuckle. “Probably not.”

A knock sounded before Cobra stepped inside. “Ready to do this?” Instead of wearing his gold-and-black uniform that represented the Cobra Vampires, he wore the garb of the Kingsnakes, black and red, in a uniform similar to the one Kingsnake wore. “Damn.” He looked me up and down appreciatively. “You are ready.”

“How’s he doing?”

“You know Kingsnake. Doesn’t say much. But I know he’s eager to see you walk down that aisle.”