Page 43 of Claim Me

The fact that he’s always calm just adds to his deadly potential.

“Yes, I’m shocked,” Bane continues. “I think we all are.”

“Let’s talk about this in my quarters,” Kaspian says quietly as the last of Klas’s remains sizzle into ash. He already issued a few public comments regarding the execution, allowing him to leave the scene now without further discussion.

We’re in the middle of the village, close to where Klas first attacked Reykjavik last year, making it the perfect place to burn his remains. But that means we have a bit of a walk back to his place.

It’s good, though. I need the fresh air. However, it would be more enjoyable if I could spread my wings and fly.

Alas, I choose to walk with Bane and Kaspian.

The latter is wearing sunglasses to help him endure the few hours of sunlight this afternoon. The older the vampire, the more impacted he is by the sun. And Kaspian certainly isn’t young.

He probably should have chosen to execute the bonfire at night—it would have been more impressive then, too—but with all the conflicting time zones in Gold and Garnet territories across the globe, a noon execution made the most sense.

And now it was done, leaving him with most of the afternoon and evening to handle this new problem.

Fallon.

Our fated mate.

Hmm.

Kaspian has always enjoyed sharing. Nox and Bane, too. So the three of them may be able to work out some sort of arrangement. But I’m not sure how I’ll fit into that picture.

Can Fallon choose?I wonder, frowning.No. That doesn’t seem very likely.

Unless she doesn’t want any of us.

Why am I even thinking about this? The woman died and came back withfourfated-mate bonds. That’s not normal.

There’s something else going on here. Something big.

While I’m thankful her soul didn’t shatter, I’m not sure what to think of this new development. She’s still harboring secrets, ones I suspect are a lot more important than she’s let on.

I’ve read her file. There’s nothing there. Just a few vague sentences about how Klas met her on a mission and mated her. That mission isn’t even documented. It’s cryptic as fuck, and despite putting some of our best trackers on it last year, there wasn’t much more information dug up on the topic.

Klas himself had no family. Only friends. And most of those friends died last year after they helped him attack Gold and Garnet headquarters. Vesperus’s mate went full-blown goddess, moved the moon, and wreaked havoc on the assholes who tried to take down our House leadership.

Klas was one of the few left alive to answer for his crimes.

The other was Kaspian’s former assistant, but he didn’t survive for long. Only Klas did. And now he’s dead, leaving Fallon as the only one who knows anything about his and her origins.

Is it a coincidence that she mated all four of us after he died?

Is it witchcraft? Some spell? An enchantment?

Or is it real?

How can it possibly be real?

Multiple mates isn’t unheard of, but it is rare. And to suddenly find herself fate-bonded to all four of us? That’s one hell of a miracle.

But maybe she deserves that miracle, I think as we reach the palace and start heading up to Kaspian’s rooms on the top level.

My lips curl down.

What the fuck is wrong with me? Maybe she deserves this miracle? Since when do I even think like that?