Page 14 of Crave Me

Witches often used various supernatural essences for potions, or simply to trade. As an ancient of my kind, and the descendant of a powerful vampire family, the venom in my mouth would be worth more than most. She could use it to craft a truth serum or something similar.

It was a form of payment I didn’t often provide, as it hinted at my inherited abilities, something most master vampires preferred to keep hidden.

But I could easily tell her I’d procured it from someone else, and she’d be none the wiser.

“I can’t cure that kind of darkness,” she went on, her vibrant blue eyes glowering up at Kaspian as he towered over her petite frame. “You’ll need a coven of Triarchy-like power to accomplish that.”

I looked around the witch to find Slater shaking his dark head a few feet away, his slate-gray eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Darkness?” Kaspian repeated, his voice holding a dubious note to it. “He seems fine to me.”

“Because I am fine,” Slater insisted.

“You’re not,” the witch warned him. “You’ve lost all your light.”

Slater glanced down at his tanned arms and back up at her. “I’ve always been this way. Comes with being a raven shifter, darling.”

“Stubborn males,” she muttered, turning away from them with a wave of her pale hand. “I don’t have time for this.”

She sauntered off to heal a vampire across the road, leaving us all to frown at her back.

Odd bird.

Slater looked well healed and as good as new.

Well, apart from a need to shave. His usual dusting of dark hair along his jaw had lengthened to an unkempt sort of look, one that I had no doubt he’d fix as soon as he returned home.

Which he could do now that we’d caught the errant supernatural wandering the globe.

The rest of this problem was officially mine, what with her being my fated mate and all.

Her comments regarding her realm not being attached to this one were also going to be a problem. A political one. Because I’d felt the truth in her words.

Which meant we had yet another realm of supernaturals accessing our world.

And this being was powerful.Toopowerful. Hence the reason there was a bounty on her head. Everyone had felt her arrival, and she had more than a few kings—myself included—who wanted her gone.

Except she’s apparently my mate,I thought, returning my attention to her.

Nyx was studying my neck, her pupils dilating as she licked her lips. It seemed her annoyance at my questions had disappeared, leaving only stark fascination behind.

I arched a brow. “Do goddesses bite?”

“This goddess does,” she whispered, her hungry gaze lifting to mine. “Your power is a drug.”

I nearly grunted.I could say the same about you, sweetheart.

“You must have a title.” Her nails dug into my dress shirt, reminding me that I still had her wrist caught in my hand. “A powerful vampire.” Her eyes searched mine. “A king.”

“King of Gold and Garnet,” I confirmed. “Vesperus.”

“Vesperus.” My name resembled a benediction on her lips, the sultry tone one I’d enjoy hearing her repeat in my bed.

Yeah, this is definitely a problem.

I knew fated bonds could tame even the most powerful of beings, but I’d walked this earth for over fifteen hundred years and I’d yet to feel a pull toward anyone.

Until her.