Page 48 of Forty Deaths Till Us Part

“Constantine was outside when the mercenaries and clan members who helped Dimitri attempted to flee. They have all been sent to their eternal rest.”

“I wondered where he was. I was so focused on Brigid and Dimitri, that I didn’t really notice who else was in the room.”

“Constantine takes loyalty quite seriously. He has requested that he be your personal adviser. It is... surprising that he would suspend his duties to the Shadow Phantom clan to undertake such a position.”

I frowned. “But I want Cassara.”

Rene kissed my cheek. “She is mine. If I renounce her, then she must regain her status over time.”

“No. That isn’t fair. So, if I take Constantine as an adviser, that means he lives with us?”

Rene grunted. “No. He would have his own suite, like Cassara does. Since we will be required to travel to the clans, he will travel with us. I will say that while Cassara strikes fear into many of the clans, she is still... young by vampire standards. Constantine is one of our oldest members and his skills are indisputably the best. Attacking you with Constantine as your adviser is... a death sentence.”

“Cass would kill anyone who attacked me or you, anyway.”

“True,” Rene said.

My eyes narrowed. “This isn’t just about me. He wants Cass to accept him.”

Rene sighed. “It is true he has fancied Cassara since she began training, but Constantine is a patient man. He knew that not allowing her time to... experience life as a vampire would end any chance of a relationship.”

“I thought some vampires chose human lovers and turned them so they could be together.”

“That is true, but Cass is unique. She was never allowed to be herself in her human life. She has never truly been in love with a man.”

“She likes the mortician,” I said.

“She has many lovers, but she is not in love with any of them. The mortician is an intelligent man. He knows he could have a brief relationship with Cass, and it would be enjoyable, but there is no future in it.”

“Do you think Cass is in love with Constantine? Is that why she avoids him?”

Rene sighed. “She fears becoming one of the women she helped in her human life. Some of those women loved their husbands but feared for their lives when they contacted Cass. Constantine would never hurt Cassara, but he is of the old world. He cannot stop his instinct to protect her.”

“Oh dear. That is worse than asking her to wear a frilly dress.”

Rene chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

I was quiet for some time and my fingers traced a pattern on Rene’s chest. “Will you tell me more about this king business? Constantine gave me the queen moniker because he anticipated your evolution.”

Rene nodded. “I suspected that as well, but I don’t know exactly how I will evolve.”

“Do you feel any different? Now that we bonded, I mean?”

His fingers traced my shoulders. “Yes. I was becoming... anxious. But I can’t say if that is because I was afraid you would reject me or the onset of the madness that afflicts my species as we age.”

“But you don’t feel that way now?”

“No. I am content. Happy.”

I smiled at him. “Good. What do we do next?”

“I must introduce you to all the clans.”

My body stilled. “There better not be any other wives.”

He laughed. “No. You will be inducted into every clan. As the only vampire with magic, the clan heads want you to have residency within the clans. Of course we have to formallyintroduce you, so there will be many vampire balls in your future.”

I winced. “More parties?”