Page 100 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

“Does he rank higher than you?”

“Not technically,” Arion says below his breath.

“But?”

“But he could challenge me for the throne and he may very well win given the support he has in court.”

I square my shoulders, ready for another fight.

But then Ozaron turns to address the court and says, “All hail, the Summer King.”

And then the crowd sinks to their knees for my brother.

I leave Arion to handle his new court, and his new position.

I need to find Sam. I don’t want to think about what I may find, but I have to see her.

As we hurry back to the palace, I tell Bran what happened, my voice shaking with remorse.

When we reach the palace wall, Bran stops me, his hand on my shoulder pulling me around. “You don’t have to worry, little mouse.”

“But I stabbed her and then I left her and?—”

“Jessie!”

I look up at the balcony that overhangs the garden. Sam is there at the railing.

My throat tightens, my eyes burn. “Oh my god,” I say. “Is this real? This isn’t another trick?”

Behind Sam, Cal saunters out. He’s covered in blood, even though he doesn’t appear wounded. I think it might be Sam’s.

Sam races down the stairs and I run over to her, wrapping her in a hug. She feels solid and warm and real.

“How did this happen?” My voice is muffled by her tangle of hair. She’s a complete mess, but she’s alive.

Sam groans and pulls away. She eyes Cal over her shoulder where he’s literally leaping over the balcony to join Bran at the edge of the garden.

“It’s a long story,” Sam says. “But Cal…” Some color flashes in her cheeks.

“He what?”

“The only way to save me,” she says, “was to bond me to him.”

My eyes get big. “Shut. Up.”

“Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

I clamp my mouth shut, eyes still big and round. “Mmmhmm.”

She tilts her head, frowning. “I’m serious.”

“Of course.”

“Jessie.”

I’m practically vibrating with excitement.

“Don’t,” she warns.