Page 43 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

“We don’t understand court politics. Or fae motivations. And while Baspin might be able to help in some ways, it’s Arion who knows the queen better.” I pace to the left, thinking through the situation. “The queen wanted me to marry the prince, which means she needs me, but how far is she willing to bend to get me? I bet Arion knows.”

“Yes, and he is currently on his way to murder us.”

“Arion wants redemption.” I pace back. “Not revenge.”

“Get to the point, little mouse,” Bran says.

“I need to speak to the queen,” I blurt out.

The discussion between the shifters has stalled and they’re all looking at me now like I’ve gone absolutely mad. And maybe I have.

I glance back up at Bran. “Where did Damien take my sister?”

“Fuck no,” Bran says, seeing where I’m going with this.

I give him a gentle poke in the chest and smile innocently at him. “Fuck yes.”

Thirty minutes later, we’re in the basement of Duval House, deep in the recess of it where the air is cold and wet. I shiver and rub my hands over my arms using friction to warm up.

Do I have to worry about my power if I get too cold? Guess we’ll find out.

Bran leads me down an uneven hallway that’s constructed of old stone. He has to duck to navigate it.

Cal is behind me, with his third-in-command, Keiko, behind him. Keiko is the dark-haired woman who, I later learned, was trying to talk him out of joining this fight. He took her concerns and decided to ignore them. Despite all that, she volunteered to join us leaving Fox in charge at the pack house.

“If you’re going to be an idiot,” she’d said, “I’m going to make sure I have your back while doing it.”

I think she’s annoyed with me simply because I’m at the center of his stupidity, but I’m secretly in awe of her.

Who talks to the Midnight Alpha that way and lives to tell the tale?

Keiko, that’s who.

When we reach the end of the hallway, there is a single naked bulb hanging from the stone ceiling and it sends sharp light and sharper shadows around the space.

Two vampires greet us and unlock a thick wooden door, allowing us inside.

Damien is there with my sister. Kelly is sitting in a wooden chair, her legs chained to the floor, her left wrist chained to the wall.

“Jessie!” She lurches upright to give me a hug, like she’s relieved to see me, but the chain is too short and the force of it going taut yanks her back down.

“She’s just pretending,” Damien says. He’s leaning against the wall, legs crossed at the ankles, arms crossed over his chest.

“It was worth a shot.” My sister’s face goes blank, all of the emotion gone from her voice.

“Summer Queen?” I ask.

“Where are we, princess?” She looks beyond me to Bran, then the Alpha and Keiko. “I didn’t know the vampires worked with the shifters. Much has changed since the gate was sealed.”

“I have a question for you.” I go to the center of the room where the floor dips down, the stone worn over time.

“Ask it then,” she says.

I try not to get distracted by the fact that my sister is being possessed by a fae queen.

When will Kelly catch a break? Hasn’t she suffered enough because of me?

“Why did you really want me to marry the prince?”