Page 44 of Hot Vampire Next Door: Season Five

She takes in a deep breath, hands resting on her knees. She considers me for several long moments, and I realize even through Kelly, she can’t lie. It’s why she’s taking her time answering, choosing her words carefully.

“I wish to restore the balance to the fae realms.”

Obviously true if she said it, but it’s too easy, too obvious. There has to be more to it.

And then another truth dawns on me.

If the Summer Queen must speak the truth through Kelly, then perhaps she can also be commanded through Kelly.

“Tell me why you really want me to marry Maven.”

It’s easy to tap into my voice. Bran has been drilling the lesson into me for weeks.

It’s not the same power as the frost or the cold, and not nearly so new to me.

And I see the moment the queen realizes her mistake.

Her eyes get wide as the power latches on to her and she’s compelled to answer.

“Maven is a Winter bastard.” She clamps her free hand over her mouth.

“Tell me more,” I command. The power radiates at the center of me, warming my chest.

“Arion is next in line for the Summer Throne,” she blurts out. “Which is why I plan to have him killed in this war. And once Maven is married to you, legitimizing his standing, I plan to kill you too.”

“So you can rule both Summer and Winter,” I finish. “Tell me if I’m right.”

She knows answering is inevitable, but she still fights forming the letters even as she says them.

“Yes.” Her eyes narrow. “I want to rule it all.”

I pull my cell phone from my pocket and stop the recording. "I'm sure Arion will love to hear this."

The Summer Queen, through my sister’s body, grits her teeth and lunges for me.

Episode Eighty-Six

GROWING BROMANCE

The Summer Queen, possessing my sister, and determined to destroy me, doesn’t make it any farther than a foot from her chair before Damien is between us, his back to me.

“Don’t even consider it.” His voice is quiet and even.

But a quiet, controlled Damien Duval is no less terrifying than a violent one.

I think that’s where his violence resides: in the silence.

“Or you’ll what?” The Summer Queen challenges using my sister’s mouth, my sister’s voice. “You’ll do nothing to put your precious mortal girl at risk.”

“It’s not the mortal girl you have to worry about.”

The queen’s smile is tight for a beat before a laugh interrupts it. It’s a little trill in the back of her throat, meant to sound sinister but instead betrays her fear.

Even with the gate sealed all these years, she must know of Damien’s reputation. He’s been around a long time.

The queen sits down again and the chair legs rock back and forth on the uneven stone floor.

“I guess that’s it then?” Kelly—the queen—leans to the side so she can see me around the hard line of Damien’s body. “We’ve drawn our lines, princess. So I will be going.”