Page 63 of Princess Redeemed

I take a tentative sip of the blood in the chalice.It’s dark and delicious, with a lusty blackberry undertone.

But it’s not wolf blood.

I draw in a breath and take another drink.

I let it flow down my throat, nourishing my son and me.

I allow it to strengthen our bodies, nurture our souls.

“It will take some time,” Alara says, “but you now know that you do not require the wolf’s blood for you and your son to survive.It will get easier.”

I swallow another sip and then nod, even though I have my doubts.

“Do not doubt,” Alara says harshly.

“Are you a mind reader now?”

She shakes her head.“No.Just intuitive.Clairvoyance is not an ancient power of our people.”

“What is that power, then?”I ask.

“You will learn all about it,” she replies, “in due time.”

37

“In due time?”I shake my head as I set down the chalice.“We don’thavetime, Alara.I’m having a baby.His father is out of the picture.I’m expected to kill my stepfather because of some warped prophecy.If I do, I risk alienating my mother, who I love.The last I heard, the vampires, lycans, and demons are at war.Yet all I saw in the ether were dead bodies decomposing.And you tell me I’ll learn everything in due time?”

“You will not kill your stepfather,” she says.

“That’s what you got out of that tirade?”I take a step toward her.“You’re right.I won’t.As much as I’d love to be the one to take out the bastard, I can’t.”

“You can,” she says, “but you won’t.That task is not for you.”

“Then why did?—”

“None of that is important right now.Before you can understand why or how things are as they are, you need to learn to harness and focus the power of your vampire heritage.”

“What power?”I demand.“I have the power of mind control.I can move quickly.What else is there?”

“So much, Hannah.So very much.Power that even your father doesn’t know.”

I widen my eyes.“Excuse me?”

“Your father spent a lot of his life denying who he truly was,” she says.“That’s why he married your mother, had you and your sister.He turned his back on his heritage, and indeed he’d probably still be doing so if his blood ties hadn’t called him to the throne.”

“Yeah, the reluctant vampire king.I’ve heard it all.As reluctant as he was to assume the throne, I’m even more reluctant to be his heir.Especially after what he did to Rogan and me.”

“Say what you will about your father,” Alara says.“I’m not his biggest fan either, but he’s been a good king for our kind.”

“If he’s a good king, why aren’t you his biggest fan?”I can’t help asking.

“That’s a long story, and one for another time.But his intelligence is unequaled, and his cunning is as well.”

I scoff.“You don’t have to tell me that.He had me convinced I was the blood mate of an alpha werewolf.”My need for Rogan pulses through me, and I hold back a whimper at the sense of loss it evokes.

“He had his reasons—ones which, once you know of them, you’ll understand.”

“Tell me, then.Before we go any further with this.Tell me.Why did my father have to break my heart?”