Page 10 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)

Wolf clears his throat as he plots his travel plans on his map, just as he has for the past several days, and looks up at me where I loll, half pissed on his couch, still hiding from my responsibilities and nursing something I never thought I’d ever have — a broken heart.

“You know, Falcon, maybe you should go visit Princess Revna. It’s been, what, two centuries?

I hear she’s still single, still waiting for you.

Why not give her another whirl? Perhaps your old love will help assuage the pain of your new — and if not offer a solution, at the very least offer a distraction. ”

“You really do hate me, don’t you?” I snort, shaking my head at the notion I would visit my first love, the vampire princess, Revna — someone I’d parted with centuries ago and hadn’t thought of in decades.

‘And did I love her? I thought I did, once upon a time. But no. It was nothing like the feelings I have for my wife, even now. Nothing.’

“Not at all, my friend,” Wolf grins. “Perhaps a commotion will do you good, that’s all I’m suggesting.”

“Commotion is an understatement. Right now I’m up to my armpits in shit,” I snort. “The last thing I need is to have my Mother turn against me too. You know she vehemently opposed any union with the Princess.”

“Yes,” he shrugs, “I never could understand why she was so violently angry that you might marry a princess destined to become the Queen of Denmark. It’s still a mystery.

I would have thought any mother would want her son to rise up in the ranks and become a king consort.

And why you agreed to your Mother’s ultimatum, that too, is still a mystery. ”

I roll my eyes. That discussion with Mother was so long in the past I would have forgotten it, had it not been for the wild look in her eyes and her desperation as she’d pleaded with me to break it off with the Princess.

“There was no ultimatum. The decision was mine. I changed my plans because Mother told me if I’d ever trusted anything she had said or done, to trust her word on this, and not marry the Princess.

I had no reason to doubt she had anything but my best interests at heart.

I agreed because, truth be told, my affection for the Princess was strong, but not insurmountable, and my affection for my Mother was unwavering.

And anyhow, it was the Princess who was pressing for marriage.

I truthfully thought we were too young. I was perfectly content to continue on as we were. ”

“Hard to believe,” Wolf murmurs, still studying the map. “It fits with who you are to see you rise. You of all people cling to tradition and title,” he looks up, one eyebrow raised. “Your feud with Spider’s family over power and your seat is just one example.”

“That’s entirely different,” I snap. “I’ll never let Spider get my title. It has nothing to do with me wanting power and everything to do with family dignity. I hold to my title because I represent generations of my bloodline.”

“Bloodlines I understand,” Wolf nods. “I, however, couldn’t care less about my title. I have half a dozen brothers and just as many cousins who could take on the responsibility any time, and I’d gladly hand over the reins, dignity be damned.”

“But you don’t hand over the title,” I snort.

“No,” he sighs, “because I need the money and influence to find my sister. But once I do, I don’t care one whit if I’m supplanted. I’ll live my days whoring and drinking in a chateau in the country somewhere.”

“We’ll see,” I snigger.

“Titles aside, my friend,” Wolf goes on, “I’ve never seen you so down in the dumps. Perhaps if you’ve been falsely convinced that vampires can love humans, as Jag so often bemoaned, a little refresher on what real love is, vampire-on-vampire, might not go astray. Unless you agree with Jag now?”

“Don’t mention that bastard’s name to me,” I snap.

‘And yes, obviously I fucking agree with him now, damn him to hell.’

“Jag’s still my friend,” Wolf glares at me, his expression suddenly serious, “and someone who always championed the underdog. I condemn what he did in sleeping with your wife; that is inexcusable, but given the circumstances, as much as I hate to say it, she’s just a human and he’s, well, Jag .

When you think about it, it was somewhat inevitable. ”

“Inevitable?” I hurl my glass into the fireplace and shake my head, although I know that as much as I don’t want to admit it, he’s right. Hadn’t I thought similar myself? That I’d thrust her into his arms?

‘No! Jag was entirely in the wrong.’

“If treachery is inevitable then what hope do any of us have?” I mutter, my shoulders slumping as I rise to lean against the fireplace and stare into the flames. “Fuck him! Is there no honour left in this world?”

Wolf clears his throat and claps a hand on my shoulder.

“There is honour, and deceit is not inevitable. I misworded Falcon — and I do you an injustice to make light of your feelings for the human woman. I apologise.”

“No,” I shake my head. “You’re right. Jag always took the side of the underdog. He protected my wife from me.”

“And ultimately stole her from you, apparently,” he sighs. “Although neither of us really knows the whole of it until we hear it from his lips.”

I don’t bother arguing as he squeezes my shoulder before sighing heavily and walking back to his maps.

“I appreciate your help here, Falcon, you know I do. I understand your need to get away from your castle to figure out your next move, but I’m trying to make light of a bad situation. You and I both know that in these matters there are also royal games to consider.”

“Yes,” I rub my hands over my face, trying to wipe away the knowledge that he’s talking sense, even though I don’t want to hear that right now.

My title isn’t secure until I produce a real heir, and the Queen is not a patient woman.

If she were to learn the baby was Jag’s, there’s no telling what she might do. I need to act before that happens.

“You know,” he turns to fill our glasses at the sideboard, “you did say at one time, unless I misheard you, that another woman was perhaps also carrying your child.”

“Sophie,” I sigh. “My spy told me she wasn’t pregnant upon her return to Spider’s castle, yet when last I saw her, she definitely was.”

“And it’s yours?”

“It hasn’t been confirmed, but the timing would suggest so,” I shrug.

‘Unless I really am shooting blanks…’

I shake my head to dispel this unwelcome thought. Fuck Angie for ever putting this doubt in my mind.

“Ah, yes,” he murmurs as he hands me my glass. “Now I remember, this is the woman you intended to replace Angelina with. Although, as I said before, I never understood why you’d bother. Both women betrayed you, this Sophie woman with Spider and your current wife with Jag.”

“Sophie,” I nod, reminded of the promise I’d given to free her, “only ever wanted security and power. That’s something I understand.”

‘And my heart’s safe with her because she never wanted any part of that, unlike Angie who fooled me into thinking she did, then took it and played with it like a hacky sack.’

“You’re right. I need to free Sophie.”

“I never said that,” he says sharply. “But that is one option — if you’re sure the child is yours; you’d have the heir the Queen wants.”

“Mmmm,” I frown as I think over my last interaction with Sophie. She’d placed her hand deliberately on her stomach and called me ‘Fal.’ I had the impression she was trying to tell me the baby was mine.

“I’ll determine her state before I act.”

I scowl as I realise I’d been so blinded by rage after Jag and Angelina’s confession, so sideswiped and surprised by the fall-out and Mother’s later assertion that the baby was mine, that although I’d briefly articulated my plans to supplant Angie in three years, I hadn’t thought through the logistics.

If I’m right, Sophie is potentially carrying my heir.

“You do that,” Wolf nods. “I can’t help but think that perhaps your time, our time if need be, might be better spent securing that option before the Queen finds out about the total abortion your life has become — or Spider finds out the kid isn’t his.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I roll my eyes as I consider what he’s just said. “And you’re right — I don’t have time to wallow or grieve. I’ve made my bed, I need to lie in it. As bloodied and full of enemies as it may be.”

He nods. “The only question is, do you want me to accompany you on your quest?”

I shake my head and place my drink down near his map. I know how hard it is for him to offer to aid me when he’s itching to leave on his next search.

‘That’s Wolf. Always amiable, always ready to make a joke of everything and suggest the absurd.

But always loyal. Something in very short supply these days.

He’s right. I need to go home and seek out information about Sophie.

Then, regardless of whether the child is mine, I need to secure her safety and that of my brother’s, since Jag’s determined Viper is responsible for all my woes. ’

I shake my head to oust my morbid thoughts about Jaguar and the text I’d received from him this evening before permanently blocking his number.

“I have important information for you regarding Viper. If you won’t take him in hand, I will.”

I may need to kill my former best friend sooner rather than later. My reasons are piling up.

“Wolf, I need to go home, and you need to start here,” I point to a desolated area in the mountains near Bulgaria. “We haven’t searched there yet, and it’s out of the way enough to be intriguing.”

“True,” he frowns as he considers the spot. “I’ve searched all around the villages there but never hit the mountains themselves. Why not? Perhaps I’ll also take up yodelling.”

He offers me his hand and I shake it firmly, clapping him on the shoulder.

“I appreciate you, Wolf,” I say quietly as I meet his eyes.

“And I appreciate fine wine, women, and song,” he says quietly, “all of which will be waiting for you upon your return — hopefully with fewer shadows on your mind and cares on your shoulders.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I nod, turning to leave.

“Oh, and Falcon,” he says to my retreating back.

I spin, the smile on my face slipping as I see his dark expression.

“Don’t kill Jag.”