Page 115 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)

I stop struggling the moment we leave the throne room and hang limp over the guard’s shoulder.

“Please,” I implore as he strides along marble corridors, towards, presumably, the doctor’s rooms, “please, put me down. I’ll follow.”

A voice rings out from somewhere ahead of us, a woman’s voice, and his steps falter.

“Do as you’re told, Guard.”

We come to a standstill and I look up to see a woman, hands on hips, expression furious. I gasp, my heart jumping into my mouth in terror at the sight of her, but I quickly realise it’s not who I thought it was, just someone very similar.

‘Attracta.’

“Lady Dragonspur has given you instruction,” she says, her tone brooking no argument.

“I answer to the Queen,” he grunts.

“And the Queen said, take her to be examined, she didn’t say manhandle her. Put her down at once.”

Grumbling, he pulls me off his shoulder and back onto my own two feet. Gripping my arm, he nods to Attracta as she steps aside.

As I’m propelled before him I turn my head to her and mouth, “thank you.”

The old me might have screamed and begged Attracta for help, but I’m not the helpless human I once was and I’m beginning to understand that in this world, the weak are dispensable.

And I’m not weak. Not anymore.

“I need to fix my hair,” I murmur quietly to the guard, “do you mind? I’ll do it as we walk.”

Grunting, he releases my arm and I keep up with his steps as I redo my hair, which had come out of its French knot when I was thrown over his shoulder.

I’m bothering with it not only because I know I’ll need to look my best if I’m to bluff my way out of this predicament unscathed, but also to gain his trust.

When we reach what I have to assume are the doctor’s rooms, the guard knocks on the door, and a familiar face answers.

“Hello, Doctor,” I smile sweetly.

“Lady Dragonspur,” he bows, “what a pleasure to see you again. Please, come in.”

As I step into the room the doctor closes the door firmly behind me, leaving the guard outside just as I’d hoped would happen if I appeared to be compliant.

And just as I’d hoped, the doctor was the same one who had visited Tiger when the boy had fallen into a coma.

A doctor who has no reason to believe me to be anything other than kind and civilised, and most certainly no reason to anticipate any violence from ‘Lady Dragonspur.’

His mistake.

“The queen has asked that I examine you, Lady Dragonspur,” he says quietly as he turns to me, drawing on rubber gloves.

“Yes,” I frown, my eyes drawn to his hands, “however, I’d prefer not, if you don’t mind.”

“I understand. However, she has ordered that I undertake this examination.”

I raise my eyes to his.

“And if I refuse?”

“I hope, Lady Dragonspur, very much, that restraint isn’t going to be necessary.”

I follow his eyes to the thick leather straps hanging from the side of the examination table, and try to suppress the shiver that runs up my spine.

It’s obvious that being the personal physician to the Queen has meant he’s no stranger to doing bad things.

It also seems to me, now that I look around the room, that he might enjoy his role a little too much.

Keeping calm, and reminding myself to act ‘royal’ I channel my inner Eleanor.

“Of course, Doctor,” I smile and nod my compliance, “I was merely curious.”

“Wonderful,” he smiles, the sentiment not showing in his eyes. “Now if you wouldn’t mind disrobing and hopping up on the examination table. You can cover yourself with the sheet and call when you’re ready.I’ll wait next door.”

He heads through another door on the opposite side of the room and the moment I’m alone I scan my surroundings, eyes wide and breath coming too fast.

‘What kind of a doctor has restraints? Holy fuck, what the hell are some of those implements on the wall, torture devices? They look like something from the Spanish Inquisition. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”

My knees are trembling, but the Queen cannot know that I can still have children. I have to do everything in my power to avoid this examination if I want to avoid becoming nothing more than a brood mare destined to watch countless children be taken and destroyed by The Families.

As I spot a covered tray on a stainless-steel bench near the window, I flick off a blue cotton cloth and find a range of hypodermic needles.

One is full of a pale orange liquid. Taking the syringe, I hold it behind my back and walk to stand by the door.

I steel myself for what I’m about to do by recalling Yin once telling me that the only solution for bad people was good people more skilled in violence.

These past few years, I’d upskilled.

My heart is literally pounding in my chest as I brace myself to call the doctor back. He’s a vampire, so I know disabling him isn’t going to be easy, but I’m going to try.

“I’m ready, Doctor!”

The moment he opens the door, I lunge.

I’d expected to stab him in the throat, temporarily disabling him long enough to run out the door, but somehow the syringe enters his left eye.

Shouting out, he swipes at me and, instinctively, I punch him, hitting the syringe and pushing it deeper into his orb, the liquid injecting into him.

Staggering forwards, he shoves me in the chest and I topple backwards, trip over a chair, and land on my ass on the floor as he careers towards the window.

Quite unexpectedly he smashes headfirst into the tray of needles before sliding to the carpet, unmoving.

Rising, I lock the door in case the noise had alerted the guard to something being wrong, before advancing on the doctor to ensure he wasn’t going to rise anytime soon.

Nudging him with my foot I nod with satisfaction.

He’s not dead, I think I just knocked him out with whatever he was planning to sedate me with.

I don’t know how long I have until he comes around, and I don’t want to stay here to find out, but I also don’t know if the guard is still stationed outside the room.

As I straighten up and consider my options, I spin, squeaking in terror, as the door is smashed in with such force that it flies off its hinges, and a blood-splattered vision bursts in, taking three long strides and wrapping me in his arms.

“Are you hurt?” He murmurs into my hair. “Did they harm you?”

“No,” I sob, as shock, awe, and relief all hit me at once, and I grip my husband’s shoulders like a shipwrecked cat clinging to a piece of flotsam.

“I’m so sorry,” he groans as he pulls me back slightly to study my face, wiping away my tears with his thumb.

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” I whisper, touching his swollen eyes gently and gasping at his split lip.

“Oh, God, Falcon.”

“You should see the other guys,” he laughs gently.

I shake my head.

“I love you.”

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that,” he murmurs.

I look up into his eyes, so full of adoration.

“What happened? How are you here? The boys…”

“I’ll fill you in on everything when we get home,” he sighs. “Attracta has the boys. They’re in the car waiting for us.”

“We’re free to go?”

“Yes. Is he dead?” Falcon motions with his head to the doctor on the floor.

“I wish,” I mutter.

Releasing me, he leans down and picks up the doctor’s feet, dragging him towards the smashed-in doorway.

Picking up the heavy timber door, he slams it down across the doctor’s neck once, twice, three times.

As his head comes off completely, Falcon kicks it out the doorway and down the long, marble hall, leaving a smear of blood dozens of metres long.

Turning back to me, he smirks at my expression and gives a quick bow.

“Your wish is my command.”

“Jesus, fuck!” I whisper.

“Anyone else you want me to kill?” He asks casually as he walks back and swings me up into his arms like I weigh nothing.

“Yes,” I murmur into his neck as he strides down the long corridor, cradling me in his strong arms, “the Queen.”

“That will come,” he growls.