Page 25 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)

I make my way quickly and stealthily along the castle corridors towards the kitchens.

I speed on, but gasp and quickly duck behind one of the many suits of armour on display in this hall as Eleanor rounds the corner from the opposite direction.

‘Oh fuck!’

Heart in mouth, I wait to see if she’d noticed me, but apparently she’s so distracted and hell-bent on quick-marching to the kitchens that I’ve managed to remain undetected.

‘What could she possibly be doing down here? And why’s she in such a rush?’

Even as I ask myself this I know it’s a silly question.

The bastard twins, Attracta and Asumpta, had been installed down here as babies after she’d saved their lives.

She most probably visited often. Still, if she’s down here now to see Asumpta, I’d love to be a fly on the wall.

With all the commotion in the castle, Eleanor’s distracted looks, and Falcon walking around in daylight, it’s obvious that something is definitely wrong.

Like me, perhaps Eleanor believes Asumpta might have some answers.

Biting my lip, my legs trembling, I look both ways along the hall before creeping out from my hiding place and heading towards the kitchen doors.

They’re thick and huge, but I know one is usually left open to allow the staff to walk through carrying food and plates with ease.

As I get closer I grimace as I see this is not the case today, they’re both closed, but one is slightly, ever so slightly, ajar.

Pressing my ear to the door, I put one hand over my mouth and pray Asumpta’s vampire ears don’t pick up on my racing heart and hitched breaths, as I strain to hear her murmured response to something Eleanor must have said before I reached the doors.

“And you know this, how?”

“Falcon just told me,” Eleanor says quietly. “Jag has been informed that Viper bit Angelina and has held her under a thrall. He’s vowed to hunt down and kill Viper.”

I almost do a little dance on the spot.

‘ Thank fuck ! The truth is finally coming out. ’

“If Jag’s chasing him, he’ll find him,” Asumpta says in a bored tone.

I can almost picture her casual, nonchalant stance as she says this.

Eleanor’s silent for a long moment, and all I hear is the sound of metal against metal.

Asumpta is obviously sharpening her blades, as she so often did when I visited.

I note the procurer doesn’t put forward her view on whether Viper has, or hasn’t, done what Jag has accused him of, but almost takes it as a given — certainly she’s not surprised.

I wonder if Eleanor notices this too. Her next comment makes me think she does. Not much gets past her.

“Asumpta, regardless of the veracity of the accusation, Falcon would never believe Viper capable of this. Ever since they were boys he’s sheltered his brother from the excesses of his father.

He bore the brunt of every brutal punishment for any infraction, real or imagined.

You know this. He has always, will always, protect his brother. ”

I feel like flinging open the door and screaming.

‘What? He doesn’t believe it? How? How can he not believe this? It makes so much sense!’

Asumpta snorts.

“Are you saying he doesn’t believe Jag? His best friend and comrade?”

‘Exactly!’

“He cannot,” Eleanor says simply.

I want to groan, but I keep my hand firmly over my mouth.

‘Oh my fucking God! Stupid, stupid vampire with your stupid, stupid loyalty.’

Asumpta sighs heavily.

“What do you want from me, Eleanor?”

“I want you to find Viper before Jag does. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that if Jag kills Viper, Falcon will make it his penultimate quest to kill his former comrade.”

The blades stop being sharpened and I strain to hear what Asumpta replies, but I can’t hear a thing. I imagine she must have nodded, or sent some signal of agreement, because footsteps head across the kitchen flagstones towards the door and I scurry to get out of the way before Eleanor exits.

I’m trembling with anxiety as I wait, hidden for a few long minutes to be sure she’s really gone before making my way into the kitchen. I know I have no time to spare.

Asumpta is in the process of strapping on her swords to leave, but spins and snarls as I call out her name.

“What do you want?”

“Long time no see, Asumpta. I’ve missed you too.”

“Answer my question.”

“I’m here for information.”

“I stopped being your vampire bible a long time ago,” she sneers. “Go sniffle to Eleanor if there’s something you want to know. I’m busy.”

I grit my teeth, but plough on. I might not get another opportunity to see her. I’d love to ask what she plans to do about Viper and Jag and the bite, but I can’t talk about that. Instead I head in another direction and pursue the line of questioning I’d planned before hearing Eleanor’s news.

“What do you know about Princess Revna?”

“Ahhhh,” she smiles, her fangs running out.

“So this is where we’re headed. You’ve heard he’s returned to her.

Apparently he didn’t surface from her suites for days — guess they had a lot of horizontal catching up to do.

Two centuries apart, yet you manage to fuck him up so badly you drive him straight back into her arms. That’s a real skill. ”

I try not to let my emotions show on my face, but her words cut me to the bone.

It was one thing for Eleanor to suspect Falcon was courting his old love again; another to have it confirmed.

And the bitch before me knows all too well that it wasn’t me who fucked up Falcon, it was his half-brother, her ally.

Still, I try to act unperturbed.

“Yeah? Well, I hear Falcon isn’t that fucked up; he just wants to become a king.

I wonder how that works here, though. I mean, if I’m dispensed with, and my son is not the heir, then Viper will be the Lord, won’t he?

He’s next in line. That should suit you, though.

I mean, you guys are tight, aren’t you?”

‘And Eleanor must know that, or she wouldn’t have asked you to find him. I need to question her more about her step-daughters. I feel like I’ve missed something somewhere…’

Asumpta narrows her eyes.

“What do you really want, Angelina?”

“I want to know why vampire lore maintains that women have to breastfeed their baby vampires for three years. I also want to know if that is null and void if Falcon marries the Princess. I’m guessing I’ll be excess to requirements and the title will be given to Viper?”

‘And how far-reaching are Viper and Spider’s goals? Was this planned all along? Shit, could he have known Falcon would go back to the Princess? No. Oh, God! Maybe. Tell me I haven’t been a pawn in such a long game that it’s been planned for centuries.’

Asumpta snorts.

“There’s so much you don’t know, you stupid human.

But yes, if Falcon marries, then he and the Princess will have pure vampire babies.

The Families don’t need humans to breed.

If you kill yourself, and your baby, that neatly ties up a little mess Falcon wished he hadn’t stepped in, clearing the way for him to wed into the old bloodlines and for Viper to take the Dragonspur seat. ”

“Right,” I nod slowly, my mind racing.

‘Except I don’t think he’ll pass the seat onto Viper, princess or no princess.

It’s just a feeling, but he’s always been clear that he wants his title and seat to be secure, and he knows Viper will gamble away the lot…

Then again, what do I really know? Nothing.

Asumpta’s right, I literally reel from one disclosure to the next with these bloody vampires. ’

So far, though, she hadn’t told me anything I didn’t know, although I’d forgotten that The Families, Kings and Queens, could have babies without humans. At the back of my mind this rings a bell as being particularly important, but I can’t think why just now, I’m too focused on my escape plans.

“So then,” I shrug, “if we assume you’re right and Viper inherits the title, it wouldn’t matter if I left the castle. If the world thought I was dead I could disappear with my baby and that would pave the way for everyone to live happily ever after.”

“You and your Jaguar?” She sniggers.

“No,” I shake my head, “I think you know,” I place my hand to my throat as the thrall kicks in, “I didn’t want that.”

My eyes widen as I gulp for air, and I sway from lack of oxygen as the last words leave my mouth.

“You’ve said enough,” she snorts. “Either way, you aren’t fit to sully the bottom of his boots. Even if you could escape, I wouldn’t help you.”

As she says this I suddenly get a revelation. There’s a reason she was always in the kitchen when he was here, always hanging around when we were cooking, always watching.

“You love him!” I gasp. “You’re in love with Jag.”

I squeak and stagger as she bounds over in one big leap and puts her sword to my throat.

I hadn’t even seen her coming; she was that fast.

“You shut your mouth,” she snarls, her face so close to mine her nose is almost touching my own.

“That’s why,” I go on, swallowing hard as the edge of the blade stings a line across my larynx, “that’s why you went against Viper and revealed he was the one who invited Tatyana here. You were pissed because he was going to make me…make Jag…”

“I said,” she hisses, “shut your fucking mouth.”

Staring into her eyes I can see I’ve gone too far, and I nod my capitulation.

Pulling away, she stalks to the other side of the room, sheathing her swords.

I imagine she’s trying to stop herself from doing something out of control, like cutting my throat.

I remind myself that her half-brother also has an anger problem, and I should ease up a bit.

But I don’t have the luxury of time, and she should know that I don’t do what I’m told ninety per cent of the time.

If I’d followed her original orders I’d never have come back to the kitchens after my first visit.

‘So, she knew I was under a thrall and she supported what Viper was doing, but she didn’t know everything Viper planned…’

“I’ll bet you didn’t know about his plans for Eleanor,” I murmur. “You wouldn’t have thought he’d allow an assassin to kill her, and you couldn’t condone that. Still, you were in too deep.”

I don’t add that if she’s in league with Viper she must surely also be in league with Spider. This was something Yin and I had already deduced, but just how deep her connection was with that royal house is anyone’s guess.

“I’ll bet you don’t trust him now, whatever he’s promised,” I add, “you’d be a fool to do so.”

“Why is your mouth still opening and closing?” She whispers, her tone murderous.

“I have one more question.”

“Ask what you want to know and leave before I kill you,” she hisses.

I nod. I know well enough when I’ve pushed a Dragonspur too far, even a bastard Dragonspur.

“It might be a moot point, what with the princess problem,but I want to know why three years? Why does the mother of a vampire baby have to breastfeed for three years?

She turns her back to me and takes a robe from a peg on the wall.

“There’s something some vampires can do, and others can’t. Now run, because if you’re here when I turn around, I’ll gut you.”