Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
A small candle glowed within a glass lamp that hung from the ceiling.
With his eyes closed, Xander lay on a small makeshift bed that took up the entire area. It was a mattress covered in rainbow blankets. To my surprise, they didn’t look like the ones from his bed.
He must have a bunch of rainbow stuff.
A smirk spread across my face.
Look at my king.
Shadows flickered back and forth on Xander’s bare chest as it rose and fell. Cords of muscle encased his waist. He wore nothing. A sheet draped over one leg and concealed the sumptuous area below his belly button. Still, I could make out his erection underneath the material as it bulged and tilted upward.
“Do you have room to sleep?” He kept his eyes closed. “I can scoot over farther for you.”
“I’ll have enough space.” I kicked off my leather sandals and crawled onto the other side of the bed.
More bells chimed.
Then I felt our wagon move forward.
The floor rocked a little and then vibrated as we began our journey. The noise of wagon wheels cracking over the dirt road as the horses sped off lifted high in the air.
Will we be able to do this? What will become of us?
Chapter 15
Control
Camille
I have to fix this between us.
The wagon continued forward.
Xander put his back to me. “If you need blankets, there are several folded near the end of the bed.”
“Thank you.”
I considered the statement Ian said, that a queen ruled her king. I was willing to put that theory to the test. Anything seemed better than sitting in the wagon all day nervous and unable to truly talk to him.
Do I have more power than I think?
Having power didn’t matter. I just wanted us back.
I pulled off my top and slipped out of my pants. The only items that remained was my bra, panties, and a dagger that rested in a leather strap tied around my right thigh.
He’s so powerful and there’s this new rage that has come with his change.
I slid the wooden dagger out of its sheathe, admiring its beautiful craftsmanship, before holding it up to my face and running my thumb along the blade.
The point was not sharp, but the flat side had a serrated pattern etched into it, allowing the knife to both cut into vampire flesh and act as a saw.
I lowered the dagger and slid it back into place.
Just in case. I’ll keep the dagger on my thigh.
Xander still had his back to me, yet a loud inhale came from him.
Is he smelling me?
A dark groan throbbed from him.
My heart raced.
Power emanated from Xander and surged through me, sending a dizzying current through my veins.
What is this?
Then, the power took control of my body.
Am I imagining this? No.
As if being pulled by invisible string, I glided forward, immovable as stone and deaf to the world outside.
His hunger was a beacon.
I was about to speak and then suddenly didn’t want to anymore.
Instead, I felt nothing but this compulsive drive to give my blood to Xander.
He must feed.
I didn’t have to think about anything else. I didn’t have to breathe. All I had to do was move forward.
His fangs. I need them.
His power called me closer and closer, until I was lying next to him on the bed with no other thought but to satisfy his insatiable need.
I grabbed his arms.
Xander growled. “Fuck.”
Then, his power over me snapped away.
I blinked.
The tugging of those invisible strings disappeared. That need to feed him vanished too.
What happened?
Xander tensed. “That was my fault. I didn’t mean to lure you over. I am still figuring out my powers.”
I kept my hand on his arm. “But. . .how did you. . .turn it on?”
“I just smelled your scent and wanted you.”
I swallowed. “And then. . .your power just pulled me over to you?”
“Is that how it felt?”
“Yes.”
“That wasn’t my intention.”
I shivered. “How much power do you think you have over me?”
“Not as much power as you have over me.”
I pressed the side of my face against his back and breathed in his tenna scent. “I want us back.”
“Me too.”
“We’re both changing. . .so fast. . .and there’s so much going on.”
“Yet, we need to be stronger together.”
“We do.”
“I’ve been thinking about this. If we are united, then the Quiet King couldn’t come after us.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He is a mad man without his queen. I have mine. . .if I could just learn how to. . .be with you properly.”
I closed my eyes and continued to relish in his warmth.
Outside of the wagon, I had been on edge. My nerves were all over the place. So many worries and doubts had raced through my mind and collided into one another.
But, now that I was next to Xander, calm came.
His dark voice slipped along my frame. “I’m sorry, Camille.”
“I know.”
“I don’t ever want to hurt you like that again.”