Page 134 of Treasured

Then, her lips met mine again, and there were no more words. How could there be?

I opened my palms, and shadows slipped from my hands. They rearranged our clothes on the ground to make a bed. We pulled in our wings. I lowered Luna gently, our lips never parting. She was perfect in every way. When we joined, I could have sworn my soul felt lighter than ever.

Luna and I were one. The Tether between us was not a curse but a blessing, and we would do whatever it took to take down the queen.

No matter what.

I Was Death

MARGUERITE

“You seem tense, My Queen.” Alexander rubbed my feet, the red sheen of his silken loincloth catching the purple light. He was handsome, I supposed, for a mortal. I thought him to be in his twenties, and his physique was attractive.

I eyed the Favorite from my reclined position on the couch. Obviously, I was tense. Anyone in my position would be. My kingdom was falling apart, everyone was betraying me, and my hair was going gray. Gray! I was a godsdamn vampire, and I was aging!

Tense didn’t begin to describe it. I was a single moment away from snapping.

“Come here.” I pulled my foot out of his grasp and patted the couch cushion. “I’m hungry.”

The Favorite did not say a word as he nodded, coming to sit beside me. That was good. My pets knew talking back was not allowed. At least they still understood who was in charge.

Running my tongue over my fangs, I tilted Alexander’s neck and bit him. I was not gentle or kind. I dragged his blood into me, ignoring his sharp intake of breath and the taste of pain in his blood.

Even as I drank, I knew it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. The only thing that would help me now would be to see the blood drain from the Ipothan bitch. I needed to watch her lifeless body fall to the ground and witness the life leeching from her eyes.

I wouldn’t just stake her. That would be too good for her. No, I would make death last a dozen mortal lifetimes for her. This was no longer just about the gods-damned Tether. No longer just about the fact that she turned my son into a traitor.

Piece by piece, she was destroying my entire kingdom.

In return, I would ruin her.

After all, I was good at death.

* * *

The ruby was a glowing star, casting its bloody sheen on my alabaster skin. I turned one way, then the other, admiring my profile in my floor-length gilded mirror. With my waist-long silk midnight hair and the thin robe wrapped around me, the jewel stood out against my skin.

I smiled at the sight, rubbing the ruby’s smooth, cool surface. The witch promised this would give me power. I hoped she was right.

If she lied, I’d return for another visit. I hadn’t released her, of course. One did not release such a prized possession. Instead, I relocated her until the time came that I needed her services once again. She was my prisoner, after all.

My last words to her were that I’d be back once I got my revenge.

A knock came on the door. “Queen Marguerite?”

Shadowing over, I yanked it open. “What?”

A human servant stood in the hallway, a purple ribbon tied around his neck. He trembled, holding a rolled-up scroll in my direction. “I-I-I have an urgent message for you, Your Majesty.”

I snatched the paper from him and broke the seal. My eyes flew over the words.

Found him. Come quickly.

At the bottom was a location. Short, to the point, and exactly what I needed.

I glanced up at the servant, noting his pale complexion. “Go.” I flashed my fangs at him. “Get out of here.”

He muttered something unrecognizable under his breath, running away as fast as he could. He nearly slipped as he turned the corner. Another time, I’d have found his haste amusing.