Page 4 of B Negative

Two

I staredout at the water below, the crisscrossing girders of the steel bridge pressing in tight around me, like the cage I’d walked myself into. My heart raced as Titus’s limo raced just as fast across the river.

Sunny’s body lay across the backseat, her head resting in my lap. Titus sat facing me, his eyes never straying from Sunny’s face.

What had I done?

I’d broken the bond. The only thing keeping my scent as a made vampire hidden from Titus.

Then agreed to go into his territory.

What the actual fuck was wrong with me?

I had no idea how long Julian’s scent would stay mingled with mine, but I had a feeling it wasn’t very long.

I needed a plan.

Now.

I shot a glance at Titus before returning my sights to the river. We were almost halfway between Julian and Titus’s territories.

I swallowed loudly and put my hand to my mouth, recalling the time a frat guy at the bar puked an entire order of wings across the bar top.

“Pull over,” I said around a belabored swallow.

Titus’s gaze found mine, doling out a healthy serving of condescension. “There is no place to pull over on a bridge, Eden.”

I gagged behind my hand. “Titus, if you don’t stop this car, I’m going to puke all over your new mate. Bridges and I don’t get along.”

Titus’s lips pressed together to form a thin line before he gave me a curt nod and ordered the driver to stop.

Screeching tires and horns blared all around us, but by some miracle, no one actually collided with the limo.

I took a breath and leaned forward, clearing the malaise from my expression. “Before we go any farther, you and I need to come to an agreement.”

Titus only needed a fraction of a second to realize I wasn’t actually ill. He glared at me with a new gleam lighting those cold eyes. “Keen of you to demand such things between your mate’s territory and mine.” His words slithered over me like a handsy uncle, but his compliment didn’t go unnoticed.

“That vampire is no mate of mine.”

Titus bowed his head. “So you say. What are your demands, young one?”

“You’ve invited me to your territory because of extenuating circumstances.”

The king eyed me, guessing where I was headed. “You won’t be harmed while in my tower, Eden.”

“That’s the least you can do. I want protection against—” Fuck, how to word this? “Anything that might come to light while I’m in your tower.”

Titus’s jaw shifted from side to side as he ground his teeth. The sound skated down my spine and I braced myself against the shiver of revulsion coiling back up. “I’m not giving you free rein to steal my objet de souveraineté, girl.”

Yeah, getting my hands on Titus’s scepter was the literal last thing on my mind. I could have played it like it was, but I had a better idea.

“Look, Titus, I really couldn’t give less of a fuck about your objet de souveraineté. However, I have certain, shall we say, indiscretions in my past which, should they come to light while at your tower, might put you in a difficult situation. I’d like your word that should such a thing happen, your judgment will err on my side.”

Titus’ gaze stayed locked on mine for a full minute before he spoke. “Your French is atrocious.”

I was well aware. Odette told me as much several times, and no matter how hard she tried to correct my French Rs, I just couldn’t get my mouth to obey.

But butchering Titus’s mother tongue had the desired effect. He waved a hand, attention back on Sunny as he said, “I care not of your past misdeeds, young one.”