Page 18 of Ruthless Royals
I wasn’t lying, but what I should have said is she was going to ruin me.
My heart pounded as I peered into her eyes. The moment stretched on, and I knew I could pull away at any point and this would all be over, yet I was rooted to the spot, mesmerized by her presence. Surprise shone in her eyes as my expression softened, her touches melting all the darkest parts of me. She brought her lips closer, and my heart ballooned.
“Elizabeth, stop,” I whispered, my fingers digging into her soft skin as my grip grew more possessive. Before I could stop her, Elizabeth's full lips were on mine, stealing my next breath and shaking my whole body. We stopped dancing, and I pulled back slightly, her lips open and inviting against mine as I breathed in her sweet smell.
My fingers entwined in her hair as I pulled her closer again, exploring her lips with mine. She responded eagerly, rocking against me. My hand settled on her chest—the lace soft under my hand. The beat of her heart thundered through my fingertips, perfectly matching the rhythm of our kiss.
Her gaze burned with desire, my muscles tensing as I forced myself back, restraint pulling in my tortured expression. “Don't do that again.”
I looked around nervously, hoping Salenia or her guards hadn’t seen us. What the hell was I doing kissing her back? I could have put us both in danger. So why couldn’t I stop thinking about it? All I wanted was to pull her away from there and take her away from Salenia so I could feel her lips again.
The lights brightened, my eyes adjusting as the torches came on and the chandeliers glowed yellow. At some point during the dance, the doors were closed. The musicians quietened, resting their bows as the doors opened and everyone made a pathway through the middle of the room.
Velda stepped inside first, her emerald gown billowing out around her as she strode down the center, then stopped next to the throne.
“The announcement,” I whispered as Elizabeth stood, shouldered between me and another mortal girl, clearly drunk on venom.
Salenia entered the room, her hair now tied into a high braid, curls running down either side as she dragged Penelope along with her. Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “Who’s that?” She asked, her voice barely a whisper.
The color left my face. “My fiancé.”
She arched a brow. “Your what?”
“It’s complicated,” I explained. “It was arranged a while ago.”
All eyes were on her as she reached the throne, a gown of shimmering blue pooling at her feet. “Thank you, everyone, for attending this historical event.”
I refrained from rolling my eyes as her voice bellowed across the rooms. I caught Adrian’s eye as he stood next to three of the Blood Brothers and a member of Malum Dominor, Felix.
Salenia continued, the crown already shimmering on her head as I refocused on her. “My true name is Salenia, and I have returned to you. Your goddess sits before you, ready to be your queen.”
Hushes murmurs erupted around the room as she confirmed the rumors floating around the castle for the past week. She grabbed Penelope by the hair, dropping her at her feet. “This woman is an example of everything wrong with your previous rulers. The princess of Asland came here as a mortal, forcing the hand of her superiors to change her into a vampire. My beloved Niall.” She pointed in my direction, heads turning to look at me. “It was arranged for him to marry her, but his true love was me.”
My mouth twisted in disgust.
“Tonight,” she shouted, “we destroy the old, and allow for the new world under my rule.”
The crowd roared with delight as Salenia grabbed Penelope by the neck, her gaze never leaving mine as Penelope pleaded for mercy, her cheeks flushed and tears streaming down her face.
I almost felt bad for her, despite the thorn in my side she’d been. Salenia grabbed her by the arm without warning, and, with a sharp nod of her head, tossed Penelope at Velda’s feet. Her face warped into a deep frown and her eyes were narrowed as they scanned her unwelcome guest. Velda pulled out her dagger, sighing as she brought it to Penelope’s throat. Her eyes widened, and before she could scream, a thin line of scarlet appeared around the blade. The blood rolled off her neck and dripped onto the pristine marble floor, quickly forming intricate patterns as it raced towards the center of the room.
My gaze drifted to the feeding room, where the ivory marble floors of the ballroom stopped, and the stone floor of the feeding room began. All the onlookers had abandoned their tents and crowded around to watch the murder unfold.
Velda's grip on the dagger tightened as she cut deeper into Penelope's throat, blood spilling out, her breaths rasping. The room was silent apart from the sound of Penelope's labored breathing and the cloying smell of death. I winced as I watched Velda saw through the flesh and muscle, until Penelope's head detached from her body then landed with a thud on the damp floor, her evening gown soaked through with her own blood.
Carla appeared at Salenia’s side, then kneeled to clean the blood. I examined her stoic expression. She was so calm, considering what she had just witnessed. Especially for a mortal. Salenia must have really broken her.
Elizabeth stepped forward on seeing her sister, and I put my arm out to stop her. “Not now,” I warned. “Later.”
Elizabeth tightened her fingers around my arm, and Adrien moved slowly to my side. “I guess words out,” he whispered as the gasps mixed with cheers from around the room, muffled our words, but Salenia’s eyes were fixated on me through the crowd.
“We’re fucked,” I told him. “News will spread fast about our new….” I paused, the word repulsive on my tongue… “queen. Undoubtedly, Asland will declare war now.”
Elizabeth glanced up, her chest heaving as we watched Penelope’s blood run rivers over the floor. “Then someone has to stop her.”
Adrien nodded. “Finally, we agree. The bitch must die.”
“She’ll only come back,” I stated. “The only person who could have stopped her for good is dead.”