Into The Wild ~ Book 3 ~ The Royal Blood Collection

Chapter 17

"I accept that our fathers made an agreement for the future but it stops with each of them. There is validity beyond their lives and I am grateful that your family has stood by mine in our darkest hour but it doesn't alter things."

"I thought that you would say that," I said firmly. "You have no need to take this province. There is nothing of value here for you. I know your reasons for the other provinces but there are no creatures beyond our border."

"That you know of." Alaric offered.

"We watch our borders."

Silas remained standing, almost like he was struggling with what was going on. Alaric was a wise man, he glanced between the two of us and stretched back in the chair.

"Alright, one of you two needs to spill the beans."

"Asa, if you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course, my lady."

He walked out of the room and I nodded at the guards. Alaric flicked his hand and the two of them walked out, closing the doors.

"You will not take over this land. It belongs to my family as agreed upon by the originating families. Do you dare go against your father's word?"

"My father was betrayed," Alaric growled as he stood. "There is no agreement when those who signed it went against it."

"This family didn't. My father remained loyal to the agreement and to the king of this world. You are punishing me and my family for a crime that we did not commit. Someone poisoned my father because he didn't agree to destroy Maelen. Do you understand that Alaric? My father is dead because he stood up to them, he protected your father and he paid the ultimate price. I'll be damned if I'm going to let you walk in here and destroy everything that he did for your family. Your family has accrued a debt and it is time to pay up. Walk out of this province and do not come back. Take your army with you and accept that this is one province that you will not consume."

"We have accrued no debt. Loyalty does not have a price tag."

"But my father's death does. If you take this land away from my family then I will make it my life's mission to destroy your family. Be careful Alaric, you do not know who you are messing with here."

"You won't survive the rest of the day, so your pathetic attempt at trying to make me cower is done in vain."

"Is that your final word?"

"It is."

I nodded, walking to the window. My hand moved over my stomach, wishing for a lot of things. Easier things. I wanted my child to grow in a world that didn't have death stalking in the shadows.

"What is it that you find so enticing about this land?" I asked, not turning from the window.

"There are many things that are worthy of inclusion."

I huffed a soft laugh as I pulled the front panel that sat under my chest down.

"So, by that statement, I can conclude that you have no idea of anything that we do in this province."

"It doesn't matter what this place does."

Typical. Consume and move on. He didn't care so long as he got his revenge.

"Your anger will be your undoing."

Loading the dart into the tube, I turned and smiled. Silas's eyes widened. Before he could move, Alaric was on the ground.

"Don't you dare move."

"Dahlia, please don't do this."

"This is my province. My father died protecting your family. You and that creature at your feet had the audacity to walk in here as if you owned the place already. If I'd known this was our future, I would have left you to rot in Oasis. You and your spoiled brat can go home now and I swear to God, if I ever see either of you again, it will not be a sleeping dart that I shoot you with."

"If we leave it like this, he will retaliate. Just walk away, nothing is worth this."

He stepped forward and I couldn't take it. I didn't want to be close to him. I feared that I would crumble.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

"You already have. If you cared, you would convince him to walk away. You're supposed to be his advisor. Be that person, Silas. Tell him to turn away from the south and return his focus to the north. There is nothing here that he wants."

Every part of my body was aching, hunger ripped through me. I gripped my stomach as the pain radiated in heavy pulses.

"Dahlia?"

"I'm just hungry."

"You look ill."

I shrugged.

"Try feeding in an area where it is obvious that poison soaks the streets."

"You're not feeding properly."

"It's fine." I murmured.

I didn't want to point out that I felt light headed. It just added to the hunger and pain. My head hurt, my world was falling apart.

Silas loosened the knot of his tie, tossing it aside.

"Don't," I said, backing away.

"Come on, it's a safe and clean feed. Don't think about it, just do it."

He unbuttoned the buttons, pulling the sides open while slowly herding me backward. I hit the cabinet and realized that I was trapped. I shook my head, struggling in his grip. Silas pulled my arms behind my back and leaned into my neck.

Tears slid down my cheeks as his fangs drove deep. The feed was over before it started, it was nothing but an attempt to make me want to feed. To make me so hungry that my body took control.

The scent of blood filled me and I lost the control that I'd struggled so hard to keep a hold of. Once I started to feed on him, Silas let go of my arms. He didn't let go of me though, keeping me tight to his body.

When I was done, I pulled back and tried to escape. Silas was not complying, not doing what I wanted him to do. Leave. Other side of the room. A step back. Any of them would be good enough but I got none of them.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Do we need to rehash this conversation again?"

"Not the coup, Dahlia."

His hand smoothed over my body, settling at the curve of my stomach.

"I fed on you, I could feel the spark of life, I could feel the heartbeat."