I don’t know. Part of me wonders if he doesn’t, either.
Restless, I move my hand to my stomach. Every night when I wake, I half-expect to discover it was all a nightmare—that Dr. Lennox never came in here and delivered news that defied every natural law. But then the nausea hits, or I catch sight of one of the dozens of new gifts Aerix has showered me with since we received the news, and reality crashes back with the weight of a thousand questions.
Aerix is ecstatic. When he looks at me, his eyes are full of so much wonder that I haven’t had the heart to tell him how scared I am. How his joy only deepens the dread twisting inside me. How every gift feels like a weight on my chest instead of something that brings me happiness.
There are so many gifts that the room looks like a dragon’s hoarding den now. Silk gowns in every shade imaginable hang from hooks along the walls. Jewelry boxes overflow with diamonds and rubies that catch the candlelight. Books, art supplies, musical instruments—anything he thinks might please me has found its way here. He even had arecordermade for me after hearing how much I struggled with the flute-like instrument in elementary school music class.
I can’t look around without feeling suffocated, without questions barreling through my mind so quickly that I can barely make sense of them.
What’s growing inside me?
Will it kill me in the process?
What will it become?
How can I voice these terrors to the man who looks at me like I’ve given him the moon and stars?
A soft knock on the door makes me frown. Aerix left hours ago, and the rest of the Night Court should be settling into sleep by now.
Maybe it’s a servant bringing more gifts? Although, they normally come with Aerix. Or maybe Aerix is bringing Dr. Lennox back for another secret checkup?
“Come in,” I call, not bothering to move from the window.
The door opens, and I find myself face to face with… Princess Cierra. She looks as coldly beautiful as always, her dark hair gleaming in the dawn light, her midnight eyes fixed on me with an intensity that makes my skin crawl.
I back up to the wall, flashing back to the moment in Aerix’s quarters when she pounced on me, wrapped her fingers around my neck, and nearly choked me to death. I’d only been human then, so I had no shot against her. If she attacks now, maybe I’ll have a chance, although she’s a much more experienced fighter, so I doubt anyone would place their bets on me.
Hoping to be subtle, I glance at the desk where I keep my dagger. Maybe I can stealthily make my way over to it without her realizing what I’m doing?
Although, the way she’s looking at me now is different from the fury in her eyes before she tried to kill me. There’s a bitter satisfaction in her expression that sets every instinct of mine on high alert.
I need to get myself together. I’m a vampire now—not a human pet for her to toss around. If I want to be treated like one of them, I need toactlike I’m one of them.
So, I straighten, square my shoulders, and hold my gaze steady with hers.
“Princess Cierra,” I say carefully. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I’m sure you weren’t.” Her smile is sharp as a blade. “But I thought it was time you and I had a little chat. A heart to heart, if I may.”
I narrow my eyes at her, somehow even more suspicious than before. Because there’s absolutely no way that Princess Cierracame here to have a gossip session over a pint of champagne-spiked blood.
“I’m not supposed to see anyone except Aerix and Laura until my isolation ends,” I remind her, taking a step toward the desk, hoping to give myself a shot at getting that dagger.
Cierra laughs, cold and mirthless. “Oh, sweet baby vampire. Those rules hardly matter now.”
My hand instinctively drifts to my stomach at the wordbaby.“What do you mean?”
Does she know? Is that why she’s here? And if she does know,howdoes she know? Wouldn’t Aerix have let me know if he told anyone? Or maybe the doctor broke her word, and now everyone knows because of her?
If that’s what happened, I’m sure Aerix has killed her by now.
Cierra’s eyes glitter with malicious delight. “The wards around the Night Court have been broken. As we speak, our enemies are pouring through our defenses. We’re all going to die soon, so before we meet our ends, I thought you might want to know the truth about the prince who sired you.”
My blood turns to ice. “The wards have held for centuries,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady, despite my hammering heart. “They can’t justbreak.”
She shrugs. “All good things come to an end.”
Me,I realize, my stomach dropping, the floor swaying under my feet.I must be the “good thing” she thinks is coming to an end.
