I knocked on Estrella’s door and smiled when she opened it. She looked absolutely delectable like this, still wearing that blue slip from last night, now wrinkled against her body. Her normally massive blue eyes were half-closed from sleep, widening as she took me in.
“Are you… bringing me breakfast?”
“I am. I thought it was the least I could do,” I said sheepishly.
She frowned but stepped aside. “So, this is your apology for last night? Burnt toast?”
I scowled at the tray, now resting on her tea table. Overcooked—that’s why it was dark. Human food was unnecessarily complicated. I rubbed the back of my neck. “I brought this to help with the blood loss. But yes, it was also supposed to make up for last night.”
She crossed the room, picked up a piece of toast, and slathered it in jam. “You just dropped me!”
She bit into the toast, shooting daggers at me while she chewed. It would have been funny if I didn’t feel so guilty. I slid into a chair with a sigh. “I owe you an explanation.”
“Obviously.” Estrella sat across from me, finishing off the last of her slice of toast before dutifully moving on to the next. Guess it couldn’t taste all that bad.
I took a deep breath. She deserved to know how much danger she was in, but this could change everything between us. The thought of going back to a time when she was terrified of my presence made me feel physically sick.
But she needed to know. “You’re a magnifier, Estrella.”
She looked at me incredulously. “What?”
My finger absently spun my teacup back and forth on the tray between us. “Some humans have special blood. No one really knows why, but their blood acts like a power boost for vampires. It triggers our beast form, heightens our senses, makes us more aggressive and stronger. You have it.”
Her fingernails clicked against the wooden face of the tea table, the only sound in the room besides her steady heartbeat. I was surprised it hadn’t quickened by now. “So that’s what happened last night? You went all beast mode because of my blood?”
I snorted. “That’s one way to put it.”
“That’s why you made me leave.”
“Yes.”
She nodded, though her nails sped up. My poor table’s finish would be ruined if she kept at it. “What a coincidence.”
Now it was my turn to be confused. “What’s a coincidence?”
“You’re the ruler, supposedly the most powerful vampire in the world, and your acolyte just happens to have power-boosting blood. Something I’m guessing is pretty rare since I’ve never heard of it. You just got the keys to ruling for the rest of my life.”
Her words struck like a knife to the heart, a feeling I knew all too well. My reply came out harsher than I intended. “I would never, never do that to you.”
She blinked in surprise. “You don’t understand. It’s like we’re meant for each other. Don’t you think that’s strange?”
I shook my head, even as my body jolted at her words.We’re meant for each other—that wasn’t what she meant, but I couldn’t stop my soul from interpreting it that way. “I guess… you’re taking this well.”
“I don’t really care about any of that,” she said, fingers fiddling withthe hem of her gown, something she did when she was uncomfortable. I frowned. “I thought you decided you didn’t want me last night.”
“I wanted you too much. You weren’t safe.”
She shrugged. “I’m always safe when I’m with you. That’s why I went to you last night.”
I had no response, mostly because a stone was rising in my throat, making it hard to speak. Even now, she felt safe with me. I set down my teacup, which began to shake in my palms, then pushed back my chair. “Come here, doll.”
She didn’t seem surprised; in fact, the only change in her expression was a small curl of her lips. She walked over without a word, and I tugged her onto my lap. There was still that rightness in how her body fit against mine. I never wanted to let go.
“You still trust me after last night? Even knowing how you affect me?” I rested my chin on her head, willing her to sink into the embrace.
“I’ll always trust you.”
I hummed at that, letting my eyes close, but they blinked open when she spoke again.
