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After an hour, I finally managed to convince all the House Heads that allying with Athalis would be in our best interest. Maybe there was still hope for us to win this war, after all?
Chapter Fifteen
Grace
Silas and Luke had let me take part in the strategy meeting. I had made my suggestion for the war effort – a solution that was obvious to me as a human. The thinking of vampires was often limited by the past, but in a situation like this one where all outcomes looked bleak we needed to explore new ways to move forwards. We had to work towards building a better future for ourselves.
The meeting went on for another hour as Silas and Luke, who quickly supported my solution, convinced the Heads of the Houses that allying with Athalis was our best option. I sat quietly in my chair. The conversation was heated, and I listened with interest.
Of course, doing anything more than making a proposal was beyond me. I was the Princess, and as my tutors had explained to me, my job was to support my husband. I had no true political power. I was glad the vampires had even considered my opinion, especially since among them I was an outsider – a mere human.
Still, maybe I shouldn’t look down on myself so much? All my life, I had never been considered particularly smart or beautiful. Silas was attracted to me though and also seemed to really value what I had to say, and I considered that fact a small miracle.
After an hour, the conversation calmed down.
“I think we have reached a conclusion: Estone will ally itself with Athalis in a war effort against Rosworth,” Silas concluded.
The other vampires nodded and murmured in agreement.
“I see no opposition to the choice. Lukas and I will speak to the rulers of Athalis about an alliance soon.” A small smile appeared on my husband’s lips.
My heart warmed. He was pleased with the outcome.
“Is there anything else anybody wishes to discuss?” Silas continued.
For a moment the group was quiet. Then a handsome vampire with copper hair and an athletic build raised his hand. He had a smirk on his face. There was something off about that smile, especially when he looked straight at me as he spoke. “Yes, your Highness, if I may have a suggestion.”
“Go ahead,” Silas said.
The man continued. “It’s been two weeks since the war efforts started. Some of us didn’t bring our human wives and husbands to the frontlines, like you didn’t at first, though obviously you have already amended that situation.” He gestured to me. “As we all know, we have to regularly drink ruby blood to ward off insanity if we’re over a hundred years old. There is a second benefit to feeding on ruby blood though – it gives us even more strength and speed shortly after we feed.”
“I’m not sure where you’re going with this line of thinking. If you’re asking me if you can summon your wife to the frontlines, the answer is yes, but she will be your responsibility to care for and keep safe. The rules are the same for everyone.” Silas arched his eyebrows.
“I have a better suggestion,” the lord said.
He sounded so sleazy to me that a tremor went through my body. The way he looked at me made me unsettled.
He spoke again. “What if you let us drink your wife’s blood?”
“Pardon?” Silas sounded completely stupefied.
My eyes widened, and my mouth gaped open. My hands balled into fists, hidden beneath the table.
A wave of disgust washed over me.
Sharing blood was such an intimate act, one which I associated only with my husband and having sex with him. The idea of another person drinking blood from my veins was unspeakable to me. I didn’t even want to consider such a possibility. Why the heck did this vampire think such a suggestion was okay?
“No,” I whispered.
The lord continued smiling. I shuddered, finally recognizing the feeling in his eyes. Lust.
I didn’t want him to look at me that way.
“How dare you!” I heard my husband’s voice as he spoke through gritted teeth. “Why would you even think to make such an obscene proposal involving my wife?”
I looked over at Silas. He was gripping the edge of the table with all his might, the wood splintering under the pressure. The look on his face was positively furious.
I calmed down, recognizing that he wouldn’t let such a suggestion actually happen. I was safe. He wouldn’t share me with anybody.
