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“Relinquish?” Confusion masked Marko’s face.
“That’s right. New law,” Aetas said, firmly. “If you betray me, your title means nothing. You will lose it, whether it be your death, or mine.”
Marko’s hands jerked at his tie and he let it fall to the floor. “I solemnly swear and promise.” The jacket followed and he unbuttoned his white shirt, dropping it to the ground as he stared up at our leader and extended his arms out to the sides. It was a sign of surrender, of loyalty to the death.
Aetas’ claw shot down. “So be it.” His arm rose and he cut across Marko’s forehead. Blood ran down his face, racing over the bridge of his nose and eyes. He didn’t so much as flinch as Aetas moved to his chest and began to cut an intricately shaped symbol I’d never seen before. I knew it was a crest, and a new one. One that would be Marko’s and mine. The swirls and jagged lines made my pulse race faster. Both Aetas’ and Marko’s powers combined, growing and making it hard to breathe. With as close as I was, standing the arms’ length away, my body was trembling at the vibrations.
“Since your powers are merged with the Black Princess, I do believe we have Black Fire. Turn around and show your gift to our curious onlookers. Show them black fire, by yourself. If you can show them what I witnessed during my arrival, I will crown you.”
My eyes widened at Aetas words. Marko couldn’t do that by himself. It was our merged gift. Yes, he held both powers, as I did, but he’d never tried alone. Not that I was aware of, anyway. And it all started with my gift. With my black smoke.
Marko licked his lips, swallowing hard as his eyes locked with mine. Slowly, he turned to face the large room. Vampires looked on in fascination, waiting for what I knew would never come. My heart was breaking, regardless that I had been upset at this outcome. But I knew how much Marko had wanted this. And now he was going to lose it before it ever happened. Right into front of everyone—rulers and commoners. Aetas had done this on purpose. As a lesson for his greed.
A deep exhale left Marko as his hands rose to cup in front of him. Concentration took over his features and he stared into the emptiness within. In quick movements, I gazed between him and the smug expression on Aetas’ face. The look our leader cast me had me throwing him a glare as I turned back to Marko.
Sweat was mixing with the blood as seconds passed. His brow was creased and a slight tremble took over him as he drew his hands in closer. Darkness flickered within his palm. It faded in and out, disappearing as if it never existed. He shook his head, his features turning hard as his eyes shut through the anger I could see appearing. When his lids opened, an odd expression appeared and he dropped his arms.
Black took over his eyes and smoke seeped from his full lips, swirling as it crept into the air before him. His hands rose again, circling around the increasing fog. A smile burst on to my face as he molded it and pushed his own gift inside. Bright blue flared within the black, followed by orange and yellows. It came alive inside the darkness, pushing the smoke out to grow in size. Larger it became, until it was bigger than his own towering frame.
Aetas’ lips parted as he took steps forward. The shock was written all over and there was no hiding it. But he wasn’t the only one. His members gathered closer, their eyes filling with amazement and something I knew all too well. Fear. What Marko was displaying was something that had never been done before. Something that was going to change things forever. It was our beginning, both his and mine. If he could do it, someday, I would be able to, too.
The large weapon Marko held withdrew, disappearing into his palm. Anger reappeared as he spun toward Aetas. “I believe that was satisfactory of a king?”
Aetas straightened, waving his fingers to the members behind him. A woman with short brown hair rushed forward, bearing the satin pillow that held the crown. Aetas didn’t turn around as she came to a stop at his side, lowering to her knees. Instead, his hand rose, and with it, the crown levitated, rising between him and Marko.
“King, Marko Delacroix. The Black Fire King.”
Marko and Aetas kept their eyes locked as the dark crown, so similar to mine, came to rest on my husband’s head. The shockwave that rushed through me and the others was like nothing I had felt before. We all fell to our knees, not only as a sign of respect, but because our vampires didn’t have a choice.
“Long live the king!”
The shout came from somewhere in the crowd, and the mantra quickly began to echo around us. Marko’s bloodstained body turned to face the room and I slowly rose at the upward flicker of his hands.
“Long live the king,” he repeated. “And long live my queen.” He turned and held his hand out to me. A smile stretched across my face and I walked forward, so proud of what he had proven to them all. I knew his powers were great, but what he had shown was far beyond what I thought him capable of. He deserved this—to rule, and to be king.
I came to stop at his side, smiling bigger as he brought my hand up to his lips. When he pulled me in and wrapped his arm around my waist, the crowd exploded with shouts and clapping. Our city was thriving, and so much happier than I had seen them in a long time. What Marko was given wasn’t just a title, but an honor. It spoke for not only him, but for every one of us. Our city would be set apart from the rest. Feared by the other leaders, but craved by the commoners who would no doubt want to become part of something so grand. We would give the appeal of greatness. Of protection from a king. The only king aside from Aetas.
“Let the festivities begin!”
Aetas’ voice once again rang out and the sounds of the tables mingled with the remaining cheering. Marko turned us to face Aetas and his members, who held steady behind our leader. Even Hunter had moved in from the spot he’d taken up at the very back of them.
“This is a day to celebrate,” Aetas said, coming in to wrap his arm around Marko’s free one. As he began to lead us to the large table where our own members usually sat, he lowered his voice. “We have had issues in our past, but I’m no fool. You are a king, Marko. You have been blessed with not only your true gift, but with falling in love with the princess. The merge of the two of your powers couldn’t have been any more perfect. That you have been able to control both as you have, shows exceptional strength, worthy of the title you carry. I want to give you a gift to express this new beginning for the two of us.”
“A gift?”
Marko glanced over. I felt his suspicion, but I felt my own as well. This didn’t seem like Aetas. Was he truly wanting to put aside their past?
“That’s right. Tonight you feed from me. And I will feed from you.”
Marko jolted us to a stop. “You want to tie with me?”
A smile stretched across Aetas’ face and he narrowed his eyes at me before turning back to Marko. My blood turned cold. He knew … and he was doing just as I had. He was keeping his friends close, but his enemies closer. Where I used Hunter’s innocence to tie so he could never turn on me or our kind, Aetas was using my exact plan, only with Marko. And he wouldn’t need more than one exchange to know Marko’s true intentions, whatever they were. He was too powerful for that.
“We tie in front of everyone. They’ll see our loyalty to each other. They will know my support of you.”
Marko, let out a deep breath, but nodded. “I will tie with you, if that’s alright with my queen, of course.”
“Queen Tessalyn?”
