Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99529 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
I knew Queen Regina wouldn’t notify the guards that we were trespassing. It was her who told Octavia to help me escape. But I was still unsure of whether I should consider her my friend. Her goal for my escape was so I could trigger Xander’s ripening and probably birth a vampire army for him.
Never.
I had no intention of making vampire children to fight in a war against the Quiet King.
Ian seized my right hand.
Xander grabbed my left.
They both tenderly squeezed and encased my fingers in the warmth that only a vampire prince and vampire king could give. My pulse slowed down.
“Your heart’s hammering is driving us crazy.” Ian leaned my way. “Relax. Nothing will happen to you while we’re here.”
Xander nodded. “I don’t like to agree with Ian, but on this topic I must.”
“Okay. I will calm down.” I blew out a long breath and squeezed their hands, allowing them to keep me anchored.
Up ahead, Queen Regina strolled in her elegant silver gown toward her sleeping quarters. Her two maids trailed behind her, holding the train of her gown.
We maintained ten feet behind the maids.
When Queen Regina approached her room she stopped in front of the guards positioned on the sides of her door way. “I’ll be enjoying my delivered-entertainment in private.”
One guard nodded and half-bowed.
The other guard quickly opened her door.
She was queen and had already displayed her loyalty and service to the Quiet King. Unlike the domina guards, her guards were there to protect her, not to keep her within the castle’s gates.
“Thank you.” Queen Regina strolled into her quarters.
Xander and Ian released my hands.
Silently, we all followed her into her quarters.
Will she truly give us answers?
Chapter 2
So Many Answers
Camille
Queen Regina’s space was quite a site.
Satin sheets draped all the walls. Glittering gems shimmered along the drapes.
The room was dominated by a huge, cushioned throne, which looked like a high-backed chair with a silver headrest in the shape of a massive coiling silver snake.
Once the door closed behind us, we took off our masks.
Everyone except Ian. He kept his mask on.
Xander stormed to the front. “I want answers, mother. And I want them now.”
“You smell different. My handsome prince is now a king.” Queen Regina elegantly bowed before him. “My god, you’re ripening as we speak. You also have that same electrical charge around you just like your father. I can feel it. Have you unearthed any of your abilities? What are they?”
“Enough, Mother,” Xander growled. “Tell me everything you know, starting with why you chose Camille as my queen.”
In that moment Queen Regina turned to me, her gaze traveling along my face and then down my body, assessing me. “I like your choice. But, son, as you remember, I sent many dominas your way, at least fifty. You chose this one as your queen, so only you can answer that question.”
A rumble boomed from Xander’s chest as he stalked a circle around her. “I have no patience for games. Camille’s blood is different from the other dominas.”
“No, it is not.” A knowing smirk spread across her face. “Sure, Camille’s blood is different than a regular domina’s blood. However, all of the fifty dominas I sent to you for escape had this same odd blood type.”
Does she know what a blood mage is?
I stepped forward. “And what blood type is it?”
“My son’s queen speaks.” She backed up and lowered herself onto her throne.
Ty, Victoria, Ian, and Leeta remained within the shadows behind Xander and me. No one wanted the Queen to know Leeta was now a vampire.
Honestly, Xander didn’t want to bring her to the castle, but Leeta refused to be left alone in the sewers again.
Xander glared at his mother. “Did you hear her question?”
“I did, son.”
Xander leaned his head to the side. “And what is the answer?”
“My husband has been experimenting with blood types for centuries and he won’t reveal his intentions to anyone.” Queen Regina crossed her legs. “But I believe this domina system doesn’t produce soldiers fast enough for him. I think he is trying to find a way for a domina to hold more than six fetuses in their womb.”
I cringed.
A six-fetus pregnancy was already difficult for dominas to come to term with. Many couldn’t walk by the third month and were forced to rest in bed throughout their entire pregnancy. Once delivery arrived, many dominas died in surgery as the multiple babies were cut out of them.
“Okay. Lots of experimenting.” Xander quirked his brows. “However, did he ever find this special blood type or create it?”
“I don’t think so, but he found some new blood type that he named Phinova. My spies have managed to sneak some of his papers to me. The name Phinova shows up all over his ledgers and is always next to certain dominas’ test results.” The queen placed her hands in her lap and threaded her fingers together. “This Phinova blood type holds the answer. So every time I could, Xander, I asked you to help a domina with the Phinova blood type escape. Sadly, you never chose your queen from them. Meanwhile, my spies continued to monitor the King.”