Freed (Vampire King Book 3) (8 page)

Brie
placed her hands on her hips. “I’m possibly the only sane person in this room.
I have no problem speaking for us.”

“Sane?”
Ian retracted his fangs. “Sanity left me when my horns burst from my skull,
many years ago. You just be ready, woman. You and your king. We’ll need to
leave in two hours.”

Chapter Six

~Brie

Samuel
severed our mental connection as soon as Ian left the room. My thoughts now
belonged to me. I didn’t see him any more while we all prepared to leave.

Hours
later on a dirt road that led into Blue Spirit Park, I stood in front of my
copper wagon as dominas packed it with supplies and trunks of treasures that we
hoped would peak the interests of mage chiefs. Samuel sat inside so the
sunlight wouldn’t burn his skin. Vampires could heal almost everything except
sunburns.

The
sun showered golden rays on to my skin. A wind blew through the lavender robe I
wore, carrying the perfume of daisies. When Samuel had first escorted me to the
sewer opening weeks before and late at night, darkness blanketed the space. I’d
thought the opening existed on the outskirts of Capitol City. However, the park
encircled the opening. Daises from blue to violet cast shadows over the area. Birds
chirped a song in the trees. The horses attached to our wagons snorted,
neighed, and a few even blew long breaths into the morning air.

Vampires
considered the park ripe with magic. Many spotted the ghosts of dead relatives,
according to hustlers that stood in the main square and provided tours of the
park to newcomers. I’d been one of the hustled when I was a domina. I’d paid
three pocks to be taken to the park in the hopes of seeing my mother and asking
her if my service to the Quiet King was the right thing to do. I never saw her.
Once we got deep enough into the park, my tour guide escaped with my pocks and
I’d been lost for hours, trying to get back to the castle. That whole time,
Samuel may have slept in the sewers under my feet. That time seemed so far away
and the woman I was then was someone I no longer recognized.

My
little girls’ faces flashed in my head. I’d see them one day soon. Once the
Quiet King died, I’d return to my hometown of Zumaya, get my girls back, and
try my best not to stab my ex-husband Ethan in the heart.

Ethan
and I had owned a large plantation in the town of Zumaya. We harvested Zumayan
mushrooms and sold them to vampire cities. The mushrooms were the only thing
besides alcohol that could get a vampire fully inebriated and humans mildly
tipsy. They cost a lot and made my family wealthy for many years. Then a
drought arrived. It decreased the mushroom production and propelled my whole
town into death and starvation. We buried many, so many that even now my chest
ached with the memories of all the people I’d lost. Without any options, my
husband sought the Quiet King’s assistance. Guards traveled to Zumaya and
tested all of the women’s blood. Two teenage girls and I were identified as
dominas. The guards explained that the king would pay money and give food if
they could seize just one of us. I sacrificed myself, and Ethan had understood.
Neither one of us wanted to see our two daughters dead from starvation.

But
later, I discovered from Queen Regina that Ethan had worked with the Quiet King
to give me up for money and food. He knew I’d volunteer myself if two young
girls were called. I doubted their blood even tested positive. The Quiet King
had promised Ethan a new wife. When Samuel helped me escape the king and
returned me to my house, I spied Ethan and his new wife sleeping in the middle
of the night. He’d replaced me with no problem and had my girls calling her
mother.
I didn’t even see any of my
pictures in the house.

He’ll have to explain himself.
Hopefully, while I’m not holding any weapons. I can’t trust myself to not
injure him.
I imagined his shocked face as I stepped
toward him wearing jeans and wielding a dagger.
I’m not the same woman any more, Ethan. In just a few weeks, I’ve
become something else.

I
gazed at the wagon Samuel rested in. Dread swam in my eyes. Ian believed Samuel
and I should travel in the same wagon together, so that Samuel could feed from
me and not be stricken with anxiety that I was far away from him. Samuel argued
there was no need for him and I to be together. It relieved me to hear him say
it, but it also hurt a little. I remained silent as Ian disagreed. Both
vampires argued about it for hours until Octavia, Samuel’s sister, arrived with
food, blankets, and trunkloads of money. No one brought the issue up again.

So I guess I’ll ride with him. But Samuel’s
scared to be alone in the same room with me.

I
should’ve been happy he was clear-minded and regretful. But I wasn’t. Even
though he’d used his strength to overpower me and take my blood against my
will, my heart broke for him.

Just stop feeling sad. He doesn’t
deserve it. Be stronger than that.

I
sighed. Behind me a trail of more metal wagons prepared for our journey, at
least twenty. An ex-royal guard sat in each one with dominas who'd volunteered
to come. The women knew they may be traded for soldiers in mage territory. None
cared. All were happy to be rid of the Quiet King’s dungeons and help with
destroying him. They were ready to give up their bodies for the revolution, the
oldest of them had said. The others cheered in agreement.

And here I am, nervous about going
into my lover’s wagon to keep him fed with my blood. He said he wouldn’t hurt
me again, but how can I be sure of it?

If
I hadn’t stabbed him with the dagger, only Ambi knows what could have happened.
An hour before, Ian had taken me to the side and comforted me, claiming Samuel
had overpowered me because of his king form. I didn’t know if I wanted to stick
around any longer and find out if that were true or not. I’d surprised him with
the dagger once. I doubted I could do it again.

A
short human man with chestnut curls and green overalls approached me. “Queen,
are you ready to begin?”

“Call
me Brie, please.”

“The
Horned King requested that we call you queen.”

Horned King. I’ll never get used to
that.

“Okay.
Feel free to call me queen then. And your name is?”

“Tote.”

“Nice
meeting you, Tote.” I held out my hand.

“The
Horned King requested that we not touch you either.”

Of course he did.

“Well,
nice to meet you anyway, Tote.” I’d been the person designated to manage the
journey to Tribe Flame, being that none of the others could come out in the
daylight. Leeta and Octavia slept in a wagon together with some of the younger
dominas. I’d already checked on them to make sure they were safe. “Let me check
something real quick and then we can start.”

Tote
bowed. I tensed at the formal movement and headed to Ian’s wagon. It stood
behind Samuel’s and mine.

“I
can’t, Phinova. I simply can’t.” Ian’s voice drifted out from his compartment.
I leaned closer and strained to hear what else he was saying.

“I’ll
give you no blood unless the domina agrees!” Ian’s voice rose. “Other than that,
we’ll have to wait and see what the mages say about your condition.”

He’s talking to her, the corpse.
This is worse than I thought.

“Enough.
I’m going to sleep. I won’t talk to you anymore. Stay out of my head!”

I
knocked on the wall. “Ian? Are you okay?”

He
cleared his throat. “I’m fine. Are we going to begin? We’ve wasted too much time
already.”

“We’re
leaving in less than five minutes. I just wanted to let you know.”

“Fine.”

I
scanned our line of wagons. Human drivers climbed on each one, waiting for my
signal.

“Enough,
Phinova,” Ian said to Phinova. “Enough!”

“Ian?”

“Yes?”
Annoyance singed the word.

“Are
you sure you’re okay, Ian? Do you need me to ride with you?”

“You
come in here, little queen, and you’ll be riding more than my wagon.”

“There’s
no need to be crude.”

Ian
chuckled. “It seems you’re barely able to handle one king. You come in here and
I won’t mind my manners. Especially not today.”

I
rolled my eyes. “Then get some rest.”

“You
just focus on taking care of Samuel and try not to slice him open until after
he’s helped me kill my brother.”

“Then
you better pray to Ambi that Samuel doesn’t step out of place.” I headed off.

Ian’s
laughter soared out of his wagon. “You’re his queen. I don’t need to pray to
any god. The queen rules the king’s mind and heart as well as his cock.
You
put him in line.”

Could I?

I
returned to my wagon. “Tote. We can go now.”

“Okay,
queen.”

Queen.

I
gritted my teeth.
I doubt I’ll get used
to that, either.
Stepping onto the copper steps that arched out near the
wagon’s door, I opened the entrance and quickly climbed in, trying to not let
any sunlight in. A bell chimed behind me and then a long line of bells rang out
in unison.

This must be the human drivers’
method of communication.

Inside,
dimly lit darkness mingled with Samuel’s luscious tenna scent. A small candle
glowed within a glass lamp that hung from the ceiling. He lay on a small
makeshift bed that took up the entire area. It was a mattress covered in
rainbow blankets. They didn’t look like the ones from his bed. His eyes were
closed.

Shadows
flickered back and forth on Samuel’s bare chest as it rose and fell. Cords of
muscle encased his waist. He wore nothing. A sheet draped over one leg and
concealed the lush area below his belly button. Still, I could make out his
erection underneath the material as it bulged and tilted upward.

“Do
you have room to sleep?” He kept his eyes closed. “I can scoot over farther for
you.”

“I’ll
have enough space.” I crawled onto the other side of the bed and kicked off my
leather sandals. The floor rocked a little and then vibrated as we began our
journey. The noise of wagon wheels cracking over the dirt road as the horses
sped off lifted high in the air. I was sure the few vampires still awake in the
area wondered where we were going and what would become of Capitol City.

Samuel
put his back to me. “If you need blankets, there are several folded near the
end of the bed.”

“I
see.” I untied my robe, took it off, revealing a bra, panties, and a dagger
that rested in a leather strap tied around my right thigh. I’d been thinking
about the statement Ian said, that a queen ruled her king. I was willing to put
that theory to the test. Anything seemed better than sitting in the wagon all
day shivering in fear and scared that he’d try to hurt me.

Can I control him?

“There
are rainbows on those blankets.” I folded my robe and placed it behind me. “Are
these from your bedroom?”

“No.
Octavia bought them for everybody. She’s fascinated with them.”

“You
are, too.”

“When
we were young, Leeta would read me books about rainbows and show me pictures of
them. She sent the same books to Octavia.”

“Are
you ever going to forgive Leeta for helping your mother?”

“No,”
he growled.

“You
should.” I lay down on my side and gazed at the shadows on his back. “I forgive
you.”

I think.

He
drew in breath.

“You
shouldn’t forgive me so easily, Brie.”

“Am
I not your queen?”

He
sighed. “Good night, Brie.”

“No.”
I traced my fingers down his back. “You should feed.”

He
stiffened. “I fed when I left you earlier. I’ve drunk enough blood to satisfy
any starved vampire.”

“But
is it enough for a king?”

He
snarled, but said no more.

“Did
you drink from one of the other dominas?” Jealousy unfurled inside my core. I
dragged my nails across his skin. He trembled.

“No.
I drank some bottles of blood that I kept in a cooler. What are you doing,
Brie?”

I have no idea.

“Ian
said that I could put you in line because I’m your queen.” I scooted over to
him and pressed my body against his. He shuddered. Heat radiated from his
flesh. My nipples hardened and pressed against my bra, begging to be released
so that they could dip into his wet mouth.

“You
shouldn’t take advice from a vampire that carries around a corpse.” He moved
away.
Ian is talking to her, too.
I
yearned to tell Samuel, but he had enough on his mind. I’d have to deal with
that problem myself.

“So
you think Ian is wrong?” I sat up and slipped off my bra and panties, but kept
the dagger in its sheath. “I can’t control you?”