Scorned (35 page)

“What if I don’t want to be High Queen of
the Round Table,” I asked.

“I don’t think you’ll have a choice. She’ll
let you skate by with a lot just because she’s afraid you’ll take
her seat, but there will come a day when she will challenge you,
and just like the other night, you won’t back down because of anger
or pride or whatever reason. Not saying I think you’re prideful,
but it has happened before. With power like that, by then you’ll
defeat her and it won’t be hard.”

I closed my eyes and sank down onto the sofa
in front of the fire. After a very long moment, Miranda stood and
left.

The night we left, I left Roman’s book on
the sofa and left with only the clothes I’d come with and Perdita’s
dress. I had a twisted fascination with it.

Roman flew with us into Charleston, but
stayed on the plane when Miranda, Tate, Gavlin and I got off.
Miranda protested that they didn’t need a plane, but I begged her
to come along, and we all drove in a rental car to
Vamp-Lightenment
. Lady Xiomara and her council were waiting
for us in their chamber deep underground.

“Well,” Lady Xiomara said. “You’ve accepted
your gift, I see.” He tone was strangely neutral, not at all like
the voice she’d used when I met her, and I assumed it was to do
with her not wanting to make me angry. “I’m told you’re very
powerful.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Her eyebrows went up. “Yes? You believe
you’re very powerful?”

“I only know that, what I did had to mean
I’m more powerful than the vampire, and I know she had power. I
have it now.”

“Well,” she said after a moment, “I’m
assigning you to Miranda. She will teach you what you need to know,
she and Gavlin, and will help you take care of the necessary
paperwork.” The smile she gave me wasn’t a kind one. “Oh yes,” she
added, assuming I was shocked. I wasn’t. “There’s paperwork.”

She dismissed us before I could ask any more
questions, but I wouldn’t have asked her anyway. The sun was up by
the time we were done with all that paperwork. Miranda and Tate
escorted me out of the building to find Pierce leaning against his
car, waiting for me.

“I didn’t want you to think I’d abandoned
you like you thought before,” he said, “but I needed a few days to
accept...”

I nodded my understanding.

“We’ll wait inside for you,” Tate said, and
she and Miranda walked back inside
Vamp-Lightenment
.

“I don’t want you to think that I don’t want
to marry you,” I told him, “because I want that more than
anything.”

“Then why did you say no?”

“I can’t right now, Pierce. There are
vampires trying to kill me. I don’t even know if I’ll be alive
tomorrow. Then, of course, there’s still so much to work through
from the break up before... And Roman will never-”

“Fuck Roman.”

“No thanks.” The words slipped out before I
could catch them. “Sorry.” Pierce smirked, but it didn’t look like
he wanted to. “We’ll work on it,” I said. “I don’t want to lose
you. Just... It’s too much right now.”

He nodded. “Do you need a ride home?” That
wall went up behind his eyes and shut off all the emotion in his
face.

“No. I’m going to stay in town for a day or
two.” There were only three more words to say as he walked away. “I
love you.”

He stopped and looked at me. “I love you
too.” He said it with so much feeling I knew I’d never doubt that
again.