BOUND TO THE POISON QUEEN

Chapter 4

"Good," Vane said softly. "Then give me the keys. I'll take his head off right now. It will save the executioner the trip down these dirty stairs."

Vane raised his rapier. He wasn't looking at me anymore. He was staring at Kael's neck.

Kael didn't back down. Even without chains, even with poison burning through his veins, the beastkin growled. His muscles tensed. His golden eyes locked onto Vane's throat. He was ready to fight. He was ready to bleed out right here.

Men were so predictable. Always ready to die for pride. It was exhausting.

I stepped directly between them.

The silver blade stopped two inches from my collarbone.

Vane glared at me. "Move, Aurelia."

"No," I said.

"He's a dog," Vane spat. "A beastkin savage. Why do you care if he dies today or tomorrow?"

"Because he's my dog," I lied effortlessly. "And nobody kills my property without my permission. Not even the Emperor."

Vane stared at me. He looked confused. Then he looked amused. He dropped the point of his sword slightly.

"You really are insane," Vane chuckled. "The Emperor will have you stripped of your title for disobeying his order."

"Let him try," I said. "Now move your silver stick. I have work to do."

I turned my back on Vane. Leaving your back open to a vampire with a drawn blade was stupid. Pure suicidal stupidity. But I knew how vampires like Vane worked. They fed on fear. They wanted you to cower. If you treated them like a minor inconvenience, they didn't know what the hell to do.

I grabbed the linen cloth and the small jar of dark green paste from the wooden desk.

I walked back to Kael.

The beastkin was breathing hard. Sweat was pouring down his chest, making his tan skin shine under the torchlight. The black veins on his neck had spread higher. They were reaching his jaw now.

He was running out of time.

"Hold still," I commanded softly.

Kael glared down at me. He was at least a foot taller than this body. Broad shoulders. Heavy chest. He looked like he could snap me in half like a dry twig.

"Don't touch me," Kael growled.

"Shut up," I said.

I reached up and smeared the cold green paste directly onto the raw skin of his neck where the iron collar had bitten into him.

Kael hissed. The sound was sharp. Animalistic.

He grabbed my wrist. His hand was enormous. His skin was burning hot. The heat radiating off him made my own blood feel like it was boiling.

His grip was tight enough to bruise my pale skin.

"It burns," he growled through clutched teeth.

"It's supposed to burn," I said. My wrist hurt, but I didn't pull away. I looked straight into his golden eyes. "It's pulling the aconite out of your bloodstream. Unless you want your heart to stop in five minutes, let me finish."

Kael stared at me. His gold eyes were wild. Unfocused. The poison was messing with his mind, driving his primal instincts crazy.

His eyes dropped from my face down to my neck. Then to my chest.

He pulled me closer.

My body slammed against his bare chest. The contact was hot. Electric. The scent of rain, sweat, and raw male musk hit my nostrils so hard my stomach flipped.

"You smell different," Kael rasped against my ear. His breath was hot fire on my skin. His lips brushed the shell of my ear. A shiver ran straight down my spine.

"I'm using different soap," I said sarcastically, forcing my voice to stay steady despite the sudden surge of heat rushing to my cheeks.

"No," Kael whispered. His chest expanded against mine as he took a deep, shaky breath. "You don't smell like perfume anymore. You smell like... blood. Cold blood."

He slid his heavy hand up my arm, over my shoulder, and cupped the back of my neck. His fingers tangled into my dark hair.

He pulled my head back. Forcing me to look up at him.

His face was inches away. His eyes were wide, the pupils blown out. He looked like a wild animal cornered in a trap, torn between biting my neck or kissing me until I fainted.

"What did you do to me?" he whispered. His voice was broken. Desperate.

"I saved your life, you ungrateful i***t," I muttered.

His thumb pressed against my lower lip. Rough. He dragged his thumb across my mouth, pressing down just enough to part my lips.

My heart did a stupid, chaotic flutter in my chest.

120 beats per minute. Damn this useless body. Hormones were a ridiculous biological design flaw.

"Enough," Vane's voice cut through the air like an ice pick.

A silver blade appeared between Kael's throat and my face.

Vane was standing right beside us now. His face was dark. His red eyes were burning with a strange, possessive fury.

"Step back, beast," Vane hissed, resting the edge of his rapier right against Kael's chest. "You're touching something that belongs to the throne."

Kael didn't look at Vane. He kept his eyes on me. His golden gaze was intense. Heavy.

Slowly, Kael released my hair. He stepped back against the wall, his breathing loud and ragged, but the black veins on his neck were already starting to fade. The green paste was working.

I wiped my fingers on my dress.

"Are you two done measuring your fragile egos?" I asked, looking between the beastkin and the vampire. "Because some of us have an execution squad to meet."

Vane wiped his blade on a clean silk handkerchief. "You seem very eager to meet the Emperor, Aurelia. Are you sure you're ready? He knows you failed to collect the taxes from the western provinces. He knows you've been sleeping through court meetings. He is not in a good mood."

"When is a tyrant ever in a good mood?" I asked, turning toward the stairs.

Vane's eyebrows shot up. "Careful. Treason looks bad on you."

"Treason is just a word invented by people who are scared of losing power," I said, picking up the heavy velvet skirt of my dress so I wouldn't trip over the hem. "Lead the way, Vane. Let's go see this Emperor."

Vane watched me for a long moment. He looked like he wanted to dissect my brain to see what had broken inside it.

"Fascinating," Vane whispered to himself. He turned and started walking up the stone stairs. "You really have gone mad."

I took two steps up the stairs, then stopped.

I looked back over my shoulder at Kael.

He was standing in the center of the dark cell. Free of chains. His tan chest rising and falling. His gold eyes locked onto mine.

"Stay here," I told him. "Don't break anything. If I come back and my cell is damaged, I'm chaining you up again."

Kael didn't answer. He just gave me a slow, dangerous smile. A promise of trouble.

I turned and followed Vane up the winding stone staircase.

The air got warmer as we went higher.

The smell of mold and wet stone faded. It was replaced by the smell of burning beeswax candles, expensive incense, and roasting meat.

The dungeon stairs led straight into the lower hall of the Imperial Palace.

The walls were made of white marble, lined with gold banners showing a burning sun. Huge arched windows showed the night sky outside. Rain was beating heavily against the stained glass.

Standing in the center of the grand hall was a group of men.

Ten guards in heavy silver armor. Long swords at their hips. Crossbows loaded and resting in their arms.

And in front of them stood two men.

The first was old. Thin. Wearing grey robes that dragged on the floor. He had a small leather bag strapped to his waist. The Imperial Physician. Dr. Vance.

The second man was tall. Built like an athlete. Wearing a white and gold coat that screamed wealth and arrogance.

He had golden hair that looked like it belonged in a shampoo commercial. Blue eyes. A handsome face that was probably ruined by the sneer currently plastered across his lips.

Lucien. The Solar Emperor.