The entire situation sent me back to the moment my family came for me and my mother. My blood raced through my veins so loudly I could hear it, and it took everything in me to not go to the door and open it fully, worrying about Kane.
I watched as Kane opened the door and looked at a tall, slender man, adorned with a pattern of leaves and vines that snaked across his skin. His long, flowing, raven dark hair was pulled back in a braid, yet somehow, despite the gentile beauty that graces his appearnace, he looked fierce.
And his expression backed that up as he glared at Kane.
"Can I help you?" Kane looked confused, not bothering to move out the way for him to enter.
The man looked at him, the sternness in his posture almost more serious than his expression. "I understand you brought a human with you? One that you have impregnated. Is this correct?"
"I understand it's none of your business," Kane retorted, crossing his arms, not having any of this man’s inquiry.
The man placed a hand on the doorframe in case Kane tried to close the door. "You speak as if you feel you are above us. Let me make it clear that you are not. This is a Hurthfeur city. Bloodsuckers are further north. And as to it being my business, I am certain it is my business when your kind drags some human in here looking for an escape from their inability to contain their lust. You know that it is frowned upon by your elders. So, let us get on with her disposal, and you can move on and not come back to my establishment."
Kane tilted his head. "Oh, this is cute. You have me mixed up with someone of a lesser station. I am an Elder." He closed the distance between himself and the man. "You will get one chance to walk away and remember that I showed mercy. I love your kind, I truly do. But as I said, this is none of your concern, and I am not interested in any disposal. You will not be laying hands on her.”
“I do not have time for your possessiveness, vampire. I do not care for who you are or who you love. This is the way. We will not be cleaning up a greater mess later. We deal with this now.” The man attempted to push past Kane.
A growl resonated from deep within Kane’s chest. "I am King Kanedraven Rathmore. The King in the North. You will remember your station, Innkeeper." Kane stood tall, eyeing the man with no fear. “I treat your people well. I make sure they get paid more than fairly as your species is vital to this world, and I leave this place always better than I find it. Again, know your place or no more chances. Walk off.”
The man stood, his ego baring its teeth as he was challenged by Kane. "You claim to be Kanedraven Rathmore? This is what you are saying? Truly you do not think you can fool me with this ploy, but it will not work, you leech." The man turned, the balcony that held the walkway in front of the rooms overlooked the dining area below, which was still filled with people. "This man claims to be our king. He claims to rule Naelyra and thinks he can tell me of all Emalne to remember my station."
The crowd broke out in laughter. I knew, from when we had entered the room, that there was no way that anyone downstairs could have seen Kane from where he stood then. But even if they could, it is possible nobody there would have known him either. He had made sure to keep such a low profile, and in this instance? It was coming back to haunt him.
The man turned back to Kane. "Now that you've had your charade, let us get your little toy and dispatch of the problem. I have more pressing things to do." He tried to push past into the room again, ignoring the older Emalne running across the walkway that transversed the room like a boardwalk, toward them, waving his arms.
Kane didn’t budge at all as the man's hand landed on his shoulder with a shove. He stood like a pillar against the invading force, not letting it shift him even an inch. “I warned you.” Then, he lifted his hand and pushed on the man’s chest shoving him back out of the doorway.
I ran out of the bathroom, gripping the dagger tight, just in time to see the invader crash into the post of vines that connected the loft walkway to the ceiling, causing it to crack and some of the taught tendrils to snap. He slumped to the ground with a groan and attempted to lift himself. But he was obviously injured.
Kane stalked across the balcony toward the fallen man. “The death of you will be swift. That I will guarantee for you."
"Kane!" I ran out, tugging my sweater up onto my shoulders tighter.
"Gael!" The man running towards us yelled.
I grabbed Kane’s arm. "Wait!" I held my tummy. "Prove you are who you are. I know you said that you keep your identity quiet so they can go about their lives, but shouldn't they know that you are king in some way?”
"No. They don't." The second man said, winded. "We keep his identity secret so he can move about freely without threats or attempts on his life. His request." He glared at Kane, half in amusement.
Kane eyed the old man and nodded to him. "This one is out of line, suggesting death upon humans carrying vampire offspring. I know not of such an order, and I certainly will not allow this fate to fall on my beloved.
