Shadow's Claim

could only murder and torture your foes once. I was expected to slay Goürlav—but not to injure him. I’d believed that I would fight Caspion to the death—and that I would lose you if I survived. Then, when we made love, I denied . . . instincts.”

His instinct to bite. Just as Sabine had said.

“I’d lost blood against the primordial and continued to deteriorate over the day. Then you appeared, and you showed such concern for Caspion. I thought I’d been doing everything right to win you from him—denying myself, toiling for the future, trying to earn your affection.”

She was aware of how hard he had worked and all the miraculous feats he’d accomplished in such a short time. He’d been under enough pressure to make twenty Dacians snap. Even now he wasn’t physically well, obviously hadn’t been drinking enough to sustain himself.

“The jealousy maddened me. You were right—I wasn’t hearing you. I can see that now. Even the mere mention of his name enraged me.”

“Why? I thought I made it clear that he was my friend. And I . . . I made love to you, Trehan. Surely you understood how I felt about you. I believed we were getting married in hours.”

“I see it now, but gods, I couldn’t then! The jealousy . . . Always I remembered our first night together. Always I could see how you would be with Caspion, could see exactly what he would enjoy if you ever went to him. It made me crazed. . . .” He trailed off, clenching his jaw.

She tried to imagine what he’d gone through. How would she feel if Trehan had welcomed her into his bed, yet then she discovered that his every touch and kiss had been intended for another?

Jealousy scalded her at the mere thought.

“Then, in the fight, when I realized I’d been poisoned, I remembered that you’d handed me that goblet. I concluded that you were in league with Caspion.” He clasped his forehead. “I believed that you would wed him and that I’d lost you forever. I wanted to punish him for winning you. I couldn’t handle the idea of not having you,” he said, adding in a mutter, “any better than I can now.”

“If I’d let you drink from me, would you have reacted differently?”

“This is in no way your fault. It was mine.”

“But would you have suffered that confusion and aggression?”

“No matter my condition, how could I have suspected you?”

How? She sighed. Probably because I had a poison ring, a poison arsenal, a smoking-gun goblet in my hand, and my best friend in the ring with you.

Suddenly his hand shot out, palm gripping the back of her neck. “Bettina, I thought . . . I truly thought that I was doing everything right. I want only to do right by you.”

And with those laden words, Bettina recognized that this wasn’t over between them. Her grief from losing him started to evaporate.

She began to view their circumstances in a completely new light. Cas was alive, Bettina was a free queen in her own right, empowered in more ways than one—and this gorgeous, sexy Dacian looked as if he was barely restraining himself from pulling her beneath him and kissing her until she decided to keep him.

And she would keep him.

I want him above all things. These days, Bettina of Abaddon got what she wanted.

Chapter 49

Grabbing her, Trehan? Snatching her nape?

With an inward curse, he released her, turning away to try to reason this out. To calm his frenetic thoughts.

Merely looking at her face made instinct scream inside him. Much less the siren’s call of her sexy, little pulse-point.

“I can’t stay mad at you for suspecting me.” She touched his back, the contact jolting him with anticipation. “Just as you doubted me, I doubted both Cas and Raum.” He heard her exhale.

He didn’t breathe.

“I’m not blameless, Trehan. I’d do things differently if I could.” Over his shoulder, she dangled a chain, threaded through with . . .

A male’s gold ring.

His eyes slid shut as he clasped it in his fist. “You made this?” Voice gone hoarse, he said, “For me?” He yanked it off the chain, couldn’t shove it on his finger fast enough.

“Yes. The morning after we made love.”

He twisted around to face her. “Then you can forgive me.” Everything he desired—family, friend, mistress, grand love of his life—was so godsdamned close. My love awaits with widened eyes. . . .

“Vampire, you were a certain way with me in the beginning, and then you changed. It hurt so badly, like I lost you twice. I could never go through something like that again.”

He clenched his fists to keep from grabbing her once more. “I vow to you—and I vow to the Lore—that I will never treat you that way again. I’ll spend the rest of my life showing the Abaddonae how much I adore you, if you give me another chance.”

“Then it’s given, Trehan. Because you did try to do everything right. You did work hard and you gave so much. If not for the squire’s actions, we’d be in our bed right now.”

He frowned. “No, Bettina, even without the poison, I still . . .” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “My mind, it isn’t well.” How exactly was he supposed to present his dilemma to her? I need to sink my fangs in your neck while I’m inside you. “Vampire males . . . we need . . .” He eased closer to her, his fangs sharpening.

She had to notice them, but didn’t pull away.

“We need to drink. I can’t deny what I am.”

She nodded? “I’d decided to give you my blood on our wedding night. I’d regretted not trusting you to make a bite wonderful. I shouldn’t have denied you before.”

Again, she’d shocked him. Again, he moved nearer. Had she sidled closer as well?

If she could accept him, then nothing would stand in their way. Which meant his heart would be whole, his mind eased. He would use both to cherish her, and all would be well.

“You can accept my nature?”

She blinked at him. “I already have.”

“Wed me, Bett! As soon as possible. I want you to be my queen. I want us to rule together.”

“You’d truly come back to Abaddon? Give up Dacia again?”

“To have you? Anything. But Dacia will likely open its gates, so visiting is not out of the question.”

By now, their lips were inches apart. “We could come back and play with all your weapons?” She looked bold and breathless—and happy. Heated air whorled around her body, her sorcery mirroring her emotions.

“Our weapons.” He removed her mask. “As you wish to, my merry sorceress.”

“Then take me home, Trehan, to our bed.”

How those words affected him! He traced her directly there, easing her back across the silk.

Cradling her face, he bent to her lips, taking them beneath his own. With all the fervor he felt inside, he kissed her.

Only this time, no gallows awaited.

As their tongues twined, he and Bettina began ridding each other of clothes in a mad rush, hands colliding in their haste to touch bared skin.