Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
All night my body had been reacting to him. I blamed it on the new vampire hormones inside of me as I gripped the reins tighter and tried to think of anything else besides his body next to mine.
Soon we traveled further away from the city where a war-damaged forest appeared. Black, charred trees loomed over us, swaying in the wind.
The sounds of the forest spooked me the most. When the wind blew, a haunting noise came with it as if someone were screaming from miles away. My heart skipped. Sometimes, I even caught slurping and munching noises drifting from darkened areas in the forest.
Every now and then, a few horse-pulled wagons screeched by us, packed with men coated in filth who gazed at my breasts and licked their lips. All the wagons had been made of wood so there was no need for us to worry. Only humans and other non-vampire species rode in those.
Still, Xander always growled at them, and they increased speed and rushed away.
Sometimes, wild tigers and coyotes jogged by and steered clear of us too once they got a whiff of Xander.
I’m glad he’s with me.
If I had traveled through this area alone, the animals would have attacked me. If not the animals, then the wagon men.
With all the possible dangers a person could greet out here, I patted my wooden dagger a few times as it stayed tied to my waist.
After a few quiet hours, Xander and I finally spoke. Of course we avoided any discussion about the bite or what happened in the stairwell. We kept the conversation on my life before being a domina. He asked questions about my children, the things I enjoyed, and even some small inquiries about Ethan.
Most of all, Xander wanted to know why my hair was so red. But I had no answers. Mom had said that it was just a weird outcome of my family’s genes.
I kept my view on the journey ahead. “Enough about me, Xander. How did you begin helping people escape Capitol City?”
He rested his hand on my hip and then glided it up to my waist. His thumb paused an inch under my blouse and traced circles on my skin.
My blood rushed to the area.
I should have stopped him from touching me, but I enjoyed it too much.
If Ethan saw this, what would I say?
I bit my lip.
Xander’s words brushed along my skin. “Leeta raised me from a baby to a man. Once I was older, my mother began visiting.”
“She didn’t visit before?”
“No. She only sent money, toys, trinkets, and letters. When she finally came, the plotting began. She begged me to help her friend escape.”
I smirked. “A domina she wanted you to breed with?”
“Yes.” He chuckled behind me. “Unfortunately for my mother, I felt nothing for the domina and so I got her to the village in no time.”
“Through the sewers?”
“No. This was twenty years ago, before the wall was built around the city.” He scooted closer to me so his hard body formed into mine as we rocked on the horse. “It was so much easier to leave the city when we had other kings, but of course, it was all before the Great War.”
“I remember. I was just a teenager.”
“Yes. I keep forgetting how much older I am than you.” He cleared his throat. “Either way, the Great War changed things. The Quiet King kept conquering vampire kingdoms and killed off all the powerful vampire bloodlines. His royal court grew. Because of that. . .more and more, people wanted to escape the city. By the time the Quiet King took over, raised the taxes, and limited the amount of vampire children per household, I was aiding five to ten people out of the city each week.”
“Why do you think he limited the amount of kids?”
“I’m not sure. To better control the population maybe. His being in so many minds at once, must have been exhausting.”
“And now you’re known as the top Path Finder and most trustworthy sewer guide,” I joked.
He pinched my arm.
I jumped and laughed as our horse trotted along faster.
“Stop.” I grinned. “You are scaring the horse and me.”
“Your hair smells like rose petals,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing to say to a woman with a husband and kids.
My cheeks warmed into a blush.
Don’t think about the effect he has on you. Think about Ethan.
Xander growled. “And how do you know Ethan hasn’t replaced you?”
“You said you wouldn’t read my thoughts.” I scooted up on the saddle, away from him.
“No. I said maybe.” He dragged me back to him.
The two moons began to align in the sky.
Day would soon come.
Xander inhaled me. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“I forgot the question.”
“What will you do if Ethan found someone new?”
I rolled my eyes.
“I’ve been helping people for a long time.” He leaned toward me and rubbed his face against my cheek. “If a couple has been separated for a year or more, it’s a good chance the other spouse has moved on.”