Blue Flames

Chapter 57

"To the teeth."

"Perfect. Noah will be your shadow for the duration of our stay here."

I stifled a grin, because I could feel how irritated he was as he uttered those words.

"That is not funny," he said.

"You could've just sent Irene or Charles with me, instead."

He shook his head. "Charles is an excellent fighter and guard, but he doesn't have the senses of a shapeshifter or their instincts."

"Irene is a shapeshifter," I said.

"She's also young and does not have as much experience dealing with other Immortals, especially the fae. Noah is an alpha. He's also been the shapeshifters' representative in the council a few times. He knows how to wade through immortal politics." He sighed. "He's also one of the strongest shapeshifters in the world. My irrational jealousy is not worth risking your safety."

I pushed back a smile. "Is the big, bad vampire lord jealous? That's cute."

He was not amused. I lost the battle against laughter. Arthur's cheek dimpled. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly. It was odd how all my fear and unease about the future melted into nothing. He made me feel safe.

"Take care, Elle. If something happens to you, I'll paint the world red."

*** **** ***

The castle made me claustrophobic, so after a shower, Arthur and I ventured outside. The rest of our company trailed behind us like guards.

"Why is everyone staring," I grumbled. Our trek through the castle garden was only five minutes long and I already wanted to kick someone's ass. Back in Paris, people stared. I understood since I was a new commodity, and immortals weren't used to new.

But at least their looks had been inconspicuous, to an extent.

The fae did not bother with subtle glances. The people who occupied the gardens craned their necks and twisted their heads in an effort to take a proper look at me.

I felt like a gussied up chihuahua being paraded about in a dog pageant. Except I didn't get any of the admiration the puppies enjoyed. In fact, a vast majority of the fae around us reacted like they were looking at a flea infested mutt.

A woman stood to the side with a couple of men. She wore a pretty gown of deep green, her hair in a complicated updo on her head, and her eyes shining with a hint of disgust and a superior glint.

I caressed the hilt of my sword and smiled at her, my teeth flashing. Her face took on a slightly freaked out expression and she looked away. Arthur's chuckle was low. "Don't scare off people. We still need to fish for information."

"I just smiled at her."

"That was the smile a wolf flashes its prey."

I rolled my eyes. "Very flattering of you."

"I strive to impress, my love," he said. "They are curious. You're the daughter of their previous king. Part of the royal family."

"And a fae with vampire venom in my blood," I said.

"Yes." Arthur's voice turned cold. "And some see you as a ticking bomb they would love to see defused."

True. Vampire venom was dangerous to the fae, it turned them into creatures crazed with blood-lust. It enhanced their magic and heightened their pain threshold, but stripped them of all semblances of sanity. They turned into blood-hungry killing machines.

My mother had fought the craziness. But she had fed off blood, and the venom ran in her blood while I was in her womb. It affected me.

Some immortals were of the opinion of putting me down before I turned into a monster.