Protect My Love ~ Book 4 ~ The Royal Blood Collection

Chapter 13

My body jolted and I sat up. Tears poured down my cheeks yet I couldn't feel sadness. My heart raced so hard that it pounded painfully against my body.

I had no idea where I was.

"Hey," The soft voice soothed. "It's okay."

Turning to the voice, I could see him shift back in fear.

"Otanawa?"

The sound of my name brought me back, I remembered the baby crying.

"I'm okay." I murmured, laying back down.

In the darkness, I wiped the tears from my cheeks. Merrick laid back down beside me.

"You said that your anger is far worse than your fear, having seen your fear, I don't think that's entirely true."

"That wasn't fear," I said as I rolled into his arms. "That was being absolutely petrified."

"About what?"

"I don't know. It's just darkness and the sound of a baby crying."

Merrick held me tight until I fell asleep again. When I woke, it was a peaceful moment. I even had a smile on my face. Merrick was snuggled in behind me, his arm draped over my waist, holding me to his body.

"I tried so hard to resist you." He murmured. "Walking away was not easy, then you came over and fluttered your eyes at me."

I grinned and rolled over.

"I'm supposed to protect you, not get into your pants."

"You're protecting me and keeping me happy."

"Pretty sure that's not what your uncle meant."

"Pretty sure I don't care what he thinks."

Merrick huffed a soft laugh, still crushing me against his warm body. If we stayed like this for any longer, I'd need to cool off in the lagoon and I doubt that Merrick was going to let me go back there.

Someone clearing their throat on the other side of the door flap ended all snuggles and thoughts of returning to the lagoon.

"Ding dong," Gus said cheerily. "Sorry to interrupt your sleep in but time waits for no one."

Yeah, time needed to go away and leave me to my snuggling with Merrick.

"We're awake," Merrick grumbled.

"Excellent. The high priestess has invited the two of you and General Petersen for an evening meal and a discussion."

We dressed quickly and ventured out into the late afternoon. The sun was past the tree line and today it was fractionally cooler.

"Discussion about what?" I asked.

"Well, she thought it was appropriate for you to get to know her son, that way you can tell the princess of the man that awaits her."

"Can I ask you what your opinion of him is?"

Gus smiled at me.

"Of course you can. Imren is a fine young man, he is a hard working Kronthelm and an upstanding pillar of their community. I know that you worry for the future for the princess but you needn't fear the people in this place."

"I know my cousin, Gus, she's not going to be a happy vampire."

"It is a difficult situation, I agree but it will strengthen the ties between the two races. The princess is already a part of this tribe, as is her mother. They will be welcomed with open arms and they always will be. The Kronthelm are very family orientated and to see two of their own doing so well among the vampires, it will fill them with a pride that will be immeasurable. Even you have given them something to feel good about. To see that the vampires have accepted you, it has created hope that there might be acceptance beyond the ridge."

"I'm only known to a few."

"I know," He said with a dulled nod. "Best we leave that part out for a while. We want the negotiations to move smoothly."

"Sure."

Gus turned and rushed down the path as the captain emerged from the communal hut.

"Afternoon," He said, tipping his head at us. "The high priestess has offered to send a few Kronthelm for our meals. Apparently, they have a no-kill rule here so keep your feeding light."

"Lucky I'm not hungry," I scoffed.

"We're going to have to settle for supplementing with a human diet for a few days. Gus said he'd make sure that the food is available. No one wants a hungry vampire."

Definitely not.

We began to walk to the hut, one of our soldiers was waiting by the opening.

"This afternoon we received word that plan b was almost complete and it came with an additional message for you. Apparently, the extra thing that you'd asked for is on its way too."

I nodded.

"Thank you."

He tipped his head again and waited for me to enter the main hut. Gus was standing by the platform talking to the high priestess.

"Can I ask a favor from you both?"

The two men turned to me.

"I want you to watch the dynamics between these people, to watch the son. I want to know if Nava will be safe with them. If this was your daughter, I want to know if you would send her here to live for the rest of her life."

They both nodded and we turned to the seats. Gus was back on his cushion between us and curiously, Imren moved to a cushion next to him.

"Imren suggested that a more informal chat happen. He respects his parents and the positions that they hold in this village but he believes that it might be intimidating to you. This is a sign that he is not elevating himself to be above you, he is equal to you."

"Would you thank him for his kind gesture."

Gus translated it and Imren nodded at me with a warm smile.

"Is there something that you'd like to know about this place or Imren?"

"Yes, ask his opinion of strong-willed women who like to get their own way."

He did that and Imren smiled, responding to the question.

"Imren said that your answer sits behind him. His mother is a strong-willed woman and he thinks the world of her. He would die for her if need be. Imren also added that he would think the same of his bride because any woman that is brave enough to leave her family and enter a world that she's never been to is worthy of an eternity of admiration from everyone, including him."

Smooth. Did I buy it? I wanted to say yes, for Nava's sake but it bothered me. I hoped that there was nothing sinister going on here.