CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A fter a few hours of fitful sleep, Brayden got dressed and stepped out the door. He’d dressed casually tonight for their takeout-and-Netflix evening. He wanted to see Willow relaxed at home and just hanging, as the humans said.

Leaning against the pillar, he waited for the sun to sink into the horizon. The shadow struck, and he began to exit the building.

“Brayden. A word.”

Oh, Jesus.

It was the last person he wanted to see right now. “Can it wait? I have a date.”

Vincent rolled his eyes. “Seriously? Your king asks to see you, and a female is more important.”

He shrugged. “Bro, you know how it is. Chicks before dicks.”

The king frowned.

Yeah, okay. He wasn’t that young, stupid vampire anymore, but he seriously didn’t want to face the king right now.

Oh God. Had Kate gotten a case of the guilts and confessed?

He hadn’t agreed to anything, so if the queen had spoken out, he wasn’t taking any blame. Aside from the fact that he should have marched directly to his brother and told him everything.

Right?

They were living in unprecedented times. Everything about this was completely fucked up.

“Fine. What can I do for you, my liege?”

“My office.” Vincent rolled his eyes and began walking.

Don’t freak out, don’t freak out, don’t freak out.

There was no way he knew. He wouldn’t be this calm.

Totally normal. Totally normal.

The door closed behind them, and Vince turned, large hands landing on his hips. After a second, he sat on the edge of the desk and grabbed a hold of it with his hands. The king was tired. It grated on his nerves to see his big, strong brother fading like this.

It had started with dizzy spells, then he’d begun throwing up blood, and now he was losing his powers. Vincent could no longer port, which used a lot of energy, nor could he move as fast as usual. They all covered for him, keeping his illness confidential.

Aside from the queen and himself, only Craig, the SLCs, Regan, and Seraphina knew of his condition. Any sign the king was weakening would be dangerous to the throne. Over the centuries, many had tried to take over the kingdom from his father—no more so than the Russo’s, but there were always others.

Since Vincent’s coronation not long after the death of Roberto Russo, who had challenged their father for the throne, there had been a growing rebellion led by Stefano Russo. They were based in Italy, and word of a coup grew every day.

Craig had vampires inside the operation sending regular reports, but Brayden had long since suspected they weren’t getting the full picture.

Vincent’s illness had been a huge distraction, and now that they were heading back east with plans for him to step up in the role of king, it was time they reviewed the risks. A change in sovereign was always a vulnerable time for a kingdom, but not for the Moretti’s.

What the Russo’s and the entire vampire race didn’t know was the power of the Moretti royal blood. It was far more potent than any other vampires. The power source was an energetic one, gained from the allegiance of their people, a mystical source that had never been fully explained.

It was passed on by birth and by sharing their blood, and it gave them greater strength in all ways.

Kate, as queen, had undergone a full blood transfusion from her mate, Vincent, and was now a full-blooded Moretti.

It was their closest guarded secret. In fact, the only vampires alive with the knowledge were those with the Moretti blood: the king, the queen, and him as prince. All three of them had the potent blood running through their veins.

If they shared blood with another, which was rarely done, the receiving vampire would experience an increase in power. However, it was temporary, only until their own blood filtered it out.

Only a complete blood transfusion, such as what the queen had gone through, would allow it to become permanent, and a Moretti would only offer that to a mate.

It was the Moretti blood which had given them the power to hold the throne for eternity.

Anyone who attempted a coup by challenging the sitting king always failed. And they always would.

The idea of a democracy was ludicrous. One had only to look around the world to see democracy had its pros and cons, and with a powerful race like the vampires, who were fundamentally predators, it would never work.

Vampires were predators. Predators needed clear and strong rules, and one alpha who enforced those rules. It was no different from in the animal kingdom, humans included. They just weren’t aware enough to acknowledge it.

Vincent, the king, was that alpha.

Brayden was a powerful alpha in his own right; in fact, more so than the king, though it wasn’t discussed openly. Brayden had no interest in challenging the king for his position, and Vincent knew it.

The Moretti blood that ran between the brothers gave them power, yes, but it was steeped in loyalty. A loyalty that would see him protecting Vincent’s rule no matter what challenge came their way: this mysterious illness or Stefano Russo.

Loyalty and a sense of selfishness. Brayden did not want to be king.

While a coup could happen at any time, they were weaker with Vincent ill, and he had to wonder whether this ball was really a good idea.

Vincent clung to the desk for support, looking jaded, and Brayden knew if he were challenged, he would fail. He gritted his teeth. That would leave Brayden with no choice but to take out the challenger, though rules dictated he couldn’t intervene beforehand.

Fuck the rules.

“My mate,” the king started. Brayden stilled, using every ounce of his strength to keep his heart rate and body calm.

“The queen.”

Vincent sighed. “She’s upset. Since your outburst—and wait, before you think I’m about to go off at you, I’m not. I understand. Both of you have a right to feelings about this.”

Brayden stared as the king walked around the desk and sank into the chair.

“I’ve been so focused on your succession that I haven’t stopped to consider how you felt about losing me. I want to apologize.”

Brayden shoved his hands in his jeans pockets. Vincent wasn’t known for expressing his emotions, not that he was completely inept in this department. He loved his queen and wasn’t shy about showing it. When it came to brotherly affection, they had a good, solid relationship, but they weren’t huggers or anything.

“Fuck, Vince, don’t do that, man. You’re dying! Forget about me. I’ll deal.”

The fact he was slightly, ever so slightly, considering shagging the guy’s mate made him want to shoot himself in the head.

Twice.

“I’m not sure Kate will. I need you to look after her for me, Bray. When I’m gone.”

Christ, could tonight get any more fucking weird?

“Of course I will. She’s family. She’s our queen.”

“Well, yes,” he said, picking up a pen and tapping it on the desk. “I’ve been looking at our laws, and it’s not clear what her position will be upon my death. Because, you know, we don’t usually fucking die.”

Brayden sat in the opposite chair, and the two brothers stared soberly at each other. And Vincent began coughing all of a sudden.

He pulled out a bunch of tissues, which always seemed to be in his pocket these days and dabbed at his mouth. It came away coated in his blood.

Brayden’s chest tightened.

“I’m fine,” he said, and the lie hung thick in the air. “Anyway, we don’t have an heir, and as you know, you’ll take the throne.” Vincent opened a large leather-bound book on the desk.

“There’s no concession for this situation in our laws, and so in theory, it makes her role as queen redundant.” He looked up at Brayden, eyes boring into this. “I can’t and won’t let that happen.”

Brayden shook his head. “No.”

There was no way he would leave Kate unprotected in the wake of the king’s passing. He had considered this months ago and was going to deal with it, but the fact that Vincent had brought it up now gave him goose bumps.

Did he think the end was close?

“In line with human royal structures, I’ve decided to create two positions: Queen Dowager and Prince Consort . Both allow a position for the mate of the ruling vampire after their death.”

Brayden nodded. Vincent was also preparing, he realized, for other kings and queens to potentially die.

Were they evolving?

Was their immortality weakening?

“You think I could be next?” The idea didn’t scare him as much as he thought it would until his mind flashed to Willow. As his body began to react—his chest clenching and back straightening—he shut down the thoughts.

Not my mate.

The king shrugged.

“I’m not sure. My responsibility is to my mate and to the throne. To you, brother. I have to make arrangements while I’m of sound mind and body.”

This was so fucked up. Vampires didn’t have these kinds of conversations.

“Fuck!” He stood up, punching his hand through his hair. “No matter what happens, I will protect Kate. You have my word. I will ensure she is protected, cared for, and all her needs met. She’s a Moretti. Nothing changes that. I promise you.”

Vincent looked down at the book and nodded. “Thank you, brother.”

He was, at the heart of this, just a male hurting for his mate. The feeling of unimaginable frustration and anguish at leaving her behind and not being able to protect her was one Brayden could only imagine was tearing him apart.

Kate would step out of her role as queen and become queen dowager, and the vacant position would be held for Brayden’s mate. Unless he fulfilled Kate’s request and impregnated her. Then she would become the queen mother, holding the position until her child became of age. None of this was written into their law, and neither could he discuss it with the king. He would have to wait. Take it one day at a time.

Right now, he just wanted to see Willow.

Outside, the sky had darkened.

Brayden felt a heavy responsibility, heavier than the throne, land on his shoulders. What had earlier felt unthinkable, now began to feel like a necessity.

If he impregnated Kate, no one would question whether it was the king’s child. Bonded vampires had no sexual attraction to anyone but their mate, so infidelity didn’t exist in their world.

Once pregnant, her role in the royal family— should Vincent cease to exist—would never be challenged. In time, he could step down and watch as his child became the king or queen and led their people. While he’d never be recognized or known as the father, he’d still play a vital role in the child’s life as uncle.

It was so messed up, yet so brilliant.

The question was, could he do it?