CHAPTER ELEVEN | England, 1891

CHAPTER ELEVEN

England, 1891

KATE SAT ON THE VICTORIAN sofa in her room and stared at the wall. The same wall she’d been staring at for the past thirty minutes. Perhaps longer.

“I think you should try drinking something,” Riccardo said, again.

Her eyes moved to his then down to the glass of plasma. The mineral-rich drink was a luxury few vampires enjoyed. Here, in the Moretti castle, it was in abundance. Mere blood was rarely seen. It wasn’t that she came from a poor family...oh God . Family .

Her family was dead. Her parents killed. Their carriage had been stopped by thieves in the night and their necks sliced. They had been found inside the carriage, their bodies intact, not turned to ash, saved from exposure to the sun by the windowless vehicle.

Kate’s eyes darted to Riccardo.

Shouldn’t she be crying? Instead, she just sat there. Staring.

“They are at home? Their bodies.”

“Yes.” Riccardo nodded.

She nodded.

“Kate, please. You are in shock. Please drink.”

She raised the glass and found her hand was shaking. Riccardo moved across the space and lifted it to her lips, his hand on the back of her head as she took a small sip. The warm liquid slid down her throat, and she swallowed. It sank into her stomach like a lump of wet concrete.

Kate’s lips began to quiver.

“Wh-wh-who would do this?” she asked. “Why? Who, why? I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know, but I will do everything I can to find out,” Riccardo promised. “I don’t want you to worry about anything. I will take care of you, Kate.”

Tears began pouring down her face.

She didn’t want him to take care of her. She wanted...a different male.

“Come.” He wrapped his arms around her, and she fell against his chest. “It’s going to be okay. Cry as much as you need. I’m here.”

As Riccardo ran his hand up and down her back, Kate let herself receive his comfort. She had known him much of her life. As she’d told the king, both their families had been hoping they would mate, and they had joked about it in their younger years, but it had never happened.

Kate didn’t believe him to be her mate. She had never felt anything except friendship for the male. Close friendship, yes, but never an ounce of attraction.

Now, with her parents tragically gone and the king making it very clear what he wanted from her, she had to make some decisions for her future. Kate would not shame her family name by becoming Vincent’s lover. If he didn’t believe her to be his mate, then obviously she was wrong.

She hated how her body craved his touch even as he rejected any idea of her being more than someone who could pleasure his cock, but the way his blazing eyes held hers, the way he’d growled like a bear when Riccardo had pulled her into his arms, made it difficult to give up all hope.

And yet, he had stormed out of the room without looking back at her, instructing Brayden to find out who had killed her parents. And she’d not seen him since.

KATE AWOKE TO A SHARP knock at the door.

“Come in,” Riccardo indicated.

Her eyes blinked, clearing from her sleep, and she heard the door open. She became aware she was wrapped in a blanket, her head on Riccardo’s knees. His hand lay across her waist, just under her breasts.

“Mr. Bocci, we need to ask you some questions,” Brayden said. “Do you mind coming with us?”

Kate sat up, and the memories came flooding back.

Oh God. Mama, Papa. No.

Vincent and Brayden stood in the doorway of her room staring at the two of them. Her eyes met Vincent’s. His brows were bunched together angrily, and his eyes were burning with an emotion she didn’t fully understand.

“Of course. Any help I can be.” He stood and looked down at Kate. “Will you—”

Vincent marched toward them, radiating authority and power. “I’ll take it from here, thank you, Mr. Bocci. Go with the prince, please.”

Riccardo’s eyes widened, then narrowed slightly as he turned back to her. “Yes, Your Majesty,” he replied, patting Kate on the thigh, promising to return. Vincent’s eyes didn’t leave her face until the door closed behind the two vampires.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” he said, his eyes softening. “Is there anything you need?”

She shook her head and began to fold the blanket.

“Kate?”

“I’m fine,” she answered as tears began to flow down her face.

At this point, she had no control of her emotions. She was feeling everything. Shock. Grief. Anger. Fear for her future. Confusion.

Vincent sped across the distance and lifted her into his arms.

As soon as his body wrapped around hers and she felt the warmth of his embrace, she felt his strength comfort her. Suddenly, she began to shake and sob against his chest. With his powerful arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her head, she finally felt safe.

Cared for. Protected.

This was where she belonged; she knew it with every inch of her being.

But did he realize it yet?

VINCENT LIFTED KATE into his arms and sat in the big armchair, tucking her against him. Finally, he would be able to comfort her. It had taken all his strength not to rip Riccardo’s limbs from his body when he’d pulled Kate into his arms upon delivering the tragic news. She had gone to him, and as a close family friend, Vincent had been powerless to berate either of them.

But he couldn’t just sit there and watch, so he’d done what he could and instructed his team to help uncover what had happened to her parents. A challenging task, given Rome was over a thousand miles away.

But now Kate was in his arms, and he strangely felt like he was exactly where he should be. Slowly, her tears began to subside, and she lay resting against his chest. His thumb methodically rubbed her hip, and his heartbeat matched hers.

Vincent had held her in his arms a few times now, but this was the first time his cock had not been invited to the party. It was an intimate moment, despite the tragedy which brought them closer. She had lost her parents, and he had lost two vampires. Every vampire belonged to him, but he had also known Mr. and Mrs. Valentino.

He ran his hand up and down her back. “The sun will soon rise. Can I get you something to eat before you slumber?”

“No,” she said quietly. “Perhaps I will try some more plasma in a little while.”

Vincent glanced at the glass on the table in front of them and frowned. Riccardo had already thought of everything. Goddamn it. He wanted to be the male taking care of her. He should have come to her earlier.

“Let me get you a fresh glass,” Vincent offered, moving to stand, but Kate dug her fingers into his arm, halting him.

“Please. Can we stay here a little while longer?”

“Yes,” he replied, his voice gravel, relaxing back into the seat. He wished he could stay there holding her forever, which was confusing as fuck.

“Will you stay with me today?” the little voice asked.

Vincent squeezed his eyes shut.

He had so many damn questions. Why did he feel like this about this particular female?

Kate was beautiful, vulnerable, strong.

And not his.

This felt like stolen time before their worlds split apart.

Soon, Riccardo, the male she’d told him her family had identified as her mate, would return. Was the male her mate? If he was, it would be completely wrong for him—king or not—to be holding her in his arms.

Did he give a fuck?

Absolutely not.

But he knew what would happen if he spent the day with Kate. It would include his currently inactive cock, and that would be going too far. As king, he was responsible for upholding the mating laws of the race.

Part of him was furious Kate had not mentioned the male and her potential mating to him before now. How could she have been pursuing him as her mate when she knew there was a male back home waiting for her.

He’d been on his way to confront her about it when they had heard the news about her parents.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate, Kate. You know this.”

She sat up, round, wet eyes staring at him astonished. “Because you are the king?”

“Because Riccardo is—might be your mate,” he replied, his anger simmering beneath the surface. “I shouldn’t even be here, Kate. If he...”

Her mouth fell open and she moved off his lap, wiping her eyes.

The desire to stop her was strong, but he had to let her go. Vincent clenched the arms of the chair and glanced away.

“Then you should go,” Kate ordered, her voice thick.

Vincent nodded. And didn’t move.

He should leave. He should stand up and walk out of here, leaving her to grieve for the loss of her parents. Yet, he sat gripping the chair like he was hanging over the edge of a cliff.

He hated himself for wanting another male’s mate. There had been no formal bonding, but he could see how close the two were, and it was wrong of him to interfere. It could be only a matter of time before they became bonded. So why did he want to beat the other male to a pulp?

Only Brayden ranting away telepathically had stopped him.

Suddenly, his eyes darted to Kate’s. He wanted fucking answers.

“Why did you come to court, Kate?” he asked gruffly.

She wrapped her arms around her middle and slowly shook her head. “Just stop, please.”

“Do you love him?” he continued, his voice a growl

“Yes,” she answered. “But not—”

Vincent was on his feet before she could finish, anger pouring through his veins, startling her.

“Enough. I am sorry about your parents, but you should have stayed home with your mate and not...not have been...here.”

Visions of their time together flashed between them. The glances. The kisses. How she had pleasured herself. His mouth on her breast.

How could she? How could any of it had taken place if she was meant to be with Riccardo?

Before he punched a hole in the wall, he marched across the room. As he reached the door, he heard her soft voice.

“Vincent.” He froze, not turning. “You are a foolish male.”

Clearly.

Feeling like an asshole, he pulled open the door and let it close loudly behind him. Kate’s anguished cry ripped through his body, tearing his soul apart. He sped through the hall, teleporting to his room, and let out a scream which vibrated throughout the walls of the castle.