CHAPTER TWENTY

R egan pulled the briefcase out of the wardrobe and proceeded to unlock the three different padlocks.

The sad part was that he didn’t need them. No one would ever suspect him of having such an item on his person. He was the king’s advisor, as he had been for the king before. He had loyally served both kings for over one thousand years.

Until recently.

Shame spread through him.

It wasn’t by choice. Like any bonded mate, his loyalty was to his mate. It was nature. It was the way of the vampire.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he’d be tested like this. If he’d thought there was another way, he would have gone with it, but they’d taken his mate, Selena, and daughter, Lily, while they were in Italy visiting relatives.

They being the Russo family. Stefano Russo, leader of the vampire resistance.

As their father had done over one hundred and thirty years ago, in 1891, Stefano and his brothers were now making their move for the throne. This time, however, they were not doing it with honor or following the way of their race. Instead, they were using him as their weapon, along with a poisonous substance Regan had to give the king each day.

At first, he’d thought it would be ineffective. Vampires didn’t get sick. But with each day, the king grew worse. Now, Regan had been instructed to increase the dosage.

They hadn’t told him anything, but after months and months of overthinking it all, he suspected the Russo’s planned to weaken the king so they could infiltrate the castle and take the throne from him.

Regan wondered what they planned to do about the Moretti prince. Brayden was a powerful—some would say the most powerful—vampire.

If his brother was beaten in a challenge, the prince would immediately step into the role as king, a role he was mentally preparing for now, if reluctantly.

He’d known Brayden and Vincent since they were born. In fact, he’d go so far as to say he loved both the king and the prince; he certainly respected them. And so, he knew that once his involvement was exposed—and one day, it would be—Brayden would destroy him.

Regan would beg for his mate and daughter to be saved, and then he would accept his punishment. It was deserved.

He should have confessed the moment it happened, but how could he risk their lives? The Russo’s were rich and powerful, and had been planning this for over a century. He had no idea where they were keeping Selena and Lily; he was given photos of them looking terrified and hungry, and had to trust they were recent.

He hung his head in shame and placed the small plastic bag containing the powder in his pocket. All he had to do was deliver the king’s evening tea with a dose stirred in. He always watched to make sure the vampire king drank it during their nightly briefing.

It was the perfect crime, and no one suspected a thing.

He opened the door to the kings’ office. “Good eve, your majesty.”

“Regan,” the king said stiffly.

He froze. Something had changed.

“Come in. Don’t mind my mood. I’m just feeling more unwell than usual.”

He knew that wasn’t true, but it was about to be. After this double dose.

This is going to kill us both.

“Perhaps this will help, sire.”