A Duel with the Vampire Lord (Married to Magic #3)

by Elise Kova

“What are you?” he rasps. What am I? A strange question coming from a beast like him. I smile wildly. “I am your death.”

“What am I going to do with you?” “Love me forever?” My mouth moves on its own. “Careful, or I just might.”

“My power is intoxicating, isn’t it?” he whispers. “Do you want more? Break the curse on my people, dear hunter, and I can keep you drunk on my power until your body can no longer handle me.”

“Truthfully everything about this arrangement is uncomfortable,” I say outright. “Excellent. Wouldn’t want you to get comfortable and stay too long.” “No chance of that,”

“We do not bury monsters.” “Do I look a monster to you?” The question is quiet, filled with sorrow, longing—yearning, even. But for what? What does he keep wanting from me?

“Those who have Succumbed to the curse might seem that way as they have sunken below the threshold of cognizance and have resorted to base instinct. Yes, they are monsters, as you say. But they are also victims. Your hands are just as bloody as mine. And we were both born into cages not of our making.”

“Are you prone to staring at men?” My cheeks burn instantly and I look back at the table of weapons. “I wasn’t staring.” “Admiring, then?” He draws out the words with purpose. “Hardly.” I snort.

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take,” he insists. “For what?” I ask. “For you.” His attention rests solely on me and I swallow thickly. “I don’t want you to.”

“What I’ve done, am doing, with you could be the end of everything I loved.” “We have hardly done anything.” I insist to myself its true. “If we’ve ‘hardly done anything’ then how have you become my everything?”

“The world will say I shouldn’t. But I care less and less for what the world thinks. I choose you.”

“When she’s set her sights on something, she charges at it with all the ferocity of a wild animal,” Drew says with a chuckle. He’s wearing a smile now too. “I am not a wild animal,” I protest, giving my brother a glare. “No, no, that seems about right.” Lavenzia smirks. “Excuse me, I am not an animal,” I repeat for emphasis. “I am a forge maiden. And, yes, that means I am quite accustomed to hammering at things until I get my way.” “She’s always like this?” Ruvan asks Drew. “Worse, usually.”