Reign of Blood

Chapter Thirty-Five

Her brain was a mess after everything that had just happened but she still made her way through the castle- back on track- towards the throne room.

He'd tried to kill her again. To save his people. And even in the face of that, he hadn't been able to go through with it.

She didn't know what to feel. Internally, he'd messed her up.

He hadn't been able to do it. She chanted that in her head.

But he'd still tried. Would he have tried again if Evette hadn't knocked him out?

She'd seen his teeth. They'd been sharp to bite her. To mark or kill?

Then there was everything Evette had said.

Her future was only going to get harder from here. So what was going to happen? Obviously, there'd be more Chronos. She'd made that clear with the whole biting thing. But where was she going?

What was going to happen?

She pushed these thoughts aside when she reached the throne room and found it bustling with vampires, werewolves and witches. The werewolves, of course, were all restrained. As they should be. Annaliese was rapidly becoming quite the werewolf expert. Out of chains, they couldn't be trusted.

Past the werewolves, Nazreen stood on the stage, shaking like a leaf.

To her relief, Annaliese stole the spotlight.

All eyes were on her, but she was interested in the werewolves.

She didn't know their names, but she'd be damned if she ever forgot their faces.

They were seared into her brain—distant in time, but not in memory.

To the vampires holding them, she said, "Take that one back. And that one. And that one too."

"Back where?"

"Back to wherever you got them from."

This was about revenge. Nothing else.

Maybe she wasn't entirely like her Father. Not even when she tried to be.

When those wolves had been gotten rid of, she returned her glare to the others.

Standing above them, fully empowered, she realised there was nothing to fear. They weren't going to hurt her this time. She didn't give a fuck whether or not Chronos believed her reasoning.

He hadn't the first time she'd told him on the full moon. He'd tried to kill her again. He hadn't changed.

She wanted him to.

The werewolves were shaking. But as she scanned the crowd, she found the one she wanted to hurt the most wasn't there.

Disappointment hit her like a tonne of bricks.

No matter.

This would do for now.

"Welcome, witches and vampires, to a new era!" In the audience, people were shuffling, fighting to get a better view of her. They stared up at her in awe, witnessing history.

Annaliese looked bad.

Her golden dress looked metallic, like armour, as she waltzed to the centre of the stage. Her skin glistened, as though sprinkled with glitter.

Annaliese was a creature with which one did not want to fuck.

"Welcome to the official union of two of the universe's strongest species. In a few short years, Nazreen will be taking the throne as the vampire Queen and what better way to celebrate than by doing it together? Let all of you who are gathered here today be witness of a new reign. Welcome, all, to the reign of blood."