Bona Fide Queen

Fifteen

I've always been one to enjoy naps, so the sight of a bed was usually one that comforted me.

Now was an exception.

With my butt resting on the edge of the bed, and my hands supporting me, my eyes were cast down nervously, because the tension from Adrian's body alone worried me.

Adrian paced right before me, a hand running through that wild darkness atop his head. His golden eyes are molten and churning unpleasantly with dark thoughts. I didn't need the mate bond to tell me this conversation was going to be a rough one.

I didn't want to start this conversation, only because the knots forming in my stomach tightened at the mere thought. That, and I didn't know the topic that was up for discussion....or maybe I did?

My wrist began to throb.

"I've learned a few things that... Well, I'm glad your sitting down, I'll say that much." His usual smirk was gone and was replaced with a grim, tight line.

Pulling a chair from behind him, Adrian sat down as well, and an exhausted strain overtook his body, muscles tense and bundled from stress.

I continued to say nothing, not because I was out of words, but because I didn't know how to say what I was thinking.

How was I supposed to explain the nerves continuing to build up within?

How did I even begin to explain that I was dreading his next words so much, that I was ready to bolt from the room, covering my ears so that I could never hear what he's about to say?

Deep down, in a dark and cold place, I could sense movement. It was the feeling of coiling and writhing, and if I'd known any better, I'd think it was anxiety, but I know it's not.

It's something a whole lot worse. Something bad enough to make Adrian frown the way he was now.

"I had to discreetly ask the scholars and librarians, and at first, the research started harmless. Tattoos designs and old folk lore about snakes were quite common." The already dark tone took it down another level.

"And then I found something. A story about snakes. What really surprised me though, was that this story was folk lore from Vampire History, not our own." Adrian's brows furrowed in confusion and deep thought.

This much confused me as well. I hadn't heard from Nicoli in some time, thankfully, but even if I had, I knew he'd offer me no useful information besides some stupid 'You'll know eventually' crap. Also, I hadn't exactly had it in mind to ask about Vampires, or for that matter, any other new species, so this piqued my interests.

Did the markings mean something about Vampires? Was Nicoli a vampire?

My bottom lip hurt as I continued to bite down on it in thought.

Right now, information was limited.

Tyler is still gone, and off in Vampire territory, to which Adrian probably summoned Damien to go retrieve, at least, that's what I'll assume for now, and then there was the markings. The ink on my wrist, the shape of wings, appeared after Nicoli bit me in the 'dream'. What the bite meant, or what it was doing to me, I didn't know, but I sensed it monitored my emotions, keeping them in check, because indeed, it throbbed when I was feeling something strong, like when I'm upset.

My hands roamed through my hair nervously, and I was distracted enough that I didn't notice the approaching Adrian, who crouched in front of me, and slid my hands into his big ones.

His golden eyes flashed up to mine, and the moment they met, I was pulled from my thoughts, finally able to notice the sparks that shot up my arms, sending an excitement running through me, but also sending a wave of calmness, successfully working on me.