Protect My Love ~ Book 4 ~ The Royal Blood Collection

Chapter 2

I felt like returning to my quarters, picking up my phone and messaging my witch of a cousin. She knew. Nava knew that this guy was gorgeous. The vampire was like a monster, muscles bulged under the fatigues. He shot the driver a doomed look as he took the bag out of the trunk. The driver was silent, his neck tilted back as he stared.

Even I felt a little intimidated, not that I'd show it. My father always said that I might not have come from my mother but I was exactly like her. Fiercely independent, stubborn and determined.

Turning, Captain Harper walked directly to us. As the bag dropped at his feet, he saluted the General.

"Uh, you'd want to direct your greeting to Her Highness as well, Captain."

His eyes slid to me, seconds ticked over before his head tilted. A man of many words.

"Right," Blyth said, sounding like he desperately wanted to be elsewhere. "Let's get this meeting underway, shall we?"

He moved to the door and held it open for me, my guardian was a few steps behind. In the meeting room, the other high ranking officers were lined along one side of the table, the other held the people that were going on the expedition.

"Should I ask Farren to join us?" I asked Blyth.

Before he could answer, Harper turned to me.

"If he's a part of the team then yes. Who is Farren?"

"She is my lady in waiting, Captain."

"Unnecessary staff are not needed. She can remain where she is."

"Absolutely not. She has been given a task and I will not go anywhere without her."

I stood firm and the Captain just stared at me. Realizing he wasn't going to win, he gave a stiff nod to Blyth and then walked out of the room.

"What the hell?" I muttered. "Where is he going?"

"I uh, I think he's leaving."

Blyth was at the window, I joined him and saw that Harper was already at the transport terminal.

"Seriously?" I hissed. "Make him come back here."

"Well, to be honest, your highness, he can actually make decisions like that. He is the one that has been assigned to protect you and if he sees something as unnecessary then he has every right to remove it."

"But you're a General, damn it! Order him to do his job."

"Yes, but he's actually a part of the special forces. Did you see the emblem above his rank? That's a symbol that's not widely known unless you're as high as me. It's a covert section of the special forces. He calls himself Captain but that's only because he's hidden under that rank. Technically, I can't order him to do anything. If you want him to stay on the mission then perhaps you might need to negotiate with him. Do you really need Farren?"

I sighed, pushing the door open. The man didn't even cast a sideward glance at me as I approached. Just a firm and direct stare ahead. He was like stone.

Merrick stood when I reached him, still with the merciless stare that burned through me.

"I would like to negotiate taking Farren with us."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Is she army trained?"

"Not that I am aware of."

"Does she have any form of combative training, weapons skills or anything remotely useful if we were attacked?"

Farren? Highly unlikely.

"I don't think so."

"Then if we were attacked, I would feel that it is my duty to protect her as well. That would mean that my protection of you would falter and perhaps, lapse entirely. I will not fail at this by agreeing to something that is unnecessary. I understand that you've probably been told that she can go over the bridge but I am saying no. If you find fault with my decision then you may certainly call my commanding officer and tell him,"

He smiled at me, dark and devious. It was the first real emotion that I'd seen and damn it, the freak just grew on me a little more.

"But I am sure that his highness will agree with me."

Damn. Alaric was his boss which meant that I couldn't manipulate a CO into giving me what I wanted.

"Can't someone else be in charge of her safety if something happens?"

"No. Their job is to ensure that we have a quick and easy path back to safety. It is not a babysitting service and if you don't like it then that's fine because my replacement will be here and you can sweet talk him into letting you get what you want. I do not submit to the demands of pampered princesses."

That was a little offensive.

"I am not pampered!"

"You have diamantes on your fatigues."

I looked down at the offending objects, now realizing the mistake that I'd made. Yes, I wanted to bling it up a little but clearly, it made things obvious.

"Okay, so I jazzed up the dull clothes. I'm sure a lot of people would do that when faced with this drab nonsense."

The hulking frame of a man towered over me and annoyingly looking down at me.

"That drab nonsense could be the only thing that saves you if you're under attack. Those bits of bling will be remaining here too."

"So, does that mean that you're staying?" I asked smugly.

Harper looked at me incredulously and rolled his eyes.

"No, it doesn't. I know for a fact that no soldier will allow any of your added extras. They are dangerous."

I scoffed a laugh.

"Seriously?"

"Deadly. If the light catches it and reflects, it could give away your location. Your bag will be checked and anything deemed to be dangerous will be left behind with your lady in waiting who is still not going."

"So, you are going."

He stared for a moment, I smiled sweetly and maybe even fluttered my eyes. Harper frowned.

"Is something wrong with your eyes? You might want to get the doctor to check that."

Then the bastard picked up his bag and walked back to the meeting room.

I wanted to scream with frustration, he was just that annoying. But damn it, he was too easy on the eyes.

Merrick Harper needed to pull the rod out of his ass. Let that luscious mane of brown grow beyond the buzz cut. To stop frowning and squinting so that I could figure out what color his eyes were.

I will wear him down. I will make him crumble.