Chapter 88

Chapter 88
It was the kind of bond that blurred the line between necessity and danger—a volatile, inescapable symbiosis that would define us for eternity. We were entangled, codependent in ways both intoxicating and destructive, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. Let the world gossip, let them judge; their opinions were dust compared to the way we fit together, imperfect and undeniable.

The Vampire King was mine, and I was his Bride. His first, his only. We weren’t just bound by choice but by destiny, written into each other’s stories with strokes so ancient and primal that even the gods themselves would falter if they tried to sever us.

A mythic resonance thrummed through my veins, a pulse that echoed the timeless power of our union. It lived in my blood, threaded through my marrow, singing the truth of what we had become. The mating ritual was complete, though no chronicler would dare capture its brutal, beautiful details. No one would write of the raw force of his dominance, the way our bodies collided in a dance of unrelenting passion. No one would count the moments when I shattered in his arms, unmade by his touch, bound to him in ways words could never capture.

And yet, none of that mattered. What mattered was the irrevocable truth—we were bound, our fates entwined in a way that made retreat impossible. We had sealed our destiny, and there was no escape.

“I’ve ruined this cock for any female, my king,” I said smugly.

“You did,” he purred. “And I ruined your lovely pussy for any male. I hold the exclusive right to fuck it however I want and whenever I want.”

“Don’t be too cocky, vampire,” I said. “If you displease me, you’ll still sleep alone.”

“Is that so? But all I know is you’ll never escape me. I have you now and forever.”

My smile faded in an instant, a wave of devastation crashing over me. I knew what I had to do next, though it tore me apart. I would have to leave my true mate, even though it would crush him—and already, it was breaking me inside.

Asshole was likely attacking our fortress while Jason and I were tangled in the sheets. The steward had said we’d hold our ground, defend the fort, but deep down, I knew the Alpha King/Warren, with his army of shifters and witches, would eventually break through.

Jason and I might be able to escape, but the rest of them—the vampires who helped me escape from prison, would not be so lucky. Diane and Paris would either be captured or worse, if they survived the battle at all. Asshole wouldn’t show mercy to anyone he marked as a traitor.

Sues craved war because he was War itself. To stand a chance against him, I would have to turn his own game against him, force him into playing by my rules instead.

He might be Warren, but I was Deathroh’s blood, his flesh.

I wouldn’t let him bring the war here. I had no choice but to go to him—the Alpha King and my former fated mate.

The thought of facing Warren, my immortal enemy and tormentor, terrified me more than anything, but it was something I had to do.

I was done running. I was done hiding. I was done cowering in fear. It was time to take the fight to my enemy, to confront him head-on, on my terms.

With that resolve, I shifted my mindset, embracing the role I was born to play—the daughter of Death, a predator like no other.

I had a plan. A plan that would buy Jason enough time to regain his strength. We wouldn’t last a week under siege. My mate would need at least two weeks to restore his former power, even with our mating.

I would stall the enemy, act as the sacrificial lamb while secretly being the wolf in the flock. There was no better way to strike the heart of the enemy than to appear weak and then attack when they least expected it.

But I relied on my dark, beautiful mate to come for me when the storm I unleashed would finally break.

"Will you take me to our bed and nap with me, darling?" I asked, trying to sound confident, smug, and cheerful, though my heart was heavy with sadness and dread.

"You don’t want to fuck more, baby?" Jason tilted his head, his cock still rock hard inside me. "I can do this all day," he teased, flashing me a wicked grin, and my heart shattered a little more. "I love fucking you. It’s my new favorite sport."

If I let him make love to me again, I wouldn’t have the strength to leave him and do what needed to be done. I wouldn’t have the courage to walk away and carry out my plan.

"We need to recharge," I said, rolling my eyes in an attempt to mask the turmoil inside me. "Do you know how to spoon?"

"I’ll show you I’m an expert at spooning," he promised, lifting me effortlessly and carrying me to his massive bed.

I rested my head on his chiseled chest, clinging to him as I listened to his steady heartbeat. No other vampires had a heartbeat, but Jason was the Vampire King. Our hearts beat in sync.

He held me close, possessive and content, the satisfaction rolling off him as if nothing else mattered, not the war, not the chaos that awaited us. I glanced down and quickly averted my eyes from his still-erect cock. The mating heat in my blood urged me to take him again, to feel him inside me, but I couldn’t. Not now. Not when I had so much to do.

I needed to leave, to face the storm, and Jason would never forgive me for it. But it was the only way to save him—and everyone else.

“We’ll face everything together, love,” Jason said. “Now close your eyes and nap.”

“You close yours first,” I insisted, and he did.

My vampire dozed off.

Slowly and gently, I untangled myself from him and replaced my body with a pillow for him to hug, letting him think that he was still holding me. He murmured my name, a smile ghosting his lips.

I stayed beside him for a few more fleeting moments, simply admiring him. For the first time, the Vampire King appeared serene and at ease, free from the chains of his past torment. But I knew it wouldn’t last. The spell would soon shatter, and the happiness in his heart would fade when he discovered I had slipped away once more.

With one final lingering glance at my vampire, a creature of darkness and desire, I closed my eyes, feeling the weight of the moment settle around me. A mix of emotions swirled within me—fear, longing, confusion—each one stronger than the last. My heart beat erratically as I sought a moment of peace, a brief respite from the chaos of everything that had come before. But peace never came.

And then it happened.

In the darkness behind my eyelids, the world shifted. It wasn’t just a dream; it couldn’t be. This felt too real, too tangible, as if the veil between reality and something far darker had been pulled aside. The air around me thickened, and I could almost hear the whisper of voices, the faint sound of footsteps in a distant hallway. A cold chill washed over me, but it wasn’t just the night air—it was something far more unsettling, a presence that crept into my very bones.

And then, there they were.

Asshole and his father, alpha Jegh.

I knew, without a doubt, this was no ordinary vision. This wasn’t a trick of the mind or a fleeting image. This was a glimpse into something much deeper. They stood before me in a haze of shadows, their faces distorted by anger and betrayal. Asshole, the one whose words could cut sharper than any blade, stood with a sneer plastered across his face, eyes burning with a hate I had come to recognize all too well. Beside him, towering and imposing, stood his father—the one who had molded him into the very monster he had become. Their eyes locked in a shared, unspoken understanding, a twisted bond of power and manipulation. The father’s gaze was cold, devoid of emotion, like a predator sizing up its prey. Asshole’s, however, was filled with something darker—something personal.