Page 65 of Little Mate
One word, and those with him take a step back. Hands shake.
“You’ve betrayed your kind by laying with a witch.” Strike one. “You’ve lost sight of what matters to your people, who are enemies are.” Strike two. “We do not mingle with mutts and easy bitch—”
“Strike three.” My fangs descend, eyes narrowed at the man who dares insult me and mine. “State your claim like a man, and don’t waste my time. I have wedding preparations to get back to.”
That incenses him, his own teeth dropping. “That wedding will never come to be. We’ll kill…”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch the rest of that?” My hand snaps to his neck, hold tight, and the pressure causes the bones in his jaw to crack. The sound is loud, and every vampire nearby pauses what they’re doing as I hold him by the neck with his feet off the ground. “You were denying me something? You have something to say against your queen?”
“A witch will never be my queen.”
“Who’s going to stop me?” No one steps forward. His friends have lost their bravado, especially when Tero and Xadiel come out of the building wearing the blood of a traitor. “Go on. Speak up.”
“I will.”
“Is this a formal challenge?”
“Yes.” Garbled, but I’ll take it. He’ll heal before the fight.
“So be it. You have an hour to prepare and meet me on the training grounds outside the castle.”
“Theo, what the hell is going on?” Gabriella rushes onto the training grounds. The women with her are close behind and all wear the same expression: worry. “Why are you fighting for the crown?”
“Are you scared I’ll lose?” Right thing to say as she glares, those green orbs shooting fire my way before her hand smacks my shoulder. “Is that a yes?”
“Heck, no. I pity who rose against us.” I love that. She sees my problems as hers. We’re a unit. “Where is the idiot?”
“Walking toward us.”
“Him?” Her laugh rings out, catching those around us by surprise. They don’t expect her to outright mock my challenger, but appreciate that she does, and this wins her the respect of many who’ve been on the fence. They’d never outright say it, but vampires don’t mix well with other species, and my taking a sorceress for a mate is provocative. Challenges the status quo. “Please tell me you are joking?”
“I’m not, pretty girl. He’s upset over the recent changes.” Mainly her. What she represents.
“You mean me. No reason to sugarcoat.”
“Yes.”
“Funny.” The disdain in her inflection is clear. She sees him as beneath her. “That coming from someone I could end without moving more than my hand.”
“I’d pay you in gold to see that.”
“I’d do it for free.” Fuck, the mouth on her...
My cock jerks at the memory of her on her knees with my full length down her throat. The way she swallowed for me, cleaned me until there wasn’t a single drop of my release left.
“So fierce, my mate. How’d I get so lucky?”
“You mean cursed to have that as—”
“Make it quick, my love. We have an afternoon full of wedding preparations to complete before having dinner with my sister and Alpha Xadiel.” The little brat’s emphasizes on her brother-in-law’s name isn’t lost on me. My opponent tries to snarl at her, his lip curling, but reins it in with one looks from me. “Really? You back down that fast and still believe you can win?”
“I don’t answer to you.”
“Then deal with him.” Standing on the tip of her toes, Gabby nips my bottom lip and pulls back, raking her teeth across it. “By the way, do you like the idea of white or black for my wedding dress? Isa and Meera keep asking, and it’s driving me insane. I’m fine either way, but would prefer it if you choose.”
“Black. All black with a hint of red somewhere of your choosing.”
“Thank you!” Looking at the other vampire, she snorts. “You’re an idiot.”