There was a soft gasp from beside me, and I glanced over to see Salena staring at me in shock. Her nostrils flared as she breathed in deeply, and my eyes widened when a small squeak left her lips and she fell to her knees. Her daughter cried out in surprise, but she hushed her abruptly. Lowering her head, Salena whispered, “Please, forgive me. I didn’t realize.”
Realize what? My brow furrowing in confusion, I glanced over at my father. He was staring at Salena, and I swear I saw tears shimmering in his eyes. Uncle Matthias clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing it before saying quietly, “It’s time, my brother.” I froze when he knelt before me, also bowing his head. Soon, Uncle Matthew followed his lead, then Trey.
“Dad,” I whispered in a tremulous voice, “what’s going on?”
My father’s jaw hardened, his gaze once again going around the room, before he gave a short nod. “Yes, it is time.”
“Dad?”
Squaring his shoulders, Dad took one of my hands, holding it gently in between his. A small, sad smile appeared as he said, “I always knew this day would come. A part of me hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. That you would be able to go through life being my sweet, bold, courageous daughter, never having to know who you truly are. Never having to join the fight against the evil that has taken over the royal family, spreading throughout the kingdom. It was selfish of me, but I didn’t want to give you up.”
“I don’t understand,” I whispered, knowing I wasn’t going to like what came next. “What royal family?”
“The Christophs,” he replied, “leaders of the vampire race. Your family, Bellame.”
I shook my head in denial, tugging on my hand, trying to move away from him. “Is this some kind of joke?” I knew I was adopted. Hell, I was the only one in my family who had fangs and needed to drink blood to stay alive. It would have been obvious, even if my parents hadn’t been honest with me at an early age, but royalty? Me? I was the type of girl who preferred boots to high heels, and jeans to dresses. I loved the feel of a sword in my hand, sparring with my opponents in training, and knife throwing. No part of me wanted to wear fancy dresses and a tiara. There had to be some mistake.
“I wish,” I heard Trey mutter, and I looked over to see the tension in his shoulders as he bowed next to his father.
“Silence,” Uncle Matthias growled softly.
Trey’s hand curled into a fist where it sat on the floor, but he obeyed.
My father shook his head, his eyes never leaving mine. “No, Princess. This is no joke. You are a Christoph, granddaughter to the king himself.”
He had been calling me princess for as long as I could remember, but for the first time, I felt the weight of the word itself. It wasn’t just an endearment anymore. It was a title. If what he was saying was true, I wasn’t just Bellame Rose, daughter of Marcus and Cassandra Rose. I was Bellame Christoph, princess of the vampires.
Swallowing hard, I finally managed to pull my hand free and step back. My gaze raked around the room, landing on one of the heads I’d severed just minutes before. I had no idea what to do about the whole princess gig I’d just acquired, but it was going to have to wait. There were things that needed to be done before the sun came up. I may not know anything about being a princess, but I did know what to do next when it came to the rogue vampires in the room. I’d had some very good teachers. “We need to burn the bodies.”
Dad nodded slowly, his eyes shining with pride. “Yes, we do. There will be time to talk when we get home.”
“Princess?”
I stiffened at the title, one that just plain scared me if I were honest with myself, but turned to Salena as she looked up at me. There was such raw hope in her eyes, hope for a future I knew she was praying I would be able to give her. One I wasn’t sure I could.
“Jonathan was a good man. A soldier to your family before my husband sent him away with us. He deserves a proper burial, if you approve?”
If I approved? I didn’t even know what a proper burial for a vampire soldier to the royal family was. When I hesitated, my father placed a hand on my arm. “It is only right to honor him in the way of his people.”
I nodded. As much as I didn’t want to admit how lost I was at that moment, what he said was true. I would just have to figure it out. “I agree. Let’s take care of the others first.”
“We’ll burn them here, then take Jonathan back to our place. A funeral pyre will need to be built before the dawn comes.” He sent me a small smile, and I knew he was reminding me that I wasn’t alone. He was here, and he knew the customs of my people, even if I didn’t. He would make sure I handled everything correctly for the man who gave his life for Salena and Twila.
As I helped gather the bodies of the rogues and take them outside, I fought back the fear of the unknown that swamped me. My life was about to change drastically, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it except move forward. I had so many questions about my parents who gave me up at birth, how my father knew them, what my mother’s role was in all of this. Now was not the time or place for those answers, but there was one I needed. It couldn’t wait. Standing beside my cousin, my best friend for as long as I could remember, as the bodies were engulfed in flames, I asked quietly, “How long have you known, Trey?” When he didn’t reply, I glanced over at him. He was staring at the bright mixture of red, gold, and orange flames in front of us, his hands shoved in his front pockets, his shoulders slumped. “Trey?”
He slowly turned to look at me, his eyes filled with sadness and remorse. “Since we were kids and you started your training.”
Wrapping my arms tightly around my waist, I turned back to where the bodies were almost entirely consumed by flames now. The feeling of betrayal hit me hard, but I struggled to push it aside. It wasn’t going to get me anywhere.
“I hated not being able to tell you, Bel, but my father forbade it.”
Glancing over at him, I cocked an eyebrow. “He forbade it?”
“In my family, when your parents forbid you to do something, you listen.” Trey’s voice lowered as he continued, “Sometimes, making a decision to go against the rules is the difference between life and death. I listened and did what I was told to keep you safe, Bellame. We needed to keep you hidden until it was time.”
“It’s my family, too,” I snapped, turning away from him. “Or has that suddenly changed?”
“Bellame, wait!” Trey grabbed my arm, tugging me back toward him. I refused to look at him, not wanting him to see the tears in my eyes. “Bel, I am so sorry I kept this from you, but I wanted to protect you. You don’t understand the evil that is out there.”
A short laugh slipped free. “More evil than what I just fought against?”
“Yes.”
That one word brought me up short and I paused, my eyes narrowing on him as I demanded, “What could be more evil than rogue vamps?”
Trey bit his lip, looking behind me helplessly. I didn’t have to turn to know who was there.
“Your uncle,” my father said.
I swung around to face him, my hands going to my hips as I glared at him. “My uncles aren’t evil.”
“Not us, Bellame,” Uncle Matthias said, coming to stand by Trey. “Your birth father’s brother.”
“Prince Aldric,” Salena whispered, her eyes skimming the area around them as if the prince himself was there listening. “He’s the reason my husband sent us away. He took over after his parents and brother went missing, and Darius was afraid of what was going to happen next. Without King Alec there to keep him in line, Aldric’s reign of terror began.”
“Darius?” my father asked in surprise. “Your husband is Darius Rexton?”
“Yes,” Salena admitted, ducking her head nervously.
“He is second in command in the vampire army.”
“Yes.”
“Things must have really gone downhill if he sent you away.”
Salena nodded, meeting his gaze. “Aldric is out of control. Allowing things his father never would have.”
“It’s time to go, Princess,” Matthew cut in as he appeared, cradling the downed soldier in his arms. “We only have a few hours left before sunrise. It will take at least two to get everything ready.”
“He’s right,” my father said with one last look at where the rogues were now ashes. “We are running out of time. Princess, you, Salena, and the child will ride with me and Matthew. Matthias and Trey will meet us there.” My protest died in my throat when I saw the hard look in his eyes and I nodded, quickly following him back to his car. I had a long road ahead of me, and it was clear that I was going to have to pick my battles to fight. Which car I was going to ride in on the way back home was not one of them.