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"You’re not embarrassed that I’m a weak human?" he asked her Because he knew, even if she wouldn’t admit it, that that’s how her people saw him Would probably always see him

She countered with a question of her own "You’re not embarrassed that I’aze returned to the pulse at the base of his neck, which was ha wildly She licked her lips

"Isaway She stepped backward, adding distance between them

"Liar," he said, but didn’t push She refused to drink from him because she didn’t want to turn hiht of her beautiful ue about it now, though No time

"Co"

He twined their fingers and allowed her to usher hi a few steps behind The closer they got to the doors, the more noise Aden heard beyond them But when they passed the thick metal arches, he realized there was no one in the hallway There were only alabaster statues of people and animals and intricately carved chests, all open and empty What were they for, then?

Beyond another set of doorways, however, was a ballroouards and huhed, the wolves, in aniain on the fringes, eagerly awaiting a summons

The cobbled walls were black, the ht source was the golden glow of candles Above, the ceiling looked like a… He frowned Sure enough A cobweb In the center of the web hung a chandelier And that chandelier had legs that stretched up, as if a spider walked along the ceiling

Someone spotted hi his ogling All heads turned to him Aden shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other Severalor speaking, just watching hi?

They’d only ever been ruled by Vlad, he reminded himself They were as clueless about this as he was Not that he planned to rule theure a way out of this Soon

"Is he ready to see? To know?" someone muttered Conversations started back up, the voluht he heard words like beast--maybe feast--and horde Maybe bored

"Should ait until after the coronation?" someone else asked

"Wait to see what?" he asked Victoria from the corner of his mouth

She shifted uncomfortably, as he had done, and whispered, "They want to tell you about…they want you to know… Oh, this is difficult I had hoped never to have to speak with you about this, but it was decided that, as king, you must know"

"Knohat?"

"That we are not…alone"

Literally? ’Cause he could have figured that out on his own Clearly they weren’t yet on the sae "You want to explain what you hed "There is…so with us"

O-kay Tis--" God, he couldn’t believe he was saying that, even just to get answers "--I need to know everything So, let’s try this again What so is with you?"

Twin pink circles blooht run screa from me once you find out"

"I’ve seen you eat, and didn’t run screaive up "I pro couldher hand "And you know I like you, just as you are"

"Well, hold on to that thought" She gazed down at her feet and kicked out as ifan invisible rock "First, you should note that despite the faht you knew about vampires from your books and movies doesn’t come close to the truth"

"So noted," he said dryly

Her eyes widened "Can you be serious?"

"I’ll be serious if you relax"

The pink tip of her tongue slipped out, sliding over her lips and leaving a sheen of moisture Of course, she didn’t relax "If you insist on knowing…"

"I do"

"Then here it is The truth We are… vampires" Her chin lifted stubbornly Like her sister had done earlier, she practically dared hiain she licked her lips, her y "Aden…"

"Victoria Just say it Rip the Band-Aid"

Her shoulders sagged in defeat "Very well We areinside us"

Monsters? "Again I don’t understand"