The Emerald Lily

by Juliette Cross

  Mina’s expression softened to compassion. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. She is dead. I—”

  He raised a hand and sighed relief, squeezing Arabelle closer with a kiss to her crown, their armor clanking together. “Thank the stars.”

  Mina relaxed in Mikhail’s arms. “I’m afraid your father is gone, too.”

  He glanced toward the burning castle. “I knew that. I knew she wouldn’t let him live.”

  Gregoravich, covered in bloody scrapes on every piece of exposed skin, leaned against a trunk. “Her damn man Radomir escaped.”

  “We’ll find him,” assured Dmitri.

  Yuri nodded in agreement as they shared a silent vow to track down all who’d escaped.

  “Did everyone get out of the castle? The servants?” Mina’s eyes were round with dread. “The king’s daughter?”

  Mikhail squeezed her close, knowing she feared in her rage she’d killed innocents with her dragon fire. “The Bloodguard swept the entire castle when the flames caught on the rooftops. Everyone was taken clear of the castle.”

  “But we never found Lucille, the king’s daughter,” added Yuri.

  They were all silent for a moment, wondering what might’ve happened to the young, frail princess. Hopefully, a servant had helped her escape like the knight who’d helped his great grandmother Tamora so long ago.

  Mina turned her attention back to Marius. “You must take the throne at Glass Tower, Your Highness. With your queen, Arabelle, at your side.”

  Arabelle grinned, her vampire-bright hazel eyes widening. “Queen!”

  Marius laughed. “Unless you plan to abandon me.”

  “Hell no. I’m going to be the best damn queen Varis has ever seen. Oh, except you, of course, Mina.” She prattled on, her face lighting with ideas. “We’ll start legislation right away, change the caste laws and property laws.” Her eyes gleamed brighter. “And open charity houses for those who’ve lost too much. Oh, and orphanages.”

  “I second orphanages,” said Brennalyn. “I can help you with that.”

  “First,” interjected Friedrich. “We’ll return to Winter Hill. With our children.” He glanced at Mina. “And you’ll return to Briar Rose. We need to put all back in order, assure the people they are protected. Then we can start on Arabelle’s plans to change the whole world.”

  “Yes,” said Mina softly, turning her gaze on Mikhail. “I’ll return to Briar Rose.” She clutched a fist in his shirt, as if he planned to break his vow and not go with her.

  “I heard what you said,” said Nikolai, stepping up out of the shadows. “I also know it was your healing bite that helped Sienna. Only a powerful elixir could heal her so quickly.”

  No one realized Nikolai was there until the silence drew his gaze away from Mina and to the sober, blond-haired vampire. All other eyes rested on him as well.

  “What was that?” asked Mikhail.

  “I heard what you told the butcher king. Before you ripped his head off and threw it over the wall.”

  Silence settled among the group, all intent on Nikolai. There was import in his purposeful gaze and slow words. Mikhail waited, knowing his secret would be no more. Now was the time to own it.

  Nikolai stood straighter. “You’re the great-grandson of Rodin Varis. The brother and king who sat on the throne before Morgrid murdered him.”

  Brennalyn gasped. All eyes locked on Mikhail, except Dmitri, who stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest.

  “Aye,” said Mikhail. “I am he. King Rodin’s wife was with child when Morgrid bit him. He didn’t die right away. When Queen Tamora fled to his side to help him, he bit her in his raging bloodlust, turning her unborn child vampire. My forefathers changed their name and hid among vampirekind.” He gripped Mina tighter. “But I’ll hide no more. I am a Varis, and I’ll take back the name that was stolen from me by that dead witch burning up on that hill.”

  He nodded toward Izeling, sweeping his gaze back to the shocked faces around him. All except Dmitri who grinned from ear to ear.

  “Aye,” agreed Nikolai, his mouth quirking on one side. “Then you are the rightful heir. Your Majesty.”

  Mikhail frowned at the title.

  “Oh, hell!” exclaimed Arabelle. “That means the Glass Tower is yours.”

  Marius opened his mouth to speak, but Mikhail silenced him with a hand in the air. “I don’t want the Glass Tower. I just want my name. My true name.” He turned to the woman on his lap and cupped her sweet, beautiful face. “And Mina.”

  She smiled, the emerald green fading from her eyes, returning to the deep sea-blue that had caught him from the moment she opened her eyes in that tower at Briar Rose. Lacing her arms at his neck, she nuzzled close and whispered against his lips, “You have me. My king. You’ve had me from the very start.” She leaned close, pressing her cheek to his, her mouth near his ear. “I dreamed my dark prince would come and save me. And you did.”

  He murmured against her ear. “I believe we saved each other, my love.”

  She embraced him tighter and he her, for there was nothing more to say. Mikhail had always followed his strategic plans—a captain’s best asset—seeking the goal of triumphant victory. But in the end, he’d only needed to follow his heart. A lesson he was sure Mina would teach him over and over again. And he looked forward to every one of them.

  Epilogue

  “Hail! Mikhail Romanov Varis, King of Arkadia!” Lord Rathbone shouted to the dome of the Grand Forum.

  The lords and ladies of Arkadia leaped to their feet, erupting in cheers and applause. This was never the goal he’d sought, but Mikhail welcomed it. He would be a strategic and cautious king next to his compassionate and wise queen.

  She took his hand, led him to the center of the Forum floor, and circled with him to greet his people. As well as some visitors.

  A line of the Bloodguard stood at attention on the Forum floor, clapping—his Elite and Katya. Dmitri smiled at the head of the line, now the Captain of the Bloodguard. One concession he was forced to make to his new wife. A king couldn’t be running around the country chasing rogue vampires. As difficult as it was to lay that task down at his brother’s feet, he did so and took up his new mantle.

  Friedrich stood on the bottom tier of the amphitheater. He couldn’t applaud, but he beamed with pride, the man who’d trusted him and joined him in his plan toward this better world. Holding to his hook hand was the pretty little blond Izzy and Denny and Nate beside her along with his other five children, those Mikhail had protected as if they were his own at Winter Hill. At Friedrich’s side was Brennalyn, happy tears streaking her cheeks, the mound of her unborn child beginning to show. Grant grinned like a man who’d found out a secret. Perhaps he had, staring down at a king who’d always professed to be no more than a hired assassin. Mikhail nodded with a smile.

  Next to the Duke and Duchess of Winter Hill and their children stood the general of the newly appointed Legionnaires of the Glass Tower, sworn to keep peace and protect the people—all people, both human and vampire—of the land of Varis. Besides his sharp new uniform and the Black Lily insignia upon his lapel, Nikolai wore his usual crooked smile, his lovely bride Sienna at his side. They’d come straight from their home, Nikolai’s family estate not too far from Briar Rose. Beside them stood Dane, Allora, and Bron, emissaries of the clans of the hart wolves of Silvane Forest. Though not all of the clans had fought at the Battle of Dragon Fire, many had. Those who did showed their support for this new world built on equality, not hierarchy.

  Next to Nikolai and Sienna stood Lord Petrov, whispering something to Mikhail’s mother, who smiled at whatever he’d said and smiled brighter down at her son. He’d long hoped for the day when he’d avenge his father and put a smile back on his mother’s face, but he never thought it would happen like this.

  King Marius and Queen Arabelle applauded from the dais on the Forum floor. Mikhail noted that if Arabelle, the peasant girl raised in the oppressive shadow of the Glass Tower under Morgrid�
�s rule, could rise to the confident queen in her white regalia, then perhaps he could rise to the occasion as well. It was in his genes, after all.

  He realized that his fear never stemmed from being unable to achieve his goal of avenging his family name. It had risen from not being able to live up to it. To be the man he was supposed to be. The king he was supposed to be.

  He looked down at Mina. Her golden hair unbound, the emerald-and-diamond crown of Arkadia atop her head, the silken gown of green falling in thick folds to the floor. She caught his gaze, the applause still a deafening roar.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  Leaning toward her, he said, “I’m thinking about how quickly I can get you out of that dress. And everything else.” He glanced up to her head. “Except the crown.”

  Her eyes widened, a pretty blush crawling up her neck. “Mikhail.” She smiled and waved to the crowd.

  “Yes?” His eyes remained on her.

  “I don’t believe a king is supposed to talk like that.”

  “Oh, darling. You’ve never known a king like me. My queen’s pleasure comes before anything else.”

  She laughed. “It sounds to me as if you’re thinking of your pleasure.”

  “Perhaps a little,” he admitted, then sobered. He reached up and cupped her cheek, an unusually public gesture in front of the populace, but he didn’t care. “As long as you’re happy, then all is right with the world.”

  She met his gaze and placed her palm over his hand against her cheek. “I didn’t know a person could be this happy.”

  “Then I’ll endeavor to keep you so.”

  She glanced away coyly. “Well, I wouldn’t mind being as happy as Brennalyn.”

  Mikhail glanced at her in the crowd, rounded belly and seven children at her side. Eight if one counted Nate, who was as good as hers.

  “Are you telling me you want eight children?”

  “Well, I’d be happy to start with just one.”

  “My queen. I am at your command.” He swept her up into his arms and carried her down the corridor toward the exit. More applause and not a little bit of laughter followed them.

  She caught her crown. “Really, Mikhail. That was a little dramatic for your first appearance as the new monarch of Arkadia.”

  “I’m a man of action.”

  “Yes, I know.” She glanced down the marble steps, the people of Arkadia waving and cheering outside the line of Legionnaires, the fragrant smell of roses on the wind as they tossed petals in the air. The warm sun of a spring day beamed down on them. “We’re not going to the reception? Where everyone wants to congratulate you?”

  He marched down the long steps and carried her into the awaiting carriage, pulling her into his lap and drawing the curtains. “I don’t want anyone’s attention but yours, Mina mine.” He started on her lacings at the back. “Now, let’s get started making a baby.”

  She fell into a fit of laughter, both of them pulling at each other’s regal clothes, stripping the pieces off one by one. He set his crown aside, but when she went to take hers off, he shook his head and forced it back in place. Lifting her by the hips to straddle him, he positioned her and thrust up into her body on a satisfying groan. She sighed, molding her sweet mouth to his. And Mikhail lost himself in her kiss, in her body, in her sultry, sweet sounds and jasmine scent.

  For once in his life, he didn’t have a plan. But he had a compass, her soft warmth surrounding him in love. And she would forever point him home.

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  Acknowledgments

  A huge thank you to my readers. Without you, I’d just be the crazy lady who hears voices in her head. You’ve not only made the Vampire Blood journey possible, but you’ve warmed my heart with your encouragement and excitement for the characters and the world.

  To my dearest friends, who keep me going when the writing road gets rough. Love to all of you—Erin Kelly, Rhenna Morgan, Kyra Jacobs, Naima Simone, and my Early Birds—A.S. Fenichel, C.D. Brennan, Gemma Brocato, and Janna MacGregor.

  About the Author

  Juliette is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance. She calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where she lives with her husband, four kids, and black lab named Kona. From the moment she read Jane Eyre as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance—brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more books set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

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