“No,” he denies, and my muscles bunch as they fill with raw anger.
“Am I a hostage?” I snap.
“You know you’re not.” He sighs, shaking his head.
“Then take me to him.”
“I cannot do that. You know I can’t. He’d kill me for putting you in danger.”
With a rage I’ve never felt before, I stand and look down at him. “I’ll kill you if you don’t.” I walk away, ignoring his look of shock. Once I’m at the door, I pause. “Figure out what needs to be done. I’m going to pack.” Without another look in his direction, I storm out. If I have to swim the entire ocean to get to Cameron, I will. I’ll do whatever it takes to be by his side. And once I’m there, I will start a war to stay there.
Sitting on the plane six hours later, my mind is filled with triumph and fear. The good thing is I will hopefully be seeing Cameron soon. The bad, I’m walking right into the arms of people who want me dead. I can’t think about what might happen to me. Not right now. Right now, all I can focus on is the constant pain inside me that seems to grow with every passing minute.
“Are you happy now?” Angus asks, taking the seat next to me.
“Happy?” My happiness got on a plane and left me behind. No, I’m not happy.
“We will both end up dead for this,” he adds.
“As my great-grandmother once said, ‘It’s impossible to tell the future, but even if the odds are against you, you still should fight for what you want.’”
“Then you should prepare to fight, Isabel, because the odds are not in our favor.”
“Whatever.” I close my eyes, attempting to block him out, even though I know he’s looking at me.
“We will arrive in London in a few short hours. I hope by then you’ve come up with a plan.”
I don’t have a plan. All I have is pain right now. I don’t sleep on the flight. I stare out the window and watch the day turn to night. When the captain announces we will soon be landing, the ache in my chest eases like it knows Cameron is near.
We take a black SUV from the airport, and I give Angus my plan on the way. He growls and curses, but eventually he gives in and ties my hands behind my back. When we arrive at a stone castle, I pretend to be unconscious as the guards question Angus, who’s in the driver seat. He tells them he’s bringing me to the king in exchange for Cameron. When they eventually let him through, I let out a loud breath.
“Do not get your hopes up, lass. You’re about to meet the man in charge of your fate and Cameron’s.”
I hold back a shudder as he parks, and then I allow him to lead me inside the castle. Just like Cameron’s, the place is filled to the brim with ancient artifacts, paintings, and a few statues. I keep my eyes down as we pass people. No, not people—vampires. When we reach a door, Angus says something I don’t understand to the men guarding it, and the door opens. I hold my breath as I’m led inside then stop only when Angus does.
“She’s pregnant.” The statement seems overly loud, and I lift my head as Angus stiffens and I feel him look at me.
What? My mind screams, but somehow I know he’s right. And with that knowledge, a new sense of determination fills my veins. When I lock eyes with the man in front of me, I blink. I don’t know what I expected the king of the vampires to look like, but he looks normal, handsome even. “It’s not possible. No child has been born from our kind in centuries.”
“She needs to be with Cameron.” Angus’s voice sounds full of pain and worry.
I watch the king, seeing his eyes flash, and then I whimper in relief when he orders I be taken to Cameron.
12
Cameron
I feel delusional with hunger as I pace back and forth in my room.
My room. I want to laugh. I might as well be in one of the iron-barred cells under the castle. There’s no escape. At least ten guards are outside the door, and even more outside the window, all of them heavily armed.
More than once, Samuel has come to speak with me, to ask me questions about Isabel or to ask if I want to feed. Knowing there is no convincing him that Isabel has somehow come back, I’ve ignored his questions and refused to feed, even though he’s practically begged me to do so.
He doesn’t understand. I can’t imagine taking from anyone but her. The thought alone causes bile to rise in my throat. I wish there was a way to make him see the truth, but I’m starting to believe I will die of hunger long before he will listen to me. I haven’t even been able to speak with Nual since I’ve been here. Every time I’ve asked for him, I’ve been told he’s away on an errand for the king.