I knelt in front of him. “You didn’t know they were here.”
“I should have searched for them.” He bent over and rested his head in his hands.
“If you had even come near here, Desmerada would have killed you.”
“I should have come before. Should have helped. Instead, I was out partying. Women, drugs, blood, sport. Elena, I’ve done things. Things I can’t even tell you about because the shame of them would make you hate me even more than I hate myself. I’m not good enough for them or you. I’m the last withered branch on what had been a strong tree.” He rubbed his palms against his forehead, as if trying to slough away his past.
I grasped his hands and pulled them away from his face, locking him in my gaze. “You are here now. We both are. Now is the time when we can strike our enemies down and take what is rightfully ours. Sitting here and wallowing in self-pity gets us nowhere except killed. We have to be strong. We have to lead.”
The swirling symbol was carved into the walls all around them. It was no longer the symbol of Troy or of Priam, but of Paris. “These are your people. You owe it to them—to yourself—to lead them from this darkness and into the very walls of the Bloodkeep. And with me at your side, you will.”
Paris’s back straightened as I spoke, as if my words were injecting iron into his spine.
“Together?” he asked.
“You have my word.” He stood and brought me up with him. He kissed me, not gently, but with a fierceness that sent heat blazing through me. It was a brand, one that kindled my very soul, lighting me with that same swirl of life.
He slanted over me, our kiss deep and intoxicating. He ran a hand through my hair before fisting it and tugging. Relinquishing my lips, he kissed along my jawline until he reached my neck. His tongue played against my skin before he settled his mouth at my jugular, licking and sucking. I sighed and clutched his sides, desperate for him as he was for me. He slid his hands down my back and lifted me so that I could wrap my legs around him. He took my mouth again with renewed fervor, his tongue lapping at mine.
It was too easy, this attraction between us. I couldn’t deny the pull, hadn’t been able to from the moment he burst into Menelaus’s house to rescue me. But I didn’t care anymore—not when he held me close.
I clung to him, relishing the taste of his mouth. When I felt his fang, I ran my tongue along it, drawing blood. He groaned as the metallic taste filled our mouths. He lapped at my self-inflicted wound as his hands dug into my backside, rubbing my core against his hard length. I couldn’t stop, wouldn’t stop. I entwined my hands in his hair and pulled his head back. Licking up his neck, I relished the salty taste, and bit him lightly.
“Gods, Elena.”
Someone cleared their throat. I released my hold on Paris and regained my feet. A vampire stood at the door, his gaze fastened to the floor. He seemed young, like a teenager, and was dressed in a coarse tunic and trousers. I should have felt embarrassed, but I didn’t. Paris’s eyes remained fixed on me as I moved past him and approached the boy.
“Yes?” I asked, my voice breathy.
“I’m, uh, I’m supposed to, um, show you to dinner?” He pushed the hair from his eyes to get a better look at me.
“Askenith.” The boy bowed low to Paris, almost touching the floor.
“Shakorah.”
“It’s this way, my lord.”
The boy skirted the square and led us to a long, squat building. Many voices rose and fell, carrying out into the night. The doors were open. Inside, there were at least two dozen long tables full of vampires, the adults drinking from goblets and the children eating food.
“The children don’t drink blood?” I had no idea that vampires were so like other races.
“Natural-born vampire children eat like humans,” Paris said.
When the vampires realized Paris and I hovered at the door, the room quieted. Table by table, silence fell until only the crackling of the fire and the wind in the trees remained. Shildreth stood from a table in the center and beckoned us toward her. When Paris stepped over the threshold, every vampire in the room stood and bowed.
We hastened to the table at the center so the people could resume their meals. When Paris sat, the rest of the room followed. But there was still no conversation, and all eyes rested on him.
“Askenith, the people are overjoyed at your presence.” Faren handed Paris a goblet, and Shildreth passed me a plate of food from the children’s table. There were a variety of root vegetables and a strange meat I was too polite to inquire about further.