Crimson Truth (Onyx Assassins 4)

“Promise me you won’t hurt him,” Jocelyn demanded, lifting her chin in the air.

Oh shit.

Alek’s eyes widened at the insult. “Are you actually ordering me around in my own house, witch?”

“She’s not.” I stepped between them.

“She is.” Jocelyn moved, exposing herself again.

Alek’s jaw flexed.

“Oh enough,” Lyric blurted with a wave of her hand. “Alek, you’re not going to hurt Benedict, so there’s no harm in just saying you won’t.” She turned back to Jocelyn, her nose wrinkling. “Vampires don’t like to be bossed around in their houses. It’s a territory thing. He’s sorry.”

“He’s not,” Alek corrected, his gaze sliding from Jocelyn’s to mine. “And you know there are very few things I would ever harm you for, Benedict, so unless you’re about to tell me that you’re in on taking Avi—”

I reached for Jocelyn and my joined hands, then tugged her black sleeve up her forearm, revealing the mark.

“—holy shit,” he finished.

Jocelyn squeezed my hand, panic radiating through the bond, but nowhere to be seen on her face.

“So like I was saying,” I continued as my king and queen both stared at Jocelyn’s forearm. “We found this.”

Alek blinked.

The seconds ticked by, loudly counted by the grandfather clock as the silence stretched on.

“Say something,” Lyric whispered, nudging her mate with her elbow.

Alek’s jaw clenched, and his eyes moved rapidly, as if he were examining the mark while keeping a respectful distance, just like he would with any other mate, but there was also something else in his eyes—quick, brutal calculation, the kind that had won wars for our species.

“Okay, well, if you won’t,” Lyric muttered, stepping away from Alek. “Congratulations, you two!” She swept Jocelyn into a hug. “They say opposites attract, but we never expected this! How wonderful!” She released Jocelyn and glanced between the three of us, her smile falling. “It is wonderful, right?”

“How long?” Alek asked, finally meeting my gaze.

“Yesterday. Last night, specifically. We’ve only known for a few hours.” I stroked my thumb across the back of Jocelyn’s hand, hoping she’d relax.

She didn’t. Her hair rose slightly, but I’d seen it higher before.

“Does your mother know?” Alek asked Jocelyn.

She shook her head, her body tense, as if she were drawing in her power, preparing for any possibility.

Alek heaved a sigh and sank down onto the couch behind him. “Relax witch, I’m not going to harm your mate.” Lyric followed suit, tucking herself under Alek’s arm.

I took a seat on the opposite sofa, pulling Jocelyn to sit at my side, but she remained stiff, perched on the edge of the furniture.

“How do I know you’re not lying?” she asked.

“Really?” Alek arched an eyebrow and looked pointedly at me.

“Oh.” She swallowed and her muscles relaxed. “Right.”

“We didn’t exactly expect this,” I said, stroking Jocelyn’s hand like I was soothing a nervous tiger.

“Have you…” Alek wavered. “...accepted the bond?”

“Yep,” Jocelyn answered. “Pretty enthusiastically.”

“Noted.” Alek smothered a smile and managed a polite nod.

“What do we do?” I asked him. “Run? Hide?”

Lyric snorted. “Why would you run? I mean if you guys want the full ceremony and a honeymoon, then I’m sure someone can cover for you—”

“No one can cover for Benedict, my love,” Alek interrupted. “He’s irreplaceable. And he’s not asking for a honeymoon. He’s asking if Conclave is going to order their deaths.”

Lyric went pale. “I’m sorry?”

“Interspecies relationships are prohibited.” Jocelyn’s voice thinned. “And I’m pretty sure this mark means we’re a step past relationship, right?”

“I would say so,” Alek agreed, his face solemn.

“So what?” Lyric shrugged. “I was human. Valor still is human, and no one freaked out.” She winced. “Okay, maybe they freaked out at first, but it’s no big deal now.”

“Because you’re a vampire now,” Alek said softly, kissing the top of her head. “And Valor has vampire in her ancestral line, which means she can still be turned if Conclave chooses to push the matter.”

“And you were human.” Jocelyn forced a wry smile. “I’m a witch. I don’t even know the last time a vampire and a witch even thought about hooking up, let alone mating.”

“That would be never.” Alek glanced at me, neither of us going there. “And she’s not just any witch, are you Jocelyn?” He sighed again. “She’s the goddamned heir.”

Lyric looked between us, her head moving like she was watching a tennis match. “But you’re not going to let Conclave kill them, right? I mean, that’s barbaric and stupid. They’re mated. What’s done is done.”

Alek took a deep breath. “I’m going to do everything in my power to keep that from happening, but it’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“The covens will banish me,” Jocelyn whispered.

Lyric gasped.

“That’s not going to happen,” I swore.

Jocelyn shook her head. “You don’t know that. They’ll think I’m polluting the bloodline, or worse, since vampires and witches can’t breed—they’ll think I’m ending it. My mother will never let that happen. She’s put too much calculation into her progeny.” Her eyes widened. “Oh Goddess, Benedict, did you want kids? We can’t—”