“He is my husband,” I say, stroking his face. “I love him. He knows what he did was wrong, and he will apologize to you.”
“Not good enough,” he growls. “I want the last five hundred and fifty years back with you.”
I smile sadly at him. “I know, but that’s not possible.”
He grimaces as Jerrick clears his throat.
“Princess, we should leave at once,” he says.
“Of course,” I say. I turn to Sebastian who isn’t looking happy about my exchange with Vito.
“I’m coming with you,” he says again defiantly.
“No, you are staying here,” I say. “I will be okay, Seb. I promise.”
“I will keep her safe,” Vito says. “I will not leave her side.”
Sebastian looks even less pleased by that, but when he sees my resolved face, he leaves it be. “Hurry back,” he whispers as he pulls me into a tight embrace. “And be careful, my love. Don’t give him anything if he refuses. We will find another way.”
Like sire, like charge.
I smile into his chest and then tilt my head back for a kiss. I get a lingering one that Vito is not happy about, but I can’t worry about anyone else right now. I am walking into the lion’s den and I need to think only about my daughter.
We are ushered into the Light Fae Palace, where it is blindingly bright. Everything is marble and gold and crystal chandeliers. No wonder Sebastian turned his back on all of this opulence. It really isn’t his style. I am flanked by Vito and Jerrick and we stand, waiting for Thrace to make his grand appearance.
He appears on the magnificent, sweeping staircase, dressed in a fine silk suit, ivory in color, shot through with gold. His long, blonde hair is loose around his shoulders and his familiar green eyes are narrowed with caution. “Your father sent word to expect your visit, Princess. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“We need to talk,” I demand. “Alone.”
His eyes light up but then narrow again as Vito says. “No.”
“No?” Thrace queries.
“I am not leaving her alone with you,” Vito says. “I have been fully caught up and I know what your father did to her.”
“I am not my father,” Thrace says unpleasantly.
“No, you are worse,” Vito spits out.
I glare at him to shut it. He is making this worse than Sebastian would have had he been here.
“I am merely trying to take what is mine,” Thrace says. “Kalen should have no claim on her.”
“Vito,” I say. “Please. I need to speak to Thrace alone.”
He looks to Jerrick for advice on what to do and Jerrick says, “We will be right outside. If I hear something I don’t like, her father will hear about it.”
Vito has to comply, but he isn’t happy about it. He and Jerrick follow me closely up the staircase to meet Thrace, who takes my hand and leads me to a door down a corridor. He ushers me inside and smartly closes the door on the other two.
“I am not going to harm you,” he says. “You didn’t need to bring reinforcements.”
I stay silent, waiting for his next move. He regards me from across the room and then stalks closer.
“I smell Vampire on you, but it’s confusing, it’s not you,” he says, puzzled.
“Long story,” I say. “Short version is I am no longer a Vampire.”
“Oh,” he says, startled and more than a little disappointed. “I had hoped you would bite me again,” he says with a leer.