Kerrelyn Sparks - How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)

She patted his head. “Zoltan had to leave. It’s for the best, I suppose. I should be grateful it didn’t go any further.” She could have loved him and lost him. She could have lost a son. Breaking off the relationship now was the only way to save herself from heartache. Then why did she feel so miserably sad and lonely?

While Zhan scampered up the rock wall, jumping from one ledge to another, she climbed the rope ladder. At the top of the wall, she pulled the ladder up. And the tears began. With each tug, she was sentencing herself to a long life of loneliness. There was no place for a man in her life. Zoltan might come tomorrow night, but she would not be there. Better to live lonely than risk shattering her heart.

She dropped the end of the ladder on the ground. It was done.

“How was the hunting?” a voice asked behind her.

The queen . Neona quickly wiped her face. “No luck tonight. I’ll try again at dawn.” She took a deep breath and faced her mother. “You’re welcome to join us if you like.”

“I’ll be busy in the cave tomorrow.” Queen Nima tilted her head, studying Neona. “Did you see anyone in our territory?”

Her stomach clenched. “No.”

Nima gazed out into the neighboring valley. “The owl landed on my windowsill and told me there was an intruder.”

Neona swallowed hard. Had her mother seen her walking about in her finest clothes?

“We must be extra vigilant,” Nima continued, “especially now that we’re in the beginning of a new cycle.”

“I understand,” Neona murmured.

“I fear Lord Liao will continue to search for our valley. He may have sent spies.” Nima turned to look at her daughter. “If any man discovers our valley or our secrets, he must be executed.”

Neona nodded. “Yes.”

Her mother arched a brow. “The correct response is ‘yes, your majesty.’ Did you think I wouldn’t notice that you have neglected to use my title for the past two weeks?”

Neona tamped down on a sudden surge of anger. “I have had other things on my mind.”

“The death of your sister.” Nima nodded. “I understand that you’re hurting. That is why I have not reprimanded you for the lack of respect.”

Neona scoffed. “And you are not hurting? Minerva was stabbed to death right in front of us!”

“We all risk death when we engage in battle. You know that. Now let us return to our homes.” Nima started down the path to the base of the valley.

Neona’s hands fisted. How dare her mother dismiss Minerva’s death that easily. “We shouldn’t have given away her baby!”

Nima halted and looked back, her eyes narrowing into slits. “That was seven years ago. What is done is done.”

“It was never done for Minerva.” Neona walked toward her mother. “She never recovered. If we had kept her baby, she would have fought harder. She would still be alive!”

Nima’s eyes flashed with anger. “Do not make such ridiculous claims. Besides, there was no way her son could remain. Men are not allowed here.”

“He was a baby! What harm could he have done?”

“He would still grow to be a man.”

Neona motioned toward the neighboring valley. “You let Frederic live close by.”

“And he was never allowed into this valley.” Nima made a sound of disgust. “He had two daughters with Calliope and still abandoned her. I should have killed him when I had the chance.”

“That would have gone over well with his wife and daughters.”

“Drop the sarcasm,” Nima hissed. “We all know the rules and why we have them. Your insolence is appalling, but I will tolerate it this one time since you are in mourning.”

How good of you, Neona bit back the words. Her anger grew as she watched her mother turn her back and walk away. “What happened to my father?”

Nima halted, her spine stiffening. “You go too far. I told you never to speak of him.”

Neona approached her. “Did you kill him?”

Her mother turned to face her. “Hypocrisy does not suit you. We are warriors.” She stepped closer. “How many men have you killed, Neona?”

“In the heat of battle, it is self-defense. We must kill in order to survive.”

Nima’s mouth twisted with a wry smile. “And what makes you think your father didn’t fight back?”

Neona’s gut churned. Killing men in battle was one thing, but killing a man after mating with him?

The queen patted Neona on the cheek. “Pull yourself together. Nothing matters except fulfilling our sacred duty.”

“Minerva mattered.”

Nima closed her eyes briefly with a pained look. “In the end, she was weak. Don’t let that happen to you.” She turned and walked down the path into the valley.

Neona remained behind with tears stinging her eyes. Zhan butted his head against her leg, and she crouched down beside him.

“Sacred duty,” she muttered. All her life, she’d heard that nothing mattered except keeping the valley and its secrets safe. “Minerva mattered. Her son mattered.”

And Zoltan mattered. Even though it hurt like hell, she could not see him again. He was venturing far too close to Beyul-La. Not only was her heart at risk. His life would be over if he was caught.

She hugged Zhan. “Love matters.”

When Zoltan teleported into the kitchen, he found Russell seated at the table with Howard. There was a tense silence between the ex-Marine and were-bear. A large box of donuts rested on the table, and Howard was working his way through them. In front of Russell, there was an open bottle of Blissky, a mixture of synthetic blood and whisky.

“Oh, there you are. I hope you don’t mind, but I helped myself.” Russell filled his glass and poured another one for Zoltan.

“What’s going on?” Zoltan sat across from Russell.

“Do you want him to hear this?” Russell tilted his head toward Howard.

“I’m not leaving.” Howard reached for a donut.

“Hear what?” Zoltan asked. “I was in the middle of something, so this had better—”

“It’s important,” Russell said. “Howard told me you were meeting an Amazon warrior tonight. So you found the women who made the arrow you took from me?”

“Yes.” Zoltan leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “What can you tell me about them?”

“Not much. They’re a secretive bunch.” Russell downed his glass of Blissky. “They’re in danger from Master Han.”

“Why?” Zoltan and Howard asked at the same time.

“I don’t know.” Russell poured himself another glass. “I’ve been spying on Lord Liao for a while now. I can learn more from his camp because he and his soldiers complain to each other. At Master Han’s camp, I can’t get near him. He’s too heavily guarded, and no one says anything there for fear that Han will kill them.”

“Great guy,” Howard muttered.

Russell nodded. “I overheard Lord Liao talking to his minions, and he’s getting frantic. Apparently, Master Han said he doesn’t miss the two vampire lords who were killed. And he bragged that he doesn’t need the demon Darafer in order to take over the world. He says he can do it all by himself. So Liao is worried that his days are numbered if he can’t prove his worth to Master Han.”

“And he can prove his worth by attacking the women of Beyul-La?” Zoltan asked.

Russell’s eyes widened. “Is that who they are? They wouldn’t even tell me that much.”

“Beyul-La?” Howard asked as he retrieved a cell phone from his pocket. “How do you spell it?”

“You won’t find it online,” Zoltan told him. “I already looked. It’s a hidden valley in the Himalayas. I don’t know why, but no men are allowed there. When I first approached the place, one of the women tried to kill me.”