Vowed (The Vampire Journals, #7) - Morgan Rice Page 0,50

of the island: McCleod’s desire.

They had dispatched Sera to go and find this McCleod, and to seduce him. Then, they could manipulate him, get him to do anything they wished—including ambushing Aiden’s people with his human army.

Sera was happy to execute the mission, but she resented their thinking that she needed to offer him anything in order to seduce him. After all, she was Sera: gorgeous to vampires and humans alike. She could seduce anyone she wanted, anytime she wanted. She didn’t need to offer them anything but herself.

And seduce this king, she would.

Finally, as Sera circled lower, she spotted the king. He was impossible to miss: he was seated at the head of a table, surrounded by followers, all obsequious in his presence. The huge fur mantle draped along his shoulders indicated it could be no one else.

Sera landed out of sight of the others, behind a grove of trees. She took position and watched McCleod carefully, observing how he drank, who he talked to. She was waiting for a vulnerable moment, when he wasn’t surrounded by followers. She would catch him by surprise, and thus begin the seduction.

Sera’s line of vision was occasionally blocked by dancers, then by musicians, and she felt like reaching out and tearing them apart. But she bit her lip, forcing herself to be disciplined, waiting patiently.

Finally, she saw her chance. McCleod rose from the table—everyone rising with him—and he gestured for them all to stay put, as he headed off himself towards a huge vat of wine. He stumbled just a bit as he went, and that suited her purposes perfectly.

Sera wasted no time. She sprinted across the field, around the side, and merged into the thick crowd, careful not to be noticed by anyone. She made her way to the vat of wine just before he did, just as she’d hoped.

She turned her back on him, pretending as if she were looking in the opposite direction, and blocked his path, so that he would have to get past her. She then casually reached over and held out an empty goblet of wine. She prided herself on being a student of human behavior, and having watched him, she could sense he had a chivalrous side. She could sense that he would do anything to help a damsel in distress. And she just knew that if she held out her goblet, he would want to help.

“Hand that to me,” came the deep, royal voice.

Sera’s back still to him, she smiled, realizing she had judged him perfectly.

Sera turned slowly, laying the full effect of her startling green eyes on him. She stared deeply into his, and offered the smallest hint of a smile. She tried to hypnotize him, using every vampire power of seduction she had.

It was working. She saw his eyes fix on hers, saw him forget to fill her goblet. And as she felt his fingertips touch hers, she realized that he had not let go. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights—and that was exactly what she wanted.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” he said.

Sera liked the sound of his voice: it was deep, confident, authoritative. Not like most humans.

“I’m new here,” she said. She thought quick. “I’ve only come for the wedding.” Technically, it was not a lie. She had indeed come for the wedding—to tear it apart.

“Then we shall consider ourselves lucky to be graced by your presence,” he said with a slight nod, then took her goblet, reached in, and filled it up.

He handed it back to her, and this time, as she took it, she laid her fingers on top of his, using her vampire power to send seductive energy into him.

As she slowly took the cup away, her fingers grazing his, she could see it was working.

“I’ve come from far away, and I’m only here for a short while,” she said, in her most seductive voice. “I would be honored if you show me your castle before I go.” She waited and watched, her heart beating with anticipation. This was the moment, the crucial moment, when she would know. If he said yes, she knew that he would be hers.

“Surely, you have someone else to give you a tour of the grounds, aside from the King himself?” he asked with a smile.

She smiled back. “I have many. But none I want to accompany me. Except for you.” She waited and watched, staring deeply into his eyes. She could sense that he was still on the