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he could barely hear it.

"That's exactly what I mean." Cassie's eyes widened, but Cole cut her off, giving her instructions. "Don't do anything to draw attention to yourself today. They aren't watching you as closely, not when it comes to strength and flight risk. I'll get us out before it happens. I promise."

Cassie felt sick, but all she could do was nod. Cole had done things, things that flooded her dreams at night and if he wasn't hell-bent on protecting her, she'd be terrified of him. Cassie cleared her throat and looked up at him, "What about you? They paired you too?"

Cole nodded, his shoulders stiffening as he did it. Cassie didn't miss the cue. Whoever they'd paired him with made him uncomfortable. She wondered who it was, if he actually had feelings for someone - feelings that she didn't know about.

After a moment, Cole cleared his throat and said, "It doesn't matter what the vamps did, if we were Paired or not." He laughed callously, adding, "And they won't be doing it again after tonight. I promise you that." Looking down at Cassie, he said too calmly, "I'll get you before the Pairing takes place. Don't let Brent touch you." Cassie visibly recoiled at the name. She avoided Brent at all cost. The way he looked at her made her uneasy, and if there weren't vamps around who'd break his neck if he laid a finger on Cassie, she wouldn't have been able to sleep at night. Brent scared her. Cole shook her from her thoughts, gently gripping her shoulders and pulling her back to the present, "I'll personally kill him if he does, Queen's protection or not. The only person who matters to me here is you, and I won't leave you behind."

Chapter 16

The King's guard left right after they questioned Cassie. They took off into the night, trying to track down the girl - Kahli. Anger flooded through the King's body. He hadn't gotten enough of her blood to completely restore his former abilities. Most of the precious liquid had spilled on the floor, and failed to go down his throat. Thinking about it, he could still feel the burn of her blood. The potency was familiar, reminding him of the last time he had this opportunity. It had slipped away before he could do anything. Resolve flooded his veins. Not again. This might be his last chance. There was no room for mistakes, not this time. There were no more wild humans. Kahli was the last and he intended to possess her.

The storm set in swiftly, making it difficult to see, but the King urged the Trackers on. He sat in his vehicle, as it was gently rocked by the howling wind. The royal caravan was a massive tank-like truck with enough supplies to cross the unforgiving terrain. Traveling was no longer a treat. Due to the climate, constant wind, and frozen tundra, traveling was dismal at best.

Every time he wandered from the palace, the King knew that he risked his life. There was no blood out here. Killing livestock wasn't enough to sustain him, not that there was much to be found. The world and all its glory had disappeared, leaving him trapped in this frozen hell, and forcing a life on him that he detested. Before the flood, the King didn't mind that he wasn't the ruling sovereign, the one royal with all the power. That belonged to Sophia, and he was okay with it. It gave her all the power, but it also gave her all the problems. Accepting his role as royal arm-candy made his life easier. There was always enough blood, and he was beyond reproach, elevated slightly above the law due to his wife's status. It allowed him freedom that he didn't have, otherwise. Plus the wealth just agreed with him. Add to that the fact that no one tried to assassinate him on a daily basis, and the King soon learned that he achieved the best of both worlds by accepting the Queen's reign.

Back then, the King moved on his own, rarely seeing his Queen. But that wasn't the way of things anymore. Times changed. Now she was constantly there, reminding him that she was stronger, that she had the most power, and that she chose him. Sophia made it clear that if he made a single misstep, his long and glorious life would be cut short. The former freedom he knew, the advantages of being wedded to