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her. It's not what you think, either." The smug expression fell from his face. "It's not a matter of swallowing it. It's a matter of our weakened bodies being able to metabolize her blood."

Reginald was excited and apprehensive. Leaning back, he slouched in his chair trying to hide it. "What's the worst that it could do?"

Sophia gave a wolfish grin, "Wait and see for yourself." When the servant reentered without Will, Sophia was irritated. "Well?" Sophia snapped.

The servant didn't look her in the eye. Instead she bowed her head and stared at the floor. "Neither of them is to be found. I've looked and asked. The last person to see the girl was the King."

Sophia rose slowly, utterly calm. Reginald shrunk away from her, knowing exactly how much rage just exploded in her system. Every inch of Sophia's body would twitch any second. She would kill without a second thought, without reason.

Reginald sat very still, managing to stay just out of her line of sight. Sophia stepped toward the trembling servant and before Reginald could blink, a severed head rolled across the floor. No one moved. No one breathed. The Queen crossed the room, power flowing from her in a deadly wave, killing anyone within reach. A bloody path trailed in her wake. Before he was remembered, Reginald slipped from the chair and made his way out of the palace. If the King took what wasn't his, then Reginald was not safe. He cursed himself for not returning sooner.

Although his sister didn't suspect it, Reginald had nefarious reasons for being there, all of which stemmed back to Kahli.

Chapter 5

Will was nervous when Kahli's eyes slipped over his runes. He wondered how much she knew? If she would notice? His throat constricted as her fingers trailed over his chest and down his side, her green eyes trailing across his bare skin. There was so much he wanted to say, so many things to explain, but he couldn't. Blood runes were more binding than she realized. They burned under his flesh, searing into his soul, commanding him in a way that Kahli's betrothal runes did not. The way she looked at him, like she was caught between trust and turning on him, made Will do it. Revealing his runes was a calculated risk, one that he would regret later if she ever found out the truth about him. The power of his true name was enough to sate her insecurities. Although Kahli didn't realize what she could do with it, or that she had any power over him at all.

Even after his shirt was buttoned and his coat pulled back on, Will still felt her caress on his skin. He wanted more. He longed for things he couldn't have. Glancing at her, Will wondered if it mattered anymore. There were rules against vampires and humans being together. A relationship with Kahli was forbidden, but what did it matter now? If they were caught, their fates would be dismal anyway, probably worse than the instant destruction pairing with a human would have demanded. Will's stomach twisted as he thought about Kahli. The way his lips tingled reminded him how much he wanted to kiss her and hold her in his arms. Will subdued the thoughts before Kahli could feel them, shoving them to the back of his mind.

He'd learned to hide his thoughts long ago. Being bound by three people required it or he would have been long dead. It was the last rune that caused all the problems. It was the one he couldn't deny. If Will had the chance to do it over again, to take the oath that involved the wild girl standing in front of him - he wondered what he would say. Will glanced at the fire and ran his fingers through his hair. There was still blood crusted to his scalp. He needed to melt some snow so they could wash. The wolves and the vamps would catch Kahli's scent faster if they didn't.

Watching her, Will thought, If I had to do it all over again, I'd do the same thing. That final rune would damn him. It cost him his life in more ways than he could count, but he'd do it again.

Kahli faced the fire. A smear of dirt and blood lined her cheek. Will looked at her when she asked about his assassination plans. Hope floated into his chest, lodging somewhere between his bottom two ribs.

He grinned at her, "I have all of