Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(23)

Tears sting my eyes. Sure, I sometimes dreamed of becoming an empress, but the queen  … ? The title is so important, so powerful.

"But I'm not even powerful. In fact, I'm below average. How can I be queen?"

She squeezes my hand. "You'll get your powers …  eventually. And it makes sense why your powers haven't manifested yet. They were waiting for the reading, for Fate to announce it was time. It's why you've been so tired and cold lately-your body is starting to change. Your father and I were getting a little worried when you told us  …  And I had just learned a queen had been chosen." She shakes her head. "Looking back, with how you've been acting lately, I should've known it was time. But you're so young-younger than all the rest of the previous queens-so I was hoping I was wrong."

Panic seizes me by the throat, and I desperately struggle to find a way-an excuse-that this isn't true. "But I haven't even gotten my Eternal Reading yet."

"You still will on your birthday," my mom promises. "Just be warned that it will confirm you're queen."

I latch on to the word probably, even though I doubt she meant it that way, hoping upon hoping that maybe Fate will retract my royal title. I feel like a coward for thinking it, but I know I'm not strong enough to rule over and protect the entire vampire population from crazy rebellions and fights, like the one that just happened outside the club. Not when I can barely super speed without face planting.

"What am I supposed to do until my Eternal Reading, then?" I ask, staring down at my hands.

"You'll start training and learning about what is required to become queen." Her voice is tight. "And you'll have to be under constant surveillance until your powers manifest, which will take some time. Until then, you won't have the power to protect yourself yet, which will leave you very vulnerable."

A frown touches my lips as I look up at her. "From vampires who are going to try to assassinate me?"

Her eyes slightly widen. "Why would you automatically think that?"

I shrug. "Hawk told me something like that a little earlier."

"Who's this Hawk?" Rhyland asks, inching closer to me. "You keep mentioning him, but I've never heard you mention him before."

He's been so quiet I almost forgot he was there. I almost wish I could've completely forgotten. Forget not only about me being a queen, but that Rhyland is the king. From the little bit that I understand, the king and queen work together, meaning that, if Fate decides to permanently ink me with the queen title, I'll be working with Rhyland until the day my body withers to ash.

Lovely. Just lovely. And what happens when he tries to lock me in a locker again and lets a demon loose? How can I ever trust him?

I can't.

"Hawk's a bouncer at the club," I explain without looking at him. "We were talking about the king and queen earlier."

He scoots closer to me, his leg pressing against mine. "Which one?"

I lift my gaze to him then nearly shrink back from the iciness in his eyes. He's pissed off? Why?

I inch toward my mom, while Rhyland immediately steals the space right back.

"Which bouncer were you talking to?" His eyes are like ice.

I shrug. "One of the ones out front  …  Why the hell does it even matter?"

He clenches his hands into fists. "It matters because I'm going to-"



       
         
       
        

"Rhyland," my mom warns, but her lips threaten to turn upward. "Despite your condition, I won't let you off the hook if you kill my favorite bouncer."

I glance at her, wondering if she's joking. "What condition?"

My mom trades a troubled glance with my father, then with Mr. and Mrs. Midnitegale. My mind races with all sorts of terrible ideas of what could possibly be going on with Rhyland. Rhyland, who I'm supposed to work with. Forever.

"Mom, please tell me what's going on," I practically beg.

Her eyes are overflowing with worry as she looks back at me. "Unlike the queen, the king gets his powers the moment he gets the reading. It's what's known as The Rushing. And The Rushing is so powerful that the king can struggle to keep his newfound powers under control. With time, he'll learn, but the first couple of weeks can be a little"-she pulls a wary face-"intense. And if he's not careful, he can end up making stupid, irrational decisions." She shoots Rhyland a harsh glance.

"So, Rhyland's acting like a jacked up, bloodthirsty vampire because he's struggling with his powers?" I tense when Rhyland growls again. Then I relax, remembering that I'm queen-well, maybe-and that there's a chance he can't do anything to me.