Tempting Raven (Curse of the Vampire Queen #1)(46)

"That we're in love, our powers completely intertwined," he whispers. "So, please play the part with me." With those final words, he leads me farther into the room, in full view of the fey king and queen.

And I'm left with the irking feeling he purposefully waited until the very last second to tell me so I'd have no choice but to play along and not ask questions.





15





Rhyland and I walk down the narrow, but lengthy room toward a table covered in silver plates and jeweled goblets. The fey bodyguards are lined up against the left wall and the vampires on the other. Half the room is dark, dreary, and moonlit, while the other half is rainbows, giggles, and blinding sunshine.

When we walk past the vampire bodyguards, they bow; all except Kingsley, who winks at me.



       
         
       
        

"What was that about?" Rhyland whispers in my ear.

I shrug. Or, well, sort of shrug and kind of shiver from the tickle of his breath against my neck. "I told him not to bow to me anymore. It's too weird."

"You should get used to it, especially when we have the crowning ceremony and are sworn in." His lips brush my ear as he speaks. "Everyone will be bowing to you, then."

If I make it to the ceremony.

"I'd rather they didn't now," I reply quietly. "All the attention makes me nervous."

"I know. And I'm sorry." He doesn't say for what, simply grazing his lips against my earlobe in the most delicate kiss. Then he leans away, leads me to the head of the table where the fey king and queen are seated on the other side, and releases his hold on my arm to pull out a chair for me.

"Such a gentleman," I joke under my breath.

He throws me a grin as he sits down in the chair beside me, and then tangles our fingers together right there on top of the table, in plain sight for the fey king and queen to see.

We're putting on a show. Why?

"So, this is the new vampire queen?" The fey queen props her elbow on the table and rests her chin on her balled-up fist, her shimmering silver eyes drinking me in in a way that makes me want to squirm.

The king eyes me over as well, as he sips from his goblet, and I fight back the urge not to duck underneath the table and hide.

"I am," I tell the queen. "And you must be the fey queen?"

She nods with a cocky smile. "I am."

I mirror her grin, but we're like starry nights and golden sunshine trying to mix together. Where I'm dressed in black lace and leather and a bleeding star crown, her dress is spun together with shimmering gold silk and vibrant teal jewels that match the flowery wreath woven through her silky blonde hair. Same goes for the kings; Rhyland's studded black attire and blood red tie is the exact opposite of the king's crisp white shirt and golden crown.

"Please, call me Faraelee." The fey queen stretches her ring-bedazzled hand across the table toward me.

I take her hand. "I'm Raven." I get the strangest sense of déjà vu as she smiles at me. I don't know why, though, since I've only ever met one faerie in the existence of my life and it wasn't her.

"Raven. That's a fitting name," the king remarks as Faraelee and I move our hands away from each other. "Your hair and your eyes look just like raven feathers."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot." I work to conceal the disdain in my tone.

"Personally, I think it's gorgeous." Rhyland brushes a strand of my hair out of my eyes and tucks it safely behind my ear. "Then again, everything about her is gorgeous." 

I reach for my goblet to take a drink, mostly to busy myself from rolling my eyes. "Well, that's probably a good thing since you're stuck with me." My tone flitters with surprising lightness.

"You say stuck. I say lucked out," Rhyland teases, sweeping my hair away from my shoulder.

"We'll see if you're saying that in twenty years." I take a sip of my drink, hoping my nerves aren't showing. So far, things are going smoothly. In fact, I'm surprised how easy playing the role of queen is.

As if I was made for it.

I start to crinkle my nose at the thought when the sunny, warm liquid drink that is definitely not blood spills down my throat.

"What is that?" I cough, patting my chest.

A smile graces Faraelee's purple tinged lips as she reaches for a goblet in front of her. "Faerie wine, straight from our kingdom. It's considered the best in all the land."

"Oh." I don't know what to do.

From what I understand, faerie wine can be tremendously potent and can make even the saddest vampires giggly. Not wanting to offend them, I take another drink. And another.