Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 251(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Yes, Little mate.” He pulled her into his arms. “You are doing well, Alessia. I am proud to have you as my mate.”
She didn’t understand why, but she loved knowing that he approved. Titus threaded his fingers through her hair to cup the back of her head. He kissed her fiercely, as if staking his claim. Alessia squirmed closer, savoring his flavor.
When he lifted his head, his eyes glowed red. “Mine,” he growled.
“Yours completely,” she agreed and rose on her toes to press her lips to his once again.
A soft thumping sound registered on her senses, growing louder. Alessia put her hand on his chest, checking if she heard his heart. Under her touch, his pulse slowed to the beat surrounding them. Titus shifted her hand to rest between her breasts. She gasped. Hers matched as well.
“It is time,” Titus announced and gestured toward the doors, which now stood open.
Stepping out, Alessia studied the scene in front of her. An aisle of heavy iron candlestands held flickering thick white candles, illuminating the pitch-black darkness. The knowledge of a rocket scientist wasn’t required to understand she needed to walk between them. Gathering her courage, she followed her instincts and moved into the lighted corridor.
Titus shifted to her right and placed her hand on his bent forearm. She looked up at his attractive shadowy face, picturing herself as a medieval princess advancing with her knight errant. He patted her arm. Two dark figures emerged from the shadows to follow them, and his fingers tightened when she automatically turned. Their presence wasn’t threatening but had surprised her. At the next set of candles, a single cloaked figure stepped into the light with a whisper of sound and fell in behind the duo trailing Alessia and Titus.
The whisper of the cloaks and the footsteps behind them sounded louder, revealing that the procession grew longer as this pattern continued. She lost track of the number of candles they had passed. How many vampires were part of the clan? With each step, the importance of joining the clan registered on Alessia. She would be part of something this powerful.
Glowing symbols flared into life above her, revealing that the ceiling was rounded. She glanced around, noting that the corridor had opened into a large, circular room. The figures behind them flowed along the walls, filling the space. A spotlight flared ahead, drawing her attention to a single man who stood behind a massive table.
Altar, Little mate, Titus shared in her mind.
A metallic ring pierced the silence, drawing her attention back to the center of the room. As the figure lifted a shining silver object into the air, Alessia was confident that a man stood in front of her. Male vampire, she clarified to herself. The sensation of overwhelming power provided his identity as he struck the cup against the altar. Alaric.
Everyone in the room dropped to their knees as one. Titus locked his hand over hers on his forearm, stopping her from following their pattern. He led her forward as the heads of the observers turned to watch them.
Alessia didn’t know how she stayed upright as they moved further into Alaric’s power. She dug her fingers into Titus’s skin.
Flashes of red ignited above her head, drawing Alessia’s attention. While they did not remain long enough for her to distinguish the differences between them, she could detect the ceiling was a high, curved dome over their heads. A second metallic ring brought her attention back to the one who stood before them. He struck a large, silver chalice twice again on the altar.
“Who brings this addition to our clan?” Alaric demanded.
“It is I, Titus, who brings my mate, Alessia, to meet the clan.” Titus’s voice announced to the quiet space, sounding fiercely proud of her. His love for her infused every word of his pronouncement.
A bit of her anxiety at this formal rite abated. Titus wouldn’t let anything happen to her. A small hand waving subtly caught her eye before a larger shape captured it and stopped the motion. Carina and Marcus. Her friend was here. Alessia relaxed a bit more.
Alaric’s movement captured her attention. He extended his index finger. A silver tip on his nail glistened in the candlelight. He drew that shining point across his wrist, releasing crimson blood from the wound. Holding his wrist over the silver chalice, Alaric allowed one precious drop to land inside before lifting the cup into the air. Above him, a red glowing symbol lit the ceiling.
The chalice appeared in Carina’s hand. Marcus helped her slice her wrist to add a droplet of her blood before including his own. Alessia struggled to follow the cup’s movement as the vampires passed it quickly amongst themselves. When she lost track of it, Alessia only had to check the ceiling, for with each addition, more glowing signs appeared over that vampire’s head.