Now you've irritated me, whelp. Trehan bared his fangs. Gods, I'm going to enjoy teaching you a lesson. "The fight's not over, boy. You forget what I am-"

"I plead mercy!" Bettina cried.

What? Too soon, Bett! The crowd grew hushed. He twisted his head around to glimpse her face.

"I plead mercy for the Prince of Shadow."

Trehan's breath left him. She'd just invoked the clause . . .

For me? Disqualifying me from the tournament? No, no, he'd misheard. His mind was unclear. She had not just taken herself out of his reach forever.

After the night they'd shared? After all he'd sacrificed? A mea! She wouldn't do this. She knows how much I want her.

Caspion leaned down to sneer, "I didn't forget what you are. You're a loser, disqualified from the tournament. I told you she'd never be your wife!"

Now she would be this demon's?

Caspion laughed. "Go back to your lonely home in the ground, old man."

I have no fucking home! Gave up everything for her! And she was always going to be with Caspion.

Were they in league together-

Realization struck him like a mace to the throat. Bettina had handed him a goblet of blood less than half an hour ago. Here, Trehan. Drink. She possessed an extensive arsenal of poisons.

Not Bettina. It couldn't be her.

Who else, you fool? His cousins would never stoop so low. Even Stelian had too much honor for that. And hadn't Bettina been wearing her customary poison ring earlier? He'd thought the taste of the blood was off, thought yet again that he'd been ruined by the ambrosia flowing through her veins.

The ambrosia she'd denied him last night.

His fangs shot longer, gone sharp as razors. All the aggression Trehan had vigilantly harnessed over ages came howling to life inside him-a ravening beast rising for carnage.

With a bellow, he gripped the end of Caspion's sword. The blade sliced his hand, blood gushing as he snatched it away from the stunned demon. Tracing to his feet, Trehan hurled the weapon to the far edge of the ring.

As the demon gawked, Trehan sheathed his own sword, wanting to deal this death personally. To feel bone breaking and skin rending between my fingers.

Even as the toxin was seared away, his thoughts grew even more jumbled, a tangled snarl in his mind. She will never be mine, will always want the male before me.

He threw back his head and roared, fists clenched until his arm and chest muscles knotted. As the sound died in his throat, he gazed at Bettina, at her pale face. You want Caspion so badly? I'll give you his fucking head!

When he turned to face his prey, a bloodred haze covered Trehan's vision. Kill.

Chapter 47

For the first time in his long, wearying existence, he fully gave himself over to rage.

Daciano had become a creature possessed, with more fury even than the Lykae-and far less reason.

He told me he'd rip Cas apart with his bare hands.

Already the vampire had fractured Cas's right arm and pummeled his head and face with bone-shattering hits. Cas's visage was unrecognizable, his left eye a swollen pulp; blood streamed from his mouth.

In a desperate bid to retrieve his sword, Cas lunged into a clumsy trace, diving for it; Daciano predicted his move-and backhanded him across the ring.

Cas went flying, crashing into the mud, sending a wave of it up and over the first row of spectators.

The vampire followed, snatching Cas by a horn, dragging him to his knees to deliver more vicious blows.

"Oh, dear gods," Bettina muttered. "This isn't happening." She'd thought Cas could recover, or that Daciano would see reason. "Please stop them, Morgana!" Her godmother ignored her, leaning forward, riveted by the battle.

"Raum!" Bettina cried.

"What do the rules state about this, m'girl?" he said. "You've called mercy-what more can we do?"

"I don't know!"

As Cas struggled to free himself, delivering futile hits to Daciano's body, the vampire bared his fangs, stark white against his bloody face. A chilling predator's smile.

He's reached his limit.

Obviously Bettina had screwed up; she'd thought she was saving his life, never imagining that he could shake off such a severe dose.

When she'd pled mercy, Daciano's expression of stunned realization had transformed into one of pure hatred. The savagery in his onyx eyes . . . He must believe that she'd cheated him out of the tournament win-in favor of the demon before him.

She'd only wanted to protect Daciano. And now Cas was going to pay for her mistake if she didn't intervene.

"I have rarely in all my long years seen a being dominate a match like this," Raum said to Morgana. "It calls to mind the legends. Does it not?"

"Indeed. Lachlain, Demestriu, Furie, the Enemy of Old."

Agreeing with each other? In a conversational tone? What was happening here-why was no one else freaking out?

Daciano picked Cas up bodily, launching him across the cage like a missile. When Cas connected with the bars, one of the spikes embedded itself into the base of his skull, breaking off inside it.

Bettina gave a sob as Cas moaned mindlessly, swinging wildly-the spike had . . . blinded him? Still, he struggled to defend himself as Daciano snatched his matted hair.

The vampire's fist smashed Cas's face with another series of crushing blows, over and over, as Bettina begged, "No, no, no!"

Then came the final hit. She heard the crack of bone. Mud splashed up Cas's body when he collapsed to his back. Limp.

Sprawled in the mud, broken, Cas didn't move again.

The vampire loomed over him and unsheathed his sword. She could never reach the ring in time-

"You're about to lose both of them," Morgana said. "One dead-and one never to be forgiven." To Raum, she suggested, "Do send in the guards, demon. They might be able to keep the vampire busy long enough to smuggle Caspion's body away."

Raum glanced at Bettina. When she gave a desperate nod, he signaled the troop at the ready.

At once, they traced into the ring, swords drawn, surrounding Daciano.

Like an animal guarding a kill, the vampire positioned himself in front of Cas. His fangs dripped blood, his muscles rippling with raw power.

When the guards charged as one, he reared up with a deafening roar. The sound reverberated like thunder, shaking the arena, the very city.

Demons in the crowd held their ears.

With ungodsly strength and speed, he batted the guards away, felling them one by one-until each was left crawling or unconscious in the filth.

"There went that plan!" Morgana said with a shrug. "Freakling, only one person can stop this now."

"Who?!"

The sorceress smiled widely, taking a deep, dramatic breath. "The Queen of Hearts."

Me? Bettina's lips parted. Could she use her power against the male she loved? The vampire who'd claimed her body-less than twenty-four hours ago?

I made his heart beat, and now I'm to stop it? Even if briefly?

"Vampire, don't do this!" she cried, desperate not to hurt him. "Please, no!"

He bared his fangs at her, gave a bloody hiss, then turned back to his prey, so clearly wanting to murder Cas.

If she didn't act, Bettina would lose both of them. "You leave me no choice," she said, raising her hands. Power amplified inside her like a building storm. Tears poured down her face as she aimed it at the vampire, unleashing utter agony-

He recoiled as if lightning struck. Then he lurched, clutching his chest.

When he swung his head around at her, his hair whipped over his bloody cheek. She could see comprehension dawning on his ghastly face, accusation in his rage-black eyes.

He cast her a look so murderous that she flinched.

Resisting her hold over him, the vampire yelled to the crowd, "Mark me, and listen well! I've won this tournament. . . . No one here can deny my victory. . . . I've won this crown"-he pointed his bloodied sword at her-"and Bettina as my wife." Claws digging into his chest, lungs failing, he bellowed, "I forsake you both!"

Trehan held her gaze, scorned her tears, withstood the blistering pain in his chest.

In his heart.

Somehow she had her sorcery back. And she was using it against him. Her male. Her fucking male!

Her gaze was uncanny. Those bright pinpoints that sparked in her eyes were now tinged amber. Her hands glowed with more amber light.

The sound of his heartbeat dimmed. A thousand years ago, his heart had stopped. But now-because of her-he needed it to live.

Only seconds remain before my other organs follow.

A fresh wave of torment erupted inside him. Must escape her hold.

"You've gotten what you've always wanted, sorceress," he grated. "Now live with your regret!"

With the last of his strength, he traced back to his tent, out of her power's range. At once, the pain faded. His heartbeat resumed, his body recovering. But his mind . . .

Chaos!

She'd cried for the one she truly loved; she'd stopped Trehan's newly beating heart. Nothing could be more telling. And she'd done far worse before that.

He lunged for the goblet she'd handed him, scenting it.

Poisoned. Here, Trehan. Drink. So guileless, so lovely.

Such treachery!

Like a flash, he recalled the night he'd sat with her on the grandstand. When he'd asked Bettina if she'd planned to poison anyone, she'd looked him dead in the eye and answered, "One leech is making the short list."

How prophetic. With a deranged roar, he crushed the goblet. She and Caspion had played him.

And now Trehan had nothing! As he stabbed his sword into its scabbard, he remembered how his father had counseled him to accept his lot.

But with Bettina, Trehan had thought he'd found his family, friend, mistress, the grand love of his life.

Gone.

"Be an example, Son." All these ages later, Trehan had failed utterly. "I have nothing!"

Nowhere even to fucking go.

"NOTHING!" he roared, tearing at his bloodstained hair. I want her, hate her. Go kill the demon. Can't.

In the ring, Trehan had realized that his vows bound him; like a fool he'd told Bettina that both he and Caspion would survive. Can't kill . . .

"Trehan!" Viktor appeared in the tent, with Mirceo and Stelian behind him.

Maddened with rage, with loss, Trehan swung around, hungering to fight, didn't matter against who.

Mirceo raised his brows at Trehan's appearance. "Our apologies for the interruption, Uncle. Your wedding night will have to wait-"

"What do you three want now?" Trehan thundered. There is no fucking wedding night! His prize, forever gone. "Gods damn it, I thought you were done with me! Why've you returned?"

Stelian said, "He's as frothing at the mouth as you usually are, Viktor. You must field this one."

"Give me credit," Viktor snapped. "I've been doing much better." To Trehan, he said, "What the hell has happened to you?"

"I won; I fucking lost everything!" he spat the words. "I am not who I was!"

"What does that mean, Trey? There's no way you lost the tournament to Caspion."

"I defeated him. I won, but I lost the prize!" Trehan clasped his forehead, squeezing until his skull threatened to shatter. "Tell me what you're doing here or leave!"

"You need to calm yourself, Cousin."

His head whipped up. "Fucking leave!"

"I'll tell you then," Mirceo said. "The situation with Lothaire has reached a crisis. He's been attacked, nearly decapitated. We can't breach his apartment because of his barrier spell, and his Bride is missing. We must locate her."

Trehan gave a crazed laugh. "Must you, then?"

Stelian said, "Yet again, there's a catch."

All three hesitated before Viktor said, "Elizabeth was likely the one who brandished the sword."

Lothaire's Bride had struck out against him? I feel your pain, brother. "I will help him," Trehan finally bit out. "I will do my godsdamned duty to Dacia!" He leveled his gaze on each of them. "But I want back in. . . ."

WEEKS LATER

We've come full circle, haven't we?" Caspion said quietly. He and Bettina had taken their drinks out on the balcony, just as they had the night before the tournament had started.

From here, they could see the tops of the giant trees. Bats jagged in front of the waxing moon. But tonight the scene wasn't romantic. Instead it was somber.

Seeing those moonraker trees reminded her of the folly she'd shared with Daciano, of perfect acceptance and pleasure. He'd been the ideal male for her. Until suddenly, he wasn't.

Still, she missed that vampire-with his eyes like the forest, eyes that could turn onyx with desire.

Or with rage.

Now that she'd known true love-hurting, raw, stunning, spectacular love-Bettina wondered how she'd ever thought Cas was the one for her. . . .

She drank deep from her goblet of wine. "It might not feel like it, but I've got to believe we're better off than we were then. Even though we're both heartsore."

"Better off?" Cas said. "I suppose. That night before the tournament, I was convinced I was about to die, and you were convinced you were about to wed a Cerunno." He faced her, his handsome face grave. "But, Tina, things are bad for me here now."

Her people worshipped strength and battle prowess; they hadn't been keen on the loser of the match becoming the winner of the tournament. Especially not due to an ancient Sorceri technicality. Especially not when there were rumors of a poisoning.

Strongest equaled greatest. Might maketh right. The Deathly Ones considered the Prince of Shadow to be their king.

Once Cas had healed, he'd gone along with the tournament "win" long enough to accept Bettina's summoning medallion and the king's crown of Abaddon. Then he'd turned both of them over to her-along with any claim he had on the throne.

The medallion hung from a lead on her neck, right beside a plain gold wedding band.

She was queen alone in her own right. But her crown, which she'd forged to look like demon horns, sat heavily on her head. . . .

The vampire's poisoning had rocked the kingdom, with almost everyone suspecting Cas. Though she'd blamed Daciano's cousins, she'd felt obligated to ask Cas and Raum if they'd had anything to do with it. When they'd denied it, she'd asked Cas, "Then what was his weakness you were going to exploit?"