When the Moon Goddess casts a spell on Alpha King Lincoln and his entire pack, turning him into an icy ruler, he retreats into his loneliness, shutting out the world. Josephine, a spirited young wolf in distress, is saved from a terrible fate. Despi...
I knot my fingers nervously in my lap. I've only flown once and it wasn't necessarily the most comfortable experience.
Lincoln's fingers intertwine with mine as he leans over the seat, "relax, Jo, it's a forty-minute flight."
The actual flight aside, I'm really looking forward to this trip. I've never been to the vampire kingdom and Vic has already volunteered to show me around.
Maggie looks anxious as the plane starts moving down the runway and I have a feeling it has more to do with seeing Vic than the flight.
"When we land I have to go directly to a meeting but it shouldn't take more than a few hours. Mags will stay with you until we're finished."
I nod, trying to keep my breathing calm as the plane starts to pull upward into the air. The rumble beneath my feet makes my stomach lurch slightly but Lincoln's fingers gently stroking mine take my mind off of it.
Fortunately for me, forty minutes really does pass quickly and before I know it we are back on solid ground.
The runway is located just behind a castle. I thought Lincoln's home was beautiful, compared to this it's little more than a shack. I gap at the sheer size of it as we exit the small aircraft.
"This has been the royal residence for nearly six centuries," Maggie whispers as we walk toward a row of guards in deep red uniforms.
I feel Lincoln beside me, taking my hand in his. He stops walking and kisses my cheek softly before leaning in to whisper to me privately, "stay with Maggie, I'll come find you as soon as we're finished. You're safe here."
My cheeks flush and I nod a silent response. It was only a chaste kiss to my cheek but we haven't ever done that in front of anyone. When I look up Maggie is bouncing on her toes excitedly.
She grabs my arm and we follow behind a guard who doesn't speak. She keeps looking over her shoulder, waiting until Lincoln is out of earshot to start squealing.
"I knew it! I knew it!" She jumps beside me. "He has been in such a good mood lately, I knew something was going on! He just kissed you, in front of everybody!"
I blush and tuck my face down, letting my hair fall forward slightly to shield me. I know she's right, everyone saw. It was a small, sweet kiss but it was a kiss nonetheless. It's going to raise questions.
"What's going on with you guys?"
"We're just seeing how things go, taking our time, getting to know each other."
"Right," her raised brows and sarcastic tone aren't lost on me.
"That's all you're getting from me. What about you? We were interrupted last time we tried to talk about this and then you've been busy. What's up with you and Vic?" I hope that this will change the subject.
"Ok, point taken, I'll drop it," she holds her hands up in surrender.
The vampire guards lead us to a sitting room with a garden courtyard. There is a banquet table set up with the most amazing display of miniature foods. Anything you can think of is made into a small individual portion.
As I turn to gush over it to Maggie about how wonderful it is, she pulls her lips into a thin line, obviously unhappy.
"What's wrong?"
"Vic did this," she shakes her head, "I like miniature things... I just know this was him."
"That was very sweet of him."
"Yeah, yeah, very sweet," she tries to hide her smile as she looks over the overflowing table.
We take plates of tiny food out into the garden. There are four guards placed throughout the garden, standing stoically at attention. Maggie seems completely at ease with their presence, I am slightly uncomfortable.
"Are they making sure we're safe or making sure we don't snoop around?"
She laughs, "both I think. Don't worry, they are watching to make sure there is no trouble but they aren't really paying attention."
The garden is beautiful but not as nice as Lincoln's greenhouse. The lushness that he has achieved is lacking here. I notice a girl, standing a ways off in the garden, trying to hide herself behind a tree. She doesn't look like she could be more than thirteen.
"We have company," I whisper to Mags who follows my eyes to the tree.
"Shit," Maggie takes a nervous breath.
"What's wrong?"
"That's Vic's little sister, Cora."
I turn quickly back to the girl, studying her face. I can't believe I hadn't put that together on my own, she looks like a carbon copy of him. She even has long streaks of purple in her white-blonde hair.
When she realizes that she's been seen, she steps out from behind the tree and walks slowly toward us.
"Hi, Maggie. Sorry to disturb you, I just heard you were going to be here today and I wanted to come." Her soft, young voice sounds nervous.
"You're not disturbing us, Cora. This is Josephine." She gestures to me.
"Hi! It's nice to meet you."
"You too, my brother speaks highly of you."
The thought warms my heart. Vic really is a good guy.
"Are you enjoying all of your miniature things?" She asks and I can't help but smile. Damn, he's a really good guy.
"Yes, very much," Maggie smiles, "please, help yourself. There is enough here to feed twenty people."
Cora happily grabs a plate and makes her way over to the table. I don't miss the heavy sigh and sad look that takes over Maggie's face as soon as the young girl is gone.
"Mags?"
"He's too good for me," her voice wavers.
I suddenly understand exactly what is going on between the two of them. It sends a very familiar ache straight to my heart.
"Maggie, you know how much I like Vic, he's a great guy but you... you are wonderful. He isn't too good for you. For what it's worth, I think you guys would be great together."
She smiles at me but I can still see how sad she is.
Cora joins us at the table and we begin to talk about sweet, youthful things; hair dye, and homework. Being with her is refreshing. I can tell that Mags feels it too.
"So, what color should I put on him next?"
"I'm kind of digging the purple," Maggie laughs.
"Consider it done!" Cora laughs.
"Consider what done?" Vic's voice startles us.
"You'll see," Cora beams up at him.
Maggie's smile falters slightly but a blush creeps over her cheeks as he moves to stand behind her.
A simultaneous calm and exhilaration wash over me. Lincoln. He's close by. My heart rate picks up anticipating seeing him. It's only been a few hours but the anticipation of having him near makes me nervous and excited.
"Linc will be here in just a minute, he got stuck with one of our chattier elders," Vic smiles knowingly.
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