The Vampire King's Possession
Chapter 707. The Last Time

Chapter 707: 707. The Last Time

Jael sensed Mauve leave the room and was shocked when she headed in his direction. Lord Phelan was saying something, but Jael was no longer listening. The Lord had just arrived and, as usual, Jael was greeted with complaints about why humans shouldn’t be the Primus’ mate.

He had heard every possible variation on the topic and was truly as uninterested as he could possibly be. He frowned when her direction didn’t change—she was headed straight for him. Jael was out of his seat and moving toward the door.

"Sire," a shocked Phelan called. "Sire? Is something the matter?"

Jael ignored him just as Mauve knocked twice, and by the time she opened the door, he was standing right in front of her. She met his eyes, but they didn’t flicker with excitement as they usually did. They flickered in shock, and then the light was gone. She looked at him blandly.

"Might I have a word, Your Highness?" she asked.

It was the tone in which she spoke that hurt more than her calling him by his title. Jael opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Of course." He stepped to the side and let her in.

"Sire," Phelan called, "we haven’t even beg—"

"I will need you to get out, Lord Phelan. Whatever complaints you may have, you’d do well to lay them all out during the meeting."

Phelan looked absolutely horrified. "You are not going to chase me out for—for some human who—"

"You better phrase your words carefully, Lord Phelan. You only just got here. I wouldn’t want to chase you out. Now leave." Jael’s voice was laced with anger, and he was doing a very poor job of holding it back.

Phelan shrank, clearing his throat as he rose to his feet. He looked like he was about to make a remark before leaving, but one look in Jael’s direction and he quickly swallowed his words. He rushed out the door, slamming it unnecessarily.

"Have a seat," Jael whispered, walking toward a chair to help her into it.

"There is no need for that. You should not have chased out Lord Phelan. I will be here only briefly."

Jael’s palms tightened at the top of the wooden seat, and the poor chair cracked under the pressure. Jael removed his hands from the chair. "As you like," he said and stood in front of her.

Jael looked at her, appearing like a dog left out in the rain. "What would you like to ask me?" he said when she didn’t speak for a while. It was either that or he would grab her legs and plead his case.

Mauve stepped backward, doing so to stop herself from leaning into him, but from the pained look that passed over Jael’s face, he completely misinterpreted her action. Mauve didn’t try to correct him. As much as it didn’t bring her pleasure to see him in pain, a part of her felt it was necessary.

"I want to attend the meeting you’ll hold with the Lords," she replied.

Jael’s face hardened before he relaxed it again. "They won’t be nice. I would prefer it if you weren’t—"

"What you prefer has nothing to do with what I have decided, Jael."

"If this is about what happened, I will tell you everything that happens in the meeting, word for word. I promise."

"There won’t be a need for that if I am there. Why shouldn’t I attend? It’s a meeting about me, is it not?"

"It is," Jael admitted.

"Then why should I be excused from attending?"

"Because," Jael faltered, "the Lords will be vicious."

"Are you saying I can’t handle them? I handled Seraphino’s attack just fine."

Jael leaned forward as though Mauve had physically landed a punch to his gut. It hurt seeing the bruises on her neck—exactly where he had marked her. It drove him crazy. Exactly where he had made her his, and now some bastard’s marks were all over it, even brighter than his.

"You know that’s not what I mean," Jael mumbled.

"Really? It was hard to tell. I’m sure their words won’t hurt as much as this." Mauve had to force the words out; it felt like she was stabbing Jael with a double-edged spear, her heart on the other end, and the deeper she pushed, the more it dug into her too.

"I am sorry, Mauve," Jael said, palming his face.

"Can I attend the meeting?" she asked. She refused to stray from the topic at hand. She had already come this far and wasn’t backing out now.

He pulled his hand from his face to look at her, dropping his arms to his sides. "Yes, but please, let’s go together. I don’t want you to walk in alone. It might be too much to ask, but let me stand by your side again."

Mauve paused as though thinking about it, but the truth was she had already made up her mind. After what she thought was sufficient time, she simply said, "Okay."

Jael brightened but not for long. He immediately looked uncomfortable. "I won’t let this hap—"

"When is the meeting?" Mauve interrupted. She wasn’t sure she could stomach talking about the incident. She would surely burst into tears, and with Jael, it would be much harder to compose herself.

"After the second meal," he replied.

"Alright," Mauve said and turned to leave. "I will see you then."

"Mauve," Jael called.

"No, I will go to the second meal by myself," she replied without stopping.

Mauve made sure not to slow down as she walked to the door. She opened it and stepped out. Only after the door was closed did she allow herself a brief respite, but it didn’t last long. She was walking again, heading for her room.

She had a lot to prepare for. Jael was right—the Lords would be vicious. But she would rather deal with Seraphino again than sit this one out. This would be the last time she left decisions that concerned the rest of her life in the hands of others.