The Vampire's Luna
Chapter 37: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Chapter 37: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Kyllian dragged a hand down his face. "So let me get this straight. You want me to go back and tell the King...your father...that his only daughter needs more time... with her vampire mate... surrounded by other vampires?" He let out a dry chuckle. "Lovely. Fantastic. I think you mentioned something earlier about squeezing a man’s family jewels? Because I’m pretty sure the King will do a lot worse to mine."

Luna laughed a belly-deep laugh that made Kyllian’s heart flutter in spite of the doom clouding everything. "I can already picture his face. That vein that pops in the middle of his forehead when he’s trying not to shout."

"You think that’s funny?" Kyllian raised a brow, but his lips twitched at the corners. "You’ve never actually seen the King mad. Not real, soul-leaving-your-body mad. You’ve only ever seen the doting, frustrated version of it."

Luna rolled her eyes affectionately. "He is my father. I’ve seen him mad plenty."

Kyllian scoffed. "No, princess. You’ve seen him paternal. You’ve never seen the King of the Wolves, the ruler, that guy. When that version gets mad? It’s like watching a volcano warm up. First, there’s silence. Then that terrifying twitch in the corner of his eye. Then a slow boil, like his blood is turning into lava. You can actually see the transformation on his face. And every instinct in you says, ’Run. Just run and hope to the high heavens he doesn’t chase you.’"

Luna giggled, though a melancholic haze glazed her eyes. "Sounds dramatic." .com

"It is. But he never shows that side around you. Not once." Kyllian smiled, softer now. "You’re the only one who brings out his soft."

That pulled at Luna’s chest. Her smile wavered, and she looked down at her hands. "I miss him. Goddess, I miss him so much it hurts."

Kyllian’s brow furrowed. He reached out, brushing his fingers over hers. "He misses you too."

Luna shook her head, voice quiet. "I feel like I’ve failed him. He always wanted a son. Someone to take over the pack, carry the mantle. And instead, he got me. A daughter with the most ridiculous love triangle in history."

Kyllian chuckled gently, his thumb now softly stroking the back of her hand. "He doesn’t see failure when he looks at you, Luna. He sees his heart. He has always been proud of you. You know that, right? Never doubted you. Not once. He sees your strength, Luna. Your wild heart, your will. He always believed you were capable of leading our people. He never questioned your gender, not even for a second. He appreciated it. Loved it."

Luna blinked at him, her lips twitching as she tried to maintain the scowl she didn’t really mean. Her emotions were too chaotic to hold one expression for long. The gratitude swelling in her chest made it hard to breathe. Her father had never said it in those exact words. Of course, she’d felt his pride in the way he stood tall at coronation ceremony, and the way his voice softened just for her. But to hear it laid out like that from someone else made her feel good.

"Come on," she muttered forcing a lopsided smirk. "You have to go. You’re getting sickeningly sweet."

Kyllian chuckled. "Okay, okay. I can take a hint."

Luna shoved him lightly, her fingers lingering on his arm a moment longer than necessary.

***** .com

Queen Ravena walked up the carved stone steps of Alpha Kyllian’s packhouse. With every step, a storm of doubts spun tighter in her chest. Why had she ever thought Luna marrying Kyllian would work? The boy had heart, yes. But this place was so... rustic.

This wasn’t princess material. It wasn’t royalty. It was cozy. And Luna had grown up with gold threaded pillowcases. What in the hell made her think this was a suitable match?

Reaching the top floor, Ravena swept through the hallway. She turned toward the office. She didn’t bother waiting after the knock.

"Alpha Kyllian?" she called out as she crossed the threshold. The room was cloaked in darkness. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust.

"My... my..." she muttered, squinting into the gloom. "Someone could at least open a window." f.r(e)e\webn.ovel.co\m

She made her way toward the window, grumbling under her breath about uncivilized werewolves and their obsession with brooding in shadows, when suddenly a table lamp clicked on in the far corner. The warm, low light threw long shadows across the room—and revealed a figure seated in a high-backed leather chair, legs crossed.

She turned to her left, blinking as her eyes adjusted fully to the dim glow of the table lamp. Alpha Kyllian was lounging on a leather couch. His hair was tousled, his shirt wrinkled and the weight of a thousand unspoken words hung around him.

"What’s going on?" Queen Ravena demanded. She took a step forward. "What is all this madness? What’s wrong with Luna?"

His message had said they had to discuss Luna. That was enough. She threw herself into the car, barely giving the guards a second to open the gate.

Her daughter mated to a vampire? That alone was problematic enough.

Kyllian’s lips twisted. "Luna is... okay. For now. I went to the Blood Castle yesterday. Prince Damien invited me."

Queen Ravena’s eyebrows launched themselves toward her hairline. "How cute. Was there a little dinner? Some blood-infused wine?...What did he want?"

Kyllian didn’t rise to the bait. He simply sat forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. "He’s concerned about Luna. He says she has two mates."

"Oh my Goddess!" Ravena’s hand flew to her chest. "Another vampire?! What are these people doing to my baby?" She started pacing, arms flailing slightly.

"Not another vampire," Kyllian said softly.

"Do not tell me my Luna is...."

"To me," Kyllian interrupted gently.

"Come again?"

"I’m her second mate."

"Are you listening to yourself?" she finally asked.

"You’ve known Luna her whole life. What happened to the mate bond?" She stared at him incredulously, pointing with one hand as if accusing him of stupidity. "Why didn’t you recognize each other as mates when she was sixteen?!"