Chapter Ten
“You’ve been rather on edge recently, is everything alright?” Matheus’ voice drew Alice out of the book she had been skimming over and over to where her mate was polishing his sword after a round of sparring with one of his personal guards.
Sighing, Alice sat the book aside before sliding over to her mate’s side. Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his forehead.
“I’m alright, love, just feeling a bit on edge with the baby on the way,” she mumbled, her eyes softening when the man set aside his sword and moved to his feet.
Squeaking as she was lifted up into his powerful arms, Alice laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Closing her eyes, she allowed him to carry her to the bed. As soon as they were both nestled under the blankets, his head moved to rest on her chest, just above her heart. He loved listening to her heartbeat and said that the sound soothed him. Vampire’s heartbeats were so shallow and slow that they hardly seemed to have any heartbeat at all, giving them the illusion of being the living dead.
“Don’t worry so much. I revealed your pregnancy to the others, and they all seem to be happy for us. If they aren’t, I doubt they have enough malice for me that they would try anything to harm you,” Matheus insisted, attempting to soothe his mate as he rubbed lightly at her sides. Alice sighed, wishing that her lover could know what she did, but instead smiled and pressed her lips to his forehead.
“You’re right, I’m being ridiculous,” she breathed, curling up around the man with a smile and closing her eyes when he pressed his lips against her shoulder. “I love you, darling,” she said, softly.
“I love you too, my queen,” Matheus responded, trailing his powerful, cool fingers through her hair.
Alice had just started to doze off when she heard the door open. Frowning, she pressed closer to her mate while the man softly snored below her. He was nearly impossible to coax from sleep, so it wasn’t a surprise that the soft sound hadn’t roused him.
Soft footsteps made their way towards the bed. Alice could hear the hesitation, the fear in the steps. This was not a person who had good intentions for the occupants of the bed.
Her hands moving slowly below the sheets, Alice focused on the form moving towards them.
“Lux,” she breathed, and the candles in the room were immediately lit. The intruder froze in fear as soon as the room was illuminated, the silver blade in their hand immediately coming into view. “Flumine!” Alice shouted as she sat up, a surge of water slamming into the intruder and throwing them against the wall.
Matheus sat up with a shout at the sudden commotion, his eyes flashing with confusion as he looked around. Instantly spotting the intruder pinned up against the wall, he lurched to his feet and stood in front of his mate. It only took a moment for them to recognize their potential assailant.
“Veronica,” Matheus growled, his eyes flashing murderously as he moved towards the girl. “You were…” His eyes landed on the blade beside the girl, his entire form shaking with rage.
“Who told you to do this, Veronica?” Alice demanded, moving to stand beside her mate, knowing full well that the girl was manipulative and controlling, but not malicious enough to plan such an attack herself.
“N-No one!” Veronica gasped, squirming as her watery bindings held her in place. “This was all my plan!” Her eyes were bright red and panicked as Alice lifted up the knife.
“A servant of your standing would never be able to acquire a silver blade with this much power ingrained in it. This is dark magic, and you do not have that level of power,” Alice snapped, her hands sparkling with energy as she placed the blade down on the counter.
“I wasn’t working with anyone! I bought the blade!” Veronica cried, earning a frown from Alice, who shook her head.
There were very few people in the world who could make such a blade. Those who could were powerful magicians or witches who would be unwilling to work with someone of such little standing as Veronica.
“No, you had an accomplice,” Alice glared, her eyes dark as she moved closer to the woman and glared. Magic sparkled in her hands as she thought of how to get the woman to talk, but her expertise had never been in interrogation. “I might not be able to get the information out of you, but you’re weak, Veronica. You won’t last long under the torturer’s blade,” she hissed, pulling back and resting her hand on her mate’s arm.
Matheus was trembling beside her, hurt and anger on his features as he moved to the doorway and shouted for the guards. Alice had never seen him so shaken. He trusted and adored his servants and the fact that someone would betray his trust in such a fashion after he had done so much for them had to be devastating for him.
Veronica was shuddering with fear as the guards streamed in. Alice released her magical bindings and allowed them to restrain her instead. Moving up to Matheus as the guards dragged Veronica away, Alice kissed his shoulder gently.
“Are you alright?” she whispered, kissing his neck and trailing her fingers over his side. He nodded, looking distant and angry as he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“That knife wasn’t meant for just me,” he muttered, pressing his face to her neck. “She was on your side of the bed. That blade was laced with an enchantment so that it could kill a witch, as well as a vampire.”
Alice frowned and nodded, pressing her face to his neck and kissing his shoulder. She had figured as much when she saw the blade, but it made sense that whoever wanted Matheus dead wanted her gone as well. A vengeful, grief-driven witch was a powerful enemy to make.
“It will be OK. We’ll find out who convinced her to do this, and we’ll make sure that they never get the chance to try it again,” she whispered, cradling her mate in her arms and letting out a relieved sigh when he kissed her on the lips.
“He’ll regret trying to harm my family,” Matheus growled. “No one crosses me like this and gets away with it. Whoever tried this will have hell to pay.” His voice was low, filled with a hatred that she had never before heard from him.
Resting her hand on her lover’s back, Alice kissed his shoulder gently. She would protect him and their unborn child no matter what she had to do. No one was going to harm her family.