"I will kill him with my bare hands if he does." He got inside and gunned the engine.

The elf just managed to jump in beside him as the car took off. "Your lady is smart. She will hold him off."

Valdemar changed gear viciously. "Yes but for how long?" He had total faith in Aureliann but he knew how hard evil was to fend off. At the furious rate he drove, they were at the castle in no time. The car was still moving as Valdemar threw himself out and ran up the stairs. "Please G.o.d, do not allow anything to happen to her." After a thorough search with the elves scouring every nook and cranny, Aureliann and Victor were nowhere to be found.

"d.a.m.n it!" Valdemar wanted to hit someone but only his trusted elves were at his side and he would never harm them. Thomas appeared. Valdemar filled him in on what had happened. He confirmed with the prince that he had not seen or heard anything of Aureliann since their earlier meeting.

"Maybe Victor has her already." Thomas looked grim at the thought.

Valdemar refused to believe that. I would know if Aureliann was in trouble. "No, the elves would not allow that." That at least was one thing he could hold on to. The elves would have fought to the death and the evidence of that would splatter the castle walls. And there was not so much as an overturned chair. So where are they? Valdemar slapped his forehead. Of course. "They have gone to the tavern." Aureliann being Aureliann would do the exact opposite of what she was told. While Valdemar loved that stubborn streak, he feared it would get her killed.

"I agree." Thomas nodded his head. "But Aureliann is with the elves." "Who I think are less scary than Aureliann." That at least boded well.

"Uh-oh." Bill slammed down his tankard of ale and looked across the crowded room.

"What?" Were the elves finally drunk or sick? b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l they could drink. Aureliann had sat on her one drink for at least an hour. She was too hyped up and amused by her surroundings. Elves, giants, vampires and what appeared to be normal human beings laughed and drank and fell down when they had pa.s.sed their limits.

"The prince is here."

"b.u.g.g.e.r." Up until then she had been having the best time. Aureliann was amazed how many women approached the elves with a come-hither-and-take-me look in their eyes. It had intrigued Aureliann. But then there was something that was s.e.xy about self-confidence and the elves had it in spades. The three of them now looked at her in warning.

"This is all your fault remember."

"Yeah, yeah I twisted your girly arms and made you come." Aureliann watched him walk toward. A wild chill shot down her spine. If it had only been the difference in his clothing then Aureliann would have thought nothing of it but it was more than that. Aureliann knew instantly it was not Valdemar who approached her.

Physically he looked the same but his body language was that of a stranger. The arrogance in his walk and the hard gleam in his eyes were foreign to her.

"Victor," she murmured low. The elves instantly downed their tankards and closed ranks around her.

"Stop stamping your feet under the table and act cool." Aureliann wanted to see what his plan was. It was very c.o.c.ky of him to approach her like this. Would he pretend to be Valdemar or admit his true ident.i.ty?

"I want to beat his scrawny a.s.s," Bill spat out in an evil, low voice.

"Rip his tongue out," Binky cracked his knuckles.

Bob nodded. "And shove it up his-"

"I said cool it for G.o.d's sake." Victor was almost upon them. "Follow my lead and no shoving things anywhere yet." Her companions looked at her in disappointment. "Just do it. We have a kingdom to protect."

Chapter Twelve.

"My beloved, I'm sorry I took so long to come here."

Sc.u.mbag, pus bucket. Be cool. "Is Victor dead?" Aureliann felt rather than saw the elves' eyes upon her. She knew how she reacted would lead the elves.

"He is dead and will bother us no more."

Aureliann bit down on the anger within her. I would know if Valdemar was dead. I know I would. What game was Victor playing and what did he expect to gain from her? "Pond sc.u.m like Victor needed to be destroyed.

He was an evil b.a.s.t.a.r.d." Aureliann was pleased when she saw the angry gleam in his eye. She felt one of the elves kick her under the table. Another winked at her while another one belched loudly in Victor's face.

A sudden thought jumped into Aureliann's mind. She remembered Thomas' words about Victor dying instantly if he so much as grazed her skin due to her being bonded to his cousin. That gave Aureliann an idea. As much as she loathed Victor, she needed to entice him to bite her. Aureliann sweetly at him. I hate him. I want him dead. This must finish here.

Victor had not believed his eyes when he saw the woman. He had run into the tavern to catch his breath and think what to do next. The castle was not far but he had to be careful of capture. He needed a plan to get there and in without attracting too much attention. The woman was exactly what he needed. She was the key to the castle and to defeat Valdemar. Victor winced with disgust as the elf belched in his face. How did his cousin put up with them? Victor had not been pleased to see the elves. They were vicious little b.a.s.t.a.r.ds. He planned to ignore them as best he could and concentrate on the woman. That she actually believed he was her sap of a cousin was perfect. At first he had thought that odd as previously she had known straight away he wasn't. But then maybe s.e.x and love must have rattled her brain. And she was human. They were not known to be smart. Whatever. It did not matter. She was his and he was going to use her to kill Valdemar. Life was picking up.

"Let's go home, my beloved." Victor held out her hand to him.

"Yes, of course," Aureliann murmured, her hand reaching out for his.

"They were here. She left with the elves and, well, you." The barkeep of the Tavern looked at Valdemar in confusion. "She didn't look like she was coerced," he added as it dawned on him what had happened.

"d.a.m.n! Are we always going to be one step behind him?"

"At least the elves were with her," Thomas pointed out. "Aureliann is a smart woman."

Valdemar sighed. "Maybe too smart." That kind of intelligence got people into trouble.

"You should have used your power to get you here quicker." Thomas looked at him knowingly. "Victor did not inherit the same power as you so he is on foot. We have the advantage so let's use it."

Valdemar cursed himself. "You know I want to remain as normal as possible." He slammed his fist on a nearby table. That stupid idea of his may have killed Aureliann. "Back to the castle." He waved his hand and they disappeared.

"Leave," Aureliann whispered to the elves. What she planned to do was her own choice and she wasn't about to drag anyone else into trouble. She knew the risks. Her plan might fail. Maybe Thomas had been wrong. Maybe Victor would get angry and kill her. He hated Valdemar. It was only logical he would try to destroy the one his cousin loved. Valdemar was the reason she was going to take Victor on. She wanted him to have everything he was due. If she had to tangle with Victor then so be it. At this moment, Victor had left her in Valdemar's quarters before storming off to terrorize the household staff into doing his bidding.

The elves shook their heads and stood arms crossed in defiance. "No. We will not leave."

"It's going to get ugly." Victor was ugly. Even though he was the spitting image of Valdemar, there was an ugliness that could not be hidden.

Bob snorted. "We were handling ugly before you were born, sister."

They were so sweet. In their own peculiar, taciturn way they were trying to tell her they cared. "I'm going to start stripping off my clothes fairly soon." She did not need to see that, along with the desire to harm Valdemar, Victor wanted her. Aureliann planned to use that to her own advantage. The only thing she had to make sure of was she kept control of the situation. If she acted as she would with Valdemar then hopefully she could lull Victor into a false sense of security.

Her companions looked her up and down. "Yeah, so?"

"So, no free show for you. Besides it will look odd if you stay." Aureliann explained to the elves what Thomas had told her. "I need him to bite me."

"Good plan but we cannot leave you." Bill's tone was adamant.

Binky agreed. "We are honor bound to protect you."

"Besides I have fifty dollars on whether or not you have a tattoo on your a.s.s," Bob added.

They were in possible grave peril and the elves were more interested in art on her a.s.s. Aureliann shook her head. "I mean it. Leave. Stand outside with your ear to the door if you must." Actually knowing they would be ready to help if she needed was comforting. "But I need Victor to believe I think he is Valdemar."

"Prince Valdemar has a tattoo on his a.s.s."

"Yes, I know. I've seen it." And I am doing what I must to make sure I see that gorgeous a.s.s again.

"So no tatt on your a.s.s?" Binky sounded disappointed.

"No." She walked to the door, indicating they needed to leave.

"Ha! I win." Bob was jubilant. "Pay up, suckers." Elves cursed as money changed hands.

"Take it outside."

"Yell if you need anything and we will come in and kill him." They all nodded. "It's our duty."

They were terribly sweet in an unusual way. Aureliann was starting to see why women were so interested in them. "And I am glad you are here. By the way, why would you think I had a tattoo?"

"You look the type."

"Huh?" What did that mean?

"Wild and s.e.xy."

Before Aureliann could respond, the door flew open, making them all jump back to avoid being hit.

"Leave us!" Victor roared at elves.

"Yeah, we're going but we are never far away."

"Detestable creatures." Victor walked over to the woman. He had no doubt his dear cousin would soon be here to save his woman. In the meantime Victor wanted to taste what he coveted. "I am glad we are alone, my dear." That she thought he was Valdemar meant she would not resist him until it was too late and the pain started hitting her. Victor enjoyed torturing the women he had s.e.x with. It made it more exciting for him. And this one with her lush curves would be an excellent toy.

"I long for moments like this." Aureliann licked her lips in a slow, seductive motion. She unb.u.t.toned her blouse and dropped it to the floor. Aureliann ran her fingers over her lace-covered nipples. Her eyes locked with his.

Victor felt his c.o.c.k harden as he watched the path of her tongue. That particular instrument would soon be on his c.o.c.k and he planned to f.u.c.k those b.r.e.a.s.t.s hard. He smiled, thinking how angry she would be when she eventually worked out he was not her beloved.

"You know what I need." Aureliann pushed the hair off her neck and angled her neck toward him. "You know how hot and crazy I get after you bite and suck me. You know I can't control what I do."

Really? Interesting. This was going to be better than he thought. His cousin's woman was a wanton s.l.u.t. "Do it," she urged. "Make me wild for you."

"Aureliann does not have a tattoo on her a.s.s," Bob added after they had confirmed with Valdemar that she was inside his quarters with Victor.

Valdemar narrowed his eyes at the elves. "How would you know?" He had arrived only seconds before and was ready to rush in and save Aureliann. The elves' statement took him aback. He knew the woman he loved was not one to drop her pants for just anyone.

"She told us."

"I don't even want to know how that conversation came about." Valdemar charged to the door. He pushed on it. It was locked.

"Your lady is in there getting Victor excited enough to bite her," Binky added helpfully then backed off when he saw the angry scowl on his prince's face.

Valdemar rounded on them. "What?"

"Smart girl. Well done." Thomas smiled in delight. "Aureliann remembered what I told her about Victor being unable to take his cousin's bonded mate. She plans to poison him."

Valdemar wasn't as happy with that scenario as his mentor was. Anything that put his love at risk was not acceptable to him. He waved his hand and the door unlocked. Valdemar did not care what the plan was or if he ruined it. He was determined his cousin would not touch her in any way. Valdemar kicked the door with booted force. "Victor!" he roared angrily when he saw his cousin's hands on Aureliann.

"Too late, cousin. She is mine." Victor sank his fangs into her neck.

Aureliann flinched as Victor's mouth touched the skin of her neck. She wanted to gag but she knew she had to let him bite in order to kill him. She gasped as his fangs sank into her flesh. This was not the gentle, loving bite of Valdemar. This was an angry, black-hearted man who wanted a princely lifestyle he believed should be his. Aureliann saw Valdemar rush at them. She closed her eyes as a wave of pain hit. That he was there gave her hope and she told herself to hang on. Aureliann opened her eyes again and kept them on the man she loved. Before Valdemar could reach her, Aureliann felt Victor stagger against her. Excellent. Poison was indeed a woman's weapon of choice. Aureliann stepped back as her captor's arms weakened their hold.

As she did Victor stumbled to his knees.

"What's happening?" Victor's words were thick and slurred as he scratched at the ground, trying to find the strength to rise to his feet.

The elves surrounded him. "You're screwed, d.i.c.khead."

"It's simple karma, cousin." Valdemar looked down at him. "You tried to take what was not yours and you have paid the price." He stepped over him to take Aureliann in his arms.

She collapsed against him, feeling strangely lightheaded. Aureliann looked up at the man she loved. "I did good?" His opinion meant more to her than anything.

"You did better than good. You were fantastic, though I am not crazy how you went about it." Valdemar's hands ran over her face and down to her neck. He winced when he saw the bite mark. He pressed his fingers against it to slow the stream of blood. "Are you okay?"

"Aureliann is pale because of the reaction to the bite." Thomas looked at them kindly. "She will be okay once she has rested."

"What about me?" Victor squealed in his death throes.

If he had been any other human being Aureliann would have been on her knees trying to help him. But he was not human and he was beyond redemption.

"You're dying, pus bucket, because you are an evil sod who deserves no less." She saw the elves nod in agreement. Aureliann did not fight Valdemar as he picked her up and cradled him to her.

"Lovely, don't ever disobey me, okay?"

"Sure." Maybe. Possibly. It would depend on the circ.u.mstance and how her hormones were running.

"You're lying." Valdemar shook his head and smiled.