The lunar eclipse had made our mating bond much more official then." The corners of his mouth curled up as the Vampire King watched her as a lion would a rabbit.

Upset at her failed attempts to save both herself and the Vampire King from doom closing in on them like a trap cage, Luna's jaws clenched as her eyes fixed down on her tattoos.

They were married in the eyes of the gods and goddesses, strengthening their blood bond.

They had these divine beings' protection, and their souls had been marked for eternity.

She knew what it meant.

If eons would pass and one of them ceased to exist as a vampire, the other mate will also draw his or her last breath with their beloved's name on their lips.

Their soul would reincarnate at the same place and time.

Regardless of their physical form, their soul would recognize the bond they had in their past lives.

They would cross-realm after realm, universe after universe, time after time.

Nothing can stop their fates from crossing each other's paths again.

Sensing both Apollyon's anticipation with a little hint of concern, Luna felt her anxiety grow.

She had dispatched demons—not just demons, but Archdemons—back to Hell by herself.

As a High Priestess, Luna thought she could break the Blood Bond—it was an ancient practice by mated vampires ever since the beginning of time.

She was powerful enough to break the Vampire King's curse.

She was strong enough to send Lux and Ravin back to Hell.

Why would she think the Blood Bond wasn't an exemption?

Apollyon had told her many times that this was forever—even the Archdemons knew about it.

When she was hailed as the new High Priestess, she took it in strides gracefully. Even Cederic was shocked at how easy Luna had made it seem as if she had been destined to be the High Priestess.

It wasn't her intention to dishonor the Goddess, but nobody else had helped her throughout this whole ordeal except herself.

She fought so hard for her freedom, and being chained by the Vampire King made her hackles rose.

Luna couldn't let down her guard.

It was just her instincts kicking in.

This Blood Bond was new territory for her.

Realizing she was as high-strung as a bow, she unclenched her fists as she tried to release the pressure in her body.

She breathed evenly, getting rid of the increasing tightness in her chest.

Why was she even acting stubborn?

Why did she keep on making the impossible possible?

There was nothing she can do.

Hubris can be her greatest downfall.

Why was she so afraid of being vulnerable with the Vampire King?

What was wrong with her new husband?

Apollyon was different from the Blood Beast to whom she had associated with personally—well, that was an understatement.

They did a lot of things.

Things she shouldn't be doing as the High Priestess.

As she felt the warm brush creeping on her cheeks, Apollyon tugged at her hand, and Luna was so lost in her thoughts that she had ignored the tugging.

This time, the Vampire King had tugged a strand of her playfully, trying to get her attention. "Beloved, I can sense that you are thinking about erotic thoughts but I'm right here in front of you and you are not looking at me."

Strong hands held her hips as the scent of his sweet, sweet blood--fresh and wild—washed over her. "Are you thinking about someone else?"

Luna didn't answer.

He could already sense their connection through the Blood Bond as Luna felt him probe the corners of her mind gently.

She didn't feel threatened by it--but if only a little bit invasive.

Luna couldn't force herself to speak because the Vampire King will know if she had lied to appease him.

"The Blood Beast then?" She witnessed how Apollyon's eyes turned glacial in seconds. The chill of his words sent shivers down her spine, death swirling into those blue depths. "What am I even doing here with you, Luna?"

"Apollyon," Luna shouted, seizing hold of his arm when he distanced himself.

Fascinated by the ruthless beauty of him, the Vampire King she dared call her husband, she had nearly forgotten what she was supposed to ask.

"Can I—" There was audible stress in her voice and tone, but she summoned the courage to do it.

Luna was sweating profusely; it was unbecoming for a queen.

Showing affection to her new husband should be more comfortable than killing demons or destroying evil creatures.

'But what if he will reject you?'

She kept her gaze to the ground, and she murmured shyly. "I want to hug you, husband."

The Vampire King's face was expressionless, but Luna sensed his relief and delight in her mind.

Tugging her against his body, the Vampire King wrapped his arms around her back while Luna interlocked her hands behind his neck.

Apollyon had hugged her too tightly that her breasts were trapped in between.

Her toes curled as the pleasure started to bloom in her stomach.

She couldn't deny that it made her feel protected and secure.

His embrace made her feel like she was safe.

The Vampire King then pressed his lips to the tip of her ear. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Luna said, drawing back enough so that she could look into his blue eyes and tell him that she meant her words. "I will try to love you, my King."

Apollyon's lips had kissed away her words with a slow thoroughness that had her forgetting her name, her body warming with a quiet, luscious sense of anticipation.

He drew back with a hot sexual promise in his blue eyes, and she licked her lips to get a taste of his kiss once again.

"Don't try it, wife." The Vampire King murmured huskily. "Do it."

"Will you do the same?" Even Luna herself was caught off-guard by her sudden question.

Luna just blurted it out, and she almost prayed she could take that back.

"Hmm." The Vampire King said noncommittally, gently gripping at the curve where her neck met her shoulder.

It was apparent to her why she was afraid of the Vampire King--why she was so afraid of losing her control.

It terrified her how addicted she could become to him.

His body.

His blood.

His soul.

All of him.

The only thing that made it tolerable was that his hunger, too, was a raw, near-violent craving.

Luna knew because she could feel a hint of his current emotions at the back of her mind.

Pride made her crumpled her face into a scowl. "Do I have your word?"

High Priestess, we are already married." The Vampire King's face was a mask, watchful, unbreakable.

He wasn't revealing any of his cards at all.

Luna wondered if he had been playing with her all along.

"So, your answer was a yes?" Luna smiled sincerely. Her grief at his refusal to even say the affirmation was buried under a wave of hope.

She fisted a dagger and pressed it not-so-gently on his left rib to add a flair of drama.

Luna couldn't believe she was threatening him now.

Was she so desperate to own him completely?

"Let us go to where the currents will lead us." Apollyon's moist lips curled in amusement as he looked down at the dagger in her hand, and Luna glared at him in frustration.

She said she would try he best, but when she asked him, Apollyon dodged her requests.

Where is justice?

"Calm down. You are scary when you threaten me like that." Apollyon rested his forehead against hers.

His hands slid up and down her arms, and his breath sent a cool breeze to her lips. "It makes me wonder if you are also dominant in the bedroom."

Luna rolled her eyes and ignored him altogether as she turned her attention to the hoard of soldiers standing in front of the Castle's walls.

Apollyon held her chin and forced her to face him once again, pinning her with a branding gaze—a gaze of ownership—and his other hand clutched her elbow as if he had caught his primary target. "You are important to me, wife."

"Good." There was deep warmth that came from knowing she was essential to the Vampire King.

In the faint light, Luna could see the crowd slowly breaking out from the groups.

Cruel, sensual lips against her cheek, her jaw, and the Vampire King growled over the noise interrupting them. "I forgot we weren't alone in here."

"I should probably hide you away now for our honeymoon." He grimaced, fixing his attention on the mob of people who watched the whole debacle.

Stepping away from his embrace, Luna pushed him off her, willing her body to stop readying itself for a penetration she would never allow. "I agree."

Apollyon shouted at the guards surrounding them. "Establish curfew."

Then to her, he said, "We need to get out of here."

Apollyon bolted across the courtyard with her elbow in his grasp, her feet tangling in the damp fabric of her skirts, slowing her down.

Luna thought he would keep going and drag her like a mother would do to a petulant child in a crowded market, but he paused and turned around to check up on her in an instant.

Snatching up the train of her skirt, The Vampire King tore the thick fabric as quickly as if it were paper and tossed them on the ground.

"Your legs are tempting me but we better move fast so I would be the only one to see them." He covered her exposed thighs from the gaze of the masses, grabbed hold of her wrist, and they teleported.