House of Judges (House of Royals Book 4)

House of Judges (House of Royals Book 4) Read Free Page A

Book: House of Judges (House of Royals Book 4) Read Free
Author: Keary Taylor
Ads: Link
myself.
    Raheem comes to crouch in front of me. He brings a hand to my cheek, forcing me to look him in the eye. “You are innocent. Of this, I know. And of this, your House knows.”
    “No,” I counter, shaking my head. “They don’t. They think I did this.”
    “Not all of them,” he says. “I’ve been in contact this entire time with Dr. Jarvis. They are working tirelessly to gather evidence in your favor.”
    My lower lip quivers as the tears that have been pooling in my eyes break free. “They are?”
    He nods. “You haven’t lost them all, Alivia.”
    I sniff, looking away from him as I wipe the tears from my face. I don’t want to be this crying, terrified girl. But everything has been taken away. I am stripped to the bare bones. And I am left with very, very little.
    “Why don’t you go take a shower?” Raheem says as he stands. “Eat something. We don’t have long before someone might come looking for you, but we do have a few minutes.”
    I nod, letting the numb fog take me over once again at the thought of returning to the prison. I climb to my feet and head for the door Raheem points to across the room. Behind it, I find a massive bathroom.
    Black walls stretch high and grand. Two chandeliers hang from the ceiling. Red accents are splashed here and there, highlighted by gold. Absentmindedly, I peel my disgusting clothes off, taking in the grandness of it all.
    Movement to my left catches my eye, and I turn to find a mirror. Huge in size, floor to ceiling, rimmed in intricate gold patterns. But it’s myself I can’t look away from.
    Already, my body looks thinner. My arms spindlier. The gap between my thighs growing wider. My cheekbones more prominent. The change would probably be unnoticeable to human eyes, but to my enhanced vampire ones, it’s certainly there.
    But it’s the veins that draw my attention first. Black, inflamed veins spread around my eyes, tracing down my cheeks, stretching toward my neck. Before just a few minutes ago, it had been over a week since I’d last had blood. I’m still practically a newborn vampire. I have to feed. Or I begin to waste away.
    As I study myself, though, I see the blackness begin to dissipate, easing back. My body has been fed, sated for the moment.
    I take one last look at my disgusting, dirty, naked body before I turn for the shower.
    Hot water cascades down my frame, washing away dirt and grime and blood. I haven’t had the luxury of a shower since I was back at the House of Conrath. And, oh, how I have missed being clean.
    When I exit the shower, I find clean clothes folded on the counter. Black slacks and a dark blue sweater. I smile in appreciation at Raheem’s thoughtfulness and pull everything on.
    Using just my fingers, I comb through my hair and let it hang loose.
    “Are you hungry?” A crack in the bathroom door opens and Raheem’s face appears.
    A little smile pulls on my lips, and I nod.
    A simple spread waits for us on the kitchen table when I walk out. Exotic cheeses and flat bread. Dehydrated fruits and nuts. Two plates and two glasses of water.
    “Thank you,” I say sincerely as I sit on one side when Raheem pulls my chair out for me. “For everything.”
    “You are a Royal,” he says as he pushes the serving plate in my direction. “Some of us at the castle haven’t forgotten that.”
    I shake my head as I gather food onto my plate. “It isn’t just that. You always offer exactly everything that I need. I don’t know how you always manage it, but you do.”
    And I look up just as I finish speaking, just in time to catch the flicker of pain that darts across his face.
    Need.
    Not long ago Raheem and I kissed, very passionately, and then had a discussion about what we were. He had pinned us exactly. Just need. Not love.
    Need.
    A fissure opens up in my chest, running right down the center of me.
    I have to tell him.
    I have to be honest.
    But I want to throw up just thinking about it.
    “I have to tell you

Similar Books

The Arcanist

Greg Curtis

Of Sea and Cloud

Jon Keller

The Monarch

Jack Soren

No Choice but Surrender

Meagan McKinney

The House at Royal Oak

Carol Eron Rizzoli

Whisper of Scandal

Nicola Cornick