Blake, The Vampire King

"What's gotten his pants in a twist?" Maria asked bluntly when everyone chorused a quick "nothing" when she had asked what she might have done to upset her supposed mate. "He has not been feeding," the one who had been introduced to her as Andreas, a Greek god who was none other than Kelly's mate, let out simply.

"Why?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"He doesn't want to hurt you inadvertently," he shrugged at her.

"Not sure I understand," her frown deepened, and her eyes narrowed at the man.

"Drinking the blood of someone other than your mate's is considered cheating in our book," was the sole explanation she got from a redhead who was supposedly Blake's protégée - Felicity. Sensing herself about to break down into sobs, she left the table in haste.

She sensed someone coming after her, and guessed it might be Kelly who was willing to comfort and console her. She didn't stop until she reached the luxurious bedroom she had woken up in -the one she had shared with a total stranger last night. A stranger who hadn't touched her despite them being mates... she choked on her sob.

"How could I be so horrible not to notice how pale he looked in the morning?" She asked, addressing no one in particular.

"It's not your fault," her bubbly friend tried to soothe her.

"It is. It is. It is!" She exclaimed as she hugged the pillow to her face, and inhaled some of his intoxicating scent.

The scent, albeit one she was not accustomed to, calmed her and aroused her at the same time.

A few seconds of pregnant silence stretched between them and before long the door to the bedroom opened and Anastasia and Felicity entered.

"Mom," the first one called out while the second called her by her name.

"I'm such a horrible mate, aren't I?" She asked out of the blue, sniffling loudly.

"Oh Maria, you're the best thing that ever happened to Blake," came Felicity's attempt at reassuring her.

"Dad has eyes only for you," her daughter told her as she caressed her hair in a loving gesture.

"Maria," Kelly began in a serious tone, "You're going to become the queen soon. You cannot show such weakness at the court!"

"Who died and made you the boss?" Maria tried to joke.

"I'm serious."

"Yeah, she's right," Felicity supplied.

"I know nothing about the protocol and the etiquette and whatnots... how am I to know how to behave?" She sighed. "I don't remember a thing, girls. Please keep that in mind."

Her voice sounded resigned even to her own ears as she wiped her face with a handkerchief.

"I think I should spend more time with him. Where is he?"

"Now's not a good time," Felicity said. "Those three vampires that were with him were The Michaelis siblings. And they're not here for a cutesy call."

"May I know one thing?" Maria asked him without preamble after she waltzed into the study.

Her vision was blurry with tears as she looked into his handsome face for some reason.

"Anything," he rasped out.

"Why is it that you never said the L-word to me, not once since I woke up amnesic?" She bit on her lower lip to punctuate her words.

"Who said I ever said it to you to begin with?" Was his calm retort.

"But everybody says you love me and I'm your mate," a frown settled on her features.

"You're more - so much more than just my mate, Maria. You're the reason I'm still alive today. And I don't merely love you, I'm crazy about you," he deadpanned.

"Why must you be so adamant about saying the word?" She let out on a sigh.

"Because the last time I said it to someone dear, she ended up dead in the afternoon."

"Who is that?" for some reason, it pained her to know whoever he had loved before had such a big impact on him.

"My mother."

Her eyes that had been full to the brim with tears spilled their contents. "I may not know you, but I now know that you're probably the best thing that ever happened to me," she let out in a hoarse voice.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," he knitted his eyebrow together in a frown. "I'm an impure vampire with a big heavy luggage. I'm not worthy of you."

She simply rolled her eyes at him. "Don't be silly."

She came up with a knife she had been carrying on the tray of food she had brought. And Blake was quick to use his telekinesis on it to make it fly across the room.

"What do you think you're doing, Maria?" He let out coldly.

"Nothing," she rolled her eyes at him. "Andreas told me you needed to drink blood. I thought you'd want mine seeing as I'm your mate."

"Oh, cara!"

She didn't have the heart to tell him not to call her that.

"Come here," he beckoned her with his hand.

She came closer to him, and he brought her hand up to his mouth for him to drop a kiss on the back of her hand. Then on the inside of her wrist.

He inhaled deeply then dropped her hand.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I can smell your fear," he said simply as if that explained everything.

"I'm not afraid of you as a vampire... although god only knows I should be,” she admitted in a low tone.

He cocked an eyebrow at her in question.

"I'm afraid of not being enough."

"You're my mate, Maria. How can you not be enough?"

"I don't know." If she had been capable of blushing, she would have.

"You're all I have ever needed, still need and will need."

"Please, don't kill yourself then. Drink!" How she went from a pleading to a commanding tone in such a short time amazed him. It showed in the smirk he flashed her. "Ana needs her father, the gang their sire, and your people their leader." "Don't you?" He asked a bit brokenly.

"Just drink, Blake," was all she said as she offered him her hand again.

The blood flowing in her veins called to the beast within him and he was soon biting into the soft flesh of her wrist.

Sure, the puncture itself hurt, but nothing else did, and nothing else mattered to Maria but the man drinking her blood to sustain himself.

He was beautiful.

He was handsome.

And he was all hers, according to what everybody told her.

Already, she could feel him growing on her. If only she had more time, she was sure she'd fall for him. There was no doubt about it.