I felt my face turning bright red at the look Michael was giving me, the promise in his eyes drawing me into his trap, unable to get away.
Hearing a throat clearing behind me, the spell Michael had me under was broken, and I spun around to see Viktor leaning forward in his chair, his entire being focused entirely on me. "I don't know what the future holds for any of us, and that fact makes me antsier than anything else; however, there is no doubt in my mind when it comes to my place in your life. Knights don't have mating bonds, no sure thing telling me that you are mine and I am yours. But I don't need it to know how I feel about you."
Coming to his feet, not giving me any chance to get my bearings from that passionate speech for the Head of House Van Helsing, Viktor approached me and dropped to his knee.
"But unlike the others, I don't need something telling me what I already know. I am yours. My sword is yours to wield, my men yours to command, my body your shield. In this life and any lives hereafter, I am yours. Will you be my Lady?"
He knelt there, unmoving, as he held up a beautiful diamond with a shield of the House Van Helsing etched into the very center. Silver metal hugged the stone to the band, and while it might look delicate enough to snap if touched wrong, this was Van Helsing silver.
I just had to figure out how something so beautiful turned into the weapon I knew it to be. The silversmiths didn't make anything that couldn't double as a weapon.
"He's waiting for an answer," murmured Sasha, coming to stand beside me. His words snapped me out of my daze.
"Yes," I said, holding out my left hand so he could slip his symbol onto it. "I will be your Lady… and your monster."
As soon as the warm ring touched my skin, it shifted until it was the perfect size for me. It seemed to throb for a second before sending out a strand of silver. Viktor reached forward, his left hand outstretched as the silver from my ring wrapped itself around his own ring finger.
Viktor's band wasn't anywhere near as delicate and intricate as mine; it was a simple silver band, but looking at it on his finger meant the world to me.
Seeing me staring at his finger, Viktor stood up and shot Michael a look. "Clearly, there is a new favorite now."
---
Sasha placed a gentle on Natalia's forehead before backing away to give her and Viktor some space.
Everyone seemed to be able to offer their Queen something… an eternal bond, a mark, a ring. But Sasha didn't have any of that. Sure, he could go out to the nearest jewelry store and buy her a diamond, but it would pale in comparison to what Viktor had just given her.
He also didn't have the Head's ability to manipulate silver, so anything he created for her would just look… childish. Nothing he could do could compare to Viktor…
So why did she even need him?
As if reading his thoughts, Greyson and Levi walked over to the corner Sasha was now standing in, offering them one of the beers from their hands.
"Comparisons never go well," grunted Levi as he took a swing from his beer. His eyes never left the beautiful creature glowing under the attention of the five men around her—five men who, until a few weeks ago, were nothing more than myths and legends to him.
"They drink fancy liqueurs that probably cost more than my paycheck as a General," smiled Greyson, taking a sip of his own IPA.
"Their suits, even the cops', are probably more than my food bill for a year, including restaurants," continued Levi, a twisted grin on his face as he looked at Sasha.
"You have no idea," laughed Sasha, the tension in his shoulders lessening just a bit the more he spent near the two other military men. "The Van Helsing's suit is over $25,000, and the Demon's is probably twice that amount."
Sasha's belly laugh attracted everyone's attention as both Greyson and Levi spat out their beer. "Yeah, I don't think I'll ever be rich enough to drop that much on a single suit."
"I don't know. I'll ask you again in a few hundred years," chuckled Sasha, and Greyson shook his head.
"I don't care how old I get. I'm not buying a suit worth tens of thousands of dollars," replied the General, taking in another drink of beer.
"What are you guys talking about?" asked Natalia, coming over to the three men. "You seem to be having a good time."
Viktor and the other monsters trailed after her, like puppies following their owner. However, Sasha knew that even if he told them what he was thinking, they wouldn't mind being compared to puppies.
Well, except for the wolf.
"Suits," grunted Greyson, looking Nicholas up and down for a moment.
"Suits?" repeated Natalia as Levi stepped closer to her, pinning her between himself and Sasha.
"Yup," murmured Levi. "Suits… and how fast they can fall to the floor."
He smirked for a second before taking his woman's lips in his, his eyes practically rolling back in his head as he tasted her. She was nothing short of heaven.
Wrapping his arms around her, he flattened her against his chest, deepening the kiss and letting the rest of the world just melt away.
Sasha pressed against Natalia's back, not at all upset that her entire being was focused on his brother-husband. Instead, he dropped his head to her neck, pressing tiny kisses and nips up and down the column.
His attentions were rewarded when she pressed her ass into his pelvis, grinding herself against him.
Levi backed away just enough to let Natalia catch her breath. "I don't think this is the place for this," he said softly as their woman pressed her forehead against his chest, her breathing heavy.
"Then let's go someplace, that is," murmured Greyson, swooping in and picking Natalia up in his arms. He weaved between the other men and strolled confidently out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom.