Try as he might, Jake couldn't hold back the jaw-stretching yawn as he stepped out of the elevator on the executive level. It seemed that the young queen enjoyed working late into the day, much like her grandfather had. And much like her grandfather, she had her vices.

Nolan Wes had been well known for his taste of expensive bourbon and exclusive wines. It was the refined taste of a refined man. Valentina, however, preferred energy drinks and sour candy.

Juvenile as her tastes were, Jake was happy to collect the items for her. The night after he figured out her favorite kinds, he had an entire case of both ordered. Since the energy drink itself was only available in America, he took advantage of the two days for it to arrive and had a secret miniature fridge installed in her wall display where Lord Wes used to hide his most expensive liquors. The look she'd given him when he showed her was something he would savor for the rest of his life.

Tonight, though, she was going to have to settle for what was available in Paris. The next delivery got stuck in customs on the way out of the United States and wouldn't arrive for another few days. Jake had made a note to himself to take a few hours and set up a better distribution deal with the company. He wouldn't want his one favor with his new queen to dry up. The brief moment they had at her coronation was long gone, replaced by her irritation with his mere constant presence as well as her own lack of control over the situation.

Fair enough. The advisors had been quite frustrated as well when they realized they couldn't fire him either. He had both one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, as well as the most secure job in the world. Absolutely no one expected that one.

Jake knocked on the door once to let her know he'd returned and stepped inside. Val sat almost exactly how she had before he left, leaning back with one knee pulled up to her chest while the other foot gently rocked the chair back and forth. A blank expression on her face as she stared out at the city and twisted the ring on her forefinger.

Whatever she had learned from the gathering clearly had her distracted. Or maybe scared? In the month since her coronation, she'd gotten better at hiding her emotions and closing herself off. But he'd never seen her like this. "Do you need anything else, your majesty?" he asked after placing the drink and package of candy on the only part of the desk not covered in files or other paperwork.

Val didn't answer at first. She took the can, cracked it open, and took a long sip. The smell of sugar and caffeine hit him, and his nose scrunched subconsciously. Curiosity had gotten the better of him once. He knew energy drinks didn't exactly have a high standard for taste, but the brand she preferred was a bizarre combination of grapefruit and something reminiscent of pine trees. How she could knock back two, or even three cans in a night was beyond him.

"Can I ask you something, Major?" she finally asked in a quiet, yet steady voice.

"Of course, your majesty," he answered. She still didn't look at him, her eyes glazed over and not really seeing the stunning view before her. Jake took the chance to openly stare at his queen. Her eyes were beautiful in the filtered light of the sun. A soft, bright blue as if she'd stolen a piece of the sky.

"Am I doing the right thing?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

His response must have snapped her out of her daze as she blinked a few times and looked up at him, almost surprised to see him. "My apologies, Major, you must be exhausted. Please, sit."

"Thank you, your grace," he made a short bow of respect and sat in one of the chairs across from her.

"Please, it's just us. You can call me Val."

"That would be inappropriate, your grace."

She raised an eyebrow and her lips curled up in a sly smile. "More inappropriate than disobeying a request of your queen?"

There she was. The shadow of the feisty young woman he knew was still in there. He smiled back and raised his hands in defeat. "Very well. But only if you drop my title in return and just call me Jake."

She relaxed back into the chair and looked back out at the city. "Back to my question, then, Jake. Am I doing the right thing by negotiating peace with Aarón Guerrero?"

Well... he hadn't expected that. Though he couldn't blame her. No one approved of that. Maybe she was looking for validation, maybe she was looking for a reason to go back on her word. Either way... "It's not my place to have an opinion."

"And yet you have one," her eyebrow rose a little higher. "I'm not asking for advice, Jake. What you tell me doesn't change the fact that it's happening. I want to know your thoughts."

"I do have an opinion, just like everyone else," Jake let out a long, heavy breath. "And just like everyone else... I'm not happy. I think it's a mistake. But, unlike everyone else, my reasons have nothing to do with Lord Wes or his majesty Moureaux, may they rest in peace. My reasons are selfish and petty. I do not wish to burden you with a story that has nothing to do with the decisions you make."

"All the more reason to tell me. You will be at my side during talks with the lycanthrope. I need to know what baggage you bring into the room. That is... if you're comfortable telling me."

He didn't answer for a long time. So long that Val was certain he was going to say anything. That was in his right, but she was still disappointed. But then he let out another sigh. "There was a woman," he said slowly. "She was one of my subordinates and one hell of a soldier. She was dragged into the conflict and..."

He stopped and shook his head. Understanding dawned on Val, and her heart sank. "You mean Danika Schell," she breathed. "The one assigned to spy on Guerrero."

"She was drunk," Jake snarled, his eyes flaring red suddenly. "When the alpha mutt got a whiff of her, he took advantage of her. She was caught up in the moment and made a dumb, drunken mistake. We all do it. She got lucky once, Lord Wes should have known better than to throw her back into a literal den of wolves. She hasn't been seen since before the Great Tragedy. I know she's dead, I know nothing will bring her back, and I know that peace between our breeds is the best thing for our people. But I loved Danika, and there is nothing I want more than to see that bastard at my feet with a silver bullet between his eyes!"

Val looked away from him, sucking in her bottom lip between her teeth. "Another victim of my grandfather's obsession," she whispered to no one in particular.

Instantly, Jake regretted his outburst. The loss he suffered was nothing compared to hers. Her grandfather, aunt, and all of her blood relatives, even the ones she didn't know about, had been targeted specifically and precisely by Guerrero. She was the only survivor of the massacre at the Dracula estate, and it was all on her shoulders to carry on the memories of two of the most important bloodlines in vampiric history.

"I'm sorry, Val," he said gently. "As I said, my reasons are my own. They are selfish. My loss does not compare to yours, and you are doing what is best for the kingdom. I swear on my life, I will not get in the way of that. If you would allow it, I want to help you become the queen you want to be."

The change was slight, and it could have been his imagination. Val continued to chew on her lip, avoiding his gaze, but her eyes narrowed just enough to change her expression from regret to deep thought. "Why are you here, Jake?"

Once again, he was confused by her question. "I am the head of your guard. Why wouldn't I be here?"

"That's sort of my point. I don't understand why I would need a member of my guard with me at all times of night and day."

"It is for your protection."

"Protection implies that my life is at risk."

"Those are my orders. One of either myself or my squad must be on duty at all times."

"Yes, but why?" She leaned back in her chair again and started tapping her ring on the lip of the can, making a gentle tink, tink, tink sound in a rhythm of threes. "I understand that when I leave the military compound, I should have a guard. Our authority and stability as a kingdom is fractured. We are in negotiations with King Guerrero, but we are not at peace with the werewolves, and they are still in civil upset themselves. The shifters are, in theory, our allies, but it is no secret that many of them were heavily influenced by Constantine's relationship with the dragons and my grandfather's influence. While I have yet to meet the elves, the fae, and leaders of the other ancient breeds, I think it's fair to say that I am far from safe outside these walls.

"But why are you here, now? The elevator and stairwell to this floor is limited to a handful of people. The building is full to the brim with the highest-ranking military officers, and we are surrounded by the barracks. This is the very center of the kingdom, if you will. I am, in theory, in the safest place I possibly can be. So, I ask again... why are you here?"

Jake leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and tried to mirror her relaxed posture and fighting against the smile tugging at his mouth. She was smarter than the advisors thought. He'd picked up on that the night they met, though none would believe it.

Taking her grandfather out of the equation, her father was a lawyer, and she'd spent several months learning who knows what from the Dracula family. Those rickety old men on her advisory board were idiots for thinking she was just some naïve little girl. "I follow the orders I am given," he told her truthfully. "But hypothetically speaking, the advisors could be seeing this situation as an opportunity."

"In what way?" she asked with a slight smile on her face. "Hypothetically, of course."

"Succession was chosen by his majesty Moureaux, so now you are queen in name. If something were to happen to you, your brother would be next in line. But he is a toddler, and your father would rule in his name until he was old enough to accept the crown. Your father is highly respected and is much harder to—with no disrespect intended—control. Hypothetically, it is in the best interest of the advisors to keep you on the throne, and work through you. In this hypothetical scenario, each of the five advisors are in competition with one another for what you might call 'true' power."

"Rhia said the same thing. In simple terms, he who controls the king, controls the kingdom." For the first time since his return, she turned her chair to give him her full attention. "In this hypothetical situation, and a coup did break out between the advisors, my protection would fall to you and your team. Where you take me for my 'safety' would decide heavily on who 'controls' me. So, hypothetically, who would you have me taken to?"

"Policy dictates my team and I take you to a military safehouse."

"Of which are under the command of General Taro Matsuda. Due to the deaths of Generals Grayson Corvus and Michael Kowalski, Taro is the commander in chief, so to speak. But that is what the policy dictates. So, Jake, this is the part where we leave hypothetical behind, and you tell me where you would actually take me?"

"I don't know, Val," he matched her light, playful tone but was well aware of the dangerous waters he was treading. "I like the realm of speculation. It's safe here."

"I can't fire you," she reminded him. "No one can. This job is appointed by the advisors and the only way out is death or resignation. He may have chosen me as his successor, but I am not Constantine. There is not a lot I can do if you tell me. I just want as few surprises as possible if, or rather when, it happens."

No... she was nothing like Constantine.

"Very well... General Matsuda is counting on my loyalty to the military and my honor to follow the policies that were laid out long before your ascension to the throne. Treasurer Hanson, on the other hand, has doubled my and my team's salaries under the table to ensure that we would take you to a safe house that he has specifically arranged in the case of a... misunderstanding... between the advisors."

"And the other three advisors?"

"Have all made their bribes, which we have accepted under the guise of loyalty. But Hanson has offered the most with the fewest downsides."

Val gave him an honest smile before tipping her head back and finishing off the can of toxic energy drink. Gods, she was pretty. Jake never thought he would be attracted to the "Hollywood" vampire look of pale skin and dark hair, but... she just pulled it off so well.

"Money weighs heavily in people's decisions," she mused. "You have money. Your family as a lot of money, which you stand to inherit regardless of what you do. So, without something to sweeten the pot, I could offer you all the money in the world and it wouldn't be enough."

She started tapping her ring on the side of the now empty can again, watching him intensely. For the first time, he saw the similarities between her and her grandfather beyond physical looks. She was sizing him up. Trying to decide if she could trust him or not. The gears in her head were carefully calculating her next move, and he was starting to wonder just how badly he and everyone else had underestimated her.

"Where does your father stand in this?" she then asked.

"My father?" It was Jake's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What does my father have to do with this?"

"Everything. Did you know that it was the Sassarman family that built the blood distribution network with Constantine and my grandfather? It started long before either of us were born, of course, but there is something I found very interesting. The Sassarman's have always been careful to keep their heads just low enough to stay out of Constantine's radar, while keeping their hands in many pots. Your father's logistics company is one of if not the largest in the world. There is hardly a trade deal in either human or ancient worlds that your family doesn't know about."

"Yes, but he is not an advisor."

"No man rules alone, Jake. There are keys to power, and currently I am standing at a locked door while everyone else is on the other side. I need allies. There is a lot I can offer your father, but before I can make such an offer, I need to know who I'm dealing with. My grandfather spoke highly of your father, grandfather, and beyond. Constantine made an effort to remember both your parents' birthdays, wedding anniversary, and so on. He may not be an advisor. But he is a key. One day, so will you."

Jake hesitated, and a moment of panic rose in Val's throat. Had she pushed too hard? Was she doing this all wrong? She needed this man on her side. If not, it would be damn near impossible to act on the plans she had brewing in her head.

But he did answer. "I have not spoken to my father about the political situation since my promotion. But I know he was distraught when he received the news of Lord Wes's death. More so than the death of the late king."

"Yeah, I've been told that a lot lately." Her eyes lost focus again for a brief moment, and she let out a nervous little laugh. "As a kid, I had no idea who he really was. I knew he was close to Constantine, but I didn't really know what that meant. It wasn't until I moved to Romania when I realized how... I guess, infamous he was. And it wasn't until after he was gone that I learned what kind of person he was to our people."

"He was a great man. And those words don't even come close to being good enough."

They sat in silence for a few minutes in respect for the dead. When she spoke again, there was a tremble to her voice that betrayed her fear for the future. "Jake, there is nothing stopping you from going back to Darrin Hanson or Taro Matsuda or any of the other advisors and telling them everything we discussed today. I can offer you and your team money, more money than the treasurer could even dream of. But... I can also offer you something more than money. Something that not even the advisors have. I just need to know if you and your father would be willing to hear me out. Sooner would be better, of course, but also quietly. If Hanson or the others were to find out, the coup we both know is coming would only start sooner than anyone is prepared for."

"I don't think it would take anything but your request to convince my father to meet with you, Val," Jake said honestly. "But you would need one hell of an ace up your sleeve to convince him to be the first to support you. And without my father's support, I'm afraid I would have to hold my allegiance to Treasurer Hanson. In memory of Nolan Wes, a man I idolized and respected all my life, I will get you an introduction and I won't mention anything to the advisors until my father has made a decision. Is that fair?"

"More than fair," her face lit up in hope, and once again he found himself staring. "Please, pass on my request and be sure the emphasize the time and sensitivity of the matter. I'll be in and out of the Counsel halls the next few weeks, and I know he has business there from time to time. I would like you there as well, so it may be the easiest to arrange."

"I have your schedule. I'll make sure I'm on duty at the time."

~

Want to know what Val has planned for the future of her queendom?

Well, consider this the official announcement for:

Rules for Rulers; An Ancient Blood Novella

~

Val's story as the new queen of the vampires is something I wanted to approach since I started Mixed Blood. Initially, I was going to try telling her story alongside Rhia's but decided to separate them so I wouldn't have another Blood Lust situation of having too many plots all at the same time. I think it'll be better this way because OH BOY does shit go down in both stories. Let's just say that Nolan's ice-cold demeanor definitely runs in the family. So, despite her involvement so far, Val won't be as present from here on out.

I need to finish Mixed Blood first, though, mostly because I need to solidify the timeline. Val's story takes place at the same time, it happens very quickly, and it ends before Mixed Blood does. But a lot happens in that short period of time, and I want to do it right. I also want to explore a little more of the history between Constantine, the demons, and the Dracula's because there is a lot in the background that hasn't made its way into the main series.

Things you can expect:

· Plotting and scheming

· Twists and turns

· Betrayal and sweet revenge

· The return of beloved characters including Aarón, Danika, Kate (with baby), Cyrille, and Pride (did you guys like Pride? Oh well, she's coming back too)

· An adorable romance (that will remain PG because Val is 17, and I have a personal rule of no R-rated scenes with characters under 20. Sorry not sorry)

Exciting right?!

Well, here's the downside...

It's not super high on my priority list at this moment. I'm thinking about taking a bit of a break from the Ancient Blood universe for a little while once I'm finished Mixed Blood. As of time of writing, I have been working on this series for two YEARS with very little to mix up my routine, except for Claimed by the Primals, and I still plan on editing and revising the books for potential publishing.

So, I might work on something completely different for a little bit to clear my head. I have been considering taking a crack at a mafia romance with an age-difference and praise kink dynamic, but we'll see what happens when I actually finish this project lol.

Anyway, I'll leave things at that. I'm super excited for the future and can't wait to see what you all think!

Have a great day/night and weekend. See you next week!

~