"I guess I'm sorry I screwed that up for you. But also, I'm not sorry." She thought for a few minutes. "What if we could find another way to get your money?"
"Unless you have two million laying around, which until last night, I might have believed you did, it's unlikely. I've heard stories in the ranks of blood slaves that do a lot of trade and side hustles to buy their freedom and it still takes them hundreds of years to make enough." He kissed her hand again. "We'll find a way, my fires."
If only she hadn't burned her bridges with Roman and Ember. But if she hadn't, she probably never would have met - aka been kidnapped by - Ash. There had to be a way for her to repair that relationship. Roman had more money than God and he was the Vampire Prince. He could order whoever owned Ash to release him.
Just then that owner showed up. Or her goons did. The door of Ash's tiny living quarters smashed in and two huge, red-eyed vampires crashed their little love nest. "Up against the wall, slave. Mistress Romig isn't going to be happy with you having a woman in your quarters."
Ash rolled and shoved Ruby behind him. "She is no concern of yours or my mistress. Get out. I will report to her at my assigned time and do my duty as always."
The vampires stalked toward her and Ash, their fangs out and ready to kill. "Not this time, dragon boy. She's going to turn you into a dragon skin rug for her bed."
Scales rippled over Ash's body, and smoke drifted up from his mouth and nose. He crouched like he was going to pounce, but Ruby couldn't let that happen. She grabbed the blanket up to cover herself and stood on the cot, her face barely able to see over Ash's shoulder. She had one skill in life and that was making the help feel like peons. "Stop right there, you blood-sucking minions. Do you know who I am?"
"Ruby, no."
"I won't let them hurt you because of me."
The two vamp-dickheads exchanged a look and then bowed. "Lady Ruby. I believe Prince Dracul has been looking for you. Mistress Romig will be pleased to help you return to the House of Dracul."
"Yeah. I bet." She lifted her chin and stepped down off the cot. She didn't know how else to get them to leave Ash be, except to insist that they escort her away. It was the only way she could be sure they weren't going to hurt him. She had the haughty act down pat, and it would be easy peasy now that she had these guys on the hook to leave. She just didn't want to.
Oh no. What if she left and then came back for Ash? She wouldn't be here to protect him. As soon as they took her to Roman, he'd kill her and there would be no way for her to make sure Ash was freed. Nope. Not leaving.
"Please, my lady come this way." The one vampire waved her toward the wrecked entrance to the hallway.
"Fine. Come along, dragon." She made eyes at him that said play along. "Once we're out of here, we can make a break for it."
Ash shook his head but didn't have the chance to say anything.
"I'm afraid you won't be doing that. He is the property of Mistress Romig."
Wait. The vamps could read minds? Dammit. That would have been nice to know. She thought something very unkind about vamp-dickhead number two, but he didn't react. Okay. So, they couldn't read mind, but could hear their mental telepathy. Fine. She could work with that.
Plus, there was that bond. Ash had specifically said it couldn't be broken. "Then I'll buy him from her. Bring him. But if you harm him, there will be hell to pay."
Hopefully this mistress vampire lady would take a check.
The guards led them through a series of tunnels and elevators until they arrived in a mansion just as nice as Roman's. This Romig lady must be pretty far up the vampire food chain to rival the prince of their whole species.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here? Slumming it with the help, Lady Ruby? That's the last place we all thought you'd run off too. Roman won't be too happy about that." A pale woman covered in jewels and her own brand of haughtiness sat in a darkened room. She waved to the guards and the vampires grabbed her and Ash and shoved them toward Mistress Romig.
Ruby tripped, but Ash grabbed her arm and pulled her into an embrace. His touch brought the marks on her skin to life and the flames of desire licked over them both.
Mistress Romig stood and glared down at Ruby. "I don't like to share my pets."
"He's not a pet, he's a..." she almost said human being. "He's a good man and you're disgusting for keeping slaves."
"But he's so delicious. I suppose you are now too that he's marked you and fucked you. I think perhaps we'll have to tell Roman my slaves killed you and I'll simply keep you for a snack." Mistress Romig reached a sharp nail out toward Ruby's throat.
Ash growled and jerked toward the vampiress, but she turned her eyes on him and Ruby both saw and felt the waves of compulsion wafting off of her. She wanted Ash to kneel, to supplicate himself to her. She was so sure that he would comply, that she turned back to Ruby and pierced her skin with the tip of her nail. She brought a small bead of blood from Ruby's throat up to her mouth and moaned in pleasure.
The room erupted into chaos and fire. Ash no longer stood beside her, but a huge fiery blue dragon did. He roared so loud the room shook. He spewed a swath of fire so hot, it too burned blue. The two vampires who'd been ready to fight disintegrated as if they'd been hit with the brightest rays of sunshine.
Holy dragons, Batman. Ash's fire could kill vampires.
Mistress Romig dashed faster than Ruby's eyes could follow. In less than a blink, she had Ruby in her grasp, with that damn sharp nail, stuck into her neck. "Not another step, dragon. Or I'll rip out her throat and eat her heart before you can take another breath."
Ash
Ash no longer feared his own demise. He'd lived a thousand deaths during the plague as each and every dragoness had withered away right before their eyes. He suffered a hundred more being made to serve this bitch.
The only thing that scared him now was the way a trickle of blood danced down Ruby's throat. He would give his own life for hers. She'd been so brave, play acting as if she was as high and mighty as the Vampiress General. His princess was nothing like this horrible woman who thought she was better than everyone. She had a weakness now too. The truth. "So, this is why you kept me bound, unable to shift. Why you used you mind control on my brethren during the battle for Dragos. You fear us and our fire."
"Of course it is, you back-planet fool. Why do you think so many of my fellow generals left your kind behind? Cowardice. But I proved to them all that I was worthy of being a warrior by capturing you and keeping you as a blood-slave. I've been well-rewarded for my boldness." She waved her other arm indicating the lavish room.
Ruby took that opportunity to stomp on the vampiress's foot. "Nobody likes a braggart, you hoe-bag."
While his pretty, brave mate's actions wouldn't hurt even an infant vampire, it did take Mistress Romig by surprise. That was all the opportunity Ash needed. "Duck, princess."
Ruby fell to the floor and covered her head. But Mistress Romig was faster. She grabbed Ruby up and held her aloft, gloating in her own victory. That's when Ash blew out a long hot blast of his dragon's fire directly at the two women.
Ruby squeezed her eyes tight, bracing for the impact of the flames. The world moved in slow motion as Ash watched his fire ram into his mate and his former mistress. The crumpled, scared face of his lady love went from fear to awe and then lust as the flames licked over her body but didn't harm her.
"My fire is yours now too, and can never harm you."
The piece of shit vampire exploded into a cloud of dust leaving nothing but dissolved gold blobs and jewels from the adornments she wore. Ruby looked down at the pile of liquid wealth and made a face. "Ew."
She rushed over to Ash and he shifted back into his mating form just in time to capture her in his arms and kiss her until the fire between them burned bright.
He would have taken her again right there on the floor of the house of his vanquished enemy if another vampire hadn't entered the room, clapping. "I wondered who would eventually destroy
the House of Romig for me. I hated that woman. Always thought because she had early success that she was better than everyone else."
Ruby grabbed Ash's hand tight. "Stay back, Roman. I have a dragon and I love him, so... there."
"You love me?" He'd destroy every vampire on Earth to hear her say that again.
She looked up at him and smiled. "Duh."
"Your sister will be glad to hear that. She was quite upset when you ran away. I've been looking for you ever since you left my office." Roman crossed the room and knelt, picking through the debris until he found a particularly beautiful blue jewel still attached to a pendant. He handed to Ruby. "Now that your... mate, has defeated Mistress Romig, you won't have to flee Earth. Assuming he'll pay your debts with his newfound wealth."
"Um, exqueeze me?" Ruby looked to Ash, but he didn't know what the Prince of the Vampires meant either.
"You defeated a Dracul general in battle. All that was hers is now yours." Roman waved his hand nonchalantly indicating the room, the house, and probably the slave quarters below.
Ash narrowed his eyes at the vampire. "I won't trade in flesh."
Xion appeared from the shadows. "I think I can help with that."
Roman dipped his head at the strange woman then addressed Ash again. "Your business is your own. Do with the assets as you will. I'm merely here to confirm the death of a general and confer her assets on the victor. But I advise you to keep your mate away from mine. I won't have her hurting the one who holds my heart."
The prince gave Ash a small salute and then disappeared in a puff of black smoke.
Xion sat at the big desk and tapped at the tablet. "Now that you two have found your way to your destiny, let's talk business."
Ruby looked up at him and patted his chest, then she nodded, and he knew they had the same idea. "The first thing we want to do is free all the blood slaves. No debts, no indenturements, every single one, free and clear."
Xion didn't even look up. "Yes, yes. That will work out just fine. Several of them have been on my list to find mates. But they can wait. Dragos needs our help first."
"My home? I'll do anything to help the dragons. What do you need from me? Shall we board one of the ships and go there now." Ash paused and took Ruby's hand in his. "Will you come with me to Dragos, my fires? I have a large cave, furs for bedding you in, and--"
"I will go anywhere in the universe to be with you. Let's live in a cave. Yeehaw. I don't care, as long as we're together." She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him, pulling his fire into her mouth with every touch of her tongue to his.
"If we're going to recruit enough mates for my Space Order Bride program to repopulate your world, Ash Dragos, I will be better if you two stay and help me recruit." Xion raised one eyebrow.
"Recruit? Mates?" Ash shook his head. "Only fate can choose a mate."
Xion smiled. "I know."
He'd had to come halfway across the universe for fate to help him find his mate, and she was the best thing to ever happen to him. Ruby hugged him close and whispered in his ear. "I think fate is telling us to stay here on Earth, my love. While I'll go sleep in your cave, I bet this mansion has a nice soft bed for us to make love in. I can't wait to explore every inch of your body, including what your magic cock did when you were inside me. We could do that a whole lot sooner if we stayed and started this Space Order Brides business."
Who was he to question fate?
Ash pointed to Xion. "Do as you wish if it will help my brethren. I'll check in with you later. I have a mate to pleasure."
And pleasure her, he did, all the way to their happy ever afters.
The End
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About the Author
Piper Fox writes short steamy paranormal romances for sassy, strong-willed women who love sexy alpha men, fated mates, and insta-love. When she's not writing... oh, who is she kidding, she's always writing or reading in her favorite genres - paranormal and sci-fi romance.
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The Ironhaven Wolf Pack Series
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Star-Mate Seduced
Margo Bond Collins
About Star Mate Seduced
When youth-center manager Lucy Gray is attacked by three men as she’s closing up one night, the last thing she expects is to be saved by a giant, hot-pink leopard. She’s even more surprised to discover he’s really a shapeshifting alien—and an amazingly sexy one, at that. His announcement that she’s his fated mate leaves her shellshocked. Now she has a choice to make: go back to her regular life or stay with Jalek and become the first Star Mate as his people set out to repopulate their planet.
Lucy
“Good night, Miss Lucy!” Dave Chapin waved at me as he pushed open the glass doors, basketball under his arm. I glanced up from my computer and smiled, giving him a quick nod in return.
Once he was out on the street, I stood and stretched a little, putting my hands on my lower back. Another day finished. Thank goodness. All I had to do was give the gym a quick once-over, and I could head home, too. As usual, Dave had spent every moment right up to closing practicing. I was always happy to stay for him—from what he’d told me, his home life was pretty rough, and the Philos Youth Center had become his refuge.
He wasn’t the only one. I’d taken the job at the center when I left west Texas and moved to Los Angeles to get away from a stalker ex-boyfriend. Luckily, he hadn’t found me yet. But even the thought of Curt showing up made my heart race.
I grabbed my huge keyring from the desk drawer and headed over to lock the double doors. But before I could turn the key in the lock, someone came barreling in from outside, knocking me backward.
“Out of the way, bitch.” A tall, burly man with dark hair and a ragged scar across his face held the door open for three other men to follow him in.
The other three weren’t as intimidating-looking, but two of them held guns in their hands.
I froze, my eyes wide, staring at them all as they glanced around. My voice trembled when I spoke. “We don’t have any cash here. This is a youth center, not a business.”
“Lock the doors,” Scar-Face said, jerking his chin toward me.
Shit. They weren’t here to rob the place. My stomach clenched. Why were they here, then?
“Do it now.” One of the others waved his gun in my direction. All four men moved, two each to either side of the door, as if trying to avoid being seen by anyone outside.
The keys jangled in my shaking hands as I moved toward the door again and saw why they were hiding. A uniformed police officer stalked slowly down the street, gun drawn. He caught sight of me and waved at me to open the door.
“There’s a policeman outside,” I hissed out of one corner of my mouth.
“Get rid of him,” Scar-Face ordered.
“I’m going to open the door to tell him no one is here,” I warned, worried that they might shoot me if I didn’t let them know my plan.
Scar-Face nodded. “Keep it short.”
I didn’t know how I would manage that, but the last thing I wanted was to get shot by either the criminals inside or the cop outside. Swallowing, I pulled the door open.
“Hi. Can I help you?” I hoped the officer couldn’t hear the tremor in my voice.
“Have you seen any men run by here? Four of them, two armed.”
“No. Nothing like that.” I was pleased that I kept my voice from breaking,
but something in my demeanor must have given me away.
“I’ll just have a look around,” the cop said. Beside me, Scar-Face shook his head. Even out of the corner of my eye, I could see his scowl.
“Is that necessary, sir? I’m done for the day and really want to go home.” God, did I ever want to go home. Away from everything that was happening here. I clamped down on the thought, biting my lip as I waited for the officer’s decision, hoping against hope that he’d choose to look elsewhere.
The policeman’s eyes narrowed, and I realized that he was younger than I’d thought at first. Closer to my own twenty-five than I thought a cop should be. Right now, I wanted someone with years and years of experience. Preferably someone who wasn’t likely to start a shootout in the neighborhood youth center.
“You need to let me in,” the cop said.
Scar-Face gave a little wave of his fingers to let me know I should follow the cop’s directions.
“Come on in, then.” As I spoke, I widened my eyes and gave exaggerated glances to the left and right, hoping the officer would realize I was trying to tell him there were bad guys on either side of the door, but I couldn’t tell if he understood what I was attempting to communicate. I pulled the door open and stepped aside to give him room to enter.
But as he did, Scar-Face reached over and grabbed me, holding a gun to my head.
I hadn’t even realized he was carrying a gun.
All hell broke loose. The cop dropped into a crouch, pointing his weapon at Scar-Face and shouting for the criminals who had invaded my workplace to freeze. He focused his attention on the one holding me, totally missing the two guys hiding on the other side of the door.
I had just enough time to scream, “Behind you!” when one of the other two fired at the officer.
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