Spring's Vampires. Withered Rose: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (Soulmates of Seasons Book 3)

by Eva Brandt

  Eva Brandt

  Spring's Vampires. Withered Rose

  Soulmates of Seasons 3

  First published by Eva Brandt 2019

  Copyright © 2019 by Eva Brandt

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Cover art is for illustrative purposes only. Cover by Rainbow Danger Designs.

  First edition

  This book was professionally typeset on Reedsy

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  Contents

  Spring’s Vampires. Withered Rose

  Unexpected Visits

  The Most Beautiful Flowers

  Batty Guests

  Awakenings

  Surprises

  Helplessness

  Determination

  The Captive Queen

  Abandon All Hope

  Forgetfulness

  Reunion

  Epilogue

  Soulmates of Seasons Index

  About the Author

  Also by Eva Brandt

  Spring’s Vampires. Withered Rose

  One youthful queen of eternal spring who is far more than she seems. Three vampires who run the risk of forgetting all about their important mission, just because of her smile. Things are about to get steamy in The Realm of Eternal Youth.

  It’s tough to be the avatar of spring. My sisters are annoyingly protective of me. My unicorns seem to have decided I need to be a maiden for the rest of eternity. Even my lieutenants, who should know better, act like I’m still one hundred.

  Having three handsome vampires visit my lands should have been a nice change of pace. Unfortunately, such solar-challenged individuals do not visit my forests all that often, mostly because my sister has banned it. The arrival of my three undead guests is suspicious, to say the least.

  The way they look at me makes me feel things I’ve never experienced, but it’s so dangerous to try to pursue it. Chronikos is still at risk and I have a duty to protect my realm. How am I supposed to make a choice?

  One of these days, I’ll have to ask Cassia for some advice, because I’m terrible at this romance business.

  Withered Rose is a 57k words reverse harem fantasy romance that contains a spring goddess/vampire trio pairing, no infidelity, and an ending that will leave you wanting more. Part of the Soulmates of Seasons series (formerly titled Harem of Seasons), the Spring’s Vampires arc. (Releases for the series will come out all throughout 2019).

  One

  Unexpected Visits

  Eranthe

  “Well, that didn’t work at all.” I pursed my lips at the disheartening lump of glowing clay and leaves. “I wonder what we did wrong.”

  By my side, Veggie let out an apologetic bleat, so dejected I instantly felt bad for expressing my disappointment out loud. “My apologies, Queen Eiar. I have failed you.”

  “Oh, nonsense.” I knelt next to him and passed a hand through his green wool. Flowers sprouted on his body where my fingers made contact with his form. “You are doing your very best. It’s normal for this project to take time. I’m sure it was just as difficult when the gods created us. We might not be starting from scratch, but we’re not gods either, so it’s normal to run into some hiccups.”

  “Do you really think so, Queen Eiar?” he asked, giving me a wide-eyed, tearful glance.

  “Of course.” Releasing Veggie from my embrace, I extracted the glowing crystal from the pile of clay and tied it safely to the chain I wore around my neck for this specific purpose. “Tell you what... Why don’t you take a break? Go graze for a bit. Keep the leprechauns company. I think they’re getting bored without having you around. I have to look into an issue that recently came up in The Forest of Purity.”

  That was both true and not. The unicorns were always happy to see me, but they hadn’t notified me of any urgent issue that had to be addressed posthaste. However, I needed a break as much as Veggie did, if not more. My constant failure in fulfilling the promise I’d made my sister was really getting to me. If I kept trying to continue this project in my state, I’d end up making a serious mistake. I couldn’t allow that to happen, not when I was dabbling in something as difficult as creating life.

  As expected, the thought of pestering the leprechauns—and with my permission, no less—cheered Veggie up in mere seconds. I mentally apologized to my staff, knowing it was a little irresponsible of me to sic him on them.

  Why was I so terrible at dealing with my underlings? How did my sisters do it? One of these days, we’d have to gather for a real meeting and compare notes.

  Fortunately, the solution to my problem popped up on its—or rather, her—own. With the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the glowing form of my second lieutenant sliding into my garden. She was undoubtedly just checking up on me, to make sure I didn’t work too hard or something equally as ridiculous. Still, I could use this. April could be trusted to make sure the more excitable members of my entourage didn’t do anything stupid while I went on a brief walk to clear my head.

  “April! There you are! Just the elemental I wanted to see.”

  April emerged from her hiding spot, the fluctuating shades of green in her wings betraying her nervousness. I smiled to reassure her. Normally, I would’ve been more frustrated at her tendency to baby me, but today, it came in handy. “April, why don’t you take Veggie and see if you two can assist the leprechauns with their work while I’m away? I believe you might be able to lend a hand in the fields in Western Floria.”

  “Oh, are you going somewhere, Your Majesty? Do you need an escort? I can summon a tree spirit.”

  I waved a hand, dismissing her concerned words. “It’s not necessary, April. I’ll just be visiting the unicorns. I’ll be perfectly safe with them.”

  April relaxed, well aware that I was, at least in that respect, being truthful. The unicorns were even more protective of me than all my sisters put together. That should have been impossible, but it was probably my own fault for indulging them even if I knew I shouldn’t. Their presence always comforted me and gave me clarity, and I soothed their temperamental natures. It was win-win, so I had a bit of a soft spot for them.

  “I understand, Your Majesty,” my lieutenant said. “I will keep an eye on everything until your return.”

  “So will I,” Veggie promised, clopping his hoof. “You can count on us.”

  It would appear that I had underestimated him again. Despite my attempts to reassure him, he must have realized that our failures had gotten to me as much as they had to him. I tried to not let that weigh on me, but I wasn’t really successful.

  Before I left, I made a brief detour and sealed February’s pendant deep inside my quarters, behind several powerful enchantments that only my sisters and I could break. I doubted anyone would attack me in The Forest of Purity, but it was better to be safe than sorry, and I would not risk taking such a priceless treasure with me on my little trip.

  Once I was satisfied with the precautions I’d taken, I left the palace through my pr
ivate gardens. As I summoned the spring breeze and took off, I contemplated the situation I currently found myself in. It was somewhat foolish to allow this to get to me so much, but it wasn’t just my own inability to fix a problem that bothered me. April was not completely wrong to be worried about my safety, as the recent incidents in The Realm of Eternal Ice had proven our homes weren’t nearly as secure as we had thought.

  After my return from Tou Cheimóna, I had placed all my guardians on alert and tightened all security measures. Still, I couldn’t help but feel that I needed to do more, to take a more proactive approach in safeguarding Chronikos as a whole.

  Returning Cassia’s lieutenant to her was just the first step, and I was already stumbling. Sometimes, it really was frustrating to be the avatar of spring.

  The sight of my eternally blooming realm calmed me, but at the same time, made me all the more aware of my responsibilities. This was the same realm that had once been the target of a vicious attack from Snegurka, and she was still lurking around somewhere. She didn’t have the power she’d displayed during her time as queen, and she seemed to be bound to The Realm of Eternal Ice, but that didn’t make her any less dangerous.

  By the time I reached The Forest of Purity, I was even more troubled than I’d been before. I landed in the burnt out circle of grass some of the dancing iele must’ve left behind the night before. The vegetation was already growing back and it returned to normal as soon as my bare feet made contact with the grass. I wondered if I needed to have another conversation with them. They were usually a little more careful. This whole business with Snegurka had unsettled them too.

  Letting out a sigh, I entered the forest. The unicorns must have already sensed my presence, because it took me less than a minute to run into Cloud, one of the oldest and most magnificent steeds of the herd that lived in the woods.

  Cloud neighed at me and trotted happily to my side, nuzzling my cheek carefully to avoid scratching me with his diamantine horn. “Well, hello to you too,” I told him with a laugh. “I hope you don’t mind me paying you an unannounced visit. I needed a bit of a breather from the palace.”

  Cloud snorted in outrage and nudged me with his massive head, wordlessly chastising me for saying such an offensive thing. I chuckled again. “All right, all right. I get it. I’m welcome here anytime.”

  To pacify Cloud, I mounted him and ushered him forward, through the undergrowth and toward the lake. Several other unicorns joined us as we ventured deeper into the forest. The magic of the woods welcomed me with the same eagerness its inhabitants had displayed, and my frantic thoughts started to clear. The soft perfume of the flowers, the chirping of the birds, and the pulse of life that vibrated through every leaf and every blade of grass soothed my senses. The unicorns’ silent footsteps reminded me that I was safe among the creatures I loved so much and that knowledge slowly chipped at my doubts and fears.

  Even so, I was grateful when we reached the lake. This spot had always been special to me. I didn’t have a convenient meditation chamber next to my own bedroom like Cassia, because it wouldn’t have worked for me. As much as I loved The Palace of Eternal Blooms, a closed off structure would’ve never given me a better reach into the core of Chronikos, nor would it have allowed me to glimpse deeper into myself and settle my restless magic.

  I dismounted the unicorn and removed my pink gown, letting it fall onto the grass. As I slid into the lukewarm water, I couldn’t help but let out a satisfied hum. The liquid enveloped my naked body in a comforting embrace, and I allowed my mind to drift and connect to the timeless energies that had created Chronikos.

  For the moment, I sensed no real threats nearby. Snegurka must have indeed stayed in Tou Cheimóna, just like Cassia had said. The wards were as solid as they had been when my sisters and I had checked them a little while ago, at The Palace of Serenity. And yet, there was something, a strange knowledge niggling at the back of my mind.

  An alien power had invaded Tis Ánoixis, a presence that didn’t belong here. It felt a little familiar, as if I’d run into similar essences in the past. I couldn’t quite pinpoint its source or remember where I’d sensed it before.

  Frustrated, I dug deeper, seeking out the mysterious intruder that had encroached upon my borders. It wasn’t just one person. I could identify three people, three dark lights that tempted me to look closer. Where were they? What were they, and how had they ended up in my realm?

  Before I could find the answer to my new dilemma, the sound of an angry neigh snapped me out of my trance. I opened my eyes, just in time to see the infuriated unicorns stampede toward three unknown men who were lying on the ground, staring at me, oblivious to the imminent danger to their lives. I took one look at them and just like that, I knew.

  Oh, dear. Chronikos had undead guests again. How unfortunate.

  At least I hadn’t needed any further meditating to find my unexpected visitors.

  * * *

  Adrian

  “Admit it already. We’re lost. We’re so lost we might as well surrender our souls to the Grand Lich and be done with it.”

  I rolled my eyes at Baltasar’s dramatic statement. “Stop fretting so much. We... might not be where we’re supposed to be, but it’s not that big of a deal. We’ll get to our destination eventually.”

  “If you intended for that to sound comforting,” Cezar drawled, “it was an utter failure. Eventually doesn’t mean much for an undead being.”

  I let out an exasperated breath. “Not you too. You’re supposed to be the reasonable one.”

  Cezar shrugged. “I’m very reasonable. I just have to agree with Baltasar on this one. We’re lost. I have no idea where we are, but I don’t think The Realm of Eternal Ice is supposed to contain endless fields of flowers and cheer.”

  He said the latter word as if it offended him, which, considering Cezar’s general temperament, was probably true. I couldn’t argue with him either. The amount of all-around... joy that saturated this odd place we’d landed in unnerved me more than I wanted to admit.

  It wasn’t even the sunlight. It weakened us, but for the most part, we were able to handle it without issue. If we hadn’t, we would’ve never been sent on this mission, to begin with. No, there was something else here that unsettled us deeply, something unfamiliar and so very different from our homes in Aeternum.

  Shaking off my discomfort, I focused on finding a way to reassure my friends. “Logic states that we must’ve ended up in The Realm of Eternal Youth or The Realm of Eternal Sunlight. The former is more likely since we were pretty close to the wards when the boat went under. If that’s the case, we need to keep a steady course west and we should hit the border with The Realm of Eternal Ice... eventually.”

  Cezar snorted when I repeated the word that had bugged him the first time. Nonetheless, having a plan helped him. It helped us all. With a little more energy, we started making our way through the labyrinth of colorful flowers that had sprouted in our path earlier today.

  Leaves and flower petals brushed our cheeks as we passed and Baltasar slapped them away in irritation. “Honestly, this is ridiculous. I think I prefer that one time we went to Ton Angélon. At least the angels had enough decency to make the visit as short and painless as possible.”

  “To be fair, they were informed of our arrival,” I pointed out. “We didn’t give anyone here a notice that we were coming, so it stands to reason that we wouldn’t receive the same welcome.”

  “I know,” Baltasar answered with a sigh. “I apologize. I’m being absurd. This is just so very tedious.”

  “May I remind you that this is, in part, your fault?” Cezar drawled. “After all, you’re the one who volunteered us for this mission.”

  Baltasar went rigid and angrily faced Cezar, his eyes flashing crimson. “And you agreed because you thought it would be interesting. Don’t blame this fiasco on me!”

  The words came out sibilant, which was never a good thing when it came to Baltasar. Cezar ignored the obvious threat. �
��I will say and do whatever I please, and I will blame you if I so wish it.”

  The incipient fight made me want to cry, but I suppressed the urge since I couldn’t afford the blood loss. Instead of succumbing to my own frustrations, I grabbed the lapels of their jackets and pulled my friends closer to me. “Listen up,” I snapped at them. “We’re lost in a far too cheerful, flowery realm. We have no maps and our luggage went under with the boat. Our sources of blood and food are scarce. That’s getting to us. Believe me, I understand. But fighting will not help, and if we don’t stay focused on our goal, we might as well allow ourselves to slowly succumb to the sunlight. We’ve dealt with worse and we’re not fledglings, ready to tear each other’s throats out for the tiniest thing. So get a grip, and get a move on. We have a job to do.”

  Cezar grimaced, but let the matter drop. “Well, if you want to be boring... So be it.”

  Baltasar huffed, crossing his arms over his chest like the huge drama king he not-so-secretly was. “Fine,” he grumbled, “but I don’t like it.”

  The list of things Baltasar liked was shorter than his temper, something he had undoubtedly inherited from his lamia mother. Usually, I wasn’t as extreme, but this time, I secretly agreed with his assessment.

  There was nothing worse for a vampire than boredom. Sunlight, garlic, holy water... None of the stupid methods other races came up with to slay us could compare to simple tedium. It was part of the reason why the undead had all ended up banding together in The Voievodat, to begin with. We were all so very bored, and the only thing that gave us some variety was snipping at another person who at least understood our twisted logic.

  Unfortunately, the method tended to be counterproductive for our long-term sanity and the general success of whatever endeavor we were trying to accomplish at each individual point in time, which was why we could not rely on it now. Fortunately for us, we were not meant to die by succumbing to eternal despair in an endless field of flowers. Shortly after my exchange with my fellow vampires, we spotted something of interest in the distance.