Reign

by Alaska Angelini

  Tessa was sitting on the sofa, her mouth twisted as she stared at the human we had tied to the chair. The only reason he was alive was for food. We needed a different source amongst ourselves and although his blood was weak, it would do us good. He was young. Healthy. A community college kid who lived alone. Tessa couldn’t have picked a better place. And her getting him to let her enter … it was a phenomenal show to watch. She’d been all manipulation and seduction—her true self as a vampire. And the human hadn’t expected a thing. He’d let her right in, and in turn, she’d locked her gaze on his and made him invite us passed the threshold. It was too easy and gave us confidence when we were low on the emotion. Aetas knew we were gone. I could feel his rage within and I didn’t doubt that somehow Tessa and Hunter could too.

  I walked around Hunter, trying to ignore the slight ache in my legs. Already they were supporting me better. A few more feedings and I’d be thriving with my new blood. It wasn’t affecting me like Aetas. Why it had taken such a bad turn for him I could only assume. I prayed time didn’t have it turning on me, too. What would that do to Tessa? To myself?

  “You need to feed, Hunter.”

  Tessa’s voice left him shifting. He was already staring at her. Already … wanting her. I didn’t miss the longing that stayed absorbed deep inside of his depths. The more I fed from him, the more it became my own. I understood it. I was aching for her too.

  “Later. The human isn’t going anywhere.”

  “No, but he’s mine. You need stronger blood. You haven’ fed in days. I’m surprised you haven’t attacked anyone yet.”

  His head dropped. “Probably because there’s only one person I want.”

  Tessa’s gaze came to me and the clenching of my jaw was automatic. The action was all reflex and I breathed through the jealousy that still stirred at the thought of anyone feeding from my mate. Tessa had always been mine. Always been who I wanted. And now she was his, too.

  “You need to feed. Let Tessa take care of you.”

  Hunter gave a quick shake of his head. “It’s not a good idea. She can feed from me. I’ll feed from the human.”

  My eyes went from him to her. She was waiting patiently for what I had to say. Still, she looked to me for overall guidance. It had a smile tugging on my lips. Jealousy … I had to let it go. Tessa was mine even if I shared her with her best friend.

  “You’re afraid of the lust you will feel when feeding from her?”

  “Yes. And she’s not completely healed yet. She needs to keep her strength.”

  He was so in tune with her. So loyal and yet careful of her needs. “I bet her wounds are already healed. She’s stronger now. Maybe you should let her feed you if she wants to.”

  Hunter’s stare darted to me and stayed as his brow creased. “And the lust?”

  There was that heaviness—that pit in my stomach at the thought of the two of them being sexual. “Why don’t we see what happens. If it becomes too much, I will tell you to stop. And you stop.”

  “Come Hunter.” Tessa patted the sofa, moving to sit at the edge as she waited. “Marko, I want you to come, too.”

  “Me?”

  “That’s right,” she said, nodding. “I’m afraid.” She stopped and I knew. It left my pulse hammering in my chest.

  “You want him, too.”

  I was already walking, being sucked in at the confusion masking her features. It was just as hard for her as it was for me. She was bonded to him. They shared things she and I would never share again. And she’d deny him if I wanted her to. I knew that in my heart. But I couldn’t do that. Not to either of them. Not anymore.

  Hunter sat down and I followed, taking my place next to him. Tessa paused before she stood and lowered to straddle him. While she read my face, she moved in closer to his lap.

  “Let me have your hand, ma minette.” I lifted mine and she slid her fingers over my palm. My show of support had her lowering. Hunter’s energy was all over the place as she settled her breasts against his chest and exposed her neck. “Go ahead,” I said, lowly.

  My pulse was beginning to race as I braced for his bite. It came cautiously—slow and gentle. I knew the moment his fangs breached her skin. Her grip tightened on my hand and a gasp broke through the room. To deny that it was filled with pleasure would have been a lie. She loved their joining and I knew the way that connection felt. Especially with her.

  The pain was all too real as it ate at my heart. My sweet ma minette. We’d never share the sensation brought on by a bond that deep, ever again. And it was all my fault. Sure, we’d feel love when we fed from each other, but that special tie to another was gone for good.

  As I watched Hunter’s arms wrap around her with love, grief sunk my heart. Anger wasn’t present. Not even at myself. My conscious new this was our new reality. That’s why my rage wasn’t present. No … rage couldn’t live where credence thrived. My mind knew this was right, even if my heart was trying to accept.

  My finger traced down the length of Tessa’s and she mirrored the action as she stayed faced away from me. Her head was resting on Hunter’s wide shoulder and she was turned into his neck. Deep breaths left him and I could see his digits twitching to tighten on her back. He’d start, only to let them ease.

  How far would he go if I wasn’t present? Would he even try? Even as a vampire, he held respect for Tessa. It was so unlike a newborn … unlike our kind.

  Movement across the room had my stare leaving Hunter and Tessa to settle on the human. He was watching in horrific fascination. The way his eyes were glued to us didn’t sit well with me. The human was aroused. I could see his hard cock bulging through the gym shorts he wore. It left my instincts flaring. I may have been alright with Hunter, concerning Tessa, but no one else.

  “Shit. God.” Hunter broke from Tessa’s neck, breathing heavily while he licked over the wounds to close them.

  “But you barely took enough.” Her voice was slightly pouty, and her lids were heavy with lust as she pulled back to look at him. Hunter went to respond when his gaze stopped dead on the human. The college kid was still locked on Tessa. Still, raking his eyes over her back, and down to her ass.

  A slight growl broke through the air and Hunter’s fangs stayed lowered while his lip pulled back, threateningly. Slowly, he moved Tessa to the side, standing, and I couldn’t help but follow. We were killers, plain and simple. This human should have feared us. Should have had his head down, or crying through the terror he was faced with. Not fantasizing about what we were doing.

  “Are you looking at what doesn’t belong to you? Marko … is he looking at what’s ours? I know he’s not fucking checking out our mate.”

  “Oh yeah,” I said, stepping forward. “Someone has a death wish.”

  “Not from either of you,” Tessa said, butting in. “He’s my meal, remember? The kill will be mine.”

  The tips of my fangs cut into my lip as I watched the human’s eyes widened. There it was. Fright.

  “Mmph. Mmmmmph.” His head started shaking as he yelled into the cloth secured into his mouth. The evil smile that broke onto my face couldn’t be stopped.

  “Look at my concubine one more time and I’ll burn your eyes out of their socket until there is nothing left. You don’t believe I can, go ahead and take one more look.”

  Tears streamed down the boy’s face and his head lowered through the sobs. My anger didn’t last as I turned my attention back to Hunter. He was still staring, still ready to attack.

  “You didn’t feed enough.”

  My words brought his black eyes to mine. Within seconds they lightened, but not entirely.

  “I can’t take anymore of her blood. Let’s leave it at that.”

  “Because you want her?”

  “Of course I do, but she’s not ready. None of us are. After what she’s been through—” He stopped, glaring once more at the human before focusing on me. “I’m done letting anyone push themselves on her. I’m tired of her making decisions based off of wha
t she feels has to be done, versus what she wants to do. Tessa wants me, I know this. But even if you weren’t in the picture, she wouldn’t be ready. Her mind needs time to heal. I felt her anxieties. She’s a mess.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Light green disappeared behind her narrowed lids as she came to a stop a few feet away from the human. Her energy flared defensively and I sighed, knowing her wrath all too well. She didn’t like to be told she was weak, and that’s exactly how she took Hunter’s care for her.

  My hand shot up and I shook my head. “He loves you and he wants what is best. You’re about to argue. Don’t. Now is not the time.”

  “I am not a mess. Take it back,” she said to him, hurt. “I’m fine.”

  “Tessa.” Hunter let out a deep breath. “You’re tired. I feel how mentally exhausted you are. And there’s nothing wrong with that. I want to help you get better.”

  “I said I’m fine.” She growled, grabbing the human’s hair and jerking back. “And I am far from tired. There are things to do—vampires to save. We have to plan for a way to take down Aetas. I will rest when he is incapable of hurting any more of our kind.”

  Hunter’s lips pressed together. At his silence, Tessa dove forward, embedding herself into the human’s neck. The loud cry buffered in the gag and his tied legs struggled at the rope binding him down. Minutes went by while Tessa fed. As she did, her strength emanated throughout the room. Human blood may have been weak compared to ours, but the length of time that had passed since her last taste empowered her strength.

  She broke free, panting as blood raced down her chin. The breaking sound of the bones in his neck cracked through the room and she dropped his head, walking away from his lifeless body.

  “Hunter will feed again, and then we will talk of a plan. Tonight we bring as many vampires as we can to our side. Aetas wants a war. It’s time we give him one he will never forget.”

  Chapter 31

  Aetas

  Empty. Gone. All three of the vampires connected to me the most had betrayed me. They knew, and now they were going to pay.

  How had I convinced myself that Tessa’s feelings for me were real? How I had thought they hadn’t seen Marko when they lifted the marble lid that kept him entombed?

  I was going to kill them. All three of them. Well, not Marko. I couldn’t do that. But Tessa and Hunter, they were dead. What I had in store for those two wouldn’t compare to the carnage I’d already brought down on our kind. Tessa was going to suffer for what she was doing to me. Fuck, I couldn’t breathe without her by my side. If I was going to go through this agony, wasn’t it better to go through it knowing I’d made her hurt worse than me before it was over with? Betrayed me, for them? Didn’t she see how powerful I was? Didn’t she know she didn’t stand a chance without me?

  My voice roared through the bedroom as I drew my hand back and slammed it through the wall. I felt no pain. I felt nothing but loss and rage. Every enforcer under me was searching the world for those traitors. And my men would find them. They’d capture them and bring them back to me. What they’d do when they saw Marko was beyond me. I hadn’t thought that far ahead. But I couldn’t think of anything at the moment. Nothing but her.

  “Your Highness?”

  I spun, snarling at Colin as he stopped in the doorway.

  “Are you not out looking? Did I neglect to make my orders clear?”

  “No, King Delacroix, I just thought you’d like an update.”

  “I don’t want an update, I want them here! Unless you’re telling me they’re downstairs waiting, you’re wasting my time.”

  A hard look came to the lead enforcer’s face and he nodded, closing the door behind him. I immediately spun back around, beginning to pace the long length of the room. Perhaps I should try to summon them again. At least Marko. He was my fucking bonded. Yet, nothing I did could bring him back to me. How was that possible? Why couldn’t I even call out to the one I created? My blood was ruining everything. If I wasn’t so powerful, so pure.

  “Fuck!”

  My voice tore through the room for what had to be the millionth time since I found Tessa gone. I had thought she’d run to the memorial, but she wasn’t there. That only led me to go in to take out my anger on Marko … but he was missing, too. And then I knew. I knew with Hunter gone, along with the king and queen, that Hunter had rescued my bonded. He’d taken Marko, and Tessa had followed. And here I was, the fool in it all.

  Heat blazed along my insides, damn near burning a hole in my core as I tried latching onto the link with Marko. I could feel it. The connection was there, but I couldn’t reach it.

  My attention went to Hunter and it was even worse. I couldn’t feel him anymore than I could a ghost. It was just like after I’d created him. Unless he was before me and opened, he didn’t exist to me.

  “Tessa! You fucking bitch.”

  I tore into my hair, nearly crippled with her loss. Had I fallen in love with her so much? My heart said yes. My mind couldn’t help but drift to Marko. He loved her more than what was fathomable. Naturally so would I, too. Especially in this form. But I’d switched back to myself already. The misery was still there. It was real.

  “Tessa!”

  Blood raced like lava through my veins as I searched out her blood within me. She was all I had consumed since my bond. All I fucking lived off of. She was my life, and I wanted it back. I was dying without her. Yes, I could feel it. My adrenaline made me stronger, but she was the one keeping my heart beating. Her blood was what made my existence worth living. I didn’t want to be here because of anyone else’s life force. I wanted her, despite the fact that I wanted to torture her. I wanted both her life and her death. God, I was losing my mind.

  “There has to be a way. There has to be.”

  Darkness engulfed me as I shut my eyes and tried to concentrate. Throughout the centuries, I’d done nothing but expand my mind. I had done things no one ever knew existed. There should be no reason why I couldn’t bring her to me. Marko and Hunter may be closed off from my blood, but Tessa wasn’t created from it. There were no ties to me, and I had her crown. Sure, she may have been bonded to Hunter, but my blood within him wasn’t powerful enough through her yet. She had fed from me a lot though …

  I tried to stop the need to lash out at the thought as it barreled its way through. Bringing her back had to be possible. It had to. I just needed to figure out how to make it happen.

  Impatience had me lunging forward before my lids were even lifted. I raced toward the door, to the only place I could think of. My real room. I had books in there. I had everything that I’d ever experienced as phenomenon of our kind written down. There had to be an answer somewhere within the pages. And if not … I’d track her down with every resource I had and she would pay. Whether it was with her life or not, I just wasn’t sure. Maybe her death wouldn’t be any different than Marko’s. Maybe it truly would kill me. I felt as if her disappearance already was, and I knew she was alive. Not being able to bring her back might just do me in for good.

  “Move.”

  A servant rushed to sidestep out of my way as I stalked down the long hall. I saw nothing but a blur as scenarios took root and turned into visions before me. The dress, those eyes. My fantasy come to life was going to haunt me forever. She’d pretended to want me, then. Had she known it was me when she’d materialized herself to portray something she wasn’t? When she’d made love to me all those times? Did Tessa know it was her leader giving her such passion?

  I couldn’t help but think she at least suspected it. And if she had … maybe she really did love me. Yes, she’d see her mistake. She’d come back to me.

  “Your Highness.”

  My jaw tensed as I looked toward the door I passed. Eleanor, one of the newest and lower members dropped her head as my murderous glare stopped on her.

  “What is it?”

  “I would like to enquire on our next meeting. I feel as though it is imperative we select new members as soon as possi
ble. You have been away in your room and I fear the outside news has not made its way to you. We are in trouble. I ask that you please consider this in your time of … woe.”

  “My time of woe?” I inhaled deeply, pushing my unstableness aside long enough to take in her words. “What is the news I have missed? Is it so dire that you feel as though I cannot make decisions on the wellbeing of our kind?”

  “I—” Her mouth opened, only to shut. “I mean no disrespect, my lord. I know you are more than capable of dealing with a crisis. That is why I ask of you, please meet with us. Choose new members that way we can help the ones who are lost to us. The humans have run everyone from their homes. We are in hiding and losing this war they have brought upon us. We need your guidance.”

  “We are vampires,” I ground out. “Our instincts guide us. We were made to withstand these measly humans and rule this world. If we are not tested, how will we know who we are?”

  Eleanor grew quiet as her expressions turned to shock.

  “We will meet at sunrise tomorrow. Inform our strongest.”

  “Thank you, Master.”

  Relief was evident in her tone as I turned my back on her and continued to my room. Perhaps choosing new members would come to benefit me. After all, they had gifts. If I couldn’t find the answers I was looking for to bring Tessa back, maybe one of them held it.

  Chapter 32

  Tessa

  Twelve. Twelve vampires.

  A yawn came from my mouth as I took in the ten males and two females that sat around the small living room. For two days Marko projected his power off and on, and only the few before us had shown. Stress and panic were wearing me down and it was almost impossible to focus through the growing anxieties.

  “I almost didn’t come. I didn’t want to. The stories going around, they’re not good.” Cedric pushed back his long dreads, keeping his dark eyes low as he stole glances at Marko. “They say you’re killing our kind. That you’re setting us up to be wiped out by the humans. I’m not even sure why I’m here. I guess I got tired of trying to find a place to hide and curiosity got the best of me.” He paused. “Is it true?”