by Kim Knox
The sloping grassland curved into the dark edge of trees, a large, ancient oak casting the first shadows over the immaculate lawns. Dried leaves littered the forest floor, my bare feet crunching over twigs and fallen acorns. I winced as the prickled shell of a conker caught the ball of my foot. It slowed my rapid pace through the dark trunks and forced me to hop as I yanked the shell free. Licking my thumb, I rubbed healing saliva over the wound. At least both of us were barefoot. Not much consolation as my foot continued to sting and slowed my pace to a hobble.
My plan was simple. I had to take Zara by surprise. Not much of a plan, but it was all I had.
“Tate!”
Zara’s voice echoed through the shadowed darkness of the forest. “My brother tied himself to a coward.”
A quick smile pulled at my mouth. Was she having trouble scenting me? Why else would she want to draw me into revealing my position? I edged around low, spiky bushes, hissing as the sharp, leafless branches dug into my bare thighs. In the heavy shadow of the forest, the heat of the morning sun seemed a distant memory. I’d grown used to the gloom but not the icy cold that had my toes numb.
Blowing on my fingers, I worked warmth back into my hands. Trees grew thick and heavy all around me, twigs interlocking and forming a heavy canopy of bare branches. Sunlight gilded their tops.
“Tate…”
Did she think I was an idiot? That her brother could fall so far in choosing a mate? I scrambled up the gnarled base of a beech and grabbed at the lowest branch. It’d been a few years since I’d climbed a tree, and it seemed I’d been a few feet shorter and a lot more agile as I tried to clamber to the next branch. I cursed at the twigs sticking into my stomach and pulled myself higher. Finding a thick branch, I dropped my legs over and settled back against the cold trunk.
The almost-silence of the forest washed over me. I listened to my even breaths, willing my heart to slow and blend into the winter life-force of the forest. Zara would find me. I just needed the brief moment of surprise that—maybe, if I was lucky—could catch her off guard.
I rubbed my hands together and willed some of Jager’s incredible fire to the end of my fingers. My pulse jumped at that thought, of the taste of him in my mouth. I blew out a slow breath, steaming the air. I couldn’t risk thoughts of him—not if I wanted my body to disappear into the hibernating life of the forest.
Twigs cracked, breaking the silence.
I eased my way to the lower branch, staring into the thick shadow of the forest floor. With my pulse controlled, I picked out Zara’s pounding heart somewhere off to my left. And she’d made no attempt to mask her body or the noise she made as she kicked through deep leaf litter. She was relying on her superior strength, had to be. Her mate’s blood pounded through her, increasing her beast’s natural power.
The potency of it rushed over me. Damn, she was strong.
The branch took my weight. I focused. When Zara stomped beneath the branch, when I fixed on the ornate curls pinned with gold and diamonds and the Queen’s crown, I would jump. My heart thudded in a slow rhythm as concentration held me.
Closer…but her fast march over the thick litter slowed. Zara stopped and her chin lifted. She pulled in a deep breath. She’d picked up the thin thread of my scent, probably felt it thicken around the tree.
Zara moved forward. Her heart thudded, her excitement rising. I felt it, could almost taste the power-rich blood that flowed in her veins. It stirred the beast in me but I clamped my will down, holding still, waiting, waiting…
Ornate curls, pins, nail-sized diamonds. The ancient crown of the ruling Queen.
I leapt. In a frozen instant, I caught the image of her upturned face, her brow starting to furrow and then a dawning realization, just before I smashed into Zara and dropped her to the forest floor. I gripped her waist with my thighs and grabbed her upper arms, pinning her to the ground. My beast growled her joy at capturing her rival. Jager’s fire burned through my veins, giving strength to every muscle. I leaned over her. “You were looking for me?”
Zara snarled, struggling. “An ambush? The coward’s way.”
I smirked at her and her eyes narrowed. Her hips twisted under me, her hands trying to get a grip on my shirt, my arms. Shit, Zara was strong. I wanted to keep the strain of holding her from my voice and probably failed. “Fate chooses who we are.”
“My brother’s weakness put you here!”
With a heave, she tried to roll me. My beast was ahead of her and I scrambled free. But before she could leap up, I jumped her again, pressing her face into the damp piles of leaves and twigs. Fighting to pull her flailing arms behind her back, I sat low on her spine.
She bucked, her feet kicking out, her screams half choked as leaf mulch sucked into her mouth. But I stayed steady, held her to the ground thick with muck. Her body jerked, strained, but I rode her, my blood hot as I tamed the beast within her. “I will not submit to you! Kill me and have done with it.”
I felt my beast in my smile, something sharp and satisfied. I had her now. “I’m not going to kill you, Zara. You’ll live out your life with your chosen mate.”
That froze her and then a sneer crept across her half-buried face. “You’re weak. I would not leave a rival living.”
I tugged at her arm, lifting it, and she cried out. She fought me, but it was a token effort. Only her pride had her fighting, her beast had admitted defeat. Bending my head, my fangs grew until they pressed against my lower lip.
“Kill me.”
Her tone begged me, but Zara had tried to deny me Jager, deny me my future. I could show her no such mercy.
“No.” I sank my fangs deep into her forearm and caught the thick run of blood with my tongue. Zara cried out and her body fell limp. She tasted of fire, the hot, rough taste of it burning on the edge of my tongue. I winced. Too much of Soren’s reluctance soured the pleasure of taking her blood. It was there, a bitter undercurrent flowing in her veins.
With a final lick, I healed the wound. Her blood sat sour in my belly. I released her hands and wiped at my mouth. Zara’s hands moved to cover her face, her fingers digging tight into her skull. I pulled the crown free of her hair. Pushing myself to my feet, I brushed the mud and leaves from Jager’s white shirt. His scent rose on the still air and I pulled it deep into my lungs, drawing strength from it. I placed the crown on the wild tangle of my own hair, my beast surging at the power that was now ours.
“Zara, kneel before your ruling Queen.”
She stilled and then slowly she crawled up onto her knees, her head bowed. “Majesty,” she murmured.
My beast curled hot in my gut, enjoying Zara’s defeat. I held back my growl, remembering Jager’s words. I wouldn’t gloat over her. “Your province is the Northern Isles.”
Zara’s head snapped up. She stared at me. “Our birthplace? It’s been uninhabited by humans for centuries.”
“There are a few still living there.” I gave her a sharp smile. “Build up the economy, get it thriving again.” The smile faded. “It’s a reminder for you, Zara. Fate rules us. You can’t cheat or deny it.”
She stared at the floor. “Yes, Majesty.”
I let out a slow breath and turned from her. “I’ll send Soren in to get you.”
“Yes, Majesty.”
I strode back through the forest, keeping my back straight, my chin up. Insane as it was, suddenly I was the ruling Queen. I ran a trembling hand over my tangled hair, tracing the wrought gold of the crown, and willed my breathing slow and even. My heart thudded as the aftershock of beating Zara hit my body.
I grabbed at an oak, using it to support my unsteady legs. Glancing back, I found only the heavy shadow of trees spiked now by the gradually rising sun’s sharp beams. Zara hadn’t witnessed my moment of weakness. I closed my eyes and pulled in the power of my beast to strengthen me. We ruled now.
A smile curved my mouth. Really, that sounded crazy. I was the third daughter of a minor queen, my father a fresh tanao barely risen out of his grav
e, and yet I had hunted the Queen’s son, defeated his sister and ruled in her stead.
Fate had favored me. I would never forget that.
I pushed myself away from the cold bark of the tree. The trunks thinned and the gleam of the morning sun cut through to the forest floor. My bare feet crunched through the dry leaves, taking me out of the wood.
The sun washed warm over my cold limbs, a light breeze rippling the shirt to my body. I stopped and closed my eyes, letting the sun’s rays slant across my face. I almost laughed out loud. I’d expected to find a little province, a young tanao, not to rule and have Jager at my side.
The breeze brought me his scent, the heady mix of fire and spice that had my heart beating faster. A moment later and his strong arms wrapped around me. I pressed my face into his neck, my lips, tongue, teeth, brushing against his tantalizing skin.
“Majesty,” he murmured, and the beast within me in growled a response. Jager laughed and hugged me tighter. His arms loosened and he pulled back. Serious eyes held me. “Zara?”
I released a slow breath. “Alive. Send Soren to get her. Their new home is the Northern Isles.”
He gave a brief nod and a smile lurked on his mouth. “Yes, Majesty.”
“You’re enjoying saying that.”
Jager brushed the tangled hair back from my face, the affectionate gesture tightening my heart. “I thought fate would take you from me.” His mouth brushed mine, his lips cool but with the promise of the inner heat of his tongue. “I’ve waited too long.”
I slid my cold hands under his jacket, finding the warmth of his skin and he hissed. His teeth nipped at my bottom lip. Desire coursed through me and I pressed myself to his hard body “How did this happen, Jager? I mean you didn’t…”
“We said all the right things, Tate. You have no idea how tempted I was to lick my way down just that bit further…” He smiled against my mouth and my head felt light. “And I think that should be your next order.”
“The coronation?”
“All glamour and fakery. It hardly matters. Every important queen here has witnessed your rightful ascension.” His dark eyes sparked with his beast and heat pooled low in my belly as his hand stroked hot over my waist and hip. “I want to demonstrate my devotion.”
“You do?” Was a Queen supposed to sound that breathless?
The smile he gave me was wicked. “I do.”
Chapter Eight
Jager shut the bedroom door.
We’d left the fallout of my sudden ascension for Neron to sort. Jager had said he had a flair for it, said it with a hint of smirk. Something about his mother’s tanao irked him, and since he was now my tanao, I wanted to know what it was.
“What is it with you and Neron?”
Jager threw his jacket across a chair and caring about my question began to fade. My beast’s growl flickered from my lips and I found myself pressed up against the warm, hard muscle of his chest. I licked his collarbone and the salt-sweet taste of his skin had my primitive side flaring.
“Neron?” Jager’s fingers slid down the front of my shirt, flicking the buttons open. “I have no problem with Neron.”
I snorted. “I can make it a command…”
He pushed the shirt back, his hands cupping my shoulders. He paused and let out a tight breath. Fire sparked in his eyes and my beast reacted to his undercurrent of fury, pounding blood through my veins. “Neron wanted you as his escravo. Offered himself as your master.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Almost succeeded in convincing my mother to let him.”
I stroked his jaw, wanting to ease the tightness straining under my fingers. “But now you’re both my slaves.”
“Tate…” Anger mixed with humor and he slid his hands down over the shirt to my spine, stopping just above my buttocks. “Not funny.”
I traced the edge of his mouth, my gaze fixed on his lip. “Come on, wasn’t it just a little bit funny?”
“Can we not discuss Neron right now?”
“Killjoy.”
“Really…?”
Jager’s fingers inched under my shirt, easing up my spine. I arched at the unexpected rush of sensation, gasping as his lips caressed my jaw, his tongue tip tracing a hot line down my throat. I forgot about talking. Jager belonged to me.
My escaping growl had him smiling against my damp skin. Open-mouthed kisses chased over my collarbone. The prick of his teeth pulsed little points of pleasure as he pushed me back against the silk-lined wall. Goose bumps ran fast over my skin at the cool contact with the smooth fabric. Jager pressed his hands against my hips, fingers gripping me and holding me still.
His mouth slid lower and brushed all too quickly over my breast. I groaned, my fingers pulling through his thick hair. He smiled against my stomach and edged further, slowly, slowly dropping to his knees.
The beast within me let out an almost liquid growl of satisfaction and my heart hammered. Tension tightened low in my belly as shallow bites and teasing licks slid down from my navel.
My fingers clenched in his hair and only the solid grip of his hands on my hips held me up. Blood fired through my veins. Breathing became shallow and I crushed my eyes against the rush of need, the ache for him to stop teasing and to find me, lick and bite me ’til I screamed his name.
His teeth grazed over my mons and sparks danced behind my eyes. I could feel his smile. He knew exactly what he was doing.
The curl of his tongue dipped, finding the edge of my thigh and the sudden sensitivity of my skin had my spine arching. “Jager.” I half growled his name, trying to edge his teasing mouth to where I ached for him.
“I’ve waited a long time for this, Tate.” His warm breath tickled me and I shivered. He looked up. “Let me enjoy my submission to you.”
My chest hitched at his words and I couldn’t speak. I nodded and surrendered my body to his pleasure.
He kissed my thigh, tormenting little butterfly kisses that pulsed need through my veins. I growled, my beast flaring, and my fangs pushed against my lips. Jager edged closer, closer, his mouth and teeth burning points of pleasure…and then his tongue tip pressed against my clitoris.
Lights flashed and I crushed my eyes against the sudden burst of fire. I gasped out unintelligible words and Jager’s soft, satisfied laughter swept heat over my skin. Slow, delicate, teasing licks had my body in turmoil, the first stirrings of orgasm pulsing tight and hot in my belly.
Jager’s thumbs caressed the edge of my thighs as his tongue flickered and then slid deeper into my flesh. My fingers fisted in his hair and his clever tongue licked as his teeth broke skin. I hissed. Slow laps drew my blood into his body and the tension low in my pelvis had that blood thick with need.
“My beast will serve you now and forever.”
His soft, muffled words seared my flesh and the promise of orgasm had my body trembling. I could almost taste it and I teetered on the edge, aching for release—
“I belong to you, My Queen.”
Fire swept through me and I cried out, lost in the sudden surge of bliss. And still he lapped at me, intensifying the rush to joy in my blood, only the strength of his arms holding me up as my body shook, but then he loosened his grip and I slid unceremoniously down until my backside hit the carpet.
I laughed and swatted at him. “You’re evil.”
Jager grinned. “I couldn’t resist…Majesty.”
I growled at him and the humor in his eyes faded, desire replacing it. The sated vampire in me unfurled, pulsing fresh need through my body. Jager still knelt in front of me, so I shoved him back. He hit the carpet with a dull thump and I straddled his hips. “Much better.”
Jager pushed the loose shirt down my arms, freeing it from my body. “Yes.” His palms pushed up over my belly to cup my breasts, thumbs teasing. “Much.”
I glared at him as my fingers worked to undo his trousers. “You’re a very insubordinate subject, Jager.”
He smirked at me. “I learned from the best.”
I wriggled, pushing
the material of his trousers, his underwear, down, exposing him. The smirk died on his mouth and the primitive heart of his vampire shone in his eyes. His hands slipped away from my breasts to hold on to my hips, tilting his pelvis so the long length of his erection pressed against me.
I teased him, sliding wet over him in a slow rhythm that had his fingers digging hard into my flesh.
“Tate…” My name was almost a growl. “You may be my Queen but there are some things I will not tolerate.”
“You can’t be teased?” I leaned forward, changing the angle of my slide and my hands caressed his abdomen, chest, feeling the solid pounding of his heart. I flicked a nipple and he hissed. “Not even a little bit?”
The ripple of a growl caught me by surprise and I jerked hard against him. The blunt head of his cock slid too easily into my wet flesh and with sudden strength and speed, Jager had me on my back. He planted his hands either side of my shoulders and his gaze gripped me as he pushed deep into my body, heat and desire darkening his eyes.
“No, Majesty, not even a little bit,” he muttered.
I shifted my hips, wrapping my legs around him. The almost smooth nap of the carpet rubbed against my buttocks and shoulder blades. Sex on the floor, not the best idea…
“Sink your teeth into me, Tate.”
All thought of discomfort fled. The prospect of drinking from Jager, the promise of his fiery blood sinking into my body as we made love, had me pushing hard against him. I twisted, my mouth seeking the hard muscle of his pectoral, tracing over warm skin to find the hard thud of his heart. My beast growled, eager to taste the source of his power, and Jager groaned.
It was the final part of our bond.
My lips trembled over him, my fangs sliding out to prick his skin. He shuddered over me, his hips grinding against mine. Orgasm flickered at the edge of my flesh. So close…and the promise of what was to come had me meeting every one of his hard thrusts. I clung to his back, trusting him to support me as desire wound around my flesh, my beast and I sinking my teeth deeper, deeper until l grazed his heart.
