Rebel Match (The Royale Vampire Heirs Book 3)

by Ginna Moran

  “I don’t care! He needs to die!” I lose my shit, my anger getting the best of me. I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe Corona gets to breathe a second longer. “I can’t just go along with this anymore. I can’t!”

  Silence falls over the room, my strangled sobs the only sound in the air. Bronx and Jameson freeze, the fiery anger gone from their eyes. Mikkalo punches the wall, cracking the plaster. Only Everett steps into my space. He quietly bites his arm and holds it out to me. My insides twist, and I deny drinking his blood.

  I can’t think about eating or drinking or anything for that matter as Corona continues to live. The man isn’t stupid. He purposely submitted the coven union request so that my guys couldn’t back out. He purposely did it to announce Zaire’s demise before my guys had the chance. What all of this means? Probably that we’re fucked. I can’t imagine the board taking kindly to this, considering that my guys lied to the face of Viorica Vaduva.

  “Gwen, you need to eat or drink. You’re losing color. Your eyes are flashing silver like crazy. The bite mark isn’t even coagulating.” Everett’s words draw my attention back to the puncture wounds on my hand. I hadn’t even noticed that they drip blood all over the place.

  “Then treat me like a donor,” I say. “Give me a bandage.”

  My knees wobble as I shuffle toward the bed. It’s like my body has had enough, and it wants nothing more than for me to check out and give it a break. My mind agrees. I slump onto the bed and curl my knees to my chest.

  “Gwen,” Everett repeats, sitting down beside me. “You’re scaring me. Please, just let me take care of you.”

  I don’t respond to him.

  I can’t.

  My eyes close, a comforting numbness washing over me.

  I never felt such relief.

  ***

  “What’s the matter, my little dhampir?” Laredo asks, scooting closer to me.

  I sigh and lean my elbows on my knees. “The usual. My brothers planning things without asking for my opinion.”

  “Is this about heading south?” Touching my knee, Laredo draws circles over my skin with his finger.

  “Yeah, kind of. I just...I want a break. I’m tired of traveling.” I twist my lips to the side and look at him. “Is that so wrong?”

  “No, it’s understandable. We haven’t stayed anywhere for more than a week since leaving your home. It was bound to catch up to you.” He bumps his shoulder to mine. “Perhaps a drink might help change your mood.”

  “Or maybe if we just up and left for a while,” I say. “Have you thought about it? Taking me somewhere alone?”

  His eyes flash silver. “All the time.”

  “Then let’s do it.” I get to my feet and offer my hand to Laredo.

  He chuckles and links his fingers through mine, allowing me to pull him toward the front door of the shack. Cool night air engulfs us, and I stride toward the old van hidden under a green tarp.

  “I like this side of you, Gwen,” Laredo says, stopping to spin me toward the van. He presses my back into the cold metal. “Once your mind is set, it’s set—whether or not you’re wearing pants. But I don’t mind.”

  I glance down and laugh, realizing I never did finish getting dressed. I was so pissed off that my brothers didn’t include me in their vote of where we were heading next. Everyone knows I hate that shit.

  “Fuck. Change of plans,” I say, pushing him away from me to head back inside. “I’m just going to knock the shit out of my brothers until they comply.”

  He laughs. “Ah, come on. You can’t get my hopes up like this and then back out.”

  I raise an eyebrow at him. “You would really face my brothers’ wrath when we got home?”

  “Who said we’d come home? Think about it, Gwen. You and me, the world at our feet. You’re only going to get stronger, you know. You were born to carry power unlike anything the world has ever seen. It’s why my coven covets you so.”

  “What do you mean your coven?” I ask, searching his gaze.

  “They want to do the same as your brothers. Keep you locked away without a choice in your life. But not me. I will figure out how we can both be free.” He touches my cheek. “When you’re truly ready. I won’t accept a promise less than a Blood Vow.”

  “What’s that?” I suck in my bottom lip, devouring the information he gives me. I don’t think he’s ever been so open in his life. I mean, a coven? He never mentioned it before.

  “Your love and loyalty forever, my dhampir. You’d let me transform you into who you were meant to be.”

  I frown. “Wait, are you saying you want me to transform into a vampire?”

  “Not exactly. But either way, it’ll set you free.”

  I gasp and sit upright, my mind whirling. Cool hands grab my cheeks and stop me from flailing about. Everything hurts—my body, my head, even my heart. I can’t shake the uneasiness brought on by my memory of Laredo, one he had stolen away.

  “Shit,” I whisper, thinking about his mention of a Blood Vow. That’s another thing my guys like to tiptoe around, and now it all makes sense. A Blood Vow is offering to sever mortal bonds to transform a donor into a vampire. But I know I can’t transform. From the memory, it seems as if Laredo knew that too. He bit me with the idea of setting me free but how exactly? What was he expecting to happen?

  “How are you feeling?” Bronx’s big hand touches my leg from on top of the blanket. “You scared the hell out of Everett.”

  I don’t respond right away and stare at the familiar light fixture of the suite I share with Bronx in Crimson Vista. How long have I been out? There’s something unnerving about being relocated unaware. It’s even worse than getting moved at vampire speed.

  “What century is it?” I ask, rubbing the heels of my hands into my eyes.

  Bronx chuckles, the lightness of his voice filling up the ache in my heart. “You’ve only been asleep for a few hours. It seems with everything that happened we haven’t been taking proper care of your human needs. You were dehydrated. I guess you did need that glass of water you asked for.”

  I stretch my back. “I could’ve told you guys that blood can’t replace my other needs. I just don’t have to eat or drink as much.”

  “Everett’s kicking himself. He drew some of your blood to run some tests just to be safe. I hope it’s okay that he gave me some of his time,” Bronx says.

  “Depends. What about you? Are you kicking yourself?” I keep my voice even.

  “Right in the fucking balls, dandelion.” He props himself on his elbow to get a better look at me since I don’t shift onto my side. “You’d be impressed.”

  I release a laugh that explodes through the air, surprising me. Slapping my hand over my mouth, I muffle the loud-ass noise and glare at Bronx. “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?” he asks.

  “Make me laugh. I’m still pissed off at all of you.” I nudge his chest with my knuckles.

  “That makes two of us,” he says, his fangs peeking out from beneath his lips.

  “You’re mad at me?” I sit up, half expecting for my body to give out on me and send me crashing back to the bed. “How can you possibly be mad at me?”

  He flops on his back. “Where do I even start? For one, your stubborn as hell ass won’t even give me the chance to explain myself and my decisions. Instead, you accuse me of putting you beneath me. And two, you attacked Corona and provoked him so that he would bite you, knowing well enough that it would trigger me to want to murder him.”

  I growl at him. Full-on, throaty, predatory growl. “I fucking did not provoke him on purpose. You’re such an ass even to think that.”

  “How can I not? Both Mikkalo and Everett said you smiled like you knew. Then you went and tried to use our nature to get your way.” Bronx gives me a pointed look like he knows he’s right.

  I jump on top of him and shake him. “You ass! How about you try not smiling when you think you’re finally getting the justice you’ve been denied ov
er and over by the ones who are plenty capable of providing it.”

  “Gwen, I told you—”

  “Just stop it. I get it. You’re doing what you think is best for the coven and region. But don’t you dare accuse me of purposely letting the guy I hate most in the world bite me. I would never, and I mean never, go that far. I don’t even want him within a mile of me let alone let him sink his teeth into me.” I inhale a few deep breaths through my nose.

  Bronx slackens under me. “I’m sorry, Gwen. You’re right. You wouldn’t no matter how much I try to convince myself to make me feel better about letting him live.”

  “You shouldn’t feel better,” I snap. “You should feel like shit.”

  “I do,” he says, his voice lowering. “And that’s why I’m not going to compete for your Blood Match contract. I don’t deserve to have that kind of claim on you.”

  My breath catches at his words. “Bronx, don’t talk like that.”

  Sinking into him, I slide my arms under his neck to embrace him despite our disagreements and anger. Because even if I’m mad or upset, it doesn’t change how I feel about him. I love him. I love all my guys.

  “You deserve me just as much as your brothers,” I whisper. “The only reason I’ll accept you backing out of getting my contract would be because you don’t want it, not because you don’t think you deserve it.”

  “Dandelion,” he murmurs, tilting his face up to mine. He doesn’t meet our lips together, though. “I want it more than anything.”

  “Then you better give your damn all in whatever competition the four of you decide on,” I say. “I expect nothing less from all of you.”

  “I’m nearly certain the competition will be what Jameson suggested,” he teases, sliding his hands around my hips to push me down just a little until I can feel the hardening of his cock between my legs. “Maybe you’ll let me practice.”

  Fuck. Me.

  I shiver at his words, his suggestion getting me wet already before he even does anything. He licks his lips and leans up to kiss me. His tongue tastes the seam of my lips as he wastes no time deepening our kiss like he’s been starved for my affection. A fiery need erupts inside me, and I react to his furious desire with my own, wanting nothing more than to let my body control me to get what it needs to push the rest of the world away.

  Bronx rolls me off him and breaks from my mouth, licking his way down to my breasts. He kneels between my legs and tugs the nightie over my head.

  I moan as his tongue flicks over my excited nipples. “I hope you covered me up before you paraded my ass around Corona’s.”

  He nips my breast. “What kind of asshole do you think I am?”

  I flop back and squirm against the pillow, enjoying the sensation of his tongue continuing to glide down my stomach. “Only the stubborn kind that loves denying me what I want. Who I also think likes to piss me off so that we can make up like this.”

  “I definitely don’t like you getting pissed at me. Not like that,” he says, his voice lowering. “It killed me. Still does. I just want to do everything I can to make it up to you.”

  I ease my hips up to let him tug my panties off. “This is a start.”

  He hums against my pelvis and works his lips down until he kisses my clit. And damn does it feel amazing. Closing my eyes, I moan through the sensations he creates by sucking and licking over my body in a way that has tingles exploding between my legs.

  Stretching my arms, I comb my fingers into his hair, playing with his short, soft strands. I can’t stop wiggling and shifting, the pressure growing more intense. Grasping my hips, he tries to hold me still, but my body doesn’t want to cooperate. I practically smother him with my thighs when I reach my release. I jerk back, trying to clutch the pillow to cover my face. Bronx snatches it before I can, loving nothing more than to hear my scream of pleasure.

  I gasp, trying to catch my breath. Bronx slides up to sink his weight against me to hug me until my heartbeat slows enough that it doesn’t feel like it’ll escape my chest.

  Hooking my fingers to his shirt, I don’t give him long to cuddle me, my mind fully set on things just getting started. Bronx’s eyes darken as he kneels between my legs. He unfastens his pants and tugs them down enough to tease me with his prominent erection through his boxer briefs. He rubs himself, licking his lips just watching me watch him.

  “I love when you look at me like this,” he says, tugging down the hem of his underwear to give me a show.

  He strokes his cock more, and I can’t stop myself from arching up to get on my own knees. I lace my fingers around his girth, taking over to feel how hard I make him. He moans, easing onto the bed so I can finish undressing him.

  Pulling me closer, he adjusts my legs over his. Our bodies meet, but he doesn’t enter me. I don’t let him quite yet. I tease him, just rubbing his tip against the slick wetness of my arousal, enjoying how his muscles flex in anticipation.

  “You feel so good, Gwen,” he murmurs, bowing his head to my shoulder. His hands tighten on my hips, and he rocks me a bit to sink a little more inside of me.

  I moan my enjoyment, adjusting myself until we align completely. I sit on him, his pelvis meeting my thighs. He guides my body in the rhythm he wants, thrusting deep into me with every swing of my body.

  I kiss his shoulder, sucking hard enough to leave a mark. Teasing his skin with my teeth, I nip at him, my whole body humming with starvation for his affection and love and blood, everything he can give me to satiate me on every level.

  “Gwen,” he whispers, bending his neck. “You can bite me. It feels so good.”

  “I want to savor your skin a little longer.” I kiss his shoulder and work my way to his neck. I suck his earlobe into my mouth.

  Bronx moans, tightening his fingers on my ass. He squeezes, sending a burst of electricity through my body. Picking up speed, he pulls me to him harder and faster. I gasp over and over into the crook of his neck until my need to taste him grows so intensely that I can’t resist.

  “Ready?” I ask, kissing the sensitive spot on his neck.

  He stretches his neck more, silently giving me permission.

  Blood floods my mouth with my bite, and I moan as I swallow. My body buzzes with a desire so intense that I lose myself to the feeling of Bronx inside me, the sweet taste of him, the love we share.

  Pushing me back, he lands on top of me. I break my mouth from his skin to meet him for a kiss. He kisses me deeper, plunging his tongue into my mouth, not even caring if his blood still stains my lips. I keep my legs hooked around him and move in sync with his thrusts until he slows with his finish.

  “I love you,” he says, resting on top of me, our bodies warm with flush.

  “Even when I infuriate you?” I relish his skin against mine, how his heart thumps against my chest. “Because I love you regardless.”

  Tilting his head up, he graces me with a smile I haven’t seen on him in a while. I can’t even remember if I’ve seen his face carry so much happiness.

  “I’m going to try my best to do that less.” He tucks strands of my hair behind my ear. “And so you know, yes. I love the hell out of you, even when you infuriate me. Even when we can’t agree on something. Even when you’re stubborn as fuck and don’t listen. That’s how I know I’m madly, sometimes possessively, and endlessly in love with you.”

  I grin and kiss him, nudging him onto his back. He lets me get on top of him, and I straddle his body. “Keep talking like that, and I’m going to want more...you know, with all my pent up frustration.”

  “We can’t have that now, can we?” he says, his eyes flashing silver.

  His cock pulses between my legs, and I grind against him, just feeling his length until he looks ready to flip me off him to have his way. I don’t let him. Grabbing his hands, I pull his arms up and pin them. He releases a play-growl and nips at my shoulder when I continue to wiggle and tease him until I finally guide his erection into place.

  A knock sounds on the door, drawing
our gazes from each other. Mikkalo clears his throat. “I really fucking hate interrupting like this, considering how glad I am you two made up, but we have a problem, Bronx.”

  “How serious?” he asks.

  I crinkle my nose. “Can it wait a couple of minutes?”

  Bronx cocks his eyebrow. “Gonna need longer than that, dandelion.”

  Mikkalo groans and thuds something, probably his forehead, against the door. “I’ll try to stall, but the Vaduvas are adamant in delivering a message directly to you.”

  “Viorica’s here?” Bronx asks, propping up on his arms. “You should’ve told me she entered the city.”

  “It’s Heidi and Merrick. And no, I shouldn’t have. There was no way I was going to ruin our girl’s fun. Not for them.” Mikkalo cracks the door. “So, what do you want me to do? Stall them?”

  Bronx groans and hugs me. “I need to handle this. I don’t want them around longer than necessary.”

  “I guess I should get used to all the rude interruptions, huh?” I sigh a long breath through my nose. “I can only imagine things getting busier. I mean, that’s why you guys gave up some of your hobbies.”

  Bronx shakes his head. “I’ll never be too busy for you. Wait here for me, and I’ll be as quick as possible.”

  The elevator dings, and Mikkalo stiffens. Bronx grabs his clothes and shrugs them on, abandoning me in bed. I barely have time to pull the blankets around me before soft laughter draws my attention to the door.

  “How divine of you, misters Royale. Were we interrupting something?” The brunette, who I remember is named Merrick, stands tall to peek over Mikkalo’s shoulder and into the room.

  Bronx tightens his jaw. “That is none of your business, Ms. Vaduva.”

  “No shame in having some fun with poor, poor Zaire’s Blood Match. I can’t blame you for not letting her go to waste.” Merrick wiggles her fingers at me. “She looks delicious. Is she?”

  “Maybe you should ask her if she finds Mr. Royale to be the delectable one,” the red-haired vampire, Heidi, says. “I never took you as someone who would give over control to a donor.”