by Bianca Cole
I kiss her passionately, feeling the strength of my emotions overwhelm me. Tears prickle at my ears for the first time in centuries as I kiss her.
Someone clears their throat behind me. Rosie breaks away, gasping. The boy that tried to pull me off here earlier is standing there with a busted eye—serves him right for getting anywhere near an angry vampire.
“Kev, what happened to your eye?”
The guy points at me. “I tried to get to you when you were injured, and he threw me.”
“You told me to get away from my queen while she was bleeding to fucking death, and I nudged you.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but it was unintentional.”
Rosie squeezes my hand. “Of course, it was. Kev, you need to let this grudge go.”
The guy swallows hard. “I know. It will take time.” His shoulders slump. “I’ll see you around, Rosie.”
Rosie doesn’t say anything, watching him walk over to another girl. She looks a little wistful as she stares at them.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
She nods. “Yeah, I just realized that nothing will be the same.” She meets my gaze. “Everything will change now, won’t it?”
I cup her chin and kiss her softly. “Yes, for the better. No one will try to stop us ever again.”
The council members start to disperse in couples, leaving just Lucy and Flynn left. “Well, now that shit is over, I guess it’s time for us to explore London,” Flynn says, glancing at Rosie. “Do you recommend any sights?”
Rosie shrugs. “I’ve hardly seen any of the tourist sights.” She laughs. “I guess that’s what happens when you live somewhere.”
Lucy waves. “Have a good night. We’ll regroup tomorrow at breakfast. Don’t do anything we wouldn’t” She winks.
Flynn smirks as he wraps his arm around Lucy and walks away.
“We best get you back to the room and get you some room service.” I slide my arm around her back. “You almost died tonight, Rosie.”
She bites her bottom lip, shaking her head. “I’ve never been more scared than I was when I saw that knife coming toward me.” She leans against me for support as we walk the short walk to the O2 hotel entrance.
“Neither have I, baby girl,” I mutter, walking her across the lobby.
It’s impossible not to notice the looks I get as we move through the hotel. Humans aren’t exactly comfortable around vampires. I did just rip a couple of vampires’ heads off for fucking with me in front of thousands, so they have a right to be wary around me.
For the first time in my life, I don’t want to be brutal anymore. I want to help the council build a better world where vampires are as respected as the other species. I want to bring our kind out of the dark and into the light, literally.
We step into the lift, and Rosie pushes the button for our room, leaning back against me. “I’m glad it’s over,” she says.
I wrap my arm around her stomach. “Me too.”
We ride the lift in silence, rising to the top floor. I booked the penthouse suite before the others had a chance. I slide the card into the door and open it, allowing Rosie to step in first.
She flops down on the sofa, sighing.
I can’t help but smile as I stare at her. In all my hundreds of years, I’ve never known bliss like this. Rosie makes my life better in every possible way.
“What are you doing standing over there?” she asks, glancing back at me.
I shake my head. “Admiring you.”
Her cheeks turn deep pink, and she shakes her head. “Come here.”
I raise a brow. “Rosie, don’t tell me what to do.”
She sighs. “Please, Vlad. I almost died tonight.”
I submit to her request out of guilt, wrapping an arm around her. “I’m so sorry. I should have—”
She grabs me and kisses me, silencing me. “It wasn’t your fault,” she murmurs against my lips. “I love you.”
I smile against her lips. “I love you too. What do you want to eat?” I ask, grabbing the room service menu and passing it to her. “I’m starving.”
She chuckles. “For human food or blood?”
I shrug. “Both.”
She licks her lips and glances down at the menu, reading through it. I ring in her order and order myself the same. Vampires might not need to eat human food, but it tastes so good.
Rosie glances at me hesitantly as we wait for our food.
“What’s up?”
She sighs. “I was wondering what is next for us?”
I raise a brow. “What do you mean?”
She swallows hard. “Are we going to return to Nottingham?”
I think about her question, wondering whether I want to return. The castle has been my home for some years now, but I feel it’s time for a change. I shake my head. “No, I think we should go on an adventure.”
“An adventure?” Her brow furrows.
I nod. “Yeah, let’s spend a few months exploring America. I think I should consider having a residence there.”
She smiles. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her into me. “I was more scared than I’ve ever been in my nine hundred and fifty-eight years of life when I saw that dagger hit you.” I shake my head, trying to erase the image from my mind. “Thank God Ilsa was there.”
Rosie nods. “I owe her my life twice over.”
I swallow, knowing she’s right. I owe all of them a lot. It’s not how I normally work, relying on others. Something tells me that this is the start of a new chapter—a chapter in my life where I can trust other people for a change.
I can’t wait to see what life has in store for my queen and me.
26
Epilogue
Rosie
Vlad hasn’t told me where we’re going as we sit in the back of his limo. He kisses a path down my shoulder, setting me on fire.
“Are you going to tell me where we are going?” I ask, gazing out of the window as the car winds down the roads out of New Orleans. We’ve been traveling around America for the past month as a much-needed holiday, but I love it here the most. New Orleans feels so magical.
He shakes his head, smirking. “It’s a surprise, baby girl.”
I instinctively set my hand on my stomach, remembering the surprise I still haven’t told Vlad about. Ilsa told me that I’m pregnant two weeks ago, but I haven’t found a way to tell him. For a start, it shouldn’t even be possible.
Ilsa insists she didn’t intervene and wouldn’t without us asking for it. The only known human and vampire babies have been born from magic, so I’m worried about what on earth I’m carrying in my womb.
Ilsa assures me that it is a natural baby—nothing beastly about the being growing inside of me. Her foresight for these kinds of things is pretty strong.
“What’s wrong?” he asks.
I shake my head. “Nothing, I’m just not a big fan of surprises.”
He wraps his fingers around my throat and angles his fact to me. “Don’t lie to me,” he breathes, before kissing me softly.
I moan into his mouth, hoping the sexually charged moment will change the subject. I’m not ready to tell him right here and now. I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready. I let him dominate me, tongue tangling with mine as I melt for him.
When he breaks away, I’m breathless. His bright red eyes sparkle with amusement. He loves making me breathless and needy anywhere and everywhere. “Vlad, not here.”
The edge of his mouth curls up. “Are you telling me what to do, Miss. Davis?” His hand snakes down to cup my breasts, making me groan.
I shake my head. “Never, sir.”
He dips his mouth to my neck, slowly dragging the tips of his sharp fangs down my skin. “Good girl,” he purrs, before sinking his teeth into my neck.
I moan deeply, allowing the pleasure to take over every nerve ending in my body. “Vlad,” I breathe his name, digging my fingertips into his muscular shoulders. “Have we got a lot of tim
e?” I ask, wondering what it would be like to fuck in the back of the limo.
He groans and shakes his head. “No, unfortunately, we don’t, baby girl.” He glances out of the window. “However, my distraction was perfect.”
My brow furrows as I glance out of the window. We’ve pulled into the drive of a stunning colonial mansion on the edge of the bayou. “Where are we?” I ask.
He ignores my question and gets out of the car, walking around to open my door. “My lady,” he says, holding his hand out mockingly.
I take his hand and allow him to help me out of the limo. “This place is beautiful. Who lives here?” I ask.
His smirk widens. “We do. I bought it.” He holds the keys up in front of my face.
I stare at him, blinking a few times. I’m not sure whether to be ecstatic because it’s beautiful or serious pissed off. We’re a couple. He calls me his queen, and yet he hasn’t involved me in this decision. I take a step back from him, and his smirk fades. “Don’t you think that is a decision we should have made together?”
Vlad sighs, running a hand across the back of his neck. “No, baby girl. I know you love New Orleans the most, and I wanted to surprise you.”
My thoughts to go the baby growing inside of me. He doesn’t know, and this place is probably not geared up for children. I grit my teeth, shaking my head. “That’s not fair, Vlad. What if it’s not what I want?”
He scoops me up in his arms before I can react. “Reserve judgment. If you don’t like it, we look for somewhere else.”
I shake my head. “You said you’ve bought it.”
He laughs. “I can afford as many fucking places as you want, baby girl.” He nuzzles my nose with his. “Give it a chance.”
“Fine, but I can walk, you know?”
He ignores me and walks down the drive toward the home.
“Vlad,” I protest.
“Rosie, be a good girl, or I will punish you.” His grip tightens on my thigh as he carries me through the front door, which our driver opens.
“Thank you, Hudson.” He meets the driver’s gaze. “That will be all for tonight.”
He bows his head. “Of course, sir.” Leaving and shutting the door behind him.
Vlad still hasn’t set me down yet, as I glance around the stunning decor of the home. A sweeping staircase rises in front of us to an open balcony upstairs. The floors are pure marble, glistening.
It’s luxurious and lovely, but my immediate thought is it’s not baby proof at all. Shiny marble floor for our child to slip on and crack their head. Panic rises inside of me at the thought.
Vlad sets me down. “Why do I get the feeling you are anything but happy about this place?” He narrows his eyes. “I picked a place I was sure you would love. If you don’t like the decor, we can decorate.”
I shake my head, setting a hand over my stomach. “It’s not that, Vlad.” I swallow hard. “I’ve got a surprise of my own, I’m just not sure how to tell you.”
He moves toward me, wrapping his arms around me. “You can tell me anything, baby girl.” He kisses me softly. “You should know that.” He nips my lip with his fang. “Now tell me what is bothering you.”
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt, botching the entire moment up entirely.
Vlad tenses against me, his muscles go rigid. It feels much like the first time I let slip I loved him while we fucked. “Impossible,” he breathes.
I shake my head and try to get out of his grip. “No, Ilsa is certain and assures me she didn’t intervene.”
Vlad doesn’t let me go, keeping a tight grip on me. “Pregnant?” he asks, looking me in the eye.
I nod, biting my lip. “Yes.” I hold my breath, waiting for his response. It feels like time crawls by as I wait and wait for him to react.
He let’s go of me finally and paces the floor.
My heart starts to pound faster and worry floods me. This was the kind of reaction I was scared of. When Ilsa told me, my initial feeling was pure happiness. All I want is to have a family with the man I love. I know for a man like Vlad, having one weakness—me—is enough for him. The idea of a family to protect too must not thrill him.
“Vlad,” I say his name, tears welling in my eyes.
He notices the hurt in my voice, and his gaze snaps back to me. “I’m sorry, Rosie.” He moves back to my side, cupping my chin in his hands. “You have to understand the shock of this new, but I am happy.” He shakes his head. “When I took your virginity, the thought of getting you pregnant drove me.” A quizzical look flits onto his face. “Somehow, I knew this was possible even though I didn’t.” He groans. “Does that make any sense at all?”
I shake my head. “Not really.” Tears roll down my cheeks, and Vlad wipes them away.
“Don’t cry.” He presses his lips to mine. “This is the most perfect news I’ve ever fucking heard.”
A weight lifts from me the moment he utters those words. We’re in this together. I’m his, and he is mine. We’ll find a way to make this work. I can’t say I’m necessarily ready to be a mother, but raising a baby with Vlad sounds perfect. The only thing that could make our relationship any better than it already is.
“I was scared you wouldn’t want—”
He cuts me off with a deep, passionate kiss. “Don’t even utter those words.” He shakes his head. “Don’t even think of them.” He kisses my cheek and then down my neck. “I want all of you.” He drags the tips of his fangs across my skin, grazing me. “I want to give you the best life you could ever hope for.”
“I love you,” I breathe.
He lifts me in his arms and walks toward the stairs.
“Where are we going?” I ask, glancing toward the corridors of the main entrance hall. “I need to see the rest of the house.”
Vlad shakes his head. “We’ll start with the bedroom first.”
I groan, knowing that he isn’t going to let this go. He will have me panting and naked in our new bed all fucking night. “Can’t we do the tour first?” I ask, biting my bottom lip. “You know we won’t leave that bed all night if we go there now.”
He smirks. “Exactly, I need to make love to the future mother of my children.”
I raise a brow. “Children, plural?”
He chuckles. “Well, it worked once. Why wouldn’t I get you pregnant again?” He kicks open a door into a huge master suite with a four-poster bed in the center. He sets me down on the bed and kicks off his shoes.
I watch him as he loosens his tie and pushes the fitted jacket off, chucking it across the room. My thighs clench at the sight of the bulge in his suit pants. He looks as good in a suit as he does naked.
“I love it when you look at me like that,” he says.
I tilt my head to the side. “Like what?”
He smiles. “Like I’m the only fucking man in the world.”
I lick my lips. “You are for me.”
He crawls toward me, still holding his tie. “That’s right, baby girl. I’m the only man who will ever touch your perfect little pussy.” He grabs my wrists and ties them together, pushing them above my head. “The only man to ever lick you to climax.” He kisses my neck. “The only man to ever be inside of you.”
“Yes, sir,” I murmur. “Only you.”
He smirks. “Good girl.” He rips my blouse open, popping the buttons across the room.
I’m no longer shocked when he ruins my clothes. We hardly ever manage to get through an evening without him destroying something. He grips my breasts in his hands and kneads them, running the tip of his tongue around each nipple in turn.
“Vlad,” I breathe.
He spanks my thigh. “Call me, sir, baby girl.”
I nod. “Yes, sir.”
He smiles and moves his hands to the button of my pants, undoing this time.
I lift my hips so he can pull them off.
He makes quick work of tearing my panties off, throwing them onto the floor.
I moan as he kisses a path up my legs, slowl
y planting kisses on the inside of my thighs.
Vlad knows how to tease as he skirts the sensitive flesh between my thighs, driving me insane.
“Fuck.” I buck my hips as he flicks the tip of his tongue over my clit.
He drags his tongue through my center, tasting me. “So fucking sweet,” he murmurs.
“Fuck me,” I breathe.
He smiles up at me, shaking his head. “Who’s in charge, baby girl?” His eyes flash with amusement.
I groan. “You are, sir.”
He sinks his finger inside of me, curling it to hit the right spot. I buck my hips, wanting to feel him inside of me. It’s insane how insatiable I am. I can never get enough of him.
“I love it when you obey me, baby girl.” He kisses a path up my body, still fingering me. He sinks his fangs into my neck, sending a thrilling pleasure through my veins.
The pleasure and pain mingle as I writhe beneath him, wishing he hadn’t tied up my hands with his tie. Finally, he stops feeding and sits back on his haunches.
I watch as he unbuttons his pants and then gets out of them. He pulls open his shirt, popping the buttons off. He moves toward me in just his tight boxer briefs, his hard cock bulging against the fabric.
I want to touch him, but I’m restrained still by his tie.
“Tell me what you want, baby girl.”
“You. I want you.”
He smirks as he pulls down his boxer briefs, flinging them to one side. “My queen gets whatever she wants, as long as she obeys me.”
I moan as he roughly flips me onto my knees, kneading my butt cheeks in his hands. He spanks my right ass cheek first, sending a stinging pain through me.
He slides his thick cock through my soaking wet pussy.
I arch my back, ready for him. My body tingles with need as he spanks my ass again. Finally, he thrusts every thick, long inch inside of me, stretching me around him.
“Fuck,” I breathe, as he leans over me, kissing my spine.
“So fucking tight,” he groans.
Vlad grips my hips hard enough to bruise, but I love it. He pounds me against him, fucking me roughly. Our bodies move as one as we christen our new bed.
