A Crown of Blood and Ashes

by Elle Middaugh

  "Yes," I practically spat. "Let's piss this awful fucking night away."

  Jared patted my back and gestured to the open door.

  "After you," he said. "I'm driving."

  There was a club within the manor that served any variety of alcoholic concoction you could imagine, but neither Jared nor I really cared for it. We preferred the little shit hole on the other side of the woods. Gruff locals were always brawling over there, arguing over sports matches and who fucked whose girlfriend and who could drink who under the table. There was a rough edge that I appreciated about the place, despite the fact that we smoothly stuck out amongst the rowdy rednecks. At least they were smart enough to leave us alone.

  Jared and I took two seats at the far end, and the bar immediately emptied out.

  "A round of shots, mate," Jared instructed the bartender when he strolled over cleaning a glass. "Vodka." When the tender returned, Jared raised his glass. "To an eternal life of bullshit and injustice."

  I stared at him, face completely blank. "You're the absolute worst at making toasts, you know that?"

  I slammed back my shot, welcoming the familiar burn as the flames raced up my throat.

  "Another round," I said, sliding the empty glass away. When two new ones arrived, I raised one and attempted a toast of my own. "To winning the competition and securing my place as heir."

  Jared scoffed. "Weak sauce."

  But he drank to it, anyway then flagged down the barman again.

  "Could you just bring us a whole tray of shots, mate? It's gonna be a long night."

  The next evening, just as the sun was setting, I awoke with a throbbing headache. It'd been a long-ass time since I'd gotten that drunk.

  I crawled out of bed and stumbled down the hallway, grateful that the lights were usually pretty dim. In the kitchen, I grabbed a glass and filled it to the brim with crimson blood. The synthetic stuff we had in stock was pretty terrible, if I was being honest, but beggars couldn't be choosy. And with a hangover like this, I could definitely use the iron.

  After chugging the contents of my glass, I stood at the bar and wondered where Autumn was and what she was doing. Was she happy? Was she miserable? Had she slept with Varek last night? That last thought was actually my first thought. I tried to ignore it, but it ate away at my resolve like a flame to paper. What would I even do if that was the case? Nothing, that’s what. There was nothing I could do.

  At that moment, Carter DeLong strutted into the kitchen with a smirk on his face.

  Glaring daggers, I refilled my glass and started walking away.

  "Nice job winning Princess Bitch, I mean Witch," he said, causing me to halt midstep.

  As much as it killed me, I kept my response short and void of the fury that had instantly sparked inside me.

  "Thanks."

  I tried to make it out the door, but he just kept talking.

  "She's pretty... for a witch. Is she as good a fuck as she looks?"

  "Better," I said, keeping my back to him.

  He laughed. I heard the fridge open, along with the familiar sound of blood flowing from the jug. Then the door shut.

  "Just as well," he said, voice turning suspiciously low. "I'll find out soon enough."

  I scoffed, making the mistake of spinning around to face him. "As if Varek would allow that."

  Carter shrugged. "Maybe not alone, but with him there to watch and participate? You know he likes a little ménage à trois. Or four."

  I did my best to keep my facial expression flat. "What makes you think you'd merit an invitation to his bed?"

  Carter leaned in, grinning. "Because I already have."

  My jaw clenched. I fisted my glass of blood almost too tightly.

  I had no idea what he meant by that statement. Had Varek already lined up an orgy in celebration of attaining her, or was Carter simply referring to a time in the past that hadn't involved Autumn at all? There was no way to find out without showing too much emotion on my part, so I reluctantly left it alone.

  "Have fun with that," I said, and finally slipped from the room.

  The hallway was bustling with people beginning their night, most dressed in next to nothing as vampires were explicitly sexual beings. I wondered what Autumn thought of it all. Did it turn her on? Did she think of me when her arousal spiked?

  Or had I somehow read all the signs wrong? Maybe she didn't care for me as much as I originally thought. Maybe any vampire's bite would do? God, why hadn't I just run away with her the other day when she'd mentioned it? I'd let my stupid fucking pride get in the way, and now look at us. Untouchable. Unsatisfied.

  I could already feel the tension building in my jeans. I needed a sharp bite and a fast fuck. But the only woman I wanted to sink both my teeth and my dick into was currently the furthest thing from available ever.

  A sexy vamp with blue and green streaks in her hair winked at me in the hall.

  I paused, knowing she'd be down with sex, no strings attached, simply because it was our nature. But for some fucked-up reason, it felt too much like.... Well. It wasn’t like Autumn and I were ever an exclusive item, now was it? And with her being with Varek now, I knew she'd definitely be putting out to someone who wasn't me.

  Jealousy panged in my chest. A vision of Varek naked and fucking my princess filled my head. It might not have happened yet, but it would soon. Part of Varek's allure as Lord was a sexual aura that wasn't easy to deny. It’s not that he could fuck anyone he wanted by turning that on and manipulating them, but if Mary, mother of God, had met Varek in church, she'd probably be moaning in the pews before the service ended.

  With all those glorious images flooding my brain, I retreated to my room to take a very cold shower and yank one off. The fantasy of me staying at the pool last night and fucking Autumn under the light of the moon was as good as I was ever going to get now. Resting my forehead against the shower glass, I opened my eyes and watched the water rush down the drain.

  Oddly enough, it seemed to symbolize my entire life at the moment.

  15

  Autumn

  When I turned around in the glowing lagoon last night, I hadn't expected to see Varek entering the waters. I guess I just had it in my head that Darren would still be around. That he was maybe teasing me by disappearing, and had shown up to make it up to me.

  But no.

  Varek eyed me curiously, softly.

  "Fancy seeing you here, Princess," he said with an easy grin.

  The word stung like salt in my wounds. I’d gotten so used to hearing it in Darren’s sexy accent. It felt wrong hearing it in plain American English.

  "Please, just call me Autumn."

  He nodded his consent. "All right, Autumn. I have a proposal for you."

  I raised a brow. "You're forward, aren't you?"

  "Trust me, I'm holding back as much as I can. But I meant that statement literally. I spoke with the King and Queen of the Witches, and they were thrilled with the idea of you marrying the Lord of the Coven, rather than the heir."

  He moved closer to me, literally and figuratively testing the waters.

  "I'm not a total barbarian, however. I won't force you to marry me. But if you'd like to be the witch to turn the tide, the princess who saved not only her kingdom but the entire supernatural race from a violent war... then please. Marry me. I know we don't know each other, but there's quite literally an eternity for that. Right now, we just need to prove to the world that people can change. That prejudices can be overcome."

  I swallowed hard and realized I hadn't been breathing. Taking a deep gulp of air, I shook my head and fought off a panic attack.

  "I don't know, Varek...."

  I hadn't actually realized I had a choice in the matter. But what was I going to say? That I was in love with his heir and couldn't stand the thought of marrying anyone else?

  While that might be true, his words had struck a chord in me. I thought of Darren and me. Of Deidra and her lost love. Of any other star-struck pairing that
had never been allowed to see the light of day—or the dark of night. If I married Varek and we actually did change the future of the supernatural world, wouldn't that be worth it?

  I bit my lip. My mind was telling me it was smart, and just, and fair, to do my damn duty and marry this guy. But my heart was screaming Darren's name so loudly I could hardly think.

  "Do I have some time to consider this proposal?" I asked him.

  Varek waded a little closer, nodding slowly.

  My blood literally heated in my veins and washed through my body in waves that rushed straight between my legs. My breathing shallowed. My heart hammered hungrily. I had no idea where it had come from, this strange physical reaction.

  His jagged brown hair had a freshly-fucked look, and his sculpted upper body reflected every hard edge of muscle in the light of the moon. I'd noticed how attractive he was earlier, but was never once turned on by that fact.

  Until now.

  What was wrong with me? It was like I wasn't in control of my own body.

  "Would you like a test drive?" he asked me through a smirk. "See if you like how I handle before you go all in?"

  The temperature of my body ratcheted up another thousand degrees.

  No, my heart whispered from somewhere behind a layer of foggy lust. But my head nodded yes.

  Varek bridged the gap between us, running his hands up my arms, and neck, and into my hair. Before I could even grasp what was happening, his mouth was on mine, hot and passionate and intoxicating.

  I was conflicted, but it was a mental confusion my body had blissfully left behind. All it cared about in that moment was being touched, tasted, and teased. He pulled my hair with one hand, and with the other, reached down and grabbed my ass, bringing me closer to the rock-hard cock in his trunks. My mouth literally watered. My nipples tightened almost painfully. I was panting, ready to fall over the edge, and he hadn't even touched my clit yet.

  This was so fucked-up.

  Did I even want this? My body was screaming yes, but my heart was whispering no. Confused and spiraling out of control, I did the only thing I could think of that might actually help—I used my magic.

  It burst out of me in a seismic wave, knocking Varek back by a few feet. Then it sucked back to me, coating my skin in an invisible layer of protection. Suddenly his presence was no longer burning a hole of desire through my chest.

  I stared at him.

  He smiled back like he hadn't just tried to manipulate me into sex.

  "What the hell was that?" I asked in an accusatory tone.

  His brows furrowed. "What was what?"

  "That! What you just did to me."

  "I could ask you the same thing, Princess. That was some stellar magic."

  "Don't call me that. Just answer my question."

  He shrugged. "I didn't do anything but kiss you."

  "Bullshit, you had me practically eating out of your hand. Did you use some sort of compulsion on me?"

  Dawning realization instantly shone in his gold-flecked brown eyes. He remorsefully shook his head.

  "I'm sorry,” he said. “No, I didn't use any compulsion on you. But as Lord of the coven, I have a sexual aura that surrounds me and infects others when I'm turned on. It's been forever since I acquired it... I don’t even think about it anymore. It never once crossed my mind to mention it, since I've never had an outsider within my walls before.”

  I frowned. He seemed sincere, but I was having a hard time buying it.

  "Seriously. Ask anyone," he said.

  "I will."

  "Good," he said with a smile. "Now tell me what you just did to me."

  "I used magic to protect myself. It was sort of an involuntary reaction."

  He nodded, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking. Was he angry? Was he intrigued? He kept his emotions well hidden. Either way, he backed up and started wading out of the pool.

  "Where are you going?" I asked, though I didn't know why.

  "Back to my office. There's always shit to do around here."

  "Oh."

  I couldn't believe he wasn't trying to press the issue.

  He climbed out and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist.

  "I’d like to know your answer by this time tomorrow evening, Autumn. We might have forever, but I'd like to get started as soon as possible."

  I nodded. What else was I going to do?

  Surely I could find Darren and figure this all out by then....

  The next evening I bravely wandered the halls, Lyra tagging along and lagging behind like a long shadow. I would have to give Varek an answer soon, but I’d yet to find Darren.

  He hadn’t answered the door earlier, but hours had passed since then. I hadn’t seen him in any other room, though. He was either out or... occupied. The thought gripped my stomach and squeezed. Was he with another woman since he couldn’t be with me?

  Staring at his door, I slowly worked up the nerve to knock again.

  I took a deep breath and glanced at Lyra. "Thank you for your help. But I can take it from here."

  She raised a brow. "Forgive me, my lady, but that sounds like a terrible idea. You're betrothed to Varek Wells now, remember?"

  My features hardened. "Yes, I recall. What does that have to do with anything?"

  She put a hand on her hip. "Considering your very recent past, I think it'd be prudent for me to stick around. Just to make sure you keep a clear head."

  Sighing, I rapped on the door loud enough to wake his neighbors. But he didn't answer. I knocked again, then crossed my arms and waited. But still, no answer.

  Unsure of what to do, I looked away and stared down the hall.

  A handsome stranger was coming our way. He was tall, with blond hair and sharp features. He wore a white muscle shirt and long black shorts, and his ashen skin was glistening like he'd just hit the gym.

  I swallowed, and steeled whatever nerve I’d managed to work up.

  "Excuse me," I said to the stranger. "But have you seen Darren Porter anywhere?"

  A wide, cheeky grin spread across his lips. "As a matter of fact, I have. I just bumped into him down in the kitchens."

  Finally some luck!

  "Thank you so much! But... could you remind me where the kitchens are again?"

  He laughed and slid a ball cap onto his head backwards. "Why don't I just escort you down?"

  "That would be wonderful, thank you."

  Lyra cleared her throat. "That's unnecessary, Your Highness. You might still be lost, but I have a fairly keen memory. I know exactly where the kitchens are."

  His smile widened further and took on a sarcastic edge. "Good for you. As a servant, you really should know your way around. It'll make your pathetic existence that much easier."

  I blinked in shock. Lyra wasn't my favorite person in the world right now, but this guy was being just plain rude.

  "Where are my manners," he added, as if reading my mind. "My name is Carter."

  So not entirely reading my mind. He didn't seem to know which bad manners to apologize for. I pursed my lips, and refrained from introducing myself in return.

  Another random guy appeared. This one had short buzzed hair and a straightforward air.

  "No need, Carter," he said as he approached. "I'm meeting Darren right now. They can come with me." He held out a wide hand. “Princess Autumn, a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jared Coleville, Darren’s best mate.”

  My jaw fell, but I still managed to slip my hand in his.

  “And you are?” he asked, looking at my servant.

  “Lyra,” she replied curtly.

  “Nice to meet you as well, Lyra.” Then he directed his attention back to Carter. “Go on, piss off. I’ll take it from here.” But before Carter could respond, Jared spun us around and led us down the hall the way he’d just come.

  “Darren would shit a brick if he knew you were anywhere near Carter,” he whispered to me. “He hates that prick.”

  "I can't possibly imagine why," I mutt
ered.

  Jared laughed. "He's a real peach, isn't he?"

  "That’s one way to put it. So where are you meeting Darren?"

  "The in-house pub," he said with a sympathetic smile. "Poor guy. We were out all night last night, and now he wants to do it again. But he did it with me when my girlfriend died, so I owe it to him."

  My heart melted, burning me as it dripped into a lifeless puddle. If Darren was heartbroken and acting like he'd lost me, then he was already giving up. I couldn't let that happen. I didn't care how cunning and charismatic his maker was, he would never win my heart like Darren had. I needed to find him, and convince him to run away with me—for real this time. It was our only hope of being together.

  But then the nagging, practical part of my brain chimed in.

  I also needed to remember what upholding this union could mean for all supernatural beings. It could be revolutionary. It could literally change the world. Everyone deserved the right to be with who they loved. Who was I, of all people, to keep that from them?

  It was a vicious cycle of thought. To be happy and selfish, or miserable and heroic?

  "Has he been avoiding me?" I finally asked.

  Jared cocked his head side to side. "Probably a bit, yeah."

  "Then why are you willing to take me to him?"

  He smiled and pushed open a door I’d never been through. Probably because I’d cut the tour short that first night.

  "Because I love my bruv,” Jared said matter-of-factly. “And I know what's best for him, even if he doesn't know it himself."

  Inside, darkness ruled. The depth of the room only became apparent when a laser flashed by and briefly illuminated our path. Bass-heavy music vibrated through the air and floor. Another laser flew by, and I saw an entire dance floor full of bodies grinding to the beat.

  Would he be dancing? Rubbing up on some sexy girl in an attempt to forget me?

  Jared apparently noticed the direction my eyes had wandered.

  "Not there. There."

  He pointed to a dark corner, but I couldn't see a thing until another laser breezed by. There sat Darren, all alone, cradling an icy glass of some amber liquid while he stared off into space.