Romance with a Bite

by Tamsin Baker

  I didn’t have anything but my speed and my sword with which to combat her, but that had to be enough.

  I raced as fast as I could through the shopkeepers stalls and ran around her. Before she could turn and fight me off, I opened my mouth and plunged my fangs into her neck. I wasn’t gentle. I ripped at the flesh as hard as I could, as I circled her body and ended up in the spot I’d been standing in.

  She staggered sideways, muttering a spell. I assumed the purpose was to heal herself as blood poured between the fingers she held to her wound.

  I lifted my sword above my head and charged.

  She spoke a vicious casting word and my knees buckled, the sword clattering from my hands to lay in the dirt before me.

  I staggered and fell, the energy draining out of me as she continued to chant.

  She stepped closer.

  No. I wasn’t going to die here. Not like this.

  I dropped to the ground and pushed my body to roll away from her, needing space to stand and fight her.

  The distance gave me more strength and I staggered to my feet.

  She had no defences. I had to get in close and rip her throat out.

  I took a deep breath and ran at her again but unfortunately, this time she was ready.

  She cut me down with whatever evil magic she possessed, pain splitting across my chest as I stumbled backwards.

  I wasn’t going to last much longer against her without help.

  Lifting my sword, I took a long, steadying breath. She was still only a human body. I was sure I could kill her if I was fast enough.

  Come on. You can do this.

  She lifted her hand and clenched her fist tightly. The pain that exploded through my head was excruciating as she began to crush my skull.

  I pushed back with all of my paranormal strength, but there was no combatting her magic. Her skill. The pure hatred pulsing through her veins.

  I fell to my knees, clutching my head with both hands, the sounds of my own screams filling my mind.

  I was going to die in the town I loved, surrounded by people who’d lost faith in me. All because I dared to love a shifter.

  A forbidden love.

  How horrendously unfair after everything I’d done to serve my people.

  Then a noise broke through the pain. The thundering of horses’ hooves reached my ears and the witch’s grip began to fade. The pain began to lessen as her focus shifted away from me.

  I launched myself backwards and got to my feet, trying to get some distance from the woman who was set to kill me in a most unconventional way. I gasped for air and whirled around to see who was riding to my aid.

  King Andrew and his guards leapt off their horses, swords drawn.

  They were the most welcome sight I’d ever seen, and relief winged through my heart with the strength of an avenging angel.

  The king stalked forward, pushing me behind him and protecting me however he could, though I wasn’t sure what that would do.

  He was human. She would blast him into a million pieces.

  “You should never have tried to take revenge against my people,” The king said, his huge bulk towering over the smaller witch.

  She threw out a spell and it crackled forward, only to be deflected. How, I wasn’t sure.

  I glanced behind myself and saw two young women with long, black hair, stones dangling around their waists, and their mouths moving in a constant casting spell.

  For protection, I hoped.

  “You fed on our children for too long. Your magic is evil. You need to die.”

  The witch turned around and blasted her magic at the stone wall keeping her inside this area.

  Stones flew everywhere and dust billowed into a cloud.

  I squinted and saw the witch begin to fall back, trying to escape the enemy she now couldn’t defeat.

  “Stop her!” I cried out, not hopeful anyone would actually attempt to prevent the witch from running away, but amazingly, they did. My townspeople, the vampires that had been behind the stone wall, surged forwards and grabbed her.

  Why, I wasn’t sure.

  Inspired by the human army, perhaps?

  Two large, male vampires grabbed her by the arms, holding her tightly.

  The king walked close and raised his sword. “Goodbye, old crone.”

  He swung with incredible strength, slicing through her chest in one long swing. She gasped and groaned, her guts spilling forth as her human heart stuttered through its last few beats.

  “Release her arms,” the king commanded, and just as the vampires stepped back, the king swung his sword with a fast arc and took her head clean off her neck.

  A cheer went up around us and relief surged through me. It was over. She was dead. Done.

  Marcus.

  I turned and ran back towards the town square, looking for my injured lover, but he wasn’t waiting on the bench where I’d left him.

  He was somehow walking, dragging one of his legs, up the road towards me.

  I rushed to him, heedless of both our injuries, and threw myself into his arms.

  He caught me with a groan and held me tight.

  “Oh my God. I thought I’d never see you again.” I couldn’t help but sob as I held him in my arms.

  He squeezed me tightly. “I feared the same.”

  When he pulled back, my face was wet with my own red tears.

  I lifted myself up onto my toes and kissed him with everything I had in me, trying to show him in a way other than words, how grateful I was for him. How much I loved him.

  He kissed me back, passion and love surging together making my entire body tingle, right down to my toes.

  I turned around, still held in Marcus’s embrace, to watch the human king swaggering towards us with an air of triumph hovering over him.

  “Well, that’s one less thing I have to worry about.”

  I turned towards the man who had saved my life. “King Andrew, I am in your debt.”

  He waved his hand to dismiss such talk. “No. I am in your debt for risking your life, and that of your lover, to warn me and my people about the threat.”

  I inclined my head, too emotional and weak to fight him on it any further.

  “Thank you.”

  The king turned his attention toward Marcus.

  “King Andrew,” he introduced himself, offering his hand to Marcus.

  Marcus lifted his own arm and shook the human king’s hand. “Marcus. Wolf shifter.”

  The king’s eyes grew wide, but not with anything other than surprise.

  Marcus groaned in sudden pain and the witch’s words came back to me. “King Andrew, may I have permission to use your witches’ skills to find an antidote for Marcus? The crone poisoned him.”

  “Of course!” He turned towards Marcus. “It’s nice to meet a shifter, I’ve been wondering how to broach your people to see if we could perhaps broker a truce with that continent as well.”

  I huffed out a laugh. “Up until now, it has been forbidden for a shifter and a vampire to be in any sort of relationship. The punishment…death.”

  The king waggled an eyebrow and smiled. “Well, that’s half the fun of being queen, isn’t it, Alessandra? You can change any law you deem unsuitable.”

  A wave of inspiration hit and I smiled back. “You know what, King Andrew? I think you’re right.”

  Too long had I hidden in fear, basking in the light and hope my parents had cast over the land.

  This was my kingdom now, and it was time to shape it into the type of world where I wanted to raise my children.

  And if that meant peace talks, negotiations, and changing laws and governments for the man I loved, then I would.

  Epilogue.

  One month later.

  “Today, we come together to join this man and this woman, for life.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile that rippled across my lips at those words. After all the doubts and fears, and impending death, Marcus and I were here, about to join together
for all time.

  Marcus stared back at me, stronger than ever. He was completely healed from the evil witch’s handiwork, thanks to the king’s personal witches, and was as determined as I was to unite our worlds.

  “Alessandra, you’ve written your own vows?” King Andrew asked, and I nodded towards him while I swallowed nervously.

  I loved that we had organised this incredible wedding. A human was marrying my shifter and me. Three different people from three very different continents, all coming together with one common goal. To unite our people.

  I reached for the gold ring King Andrew held out to me and turned back to face my wolfish groom.

  “Marcus. For so many years I dreamed that this would happen. That our love would be accepted and that I could finally rejoice in finding the soul mate for whom I’ve spent my whole existence searching. Well, today… somehow, some way, that dream has been made into a reality and I stand before you today, in front of our people and King Andrew and declare that I will love you, honour you and fight for you, until my last, dying breath. I love you.”

  There were some murmurs through the crowd, but they sounded pleasant and strangely emotional. Exactly what I’d hoped for on a day like today.

  And then it was Marcus’ turn.

  He took the ring I’d chosen from King Andrew and slid it on my finger.

  “Alessandra… my beautiful, fierce, vampire queen. I love you with everything I am today, and everything I will be tomorrow. You are the bravest, smartest, most caring woman I have ever known and I never even allowed myself to dream that this day would come.”

  He wobbled out a smile and I waited. There was more, I could tell.

  “Every time you came to visit me, I assumed it would be the last. Every kiss, every touch, every single word I cherished as though I may never see you again. So today, as you become my wife, you do more than unite our people, you make me the luckiest, happiest man that has ever walked this earth. And I promise to spend the rest of my life proving to you that you were right to choose me as your partner in this world. I love you more than words can say.”

  Gripping his hands hard, my throat was too thick with emotion to speak.

  I hadn’t realised that he felt like I would leave him at any moment during our courtship. I certainly hadn’t. From the moment I’d joined my body with his, I’d known I could never walk away.

  “Your Queen has chosen her King, so from this day forth they are to be known as Queen Alessandra and King Marcus. Marcus, you may kiss your vampire bride.”

  Marcus grinned as he pulled me forward and pressed his lips to mine.

  A roar of approval went up around us and as Marcus pulled back, a soft moan left my lips.

  It was such a chaste kiss from my passionate wolf, but it spoke of a promise for much more later.

  We turned towards our people, wolf shifters and vampire alike.

  Together we held up our hands in a sign of celebration, before joining the throng of people to receive their congratulations.

  The feast after our wedding was one for the ages. Not only with the amount of food and blood, but for the fact that we invited people from all three continents to join us.

  I stood at the head of the banquet hall, staring down at my kingdom, and my heart squeezed tight with true happiness.

  “What are you thinking, my Queen?” Marcus asked as he walked up behind me and slid his arms around my waist.

  I leaned back into him, my breath catching in my throat with the instant nerves that were attached to being with Marcus.

  It still made me anxious to show so much affection towards him in front of my kingdom. I knew it wasn’t wrong, but long held habits were hard to break.

  I twisted in his arms and kissed him, slipping my tongue into his mouth to taste him.

  He moaned and pulled back. “What was that for?”

  I smiled up at him. “Because I can.”

  He grinned and drew me in to the cradle of his pelvis. “I know what you mean. Are you happy with how things went today?”

  I glanced around the room, happiness filling me up. “Yes. Part of me still can’t believe we’re all in the same room and no one is killing anybody else.”

  Marcus laughed, the sound throaty and deep and oh-so-sexy. “Well you have a couple of vampires sucking on some wrists in the corners, but from what I’ve seen, they aren’t killing them.”

  I smiled. “No. Feeding is euphoric for humans, so it’s a win-win situation there.”

  “Hmmm…” Marcus dropped his forehead and pressed our skin together.

  My eyes closed as we swayed to the music, lost in the moment.

  Part of me truly didn’t believe that something like this could happen, or had happened for me. So many years of hiding, and wishing, and hoping for a different future, and we’d somehow managed to make changes that would improve our world for the better.

  “You know…” I said, pulling back and looking up into his dark eyes. “We’ve done our part. Everyone is getting along well and they won’t miss us if we leave early.”

  His eyes sparked with heat. “What did you have in mind?”

  Soooo many things.

  “Well, I was hoping to make a start on making the next King or Queen of Syvim.”

  I watched his expression and wasn’t disappointed with the amount of different emotions that flickers across his face. Surprise, worry, excitement. Then something so much deeper and sexier, and more possessive.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for that? It will change a lot of things.”

  As a vampire, I could control my fertility as we all could. I could switch it on when I wanted to mate. We generally had few offspring, one or two, and thus they were very precious to us.

  Marcus was right. A baby would change everything. My life. Marcus’. My ability to participate in battles and rule my people.

  “I’m not worried. I have you by my side, and I know that together we are stronger and better.”

  Plus, there was nothing more natural or beautiful than wanting a child with the man you loved. Marcus’ hands slid down to my ass and pulled me even tighter into his pelvis.

  “Well, I’m ready when you are, my Queen. Lead the way.”

  A giggle of excitement escaped my throat as I took his hand and pulled him out of the room and towards the royal bed chamber.

  We came together for the first time as husband and wife, King and Queen. Equals in every way.

  And on that night, despite all the odds, we conceived our daughter. The strongest hybrid our worlds had ever known.

  THE END.

  Undying Night

  Andra Ashe

  CHAPTER 1

  The wide pearl choker that so elegantly adorned her throat couldn’t disguise the beat of blood beneath. Nor the thick fall of auburn waves that fell past her shoulders.

  The miniscule, rhythmic pulse under her ear. The sound of blood whooshing through that enticing artery.

  Human.

  So why was she passing herself of as a member of this enclave when she obviously wasn’t vampire.