by T. S. Ryder
“Are you alright?” she whispered, kissing his neck and trailing her fingers over his side. He nodded, looking distant and angry as he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“That knife wasn’t meant for just me,” he muttered, pressing his face to her neck. “She was on your side of the bed. That blade was laced with an enchantment so that it could kill a witch, as well as a vampire.”
Alice frowned and nodded, pressing her face to his neck and kissing his shoulder. She had figured as much when she saw the blade, but it made sense that whoever wanted Matheus dead wanted her gone as well. A vengeful, grief-driven witch was a powerful enemy to make.
“It will be OK. We’ll find out who convinced her to do this, and we’ll make sure that they never get the chance to try it again,” she whispered, cradling her mate in her arms and letting out a relieved sigh when he kissed her on the lips.
“He’ll regret trying to harm my family,” Matheus growled. “No one crosses me like this and gets away with it. Whoever tried this will have hell to pay.” His voice was low, filled with a hatred that she had never before heard from him.
Resting her hand on her lover’s back, Alice kissed his shoulder gently. She would protect him and their unborn child no matter what she had to do. No one was going to harm her family.
Chapter Eleven
Lord Eric Gaultiero was a man who carried himself as if he were king. Tall, stately, and handsome in his own way, he was someone who knew how to speak and make people listen. As one of Matheus’ most powerful lords, it was hard to imagine him attempting any sort of uprising against the king. Still, if Jennifer was right, he was one of the biggest threats to Matheus at that moment.
During the months that Alice had been staying at the castle, she had not met the man, but after the attempt on her life, she made sure that Eric was aware that she suspected him. Tracking him down after one of Matheus’ meetings in the manor, she approached him with a false smile on her lips.
“Lord Gaultiero?” she asked, gaining his immediate attention. At her side, Talon’s ears twitched irritably, his eyes locked onto the lord as they moved to stand beside them.
“Ah, my queen, how might I serve you?” he asked, his eyes flickering momentarily down to the growing lump under Alice’s dress. “And please, call me Eric,” he insisted.
“I just wanted to speak with you. You’re one of the few lords I have not had the honor of meeting personally.” Her eyes locked onto his, forcing him to return his attention to her face. “The king speaks fondly of you. He says you’re one of his best tacticians.”
“He is too kind,” Eric hummed, his cool blue eyes staring unblinkingly back at Alice.
“I know that you used to work for his father as well. I suppose the changes since Matheus took over must be interesting,” she said, her hand resting on her stomach protectively. The feeling that she got from Eric was a dark one. He was not the honorable man that his face suggested he was. She could feel a darkness, an evil in him.
“There has been a lot of change, but I suppose that, sometimes, change is good,” Eric said, his hands resting at his sides. “Then again, things have a way of correcting themselves with time.”
“I agree with that, but I also believe that better things are often encouraged through growth and change,” Alice said, her eyes wandering over the man in search of anything that might hint at ill wishes.
Talon’s voice sounded in her mind a moment later, his tail twitching as a low growl formed in his voice.
“He is evil. I don’t like him. He’s hiding something,” Talon rumbled, leaping up onto Alice’s shoulder and glaring at the man in front of them. She glanced up at her cat as he spoke and nodded.
“I suppose my friend is hungry. It was nice speaking with you,” she said, nodding at Eric. The moment that the man turned away from her, she licked her lips and murmured softly under her breath, “Vide.”
A little spark, no larger than a gnat, lurched out of her hand and rushed forward to attach itself to Eric’s back. Now she could see as he saw, and hear as he heard, at the flick of a wrist. She would soon uncover his secrets.
“Come on, we’re going to meet Jennifer,” Alice said, turning on her heel and rushing down the hallway towards her mother-in-law’s rooms.
Alice knocked on the door, then grinned as Jennifer opened it and raised an eyebrow at her.
“Yes?” she asked, blinking when Alice brushed past her and moved up to her mirror. “Alice, what’s going on?”
“I figured out a way for me to find out exactly what Eric has planned and if he’s the one who’s been trying to kill me and my family,” she said, pulling out a small bag containing various bones, acacia powder, and a vial of blood she had collected earlier.
“Did you now?” Jennifer asked, moving to sit beside Alice and raising her eyebrow when the woman started to place the contents of her bag into a small bowl of water just in front of the mirror.
Slowly, smoke started to rise out of the bowl, a silver mist that curled around the mirror and started to shimmer. Before Jennifer could ask another question, an image appeared on the glass. Eric stood in front of a small group of lords and ladies, his voice muffled but still audible.
“The little witch is getting suspicious. She approached me today without provocation,” Eric grumbled. They couldn’t hear what the others were saying, but they could see their faces.
“I know them all. They sat on my husband’s council for years,” Jennifer snarled, her eyes flashing with rage as she began to take notes.
“We need to act soon. If we continue to wait, we’ll wind up just like the little whore I sent to kill her,” he growled, moving up to a counter and lifting a vial. “Tonight at dinner, we’ll poison the bitch.”
“That’s exactly what I needed to hear,” Jennifer smirked, moving to her feet and grabbing a cloak from her closet. Pulling it over her shoulders, she glanced back at Alice with a grin. “Come on, we’ve got to go fetch a few people,” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
Moving to her feet, Alice nodded as she followed Jennifer out of the room. She wasn’t sure what the woman had in mind, but whatever it was, she was sure that Jennifer was about to rain down hell upon the members of her son’s inner circle who had dared betray him.
Chapter Twelve
With a small army of guards behind them, Jennifer and Alice marched into the meeting room where several vampire lords had just settled down for a discussion on foreign policy.
Alice’s eyes immediately locked onto Eric as they stepped inside, her hands rushing up in front of her as she cast the spell.
“Consto!” The man froze before he could so much as make a move towards the door, anger, and fear on his face.
“Release me at once!” Eric snarled, swearing when the guards lurched forward to start arresting those who Jennifer had listed for them. The man’s eyes were filled with rage.
“You are under arrest for attempted murder.” Jennifer glared at Eric, moving up to him once he was restrained and lifting up his chin. “You know, I never liked you, but knowing that you were going to kill my son, my daughter-in-law and my grandchild, I don’t think I’ve ever hated someone more.”
“You have no proof,” Eric spat murderously.
“Oh, dear, I have more proof than I need to put your head on a spike,” Jennifer hummed, snapping her fingers at the guards. “Bring them all down to the dungeon. The rest of you are dismissed. I want this to serve as a lesson to you all.” She glared at them, earning nervous but obedient nods from the rest of the nobles in the room.
Turning around, Jennifer smiled at Alice, touching her shoulder gently and kissing her cheek.
“You’ll be a great queen. I know you’ll serve this kingdom as well as I ever did,” she whispered in her ear. “Now relax and take care of that child. Leave the rest of the defenses to me.” Whistling at the guards, she led them out into the hall. Alice wasn’t sure what she had planned for the men, but whatever it was,
she was sure that it wasn’t good.
Alice smiled gratefully back at Jennifer, then moved over to Matheus and wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked startled but otherwise appeared to be unshaken. Wrapping his arms around Alice tightly, he pressed happy kisses over her face and shoulder.
“Did I ever tell you that you’re amazing?” Matheus mumbled, scooping her into his arms and carrying her towards their rooms. “How long have you known about Eric?” he asked softly.
“Not for long. Your mother is the one who has been investigating him. I just helped her collect the evidence to arrest him properly.” Alice shrugged, kissing her lover sweetly and humming as he opened the door to their apartments.
Lying Alice out on the bed, Matheus crawled onto the sheets beside her and pressed a few loving kisses to her face and neck.
“You’re a goddess,” he mumbled, trailing his fingers over her swollen stomach with a proud look on his face. Looking up at him with soft eyes, Alice let out a happy noise and trailed her fingers over his cheek.
“And you’re my king,” she breathed, pulling him down into a kiss and trailing her fingers through his hair. “You know we’re going to have to deal with the backlash of arresting so many of your nobles, right?” Matheus hummed at this and shrugged, his hand wandering slowly over her stomach.
“Yes, I suppose we will, but I like to think of it as clearing the slate. Bringing in some fresh blood will be good,” Matheus said, slowly rubbing Alice’s shoulders. “I had hoped that my father’s men would be more open minded, but after what happened today, I’ll be glad to retire those who are stuck in their ways.”
“You’re a good king,” Alice sighed, resting her hand on his stomach and letting her eyes close. “I’m proud to be your mate, and nothing will ever change that.” Matheus’ chest rumbled as he hummed, his fingers trailing over her back.
“I’m glad,” he whispered, kissing her forehead gently. “Now rest, my love. We’ve got a lot of changes to implement in the next few months.”
Chapter Thirteen
Over the next few months, Matheus put changes into place to weed out those who weren’t willing to bend to his rules. Several nobles were removed from their seats of power and replaced with those who would obey.
Relations with bordering nations were gradually starting to improve, and while Matheus agreed that they had a long way to go, the improvements were good enough for him to consider them a success.
At the same time, Alice had work of her own, transforming Matheus’ former harem into a school. She was teaching the girls how to read, write, and practice magic, creating a new form of guard to keep her family safe while also giving the girls she had come to adore a shot at being something more than servants.
“Remember, girls, love potions have different potencies and different reactions based on what sort of ingredients that you use,” Alice explained, balancing her baby daughter in the crook of her arm as she moved through the rows of desks between her students. “For example, Bachelor’s Buttons will help influence love and allow you to feel whether or not a relationship is meant to be, whereas cinnamon is an aphrodisiac. It will cause lust, but not love.”
Her daughter, Emma, squirmed and let out a whine of protest. At barely a month old, the girl had quickly become the light of her parents’ lives. Although she had her father’s strong features, her hair, eyes, and face were her mother’s. According to her father, she also had her mother’s voice.
“Alright, it looks like my little darling has decided that class should be dismissed for now,” Alice laughed as she shifted her daughter, who had started to fuss noisily in her arms. “Have a good night and remember to read that book on love potions by the end of the week! I won’t be held responsible if you wind up making your true loves turn purple.”
The class dispersed and Alice settled down behind her desk to feed her child, looking up when the door opened. Smiling as Matheus stepped into view, she leaned up and kissed him when he approached.
“How was class?” he asked, trailing his fingers through her hair and smiling when Emma looked up at him, making a soft noise between her eager gulps.
“Fine. The classes are coming along very well. Some of the girls are still having issues on remembering what does what, but for the most part, they haven’t made any major mistakes.” Alice beamed, proud of the girls that she had taken under her wing. “Lindsey especially is doing well. She’s learned how to cast basic fire spells already. Almost lit her hair on fire the first try, the poor thing.”
“Sounds like she has a good teacher,” Matheus said, helping Alice to her feet after Emma had finished feeding. Taking her arm, he led her into the hallway. “I was hoping that you would be free for dinner tonight, once our little one has gone to sleep,” he suggested, glancing down at Alice with a smile.
“I would love that. Maybe I’ll even ask your mother if she’ll watch Emma so that we can have a night to ourselves,” Alice sighed. Despite the fact that there was an ample supply of people to watch her child, Alice had insisted that she would be the primary caretaker. She didn’t want her daughter to remember being raised by a group of nannies.
“Great! We haven’t had a full night to ourselves since Emma was born.” Matheus kissed the back of Alice’s neck and smiled when she blushed.
“I suppose you figure that means we get to make love?” she mused, laughing when her husband shrugged and looked hopefully back at her. Kissing him slowly on the lips, she nodded. “I’ve missed you too, my love.”
Leaning against her lover’s chest and moving through the halls of the castle, it was hard to think that only a year prior she had been living alone in a cottage outside a small town. Though she missed the place dearly, she was happy where she was. She had a family and was able to spread her knowledge to new students who were eager to learn.
“Where’s Talon? I haven’t seen him in a while,” Matheus noted, wrapping his arm around Alice’s waist as they walked.
“Pursuing another lady cat, I’m sure. He’s been enjoying the surplus of cats around the castle a bit too much.” Alice laughed, leaning closer to her mate as Emma started to doze off against her chest.
“Should I be expecting kittens come spring then?” Matheus asked, laughing when his mate nodded with a soft giggle. Kissing the top of her head, he opened the doors to their private apartments and slipped inside.
Settling Emma into her crib, Alice turned around and wrapped her arms around her lover’s neck, kissing him on the lips and smiling happily.
“You know, I was thinking that we should probably work on giving Emma a sibling,” she mumbled against his lips, earning an excited noise from Matheus. “I never thought that I would enjoy having a child, but now that I have one, I want more.”
“Well, I won’t argue with you on that one,” Matheus grinned wickedly, sweeping Alice off of her feet and leaning down to slide their lips together happily. “My angel, my queen, I love you more than life itself,” he breathed against her lips.
Cradled in her lover’s arms, Alice felt her heart flutter in her chest. Out of all the titles in the world that she could be given, being Matheus’ mate was the most important one.
*****
THE END
Single Dad Shifter
Description
A kidnapper falling for her latest target PLUS a single dad shifter who needs a nanny PLUS lies, betrayal, manipulation and… love?
Billionaire dragon shifter Grayson Alexander lost his wife due to lead poisoning. Ever since, he’s been lobbying against the mining industry, which is getting dangerous.
To make sure his twins are cared for while he works to create a better future, he’s looking for a live-in nanny. And he’s just found the perfect woman…
Arabella’s on a mission. She's been hired to kidnap Grayson’s children to force him to step back from politics. What she hadn’t counted on is that the guy’s the hottest target she’s ever had.
His sun-kissed skin, steady eyes and sharp j
awline make her want to… Stop! She should focus on the mission.
But it’s already too late.
Before she knows it, Arabella finds herself entangled in a web of lies. How can she complete her mission and save the twins at the same time? How will Grayson react when he discovers her secret?
Chapter One – Arabella
It would be easier just to kill him.
Arabella smoothed the front of her t-shirt as she stepped out of the elevator on her way to see Grayson Alexander. She forced a smile though a well of frustration was rising inside of her. To be so close to the mark but unable to do anything about it rankled her. Normally, she didn't take on these sorts of missions, but the payout was too tempting.
Grayson was causing trouble for a lot of rich mining companies. Arabella didn't know which one hired her organization, but here she was. Everybody knew that the billionaire Dragon Shifter was completely devoted to his twin children and the best way to stop his lobbying and lawsuits was to target them. Getting close enough to kidnap them and force Grayson to do as they wanted was another question.
And so, Arabella, who had been trained to be a spy and assassin since she was sixteen years old, was going to be a glorified babysitter. Not her most dignified work, but it still would take cunning and some good acting skills.
Grayson greeted her warmly with a firm handshake. "Ms. Grant. It's good to see you again."
Arabella had made up the last name. It changed with every mission. As far as she was concerned, she had no family to give her a last name. "Mr. Alexander. It's good to see you again. I'm grateful for this opportunity. And it's Arabella."
She was close enough that she could inject him with an untraceable poison. She'd had meetings where she was alone with him for hours. Killing him would be easy. But that wasn't the plan. Kidnapping the kids and forcing him to back off from his political pressures was what she had been told to do. She always followed orders. Deviating meant her pay would be cut, and she couldn’t afford that.
