Mated to the Vampire Kings

by Hartnady, Charlene

  York bristled next to her and even released a low growl.

  “Shut it, bitch!” Becky stepped forward. “I for one have heard enough. You clearly don’t know what the hell you are talking about. Life is too short to waste breath on you.” She turned to Tanya. “Let’s get going.”

  “I couldn’t agree more.” Tanya said as York took ahold of her elbow and ushered her in the direction of the stairs. Tanya shut her eyes, wishing she could shut out Alexandra’s mocking laugh from somewhere behind her.

  All the vampire females that crossed her path gave her the same little speech about being honored to help out during this time. In other words, they couldn’t wait to get between two sheets with her mates.

  Hers.

  For better or for worse.

  This wasn’t happening. She thought for a moment that if she had known about this little lore, she would never have gotten pregnant. Then she felt instantly guilty for having such a thought and put a hand to her belly. It was like she was wishing her unborn son away.

  I’m sorry little one.

  I didn’t mean it.

  “You look like you’re going to hyperventilate,” Becky said.

  “It’s quite a lot to take in.” Tanya swallowed hard. “I cannot believe these chicks. Throwing themselves at Zane and Brant like this. It’s sick.”

  “Tell me about it. Don’t they have any self respect?”

  “Guess not.”

  A girl in a thin satin robe came bouncing past. “I’m so washing his freaking eyes out.” Becky mumbled as her gaze trailed the girl.

  Tanya noticed how her teeny, tiny robe rode high with every skip showing off her very hairless…area. As the vampire moved away, Becky seemed to snap out of it. “Don’t listen to Selina’s bullshit. Those boys of yours might be idiots at times but they love you…very much”

  Tanya felt a lump rise in her throat. She nodded, feeling her lip quiver.

  “Oh, honey.” Becky pulled her in for a tight embrace. “Go and get into bed. I’ll be back as soon as I can. We can talk then,” she said as she pulled away. “I know it’s a lot to ask but try not to let this get to you.”

  Tanya nodded again.

  “Let’s go, my lady.” York squeezed her elbow.

  “Drive safe and the same goes for Ross…I doubt he’s even looking.”

  Becky rolled her eyes. “Yeah right. Not looking my ass. Hence my removing his eyeballs when I see him later.” She smiled angelically, which was at total odds with what she had just said.

  Tanya had to choke out a laugh. “Later,” she called to Becky’s retreating back.

  Chapter 7

  “My lady.” Charlotte gasped as she entered her suite, her eyes were filled with concern. “You should not have come.” Her full mouth broke into a smile. “But, I knew you would so here I am.”

  “I will be outside if you need me.” York gave her a wink. He’d always been a little flirty with her when Brant and Zane weren’t around. Tanya knew that he didn’t mean anything by it. She gave him a nod and he left closing the door behind him.

  “I came prepared.” Charlotte gestured to the table which was covered in her favorite dishes. Pot-roast, cupcakes, thick slices of watermelon, pepperoni pizza, her stomach gave a lurch.

  “I’m not really hungry.” She shook her head.

  Charlotte gave her a sympathetic smile. In many ways, it made her feel worse than when she was staring at all the beautiful women vying for her mates’ attention. Only, she wasn’t sure why. “You have to eat, Tanya.”

  “I’m really tired. Becky prescribed bed rest so I think I’ll just lie down. I would appreciate some privacy.” She walked over to her closet and pulled out a pair of pajamas. Draw string cotton pants and a baggy shirt. With a sigh, she realized that she hadn’t worn them even once.

  Her friend folded her arms across her perky chest and pouted her full lips. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you.”

  “Yeah right, like all those others out there. Next, you’ll be telling me how you’ll do me a favor and fuck my mates for me. Help me out…” Tanya knew she was being a total bitch but couldn’t seem to stop. Right now she disliked vampire females intensely and Charlotte just happened to be one. “That you’ll honor me. Well I don’t need to be honored and nor do I need any help. You can help me by leaving.” Tanya pointed to the door.

  Charlotte didn’t get angry. “You are understandably upset. I know that you don’t mean those things you just said. I would never have sex with either of your mates. I consider you to be my friend. I am here for you because you need me. That is what good friends do.” She sucked in a deep breath. “Like I said before, I’m not going anywhere and if it makes you feel better to say nasty things to me then by all means. I can take it.”

  First her lip wobbled, then she felt her whole face crumple. Tanya covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a sob. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Charlotte sat down next to her, she put a hand to her back but didn’t say anything.

  After a few minutes of solid crying, she managed to pull herself together.

  “Try and understand that the vampire females, from both covens, love Brant and Zane. They’re the kings for blood’s sake.” She rubbed a hand up and down Tanya’s back and it was oddly soothing. “They are a lot like rock stars or movie stars of your human world. Things changed the moment you were chosen. You never saw how it was before. How all the females would all work at a chance to catch their eye, vie for an opportunity to—”

  Tanya held up a hand. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. This isn’t helping you know.” Tanya stood up while grabbing her discarded pajamas.

  “After you were chosen and mated, the females knew that they never stood a chance so they didn’t even try. This is their window of opportunity…maybe their last.”

  “Are you sticking up for them? For this whole farce of a lore?” She pulled the clothing against her chest like a protective shield.

  Charlotte shrugged. “It is our way.”

  “It’s disgusting and wrong. I can’t believe that vampire females put up with it. Everyone is always so quick to point out how vampire males cherish their mates. That babies are more precious than gold. Yet the moment a pregnant woman can’t put out they are on to the next pussy.”

  “It’s a bodily function. It is something our males need, particularly the most dominant ones. It isn’t something that is personal. I assure you that your mates love only you and want only you. It will be a hardship for them to rut with another.”

  She didn’t just freaking say that.

  No way.

  Were these women for real? Tanya grit her teeth trying to find control. “You are right it will be a hardship. If either of them even think of fucking around, I will cut off their dicks. Rip them off with my teeth if I have to. If those little suckers grow back, I will rip them right off again.”

  There was a deep chuckle from behind her and strong arms enveloped her from behind. Zane’s musky, ultra manly scent filled her nostrils. “Little suckers?” He chuckled some more. Tanya felt his chest vibrate against her back. “More like damned big.” His warm breath fanned her ear, making her feel both hot and cold.

  She elbowed him in the ribs, earning her a hard grunt even though she knew she hadn’t hurt him. It had the desired effect in that Zane let her go. The chanting grew louder.

  “Your groupies are calling.” Her voice was laced with one part bitchy and two parts snark.

  When she turned to face him, he was frowning. “I don’t know what you mean.” The chanting seemed to grow louder still.

  She rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb with me. Why are you even here?”

  His frown deepened. “I expected you to be upset and came to console you. When you weren’t downstairs I came here. Sorry I didn’t come sooner but we are trying to put an end to this madness.” He paused. “I see you are angry.” He folded his arms across his chest. His dark eyes bore into her.


  “And what? I’m not allowed to be angry?”

  “You out,” he growled at Charlotte. “To answer your question, no,” he growled the word even louder at her.

  “Don’t you growl at me.”

  “You’re being unreasonable and you should be in bed.” He closed the small space between them and picked her up.

  Tanya did not want to be touched and certainly didn’t want to be lying down during this little conversation. One in which she laid down the freaking law. Horizontal just wasn’t the way to do it. “Put me down.” She beat on his rock hard chest and managed to break a nail. “Dammit! Look what you did.”

  Zane held her with one arm. Humungous, very pregnant her, with just one arm. His strength never ceased to amaze her. He peeled the covers to the side and ever so gently began to lower her.

  She could feel how her chest was heaving. “Don’t put me in that bed and don’t you dare tell me not to be angry.”

  “I am putting you in our bed and you will stay there.” To her irritation, he lowered her the rest of the way and pulled the covers up. “You have no reason to be angry or afraid.”

  “I am so not afraid. You are the one that should be afraid, Zane. Very afraid. If you even think for one little second that you get to keep your dick if—”

  Her mate leaned in and kissed her. His hot, really soft mouth covered hers. Zane moved back ever so slightly putting them nose to nose. “I don’t plan on giving you any reason to remove my dick. I plan on using it often when the baby comes, so I kind of need it.” He kissed her again. “I know that you love my cock, sweetness. Removing it is not an option.”

  Even though she was still seething mad, his words still caused a warmth to fill her veins.

  Pulling away further, she took in the smug look on his face. “I’m glad we agree. My cock stays.” His voice had turned husky reminding her of all the things they couldn’t do. Of what both Selina and Charlotte had said, and she burst into tears. All the anger evaporated leaving only fear and hurt in their wake.

  She pushed against his chest even though she knew it was useless. The male was a powerhouse. He didn’t so much as move an inch but stayed crouched over her, with his hands on either side of her. “Just go. The whole lore was properly explained to me. In great detail.” She rubbed away her falling tears but new ones kept coming. “I’ve been warned that there is no way either of you can ever go without sex for a longer period of time and that it would be considered cruel to expect you to abstain.”

  “Ysnaar.” His voice was deep, yet very soft.

  “Don’t Ysnaar me.” She sniffed loudly, managing to get some sort of control over her waterworks. “It is important that you know that you mated with a human. You knew what you were getting into. I don’t do your crazy lores…”

  Using the pad of his thumb, Zane wiped away a tear that was tracking down her cheek. “I am well aware that you are human. I have no desire to be with any other female.”

  A snorting sound escaped her. “Apparently you’re not going to be able to help yourself.”

  Zane clenched his jaw and his eyes darkened. “I am a vampire fucking king.”

  “Exactly.” Her lip wobbled. “I’ve been told that you are too dominant to be able to abstain. That the urge will be too great. I only wish I had known before.”

  If she had thought his eyes were dark before, she was greatly mistaken. They turned midnight, moonless black. “What then, Tanya? Would you not have mated with us? Not carried our precious child?”

  His words mirrored her previous thoughts which made her guilt come crashing back down on her. It made her react with more venom than what she had intended. “It’s not like I had much of a freaking choice.” Her voice was high pitched and cutting. This whole thing sucked and she had every right to be mad.

  “You always had a choice.” Zane sounded hurt, he pulled away from her and she was tempted to grab hold of him. To keep him near but she clenched her hands into fists at her sides instead. Zane stood and moved to the door. “I am a vampire king which means that I have plenty of fucking willpower. I am not ruled by my dick. Quite frankly I’m pissed that you would have so little faith in me…in us. Don’t get out of that bed. The baby needs to come first.” He turned his eyes to her belly for a second, leaving the room before she could respond.

  What the hell was that?

  Was she out of line? No way. The whole castle was crawling with vampire women all wanting a piece of her guys and Zane was angry with her. Quite frankly it irked and upset her in equal measures. Yes, she could’ve had a bit more faith in him…in them, even after what Selina and Charlotte had said. It’s just, all these females were so sure that her kings would evoke this bullshit lore that she had begun to believe it herself.

  Truth was, she’d known that Zane and Brant were very different. You couldn’t get much more different than non-human. So it stood to reason that she knew her life would be different if she settled with them and she had still chosen to jump in with both arms and legs anyway. There was no way she would want things to be any other way. Tanya rubbed her belly. When Zane came back, she would explain that to him. She would even suck it up and apologize.

  Chapter 8

  Motherfuck!

  These females irritated the shit out of him. He and Zane were the kings. They made the rules, they were the law. Yet, no one was listening to them. No one, at least, of the feminine order. The females continued to chant, to try and breach the castle, when there were too many of them in here already. They tried even harder to get his attention, to shove themselves against him. It took a circle of six of his best fucking guards to keep them off.

  Zane had called to inform him that Tanya was in their room, that she was a little upset about this whole thing. Fuck! He was so going to tear York a new one. He had given the male explicit instructions not to let Tanya see what was going on out here. Although they had explained to her about this bitch of a lore, he knew that seeing this chaos would be more than she could take. If he had known this was going to happen, he would’ve moved her yesterday. Avoided her having to witness what the females of his species could be like. It wasn’t fucking pretty. If these females thought they stood a moment’s chance though, they were kidding themselves.

  “Brant…over here.” A husky, female voice to his left.

  “Hey, Brant. I can make you feel better.” Another one to his right.

  “Brant…please…choose me.” He ignored the pleas. Every single fucking one of them.

  Yanking off his tie, he rolled his shirt sleeves up over his forearms as he made his way up the stairs that lead to the north tower, taking them two at a time.

  When he made it there moments later, he spotted York and Lazarus, arms crossed, outside the door. They parted as he made his way over. “You shouldn’t have let her out.” He growled, his eyes on York. The male knew better.

  “I was ordered.” He could hear that York was working to keep the growl from his own voice. “Tanya is my queen. She mentioned that she knew about the lore and I quote, she said she wouldn’t let a bunch of vampire hussies get to her.” York swallowed hard. “Turns out that I was wrong. So was my queen for that matter because they did get to her.” York hung his head for a few beats before meeting his eyes again. “She has been crying.”

  Anger rose up in him and he had to work hard not to go at the guard. To pummel him for disobeying a direct fucking order. It was the knowledge of how demanding Tanya could be, of how she could take over any situation, that stayed him. He couldn’t blame the male. If his little human wanted something, she would make sure she got it.

  “I will accept my punishment, my lord.”

  “You followed your queen’s orders, which was the right thing to do.” Brant kept his voice low.

  “Yeah, but in so doing I directly disobeyed yours.”

  Brant narrowed his eyes at the male. “Don’t fucking remind me.” He growled while yanking the door open. When he saw his Cenwein’s unmoving frame beneath the covers of t
he bed, he gently closed the door behind him.

  It still floored him how tiny and delicate she was even though her belly was curved with their child. His heart clenched, Selina was right, she was far too small. Why the fuck didn’t these damned females listen to him? The stress of this situation could cause their son to come too soon. The only option was to get the hell out of dodge and the sooner the better.

  Speaking of which, his phone buzzed in his pocket. “Yeah?” He moved away from his sleeping female to the other side of their spacious suite.

  “It’s here,” Zane growled. “Is Tanya’s bag packed yet?”

  “No. Give me five and I’ll meet you there.” Brant smiled. “I never thought I would say this but I’ll pack a few things for you.”

  “No,” Zane growled. “You go with our mate and I’ll join you in a day or two.”

  “I thought we agreed that I would stay.”

  “I’ve let you take on too much lately. It’s not fair. Go with our female.” Brant could hear Zane take in a deep breath. “Spend some time with her, make sure she is happy. I’ll wrap things up on this side and meet you there.”

  “Are you sure?” Zane was acting weird. They had taken on their natural roles over the last few months. Zane dealt more with internal issues. Things like training of the elite team and the general running of the security, whereas Brant focused more on human/vampire relations and the setting up of the breeding program. The project had become important to him. Zane had expressed more than once his unwillingness to have to deal with humans on a day to day basis. They were afraid of him in a big way. The big male did nothing to dissuade their fear either.

  Brant had to suppress a smile thinking of how his partner liked to growl and flash his fangs. Scared the shit out of humans…literally.

  “I’m very sure. I’ll meet with the construction team. In a way, the tower and access control house we plan on building are technically security related so it’s more my job than yours.”