by L. Rose
This was what happiness was made of.
The women of my land were the most beautiful of all kinds. They had been cherished by many; stories were told of how exquisite they were. Of course, I had indulged in many different women in my time and found them pleasurable. They were tall, legs going on forever. They were soft and thin, with long silky hair and eyes that shone.
Yet, they dulled in comparison to Paige Alice.
Paige Alice, the ghoul queen.
The way my body reacted to her was something I’d never felt. No woman had hardened my cock in seconds after seeing her for the first time. Hell, I had wanted to pull her from her mate’s body after she’d come through the portal in his arms and cradle her to me. That was even before seeing her stunning features. She was small. The top of her head only came to my chest. She had curves I wanted to caress, and when her scent drifted over to me, I wanted nothing more than to smell it for the rest of my life.
Had she placed some type of spell on me?
I hadn’t heard she was a sorceress.
Shaking my head, I stalked to my windows in my room and looked out. Clenching my jaw because of my stupidity, I exhaled. No, she hadn’t put me under a spell, and I knew it. She was meant for me because she was my intended. My bride.
A knock sounded on the door, and it opened before I called out. I knew who it would be. “Yes, Kiered?” I asked through our minds. It was a gift all elves had, to be able to speak with each other as long as the person receiving it was open to allow it.
“She’s not who I expected.”
He could say that again. Aloud, I replied, “Who did you expect?”
“A cold, dead thing that dragged around her body slowly and moaned for brains.”
I glared over my shoulder and faced the window again, so he didn’t see my smile. “I think you have zombies and ghouls mixed up. However, you’re correct. No one could predict what type of woman she would be without seeing it for themselves.”
“What type of woman is she, brother?”
“A take-charge, caring, funny, sexy woman.”
“Is she… your bride?”
“Yes.”
“Is this why you got rid of your women on this floor, to have her close?”
Turning, I sighed and leaned against the windowsill. I ground my teeth together and admitted, “I can already tell no woman will do but her. However, I won’t be taking her as my bride.”
His brows shot up near in his hairline. “Whyever not?”
“We’re polar opposites.”
He laughed. “I see no difference. You would do anything for your people, like she does hers. You’re both rulers, have a lot hanging over your heads.”
“She has five men already. Five, Kiered.” I shook my head. “I would never leave my people either. It hasn’t been long since I became king, and we both know father ran things down when he was ruling. I’m to make a difference.”
“You already have, brother. All look up to you in respect and not fear. Father was a sadist; we both know that. He didn’t touch us because we were his kin, but it didn’t stop him from showing us his real side. I know it kills you that we couldn’t save everyone when he was… in a mood. It hurts me also, but you must trust the palace is better off without him. However, we need to show others that coming into our lands and killing one of our own won’t go unpunished.” He walked closer and then sat beside me against the window. “You know the council has reigned long enough over everyone with their vicious ways. They’re like Father in many ways. Are you willing to have them continue on the path of destruction, which could come into our lands again and again?”
“I agree. You know I do. The council will get what’s coming to them, and they’ll deserve it. Which is why I will assist Paige in their takedown by sending as many men as we can spare with her.”
“Our men are legends in their own right. Still…” He knocked his foot against mine. “She’ll need your help and protection.”
“She has many to protect her, and I’m sure the shifters she’s to see will be willing to assist to get any information they can on their alphas.”
“Are you jealous of her mates?”
I scoffed. “No.” A part of me might have been because they got to have who they wanted, and from the looks I saw exchanged, I could tell they shared their bodies as well. It didn’t disgust me. In fact, if I was honest, they were all attractive men. All different in their own ways. I could tell the connection they all shared was one of love. They didn’t fulfill the bond because it was convenient or because they presumed they would gain more power from the connection. They honestly loved each other.
Not all bonds worked out like that. No one knew how or why the Fates picked as they did. Sometimes it worked, other times it didn’t, but I always thought when it didn’t work, it was because of the people involved. They didn’t put enough into it. One was greedier than the other and expected more out of it.
I shook my head. No matter what it came down to… none of it was for me.
“You are.” Kiered laughed. “This is funny coming from a man who sleeps with many women and men in one night, all in the same bed.” He sobered when he saw I wasn’t finding it amusing. He didn’t yet understand why I couldn’t have Paige Alice as my bride.
“It never comes down to attraction or sex with a bride connection. Before we can commit, we have to take everything into account. Everything, Kiered. If I leave to be with her, who will rule Airrile?” He opened his mouth to answer, but I shot in quickly with “You can’t take this on, Kiered. You’re skilled in fighting, yes, but in power, I am the only one who will be able to keep our darker brothers on this side. Father’s elder powers only passed onto me, brother. I wish we had been equal, but we are not, and it is left up to me to keep peace within our realm.”
“The other elders could assist; they’ve sat back long enough.”
“They never assisted with Father because they all thought along the same path as he. Rule with pain, with fear. I won’t subject the people to them.”
Kiered clenched his jaw and glared at the floor. “She is your bride, brother. Your one and only. Now you’ve seen her, met her, you will no longer love or be with another because they could never satisfy you in—”
“I know what it means, Kiered,” I clipped as I straightened and started pacing the room. “It is a sacrifice I make for our land, our people.”
“You’re stronger than I could ever be, brother.”
Maybe I was. Though I was worried what kind of man would I be when I didn’t have my bride to complete me.
“She could move here—”
“She has her own people to take care of.”
“They could also come here.”
I laughed without humor. “Can you imagine what our people would think of us allowing outsiders to live within our realm forever? Vampires, witches, ghouls, shifters?” I huffed. “Maybe after I’ve been king for a decade or two, I can make such a change. For now, I’m still gaining the trust of the people, and I won’t jeopardize it to satisfy myself.”
“Are you sure—”
“Whatever it is you’re about to say, yes, I’m sure.” I walked toward the bathroom. “Now, can you please see to a meal for them and send it to their room?”
“I think the vampire feeds from a few in the bonded group.”
My dick throbbed at the thought of seeing it while he drank from Paige. “Right, then send the rest something.” I opened the door and turned back to add, “Shifters eat a lot. I presume hellhounds have the same appetite.”
“Did you know he was a hellhound?”
I smirked. “Not until she told Rallis her hellhound would eat him.”
Kiered chuckled. “I was sure he shit his undergarments. I can see she eyes Rallis with caution.”
I grunted. “She’s smart. When you go back with the meal, be sure to have a quiet word to them about him.”
He nodded. “I will. Last question. Have you tried to mind speak with he
r?”
Since she was of another race, but still my bride, I would have been able to mind speak with her still. However, I wasn’t willing to try. In doing so, would be another step to completing the link. “No, I haven’t and won’t.”
He offered a sad smile. “Enjoy your cool shower.” He winked, then blanched. “That sounded wrong.” He went to the door, opened it, and shot out of the room.
Smiling, I enjoyed the new Kiered. Actually, he wasn’t new; he was more himself, more out in the open than he had ever been when Father had been around. My brother was loud, liked to tease, was conceited in a funny way, and now didn’t care what others thought of him. He preferred men, but had hidden that part of him as Father hadn’t approved. If he hadn’t pretended to like women, he would have been forced to fuck them in front of people, like our cousin had.
I despised the man.
Hated him with everything I was.
Yet, I hadn’t been strong enough to put a stop to him. If only I’d had the elders’ power rushing through me back then. I would have slayed him on the spot for his foulness. In reality, it was a good thing he was assassinated in the end.
Thinking of him always soured my mood. Yet, there was another reason turmoil spread through my veins and deadened my heart.
Finding a bride was the most amazing feeling in the realm. It had been; she took my breath away, had my body singing in tune with hers… and I wanted more than anything to claim her.
Denying a bond…. I could already feel the ache from not being near her. I would hurt for a long time, until distance helped dull the pain. However, it would never go.
I just hoped it wouldn’t be the same for her.
I prayed she hadn’t felt this bond within her and no pain could touch her from this since it would be my decision to not complete it. I could speak to her about it, explain the reasons why. Let her know it had nothing to do with her, but my commitments as king. I had a feeling she would understand, but a small part of me feared she wouldn’t and I would see the anguish within her that I had caused. So really, I was being selfish by not saying anything.
Two days.
Only two days I had to pretend she didn’t mean the world to me.
I could do it.
I had to.
A scream of rage had me transporting myself from the shower to the destination where I felt the anger. I stood in the middle of Paige’s room with swords in each hand and gasped at the chaos around me. Her men fought hand to hand against steel and arrow. Paige, dressed in what looked like a little nightie, had a man bent in half on the floor. His feet actually touched his face. It was then I caught another man sneaking closer to Paige, coming up behind her as she demanded answers from the man under her.
In seconds, I stood at her back and brought both swords straight down the middle of the man. Each half fell different ways.
I glanced down to Paige to see her looking up at me with wide eyes. A blush coated her gorgeous face. Her unbound hair wound around her shoulders as if caressing her.
“Alex,” she called. “Clothes.”
I heard a click and then something pressed against my skin. I looked down to see a black shirt and trousers covered my body. Nakedness didn’t bother me, yet it seemed to Paige.
I searched for Alex, who was throwing some type of ball of light toward someone, and nodded when he looked over. He grinned and it caught my breath. Yes, I could see why Paige would be taken with him.
Another opponent moved behind Alex, but before I could say anything, the vampire was there ripping the head off with his bare hands. He then snarled something low at Alex before kissing him hard and flashing off.
I turned back in time to split three more threats in half with ease.
“How does he fucking move with grace like that?” I heard Paige ask. Then heard a grunt before she said, “I’m not talking to you, asshole. Now tell me, who sent you?” A beat later, she cursed, then called, “Thorn!” I didn’t have time to look because more advanced. Only then I was taken to the ground and covered by the tiny woman who had her hands over my face.
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
She lifted her head, but not her hands off my face until I dragged them down to my chest. I stared up at her while she looked around the room. “Alex?”
“I’m fine. Not drained at all.”
“What have we said about overdoing it?” was barked from Thorn, I thought.
“Relax, they’re unconscious, not dead. A simple spell,” Alex replied.
“And the spell seconds before that? The fire?” That sounded like the shifter, Nate.
No one got to answer because there was a knock. We all looked over to see Kiered standing there in the opened door with a quivering parlor maid. She shook so much that things on her tray rattled, while Kiered gazed around the room in shock.
“What did I miss?” he asked.
“That is what I would like to know,” I snapped.
“Sweetheart, you can hop off the king now,” Thorn called.
Paige’s gaze snapped down to me, and it was then I realized my hands were on her hips. I gave them a squeeze, feeling that I touched no clothing, but skin. Her nightie must have ridden up. She bit her bottom lip. I wanted to take my cock out, bury it inside her, and watch as she threw her head back on a moan and rode me like my dick was made for her. Which it was. I wanted to run my hands up until they cupped her breasts; then I would bring my mouth up to taste her skin, at her neck first before sliding lower to her erect nipples.
Wait… they were, in fact, currently erect and ready for tasting. Her body reacted to me already.
She shifted back lightly, but I gripped her, so she didn’t move lower over my body to find out how hard I was for her.
“Criosd, tha thu mar sin bòidheach,” I said, hoping she didn’t understand my language, since I had just told her she was beautiful. If she did, I would find another language she didn’t understand since I knew over one hundred.
She frowned. “What does that mean?”
Thankfully, I didn’t have to answer since Ezra was there lifting her off me with a smirk playing on his lips. He winked down at me, then twirled Paige in his arms and bent her back to kiss her neck. “Now we can get back to what we were doing.”
Her eyes closed. She gripped the man tightly even as he straightened them upright and she smiled up at him like he was the one to create chocolate. Until she blinked and glanced around at the destruction in their room.
“Uh, soon. Right now I want answers.” She turned to me as I climbed to my feet. I would have repositioned my hardened dick if she wasn’t already looking at me. “Do you know what they are? Are they yours? Did you try to kill us?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “If I wanted you all dead, you already would be.”
“Brother, maybe we can adjourn to your room while we have this place cleaned up and the prisoners taken to the dungeon?”
“Fine,” I clipped and then stalked from the room. It hurt to think she would suspect I would be involved, which counted for my short, sharp response. However, even after I regretted it, it also could be good to push her away.
“Please excuse my brother. He’s under a lot of strain at the moment.” I heard Kiered say as I entered the hall from her room.
Someone snorted, another chuckled, before an amused voice said, “I’m sure he is.”
My step faltered. Did they know? Did they suspect I was hers and wasn’t accepting this bond? My gut clenched, twisted, and then dropped. Would they understand if they did know?
It wasn’t Paige. I would never reject her.
Throwing my door open, I stormed through. I didn’t realize the parlor maid had followed until I’d turned back to the door.
“My lord, shall I lay their refreshments in here?”
“Please.” I nodded and waved my hand toward the table. “Place them there.”
She curtsied and did as I asked. As she took the plates off the tray, the others entered, and I noticed
Paige was now dressed in human clothes of jeans and a top. The others also had more clothing on. Kiered kicked the door closed and moved to the table to deposit his own tray. However, the door shot open and hit the wall.
“Merde,” the French word dropped from my mouth before I could stop it.
After everyone looked at me, they slowly moved their gaze to the door.
“Thera, now isn’t a good time,” I told my ex-fiancée, but of course she didn’t listen. She gazed around the room as she stepped through the door. Thera and I had been promised to one another when my father was around. She was manipulative, cold, and a bitch. She also didn’t understand why I called off the wedding as soon as I heard word my father had died. She still refused to move from the palace, telling me I would come to my senses in the end because it was a politically good move. It was utter shit. I never trusted her father, another elder, so I would rather die than have any part of that man have more say in what went on in the kingdom. Meaning, his daughter would be his own little pawn.
As far as I knew, she had been off visiting her parents. What she was doing back I didn’t have a clue, nor why she was staring at the people venomously.
“Darling, you should have told me we had guests. I would have made sure I was home from the start.”
Movement had me shifting my gaze to the side to see Paige’s men surround her. Asher even had his arms around her upper arms as he held her to him. What was going on?
Thera stepped closer to me. Kiered stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Thera, such a pleasure to see you. Why are you back?”
“Do I need a reason to return home to my husband? I think not.”
Paige made a noise in the back of her throat as she screwed her nose up and narrowed her gaze.
I pulled my eyes from her and said, “Thera, you know the arranged wedding was canceled as soon as my father died.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You will never be my wife, as I’ve said multiple times. So, explain to me why you come barging into my room without notice.”
She laughed. “Oh, darling, you never complained before.” She smiled, shrugged off Kiered’s hold, and went to come at me.
