Little Lies

by Elena M. Reyes

  “Please stop. You won.”

  “I’m going to return the favor.” At my words, she tries to crawl away, but I reaffirm my position, dodging her hands as they come for my face. However, she’s not as fast and I have a chunk of her face in my hand before she can scream.

  Her right cheek and half her lips are gone and blood seeps from the wounds: the same area she hit when I was defenseless.

  Then again on her chest, exposing the muscles and ligaments below.

  She might be a hybrid, but her human side is stronger in this instance than her vampire.

  She’ll die like one.

  Elise lays limp beneath me now, no fight left as the puddle beneath her grows.

  “You once told me I was weak. Not worthy.” My fingers crawl over her exposed flesh toward her neck. Slowly. Meticulously, while also hoping she’d fight back. Elise doesn’t though. Instead, she shows me the scared girl she’s always been. “You could’ve had a beautiful life alongside your family. Watched them grow, have kids of their own, and now there will be no legacy left behind. Your name will be erased, and the last name Veltross dies with you.”

  With that, I sink my nails in and tear out her throat, watching as the last of her life’s essence stains the ground and her breathing becomes shallow. Her heart stops beating. Her eyes are now lifeless, and I finally breathe out with peace settling into my bones.

  Her death means a new beginning.

  No more fighting. No more threats.

  “Mortem,” I whisper low, my bloody hands touching the ground as I push the last tendrils of her energy toward death. She will no longer be of this world. She can no longer return.

  I have no idea how long I sit here, lost in thought, when two strong hands lift me into a warm embrace. He will always be the right temperature to me. “Are you okay, pretty girl?”

  His eyes are so warm. They hold so much love, and I cup his cheek with my blood-drenched hand and pull his mouth down to mine, kissing him with every bit of the love I hold for this wonderful man.

  “I am.” And it’s the truth. I have my family back.

  He may be a killer, but so am I.

  He may be obsessed with me, but my need to possess might surpass his.

  “And now?”

  “And now…” another peck, a small bite to his bottom lip “…now we celebrate. I have over a hundred years of catching up to do, but tonight…tonight is for us.”

  “For us?”

  “Yes.” His eyes become hooded, the tip of his fang poking through his upper lip. “I have a king to spoil and a cock to ride.”

  “Good girl.”

  41

  Epilogue

  Queen

  Six months later…

  * * *

  Every person inside the room stops the moment we step through the gallery’s doors. They’re watching. They’re murmuring amongst themselves about my coming out, and it’s hard to keep the smile from my blood red lips.

  Theodore’s hand on the small of my back tenses a bit, his muscles coiling as one man in particular looks me up and down, lingering on the low neckline of my Venetian style dress with a dip in the front that stops at my belly button.

  It’s sexy while classy. White to symbolize the innocence he adored about my humanity in this life.

  It also shows off my tattoo; a similar piece to that of my king’s that encompasses from sternum to just above my mound. The dark wings of an angel stretch—are open in all their glory while adorned with beads of crystals and pearls. Yet, the focal point is a large red ruby which hangs from the longest necklace and stops a few inches from my clit.

  The only color on my pale skin.

  Just like Theo’s tattoo appeared when he took the throne, mine came the day he bit me. The day my mate gave me back my life.

  “Down, love. The show first...” I trail off while turning toward him, my hand skimming down the front of his black dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. I flick each onyx stud on my way to the waistband of his slacks, then finger his Cartier belt with the gold buckle. “But after, you can do as you please while I help Tero and Marcia after my parents’ visit.”

  “Such a lovely couple,” he remarks, knowing my punishment will outweigh his. A public death in the name of art. They fought me on this, cried and begged for their lives, but my heart held no empathy for two people who used a defenseless child for monetary gain. “Aren’t you glad I had your birth certificate tampered with when they gave you up? You could’ve been Hilary Burgess.”

  “That they are, and yes. That name doesn’t suit me one bit.” The bold red carpet we walk through has security on both sides, preventing the press from coming closer. Each of them wears the emblem of the vampire monarchy, a golden pin across the right lapel of their all-black tuxes. Both male and female, they stand straight while looking ahead with serious postures and a bit of hunger on their faces.

  They won’t attack, though.

  Not tonight. Never in a public event.

  The clear path leads to a set of wide, white marble stairs that leads to the upper floors, and no one moves until we reach the very last step and into my exhibit. Every square inch is bathed in black, the few light sources coming from the glass dome ceilings and the strategically placed soft white lighting above each piece.

  The perfect mixture of innocence and sin.

  Light and the dark.

  The two marry together in a way that sends chills down the spines of those who have seen the final product. Because I’m not hiding who I am anymore.

  He embraces me as is, and I do the same.

  Every piece, the paintings I did while human of an unknown man, fills the different areas side by side with its sinful counterpart in animal form.

  My king’s reign.

  Tero’s deadly poise.

  Marcia’s strike.

  Meera’s knowledge.

  Elise’s greed.

  Isabella’s sight.

  My touch.

  We are the seven deadly sins, and I've embraced my truth. Hold it close to my heart because it is a part of me. I won’t deny it. Us.

  What home will always mean.

  A round of applause rings throughout the room as those with V.I.P. access watch us walk toward the main stage. They're looking at me, then Theo, sensing something’s off but they can't put their fingers on it. Instead, they celebrate my interpretations while behind two glass enclosures a familial set of predators awaits.

  Marcia, my beautiful girl, has been given a treat along with her brother. A meal. Their favorite kind.

  Their individual sizes vary, with Tero being the largest, making the choice easy.

  Theodore steps toward the mic and the room grows quiet; if a pin dropped, it would be heard.

  “Thank you all for coming out tonight in support of my talented wife.” Applauses grow louder, the confirmation of our relationship I’m sure will make the front-page news of some magazine in the next few hours, but I could care less. “Please enjoy the show with an open mind. Her interpretations of the seven deadly sins are incredible, and I hope you imbibe in a bit of the macabre with us tonight.”

  The covers are removed from the glasses and the audience gasps at the brutal scene.

  Two beasts.

  My favorite snakes are in rare form, letting go and feeding. It reminds me of the yellow anaconda display that Theo took me to where I watched the beautiful animal feed. They’ve already broken down their victims.

  Marcia was given my human mother.

  Tero, my father.

  They’ve already killed each, one by suffocation and the other by envenomation before the crowd could fully see what they’d be digesting. I might have a disturbing mind, but I won’t expose my kind to the idiocy of humanity.

  A part of me admires them after living amongst them.

  Tero’s jaws are unlocked, his bloodied cage a mess as he swallows my father head first, the carnage left behind from the kill making his body unrecognizable. Too much blood mixed
with the low lighting only let the audience see what we want them to.

  Marcia’s cage is much the same. My mother was already swallowed, leaving behind the giant bloat on my special girl’s stomach where her meal is.

  The applause that thunders in the room is deafening, the ground shaking, and I smile toward the crowd. They love what they see. They have no idea that they’ve just witnessed the murder of two of their own, and yet, I’d bet money that some wouldn’t care either way.

  After a bit, when both snakes lay in contented bliss, the crowd disperses to walk the rest of the room. The murmur of people inquiring about purchasing a few doesn’t surprise me, but the sight of Xadiel standing in the middle of the room, his face etched with worry, freezes me in place.

  “Xadiel,” I call out, voice too low for the humans, but everyone else hears and are on alert. “You guys didn’t let us know you were coming?” His features tighten at the word them. Him and my sister. “Where is she? I don’t smell her?”

  “Gabriella, she’s…I don’t—”

  “Where. Is. She?” Dread fills my veins, and Theo beside me tenses.

  “She’s gone.”

  “Gone?” Theo pulls me down the stage, not stopping until I’m standing in front of a man whose suffering is palpable. “Xadiel, what’s going on. Whatever it is, we’ll help—”

  “She’s gone, Gabby. Isabella disappeared, and I can’t find her.”

  Outtake

  The day they met…

  Theodore

  * * *

  There’s a change in me the moment I step inside the castle, an overwhelming hunger that pulls a deep rumble from my chest as an intoxicating scent infiltrates my senses. It’s sweet—so fucking alluring—and I follow it to my private wing.

  Every vampire in the palace has made themselves scarce; I can still hear the whimpers of many as they ran from me, and the low warning growls escaping the back of my throat. And they’re completely right in doing so because the volatile emotions rushing through me will blind me.

  My mate is here, and jealousy is an unpredictable emotion. I will kill without remorse if anyone were to come near her.

  Every muscle in my body—every single molecule in my vampiric DNA accepts her—and I don’t pause until I’m outside my bedroom door.

  It’s then I make out her heartbeat. This thump, thump, thump that lulls me into a state of serenity I’ve never experienced before. That I don’t know how to feel about. It’s confusing yet intriguing and I’m hungry for a taste of the woman responsible.

  “Motherfuck,” I hiss out, rubbing a hand over my thick cock—pressing down hard enough to alleviate the uncontrollable need to mount her, but it only serves to make it worse. So much fucking worse when I hear her take in a deep breath of her own, pulling me into her small lungs and letting out a breathy sigh.

  Such a sweet little sound. So perfect.

  Then, there’s the shift in my mattress, the small rustling of sheets I can clearly hear, and I’m barging in without a second thought. The door slams against the wall, her plump mouth lets out a squeak, and her head turns toward me.

  The second I see her face I’m done for.

  Nothing fucking matters.

  I’ll live and breathe for my pretty girl.

  Gabriella

  * * *

  “Pompous, arrogant jerk,” I grumble, stealthily walking the hall toward the vampire king’s bedroom. “Like I don’t have better things to do than come and kick his butt.”

  The palace seems empty today, and I’m wondering what poor kingdom is feeling the wrath of his search. He’s been looking for me. Plowing through small covens in search of mine, although we’re in plain sight.

  That alone lets me know that he’s trying to catch me off guard. That if caught, I’d be taken against my will, and I won’t let others suffer for his greed.

  His room is closed when I reach it and I don’t hesitate to step inside, closing the large wooden door behind me. The first thing I notice is his scent; it permeates the room and calms my nerves, settling at the core of me, and I find myself liking it.

  Then, it’s the size of the room and the bland décor.

  Not a single trace of femininity anywhere.

  “What makes you tick, Theodore Astor?” I ask myself, taking a seat on his bed while nearly sinking into the plush bedding. “What would it take for you to—”

  The bedroom door is slammed open and a large man steps inside, his warning snarl loud. The walls shake, and I let out a whimper. Not in fear, but for some reason, it makes my skin prickle with excitement.

  “Who are you?” Theodore asks, his voice low and tone a bit gravelly. It licks at my skin, an illicit caress while the blade of his sword glints in the low light. “Why are you in my bedroom?”

  “You’ve been looking for me,” I state simply, my hand slowly moving toward the small holster at my side where my knife hides. “So here I am.”

  “Have I?” he asks, not fully stepping into the light. He’s in shadow, but those amber eyes glow and his strong build is mouthwatering. “What’s your name, pretty girl.”

  “Come a little closer and I’ll tell you.” There’s no mistaking my breathy tone nor the way I cross my legs, the skirt of my dress parting at the split revealing the side of my thigh and lower. Moreover, he follows the move with hunger, his chest expanding as he takes in a deep breath. “This conversation needs to be face to face.”

  In a flash, he’s kneeling at my feet, his hands on the bed trapping me while my knife is at his throat. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it nor does he try to disarm me. “Can you tell me now, my queen? I need to know my mate’s name.”

  “Mate?” I ask, the blade digging a little deeper, an action that hurts me. “You’re mine?”

  Is that why my heart is beating fast?

  Is this why my palms are sweaty?

  Is this why I find his dark, black hair and amber eyes so sexy and the thought of hurting him makes me feel sick?

  Mates are a special thing, a gift, and there’s no denying the need you feel. It’s all consuming and sudden and unforgiving as you give yourself without pause or consequence. A few words and your world changes, an instant love that gives your life true meaning.

  “I’m yours.” His smile is beautiful and the look in his eyes so soft, a complete contradiction to the man who’s been pillaging in his search for me. Threatening covens under my family’s protection, terrorizing them into telling him where I am while failing at every turn.

  They’re loyal to us. They’d never sell me.

  But how can he—this vampire—be my mate?

  “And you’ve been looking for me.” At my words, spoken low and a bit sultry, his eyes snap from my lips to my eyes, widening as they sink in.

  “Gabriella?”

  “Theodore.”

  The minutes pass and neither of us speak, lost in our thoughts. However, it’s his hand on my cheek that calms me just when I think it’s better that I run. It’s the feel of his lips on my neck and the arms around my waist that anchor me as the knife slips from my fingertips, clanging on the floor.

  So simple each touch, but from your mate—the one person made for you—it gives your soul purpose.

  “I’m sorry,” he says it so low I almost don’t hear it, but I do, and a shuddering breath escapes me. This is the last thing I expect from the proud king, but right now he’s humbling himself while the sword he held moments ago is now astride my lap. An offering. “You are the lesson I needed to learn, Gabriella Moore. My life is yours.”

  “Theo, I—”

  “Say it again.” His purr-like rumble tickles, creates a vibration through me that makes me laugh. “Please.”

  “Since when does a king beg?” I ask, and this flirtatious side of me is new. And so is the way I clench at the sight of his harsh swallow—the delicious way his throat bobs with the action.

  He pulls back so I can meet his eyes. See the sincerity in them. “Since the moment I laid eyes on
you.”

  A blush spreads across my cheeks, and I bite my bottom lip. “Does this mean you’ll stop hurting innocent people?”

  “This means my life is yours to command, pretty girl.”

  “That’s a hard offer to deny, Mr. Astor…”

  “Then don’t.” He lifts me with ease, tucking me against his chest while seating me on his lap. We’re on the floor, his body cradling mine, while those lips kiss from the crown of my head to temple. “Let me love you. Let me be the one you lean on.”

  “You’ve hurt my people.”

  “And I will make the reparations necessary.” With the tip of two fingers, he nudges my head so were eye to eyes. His lips hover, and I can taste him there. His natural sweetness is a tease to my senses. “Let me spend an eternity making you happy.”

  “What will it cost me?”

  “Your heart, and in return, I’ll give you all of me.”

  * * *

  THE END FOR NOW. . .

  SURPRISE!!!

  * * *

  THIS WORLD IS FAR FROM OVER, AND I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF PLANNING THE NEXT BOOK IN THE (FATES BITE) SERIES. SO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN???

  * * *

  IT MEANS…THEODORE AND GABRIELLA WILL BE GETTING A PREQUEL. YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT!!! THEO HAS BEEN SHOUTING IN MY HEAD, DEMANDING TO SHARE THEIR BEGINNING, AND I’M SO DOWN FOR IT. THESE CHARACTERS OVERTOOK MY WORLD—SENT ME ON A JOURNEY THAT’S INDESCRIBABLE.

  * * *

  LITTLE MATE #.5 GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57974086-little-mate

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