The Vampire's Mark 3: Cold Heir (Reverse Harem Romance)

by Rachel Jonas

  What he proposed was both sobering and logical. This was a solution I, too, had assumed would eventually become necessary, but had yet to share the idea aloud.

  Levi’s gaze shifted to Julian. “Thoughts?”

  To my surprise, despite the gravity of our previous conversation, Julian’s expression was lighthearted. “You're always welcome here, brother.”

  Levi was clearly grateful when he took a seat, but there was something else. “While I appreciate your hospitality, I had another option in mind. Taking up residence here while we wait for things to level off would do for now. But eventually, I think we ought to consider finding residence outside the grounds of your family’s estate.”

  A moment of silence ensued while Julian thought to himself, seeming to consider it.

  There was an underlying context, a variable none of us addressed, pertaining to the issue of our monarchy. It was possible that, in the near future, things could become so distorted that it would be difficult to pinpoint where any of us might eventually reside once the dust settled.

  However, instead of addressing the elephant in the room, Julian’s gaze shifted back toward Levi, and he’d taken far less time to deliberate than expected.

  “I'm in.”

  Levi's face lit up again. “Perfect. Now we only need to bring Corina up to speed, get her on board.”

  “I’m fairly certain we’d find it easy to talk her into any arrangement in which she’d still have access to her team,” I added.

  “Which begs the question … how on Earth did such an unlikely alliance come about?” Levi inquired, referring to our dinner guests from earlier.

  The confusion that marked his expression made me laugh a bit.

  “Well, let’s just say there’s no faster way for two opposing groups to bond than working toward a common objective. And in this case, locating Corina just so happened to be our common goal.”

  I could only imagine his surprise when Julian and I returned with a van full of humans to join us for a meal. There was a long answer to his question—one where I’d be forced to explain how we found Corina’s com, how her team took their time vetting Julian and I, making sure we were as worthy of their trust as we claimed. Yet, this was also a simple answer.

  “I don’t suppose they’ve miraculously disclosed what mission it is they’ve organized to achieve?” he wanted to know next.

  I shook my head. “They’ve been tightlipped regarding how they’ve operated in the past, but I do know our present interests are aligned. They want what’s best for Corina, just like we do.”

  Levi’s attention stayed trained on me a moment longer. “I suppose that’ll have to do for now.”

  There really wasn’t much more for me to say about it than that.

  “Well, gentlemen, I think it’s safe to say we’re all royally screwed,” was his final conclusion, letting his gaze volley between Julian and I as he raised his near-empty glass into the air. “I suppose if I’m going down with a sinking ship, there aren’t better men with whom I’d rather meet my demise.”

  There was an odd blend of acceptance and euphoria behind his tone. I guessed it came from the realization that, literally, everything was at stake, and nothing was in our control. Some might consider that delirium.

  Clinking my glass against theirs, it became clear we’d all arrived at the same conclusion and were alarmingly at peace with the many potential outcomes. So, with that, I gave in, and decided to leave it all in the hands of fate.

  “I’ll drink to that,” I saluted them, my brothers in rank.

  My brothers in chaos.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Corina

  Seeing me comfortably seated at a monarch’s table must have been a strange scene for my friends to witness tonight.

  At first, I fully committed to dialing back how content I was in Julian’s palace, interacting with him, Levi and Silas, but upon realizing my team’s acceptance of the princes was genuine, I was able to relax. I’d gotten bits and pieces explaining how such an improbable coalition had formed in my absence, but I had a feeling I would never fully understand it.

  Julian had arranged for a feast to be prepared, but his staff was dismissed for the evening before the team arrived—to protect all parties involved, I imagined. Doing so meant that the responsibility of waiting on us had fallen on his shoulders. However, he’d handled it so graciously, you never would’ve known he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

  There was never an empty glass or plate, never a lull in conversation, and he served everyone humbly, no sign of entitlement or resentment to be seen. He went out of his way to ensure that all felt welcomed, further proving to me that the impossible was, in fact, possible.

  I couldn’t remember ever seeing Liv more lighthearted, more carefree. From what she shared, even the orphans we rescued were well-fed—those who remained anyway.

  After requesting an update on how things had been since I was forced into this life, she explained that there hadn’t been another rescue. They were only able to take care of those we had already saved, transporting them to the cargo ships where our contact, Spencer, saw to it that they were safely delivered to Pitcairn Island. While I was pleased to hear they’d been transported safely, it wasn’t lost on me that so many who should have been rescued had sat in orphanages well past their expected extraction date.

  In short, I knew I had to find a way to pull my weight.

  Still, I wasn’t the only one with questions, wasn’t the only one desperately seeking updates. It was only natural that, upon seeing how at ease I was with the princes, Liv wondered what it was like, if it was real, if I was simply putting on a show to avoid having my throat ripped out—her words. As soon as Liv, Shay, and I got a moment to chat alone, I filled them in on the details.

  Well, all of them except that Levi and I had given in to temptation. That might have been a bit much for them to process.

  Mostly, they wanted to know how the blood bond really affected me. I explained it as best as I could, sharing that the chemistry they witnessed was as genuine as anything else. Including the few times Shay caught me eyeing Silas. I was fairly certain I’d developed somewhat of a crush on him. Believe me, that was hard to admit. Not because he was somehow beneath me, but rather, because I was too old and evolved for such things.

  A crush?

  At nearly twenty?

  Unacceptable.

  Only, every time our gazes caught across the dining room table, there was no other way I could describe it. Without spells or magic or … whatever all this was, he’d managed to earn my attention.

  The good, old-fashioned way—by being a good guy.

  It doesn’t hurt that he’s devastatingly handsome to match, but I digress.

  Much to my surprise, I thought of him quite a bit as I readied myself for bed, off and on, in between thoughts of my team. I had a feeling I’d sleep better than I had in a while, knowing they weren’t only surviving, but thriving. Taking care of the ones I loved had solidified my feelings for Julian, and awakened them for Silas. Meanwhile, Levi taking care of me while we were apart from the others, had pretty much etched him on my heart forever.

  To sum it all up, I was a lost cause. The princes had my heart, and it was clear I had theirs.

  Turning off the bathroom light, I yawned, unashamed that I indulged in a second bath that evening, while the guys escorted my team to safety. The plush towels and rich bath oils were a reminder of how this life was beginning to spoil me, but I wouldn’t let it go to my head. According to Liv, I’d done more than my share in the past to have earned a bit of a breather. Although, to her, my being here in the Capitol to fulfill the blood bond, was still a vital part of the mission. I suppose to some degree, I was beginning to see it that way as well.

  I slipped into the tank-top and dark, silk shorts Elle had left. After pulling my hair into a bun, I sat on the edge of my bed, alone with my thoughts. My gaze wandered toward the device on the nightstand and I smiled. Silas b
rought it to me before leaving with the others, to see my family out of the city safely. He might have known how grateful I was to have it—a secure line on which my team and I could communicate whenever we wanted. No more wondering if they were okay, no more missing them as I lie in bed on the verge of tears.

  He and Julian had given them back to me.

  A thoughtful sigh passed through my lips and I eyed the door. It was late, but that didn’t matter. Especially not around here. The guys rarely slept, and my schedule was nonexistent after having been away, and then on the run. So, I felt a bit … restless.

  I suppose I have Levi to thank for that.

  I imagined them all seated in Julian’s study, drinking and having a bit of lighthearted conversation. It was hard to ignore that my circumstances offered me a rare opportunity—I, technically, had my pick of them.

  Don’t think like that. Just chill, woman.

  These were the words I told myself, but adhering to them was a different story. A memory of Levi crept in, how he’d lit my entire body ablaze from the inside out, and I crossed my legs tightly to right my thoughts. Aware that only a short trip down the stairs separated us, and knowing he was always willing, always ready for anything, was beyond tempting.

  Then there was Julian. I had yet to indulge with him despite the sweltering tension that hung between us. I embraced him for a long time when he first showed up at Glenn’s to retrieve Levi and I, but that hadn’t been nearly enough. If I’d been bolder, I would have stuck to him like glue the entire night. Sucked to feel like I had to hold back.

  Though, without a doubt, those boundaries were all in my head. The guys certainly hadn’t established any.

  Feeling bold, I stood from the bed and squared my shoulders. It wouldn’t hurt anything to head downstairs and bust up their all-boys party. After what I’d been through, I figured I deserved to cut through some of the testosterone around here anyway. So, that’s what I planned to do.

  I repeat … ‘planned’ to do.

  Pulling the door open, I jumped about a foot into the air, meeting the mesmerizing, silver gazes of three men so tall, I had to tilt my chin up to see them fully. Across the threshold, they overwhelmed me with a bombardment of flawless, gleaming smiles set behind perfect lips. They were dressed down now, two of them shirtless and with pants so thin there was no question they weren’t meant to be worn outside the bedroom. And they came bearing gifts—empty glasses and enough wine to sedate a brothel.

  “May we join you, Love?” Levi’s expression was wicked as always.

  “Uh … sure,” I stammered, painfully aware of how high-pitched and weird my voice sounded. “Make yourselves comfortable.”

  They stepped in and I couldn’t decide which of the trio smelled best. Right away, it was as if someone had turned up the heat. With no additional seating here like Levi’s suite had been outfitted with, we would all have to sit on the bed. I returned to the spot I held before thinking I was headed down to the study, and the princes scattered to various sections of the mattress.

  Levi casually propped himself against the opposite side of the headboard, Silas and Julian with their backs against the footposts, facing me.

  “Wine?” It was Silas who offered, and I was already staring at him before the question left his mouth.

  Wordlessly, I nodded, and then watched him pour.

  “Thank you.” I accepted the glass and downed it with one swallow. He smirked when I held it out again, gesturing for more.

  The others accepted a portion as well, but sipped far more sparingly than I did.

  “We thought you could use some company,” Julian announced with a smile.

  Had his jawline always been this sexy? Or was I just now noticing because I was no longer afraid to really see him?

  “Actually, I was just about to make my way down to see you guys when you showed up,” I admitted, sipping again. “So, yeah, I guess we all had the same idea.”

  “Great minds thinking alike and whatnot,” Levi mused, watching me in that cheeky way of his.

  Tearing my eyes away from his was easy, but it proved impossible to do the same with my thoughts. They were heavily focused on him, on all of them.

  Quickly getting a hold of my feelings, I flashed a smile.

  “You guys were downstairs a while. What happened? Finally got bored comparing measurements?” I teased.

  Tomorrow, we could go back to taking everything seriously again, but things needed to lighten up around here for tonight. I, personally, was on cloud nine because everything that took place this evening felt like a win. And I hadn’t had one of those in far too long.

  Silas smirked a bit when the joke seemed to catch him off guard.

  “You know me better than that by now,” Levi grinned. “There’s no way you wouldn’t have been invited to stand in as judge.”

  My smile widened, heat moving up my neck as his words flustered me.

  “However, at the risk of killing your fantasy,” he continued, “we were actually just discussing you.”

  How did he do that? Excite me with mere words?

  My elbow pressed into the pillow as I got comfortable. “That just so happens to be my favorite subject,” I teased. “What about me?”

  The guys passed one another a look, intriguing me even more than I already was.

  “Well,” Julian sighed, “the issue of our living arrangements came up.”

  “We can only hunker down here in Julian’s space for so long. All our belongings are practically halfway around the world,” Levi explained.

  The disappointment I felt once I began to read between the lines was almost embarrassing, understanding what this was about.

  “Oh, right. You have to leave,” I blurted, trying to hide how much it pained me to even consider them having to go. “You’ve got lives outside the Capitol. I get it.”

  “Actually, you don’t,” Silas informed me as the three glanced at one another again. “We’re thinking that, since we’ve decided to bond, it makes sense that our accommodations be a bit more … permanent.”

  When he said that word, I blinked.

  Permanent.

  “So, what does that look like exactly?” I dared to ask.

  “Well, for starters, it would look like Levi and I initiating the process of establishing legal residence here in the Eastern Quadrant first thing next week.”

  There was one key detail I wondered whether they had overlooked.

  “But, Roman…” His name left my mouth on the end of a somber sigh. “Does it make sense to keep moving forward if he’s missing? If he’s not willing to complete the bond?”

  Believe me, connecting with that man was the last thing I wanted to do, but I was keenly aware of the importance of his role in this endeavor. The sole reason their people had gone along with this ruse, the only reason Julian and I made it out unscathed after the press conference was because of the potential for a cure. Only, that cure required the cooperation of all four princes, representative of the strains of vampirism from all four quadrants. With Roman in the wind, there was no way to complete the process.

  Silas inched forward on the bed and I peered up at him. His cool hands enfolded mine and there was a kindness within his eyes that took my breath away. If it hadn’t been for the fact that the device implanted in my head prevented it, I would have thought the sudden calmness I felt was some of his magic at play. But … it wasn’t that.

  There was just real, unexpected energy between us.

  “Don’t worry about Roman,” he assured me. “He’ll come around. In the meantime, we thought it’d be a good idea for you to take on the task of choosing our home.”

  “Ou—our … home?” I stammered.

  An uncertain smile was Silas’ reaction, when the suggestion rendered me speechless.

  “Well, things could get complicated if we separate,” he explained, leaving me to wonder what that meant exactly. “So, we thought you might want to choose a place we can all share. One that … speak
s to you,” he added after pausing to shrug.

  “Exactly,” Levi cut in, being direct because he knew no other way. “As the lady of the house, it seems only fitting that you select a home that suits you, one you’ll be proud to call yours. The rest of us can settle, and be comfortable anywhere really. And forgive me if it’s presumptuous to think such things matter to a woman. It’s only our intention that, wherever we settle, you’ll find that you’re more than comfortable. Perhaps you’ll even be happy,” he added with a wink and mischievous grin.

  Happy. I pondered that word when he said it, maybe because it resonated with me that my happiness seemed to be so important to them.

  I turned to Levi as a half-smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. “I’d like that.”

  “Of course, your family will always be welcomed on the premises of whatever place you choose. That won’t change.” I peered up at Silas when he spoke, aware of how he always considered my feelings. “But … is this what you want? This arrangement?”

  Thinking about that a moment, I considered how things had finally worked out in my favor today, and didn’t hesitate to nod. I wouldn’t pretend to know how everything would play out, but I had decided to stop denying that I was deep in this.

  “I do,” I replied, finally answering. “This is what I want.”

  “Good,” Levi concluded. “We’ll move forward then.”

  With the newfound closeness still reverberating between he and I, he didn’t even hesitate to bring my hand to his mouth, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. I, on the other hand, was very much aware of there being others in the room—others who hadn’t been present, to witness the evolution of intimacy between Levi and me.

  Mostly, I was concerned with how Julian might feel seeing it. I think he guessed as much when my gaze immediately flashed toward him as I was released from Levi’s grasp.

  A warm smile touched Julian’s lips. He’d been kind to me before I even had the sense to realize it was genuine, and now, as I imagined the depth of my bond with Levi became apparent, that kindness showed through again.