Princess (The Dark Shadows #1)

by Ariel Marie

  Sam let out a whistle as they walked towards the top of the hill where witnesses reported the car was pushed off the road and tumbled down the embankment. The guardrail was mangled where the car slammed into it. “If they are walking away from that, they sure are lucky,” Sam said before he jogged over to a few bystanders while Cooper was frozen in place. His attention was on the female sitting on a log at the top of the hill being checked over by a paramedic.

  His heart skipped a beat as his eyes drank her in. Even through all of the mud and dirt, her hair plastered to her head and dirty scrubs, he recognized her. The woman from his fantasies, his dreams, was sitting fifty feet from him. She smiled softly at the paramedic who kneeled in front of her, wrapping a blanket around her. She glanced up and did a double take when she caught him staring at her. She looked away quickly, then turned back to look at him. Sadness clouded her eyes as she returned his stare.

  His feet took off in her direction before he could even think about it. The paramedic stood to leave as he arrived at her side.

  “Are you sure you don’t want us to take you to the hospital to get checked out?” the guy asked, scratching his head. “This was a nasty accident; you really should consider it.”

  “I’m fine. Just shaken up a bit, but otherwise unharmed. Not a scratch on me. Thank you for checking me out,” she said with a heart-stopping smile. A sheepish grin spread across the paramedic’s face.

  “Just doing my job, ma’am. Have a good evening,” he said, leaving them alone.

  She looked up at him with her ice blue eyes that had been haunting his dreams for a week now. She stood up, wrapping the blanket around her tighter. She was so tiny and the look of vulnerability on her face made him want to wrap her in his arms and protect her from whatever put that look on her face.

  “Hi,” she said softly, biting her bottom lip. The strong urge to grab her and replace her teeth with his on her plump lip was strong.

  “Have we met before?” he asked, moving closer to her. “Don’t think I’m crazy, ma’am, but I have seen you in my dreams every night for the past week. I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” He pushed her hair behind her ear. She shivered at his touch. “Please tell me that I’m not crazy,” he whispered, trailing the back of his hand down her cheek.

  “You’re not crazy,” she whispered as tears pooled in her eyes. His heart sped up even faster.

  “Then why can’t I remember more than just your face?”

  “It’s too dangerous for you to know me,” she said softly, closing her eyes and leaning into his hand. Her eyes popped open. “Get me out of here.” He nodded his head without hesitation, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind him. He had to be losing his mind, but he had the feeling that he knew her. He led her to Sam’s car, helping her into the backseat. She huddled down in the seat as he ran to grab Sam.

  “Sam, we need to go!” he yelled, knowing that Sam was going to think he had lost his marbles. Sam took one look at Cooper and nodded his head, following him back to the car.

  “What’s up?” Sam asked, getting in behind the wheel. He did a double take as he noticed the woman in the back seat. “What is she doing here?” he asked, starting the car and pulling off quickly.

  “You recognize her?” Cooper asked, cursing himself for not thinking to ask her name.

  “Yeah, this is the woman from the diner. The one—”

  “My name is Nadira,” she said from the back, cutting Sam off.

  “So where are we headed?” Sam asked looking at Cooper.

  “You can drop her and me off at my place.”

  * * *

  Cooper cursed as he missed putting the key into the slot; his hands shook so badly. He couldn’t believe she was here. Her small hand covered his, as she looked up at him with her beautiful eyes and guided the key in the lock. She smiled softly as they unlock the door together.

  He ushered her in his apartment, looking around, hoping it was not too messy. He was satisfied that he didn’t see any junk or clothes on his couches or tables in the living room. He had been working so many shifts these past few weeks that he just had not had time to clean. She walked into the apartment, pausing to take her shoes off as he shut and locked the door.

  “Please make yourself comfortable,” he gestured to the couch. “Is there anything I can get you?”

  “Any chance, I can get a shower and clean clothes?” She looked down at her current clothes.

  “Yeah, I think I have something.” He led her to the bathroom in the hallway, grabbing towels for her out of the closet. He rustled in his guest room, finding a pair of sweats and a t-shirt that belonged to his sister.

  “Are these your girlfriend’s clothes?” she asked quietly, eyeing the clothes.

  “No, my sister’s,” he answered, sending up a prayer of thanks that it was truly his sister’s clothing and not his ex-girlfriend’s.

  “Thanks,” she said with a smile, shutting the bathroom door quietly.

  Cooper ran into his room, quickly stripping his clothes and jumping in his shower in the master bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he walked out of his bedroom to find her sitting on the couch, with her legs curled up under her. His sister’s clothes were a little long on her but they would have to do. It was time to have a talk to find out why he constantly dreamed of her. He sat down on the opposite couch from her.

  “So, I’m sure you have questions,” she started, drawing her hair up in a messy bun on top of her head, his eyes following her hands. Her thick hair begged to be touched and pulled while he pushed his cock in her wet opening from behind. His eyes widened at the thoughts racing around in his head. He shook his head slightly, trying to mentally beat down his erection straining against his sweatpants.

  “I would like to know why is it that I have dreamed of you for the past week,” he asked, leaning forward.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she looked around the room.

  “After the past twenty-four hours, with what I’ve seen, just try me,” he said.

  “Well, we have met before. We met a couple of weeks ago at Lilly’s,” she paused. He nodded, remembering her there. If he tried to remember anything more than that, he would get a headache. “We’ve spoken on the phone and texted. We’ve also have been on a date.”

  He could feel his eyebrows rise at this information. He didn’t remember any of this. “Are you sure?” he couldn’t help but ask. She nodded her head quickly.

  “Check your phone,” she said, pointing to his cell phone. He shook his head.

  “I believe you for some reason, but why can’t I remember any of this?”

  She paused before answering, staring at him for a moment. He was unable to read her expression. “You’re not going to believe me.”

  “Try me,” he said, meaning it. It couldn’t get any weirder than watching a dead body walk out of the coroner’s office. His views on the world had totally changed. If someone had told him before that dead people could come back to life, he would have personally escorted them to the nearest mental hospital.

  “I erased your memory of me,” she said, biting her lip. She looked worried as if not knowing how he was going to respond.

  “Why would you do that?” He knew it was weird not asking how she would do it, but right now, he wanted to know why she would do such a thing.

  “The night we went on our date, you saw some things that you shouldn’t have seen. My brothers—” she stopped, giving a small laugh.

  “Your brothers what?” He needed her to continue. This was getting weirder by the moment.

  “My brothers wanted me to tell you what I am, so I did.” She looked directly at him. Sadness clouded her eyes as she stared at him. “You didn’t take it too well.”

  “And what are you?” he whispered.

  “A vampire,” she said proudly, with her chin tilted up. He slowly stood. She watched him wearily as he came to sit next to her. She turned to look at him. She looked human to him. She was not extremel
y pale. He grabbed her hand, holding it in his, noting her warmth. He reached up with his other hand, trailing it along her jawline down her neck feeling her steady pulse. Her ice blue eyes were the most beautiful ones he had ever seen. He could easily get lost in them.

  “You don’t look like a vampire,” he said softly.

  “What do vampires look like?” A soft wistful smile graced her lips.

  “Well, for one, they are very pale, and you, ma’am, have a nice tan,” he said, holding her hand up to his face, before laying a kiss on her smooth skin. She laughed slightly.

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Two, vampires don’t have heartbeats,” he said, gently trailing his fingers along her neck, tracing her carotid artery. “You have a heartbeat.”

  “Very observant of you, Detective Cooper.”

  “Am I missing anything?” he paused as he reached up and pulled her hair out of the bun. Her hair fell softly around her face, flowing down her back. He slid his fingers through her thick silky hair. She closed her eyes briefly as a soft moan escaped her.

  “Your eyes…” his voice trailed off as he gazed deeply into her changing eyes. He watched, fascinated as her irises morphed into a deep shade of blood red.

  “Vampires… they have fangs,” she whispered, her hooded crimson eyes darkening.

  He tightened his hold on her hair, pulling her head slightly back as he leaned in closer to her, their lips almost touching. “Do you?” he asked. “Do you have fangs, Nadira?”

  Her eyes widened as his grip tightened in her hair. A desire to know if she had fangs filled him. Could she truly be a vampire? Her eyes changing color, was that real, or a trick of the light? At this moment in time, he didn’t care if she said that she could fly.

  He wanted her.

  It had been this little woman he had dreamed about, fantasized about, every day for the past week and she had his cock harder than steel. She leaned her head back into his hand as she smiled, showing off her dangerous little fangs. He reached up to touch them; they were smooth and extremely sharp. She inhaled suddenly as he trailed his finger from her incisors to her lower lip. He had been dying to taste it.

  “If I kiss you now, will you bite me?” he asked softly, leaning in closer to her. She closed her eyes and he watched fascinated, as her fangs retracted into her gums. She blinked her eyes, staring at him, waiting to see what he would do.

  He kissed her.

  9

  ~Nadira~

  She knew she shouldn’t be here, but she couldn’t help it. Here she was with Cooper, her mate. Her brothers could go to hell for all she cared. She was sure they were going to be pissed at her for leaving the protection of Cyran and disappearing. Fate had decided to place her mate in her path again and this time she would not be separated from him.

  His hand gripping her hair had her core weeping, pulsating, and waiting for him. Something about him pulling her hair, showing dominance that turned her on. Nadira knew she was made for him. His kiss was controlling and thorough. He pulled her onto his lap, not breaking the kiss. The feel of his large cock in between her legs had her rubbing herself against his hard length.

  He groaned, ripping his mouth from hers, to pull her shirt over her head. Her breasts mesmerized him. They grew heavy under his lust-filled gaze. Her nipples hardened in the cool air. She hadn’t put a bra on when she got out of the shower. The shirt he gave her was too big, allowing freedom. He grabbed her left breast, bringing it up to run his teeth against her taut nipple, causing her to gasp. He licked where his teeth scraped before sucking the breast into his mouth. His other hand pulled her closer, rubbing her center against his length.

  If this was what it was like, to be with your mate, she would never leave Cooper. Her skin tingled everywhere he touched. He paid close attention to her other breast; his hands sliding up her back caused her to shiver.

  “Cooper…” she groaned as his hands slid back into her hair, pulling her face to his as he covered her mouth with his. He didn’t say anything as he stood with her in his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked towards his bedroom. She broke the kiss, trailing kisses to his jawline. Her canines threatened to break her gums again and she had to concentrate to keep them from descending. She scraped her teeth along his neck, licking his plump juicy jugular vein. The urge to bite him was strong, but she resisted, instead sucking on his neck, tasting his skin. A shudder passed through him as he walked through his bedroom door, gently placing her on the edge of his king-size bed.

  He stood back, pulling his t-shirt over his head, displaying a lean muscular body with a six-pack that was well defined, with a sprinkle of dark hair that trailed below his sweats. Her eyes roamed his perfectly sculpted chest, trailing down further, locking on the tent created by his thick erection.

  “Keep looking at me like that and this will be over before it starts,” he said, the heat in his eyes causing her legs to spread wide open as she leaned back on her elbows. She couldn’t take her eyes off him, as she watched him peel his sweatpants off. His thick cock sprung free. Her eyes locked on it as he kicked his pants free. She looked up at him and caught him staring at her breasts.

  “You’re so beautiful,” he said, leaning to take her breast in his mouth again. “Are you sure about this?” he asks, as he leaned back. She quickly nodded her head. There was no way that she was stopping. Rogue vampires couldn’t keep her from him. She lifted up her hips as he dragged the too big pants off of her, tossing the pants over his shoulders.

  “Jesus,” he breathed as he knelt by the bedside, spreading her legs further apart, burying his head in between her legs. The first touch of his tongue on her pussy had her gasping out his name. She writhed on the bed as his tongue pleasured her as no other had. Her hips moved to the rhythm he set, as he found her hidden nub, sucking on it.

  “Cooper,” she called his name.

  “Tell me what you want,” he said as he slipped a finger into her hot moist core. Her response was a mixture of moans and words in her native language. He slipped another finger in her, stretching her as he sucked harder on her clit, he nipped it with his teeth, pushing her over the edge of the most intense orgasm she had ever had. She screamed his name as her pussy contracted around his fingers. He lapped up every drop of her release before flipping her over onto her stomach in the middle of his bed. She barely had the energy to lift her ass in the air. She presented herself to him as he knelt behind her on the bed.

  “You have to have the best ass,” he said, gently slapping her right buttock. She could feel a probe at her slick core as he slid the tip of his thick cock into her. He groaned, “You are so tight.” He pushed her head down on the bed, presenting her pussy fully to him as he continued to feed her his thick length. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You won’t,” she gasped, as his cock stretched her, completing her. Vampires were quick healers and she was much stronger than the average human female. He pushed all the way to the hilt, pausing before he began to thrust. She groaned at how full she felt and automatically shifted, trying to draw him deeper. He gripped her hip with his one hand while the other one tangled itself in her hair as he thrust deep in her, hitting her sweet spot.

  Her fangs descended as he gripped her hair tighter, thrusting deeper into her channel. The desire to bite was strong but she refused to do so tonight. This was her mate, but she wanted him to want to be with her forever. Mating was for eternity. She tried to get her fangs to retract but she was unable to concentrate on anything else but his cock pounding into her pussy. She bit down on the mattress instead, moaning deep in her chest.

  “Nadira,” he moaned as his hips quickened, thrusting deep into her moist core; his body stiffened, releasing his seed deep within her womb. He shouted her name again as her pussy milked his cock as she screamed when another orgasm hit her, sending her into a blissful darkness.

  * * *

  “Nadira, baby, wake up!” a voice said loudly in her ear. She groaned, batting at whoever was
trying to wake her from her heavenly slumber. “Nadira,” the voice said again.

  “I’m up,” she whined, opening her eyes, coming face to face with Cooper. “What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to bury herself under the blanket.

  “Umm, this might be a little cliché, but can’t the sun hurt you?” His eyes were filled with concern.

  “No, it just drains me but it will not kill me. That is a human myth,” she answered, leaning on her elbow facing him. She smiled, pushing her hair out of her face. “Most of what humans know of vampires is a bunch of untruths.”

  He pulled her close, tucking her into his side as he leaned back among the pillows. “Why are you not freaking out about me being a vampire?” she asked.

  “What I saw yesterday has changed my view on the world,” he said, holding her close, staring off in space.

  “What did you see?”

  He went into an explanation of his most recent cases, unable to find a cause of death and the John Does. He told her how he and his partner watched a dead boy walk out of the morgue. “I was in the room when the medical examiner did the autopsy; that guy was dead. I watched him just walk out of the medical examiner’s building.”

  “You’re going to have to tell my brothers,” she said seriously. The afterglow of the best sex of her life quickly dissipated, listening to the story of the dead man walking. There was only one reason why this would have happened.

  Necromancers.

  “Why?”

  She explained to him who her family was and of the Dark Shadows. She explained about the war that was brewing again between the necromancers and the vampires.

  “My brother Nicu is the Commander of the Dark Shadows. As the eldest, his responsibility is to protect the vampire nation. If my father dies or steps down as king, then Nicu will be king. Once Nicu is king, then he can appoint someone in charge of the Dark Shadows,” she said.