Princess (The Dark Shadows #1)

by Ariel Marie

  She knew it! On the inside, she was jumping for joy but right now, she had to get her brothers out of the room. His body was tightly coiled as he looked over her shoulder, narrowing at her brothers. He released another growl, bringing her body flushed with his.

  “Go! I’ll be fine,” she assured her brothers frantically, looking over her shoulder. They all hesitated before slowly backing out of the room. Nicu took one last look at them before shutting the door. She turned back, immediately getting lost into Cooper’s heated gaze. She ran her hands up his hardened chest as his hands gripped her ass, pulling her closer and leaving nothing to separate them.

  Her gums burned as her fangs descended. Tonight, there would be a claiming.

  Finally.

  20

  ~Cooper~

  The smell of Nadira hit Cooper like a semi-truck slamming into a brick wall. This wasn’t her normal fragrance. It was spicier. She’s aroused. He didn’t quite understand what was happening to him, but the smell of her was driving him mad. His gums burned from the descent of his newly developed fangs. He ran his tongue along his sharp incisors as he pulled Nadira closer to him.

  He remembered feeling as if he were floating in space and with a pain he had never felt before, then blacking out. The next thing he remembered was hearing Nadira’s soft whispering to him in his ears. “I love you, Cooper,” her voice said to him. The love in her voice called to him as he felt himself slipping away.

  A piercing pain on the side of his neck caused him to pause, keeping him from following into the distant light that he drifted to in his peaceful abyss. Again, her voice called to him. “Cooper, drink, honey.” He remembered the warm thick fluid running down his throat, then pain again. This time, this pain was different. A burning sensation coursed through his veins; his wounds pulled together as the skin raveled itself back together, healing, leaving no trace. Bones that were fractured and broken before spontaneously mended themselves.

  He felt stronger now, powerful, and fierce. Nadira’s brothers coming into the room threatening her, snatching her from him as she held him, caused him to just about lose it. This new animalistic side of him had him ready to attack. The minute he stood from the floor, he wanted to rip Nicu’s head from his shoulders. She was his mate and no one would take her from him.

  Ever.

  He was not sure what had come over him as the need to have her consumed him. He crushed his mouth to hers in a bruising kiss. Her gasp was all the invitation he needed to invade her mouth with his tongue. He pulled back at the slightest taste of her blood. Her eyes widened slightly when he pulled back slowly, his eyes locked on the tiny drop of blood that rested on her plump bottom lip.

  He leaned forward, gently licking the blood from her mouth. His eyes met hers as he slowly sucked her bottom lip into his mouth. A moan escaped her as his naked cock hardened and strained towards her.

  One drop of her blood.

  He’s addicted to her.

  Nadira.

  His mate.

  His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. Suddenly an uncontrollable need to take her, claim her, mate with her overcame him. He reached up, ripping her shirt from her body, pulling her back to him, plunging her mouth with his as he continued to rip the clothes off her.

  “Too many clothes,” he muttered as he snatched her jeans off her smaller frame. Her bra and panties was no match for him in his lust-filled haze. He needed to be inside her, now. His cock demanded entrance inside of her as he grabbed her and lifted her effortlessly to the counter, fitting himself in the junction between her legs. Neither one of them paid any attention to the things that flew off the counter, crashing onto the floor.

  He trailed kisses alongside her neck, scraping his canines along her neck. She threw her head back, as he reached her full breasts, suckling one pert nipple deep into his mouth. Her feminine smell drifted up to him, driving him more into a frenzy to take her into his mouth and taste her. He pushed her back forcefully onto the counter, spreading her legs as wide as he could with his forearms as he bent down to lick her slick pussy folds.

  “Cooper!” Her fingers slid in his hair, pulling his face closer to her as he plunged his tongue as deep into her wet channel before finding her hidden nub. He latched onto her clit, causing her to groan his name as he ravished her pussy.

  “Oh. My…” She panted, trying to squeeze her legs shut but he forced them back apart. This animalistic need to claim her was consuming him. He was in a fog and she was the only thing in his sight.

  He slid two fingers into her pussy, immediately finding her special spot that caused her to scream. Her pussy muscles contracted as she rode his fingers. He swiped her pussy again with his tongue causing her to let out a growl of her own. Her ice blue eyes flashed crimson red as they locked onto him. She pushed him back, jumping down from the counter, licking his chest, nipping at it with her teeth. She continued to push him back until his legs met the infirmary bed.

  A sensual smile graced her lips, revealing her fangs, as she pushed him down on the bed. She grabbed his cock in her hands, eliciting a groan from him as she stroked him with both of her hands. A tiny bead of fluid appeared on the tip of his cock. His eyes didn’t leave her crimson red as she leaned forward and licked the smooth mushroom tip. She briefly closed her eyes as she took the first taste of him. He was mesmerized watching his cock disappear into her mouth as she began sucking him, taking him deep in her throat. His chest tightened with the need to lay claim to his woman.

  He snatched her up, rolling her beneath him; she wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing him to plunge his cock balls deep in her slick pussy, eliciting a scream from Nadira and a deep growl from Cooper. He paused for a moment before the innate need to bond to her took over him. As if knowing what he needed, she presented her neck to him.

  “Do it,” she gasped. “Make me yours,” she said softly around her perfect little fangs. That was all the prompting he needed, his control snapped.

  “Mine,” he growled.

  He pulled his cock almost all the way out of her warm slippery pussy before slamming back into her as he sunk his newly developed fangs into her plump carotid artery at the same time.

  He was brutal in his claiming of her, unmerciful as he pumped his cock into her. She screamed again, her body buckling as she orgasmed again. He released her neck, instinctively licking the pinprick holes to seal them closed. She turned toward him, using her vampiric strength, to flip him. They tumbled onto the floor with him landing on the bottom somehow, still seated deep in her.

  She shifted her legs to straddle his waist as his hands gripped her ass, as he thrust deep up into her. She leaned down, biting him, taking in his blood. He quickened his thrust, becoming lightheaded while the lightning sensation coursed through his veins. A room-shaking growl erupted deep from within his chest as his balls drew up tight, emptying his seed deep within her womb.

  Time stood still as the bond between mates wove its way around each of them, their souls blending, linking them to each other.

  Forever.

  21

  ~Nicu~

  Nadira had gone and done it. She mated the fucking human. Well, a newly turned vampire who just happened to be an alpha vampire like him, his brothers, and father. Well, if it had to be any neophyte vampire, Cooper would be the only one Nicu would have chosen for his baby sister. Cooper adapted quite well to his change.

  That night, a month ago when Nadira saved the human’s life and changed him, Nicu could instantly sense the power and strength radiating from the new vampire. Normally, new vampires were weak and uncoordinated until they fed for the first time. Not Cooper. He instantly was up and ready to defend his mate, a trait that Nicu couldn’t help but respect.

  “Pull over there,” Adrian said, pointing over toward an alleyway next to an abandoned building. They were following up on a lead, tracking down the versi that had become more prominent around town. The necromancers escaped that night but Nicu refused to rest until they all were dead esp
ecially Xalak. He was to die by Nicu’s hand only.

  The necromancer prince will pay for what he had done. The threat of war was still on the horizon. Nadira would not be safe until the necromancers were handled. The king ordered his best vampires outside the Shadows to work on figuring out what the necromancers wanted with Nadira. The king even brought in witches and seers to help figure this puzzle out.

  “Gadiel and his team ran into rogue action on the West side. They took out the rogues but there was no sign of any necros or any versi around,” Toma said from the back seat, slipping his cell phone back into his pant pocket.

  “I’m ready to slice a few heads tonight myself,” Teague said, playing with his dagger in his hand.

  “Let’s separate. Adrian, you’re with me. We’ll take the front. Toma and Teague, you take the back,” Nicu ordered as they got out of their black truck. They quickly donned their weapons before disappearing into the night.

  * * *

  ~King Vladimir Olaru~

  The door to the office slammed open as Alin marched through the door. Vlad sighed, recognizing the look of determination on his queen’s face. “Cesar, I will have to call you back to finish our discussion.”

  “I take it our queen demands your attention?” Cesar Nasso, vampire lord of the Greek region said. “Give my love to Alin,” he said chuckling before the line went dead.

  “Alin, my love, what can I do for you,” Vlad said, standing to kiss his wife. Alin, six hundred and twenty-five years old, didn’t look a day over forty-five. They had been mated for well over four hundred years and he knew this look well. She had something up her sleeve.

  “Well, I was thinking. Nadira and Zac are so happy right now.” A sneaky look crossed her face. “I think it’s time for all the boys to find their mates as well.”

  “Alin, leave the boys alone. We are at war!” he gently scolded his queen. He knew that no matter what he said, she would do what she wanted. He sent up a quick prayer for his sons. They didn’t have a clue about what was in store for them.

  “We will always be at war, Vlad! I want grandbabies!” She stomped her foot. “We are not getting any younger! It would be nice to have some little vampire babies crawling around this house again.”

  “It will happen in time, my dear.”

  “Our family has a responsibility to the vampire—” He cut her off, shutting her up the only way he knew how— by kissing her. He backed her up against his desk as a small moan escaped her.

  “Now what were you saying, my dear?” he asked, pulling back slightly.

  Acknowledgments

  First, I would like to thank God for giving me this gift of story telling. All things are possible because of Him.

  To my husband, William, thank you. You continue to support me even when most of my time is now spent glued to my laptop. I hope you know how much I appreciate and love you!

  To my children, Jalen, Paige and Taylor, I love you to the moon and back! Continue to reach for the stars! You three make me so proud.

  To all of my family and friends, who supported me, thank you! Your support means so much to me!

  To my Beta Readers, you girls rock! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read and offer opinions! Debbie, my proofer, I can’t say thank you enough!

  To my readers, you didn’t have to choose my book to read but you did! I hope you enjoy the characters and stories that continue to tumble out of this brain of mine!

  ~Until Next Time~

  Ariel Marie

  Toma

  THE DARK SHADOWS 2

  **Sneak peek into the next installment!**

  Chapter One

  ~Anika~

  She took a deep breath, staring out into the eerily quiet parking lot. A pitch-black parking lot, she added, laughing nervously to herself. Anika Massey never thought that she would be too chicken to walk out of the hospital at night by herself to go home, after working a twelve-hour shift.

  “You can do it, Massey,” she muttered to herself. She had become accustomed to having her vampire guard trailing her everywhere she went, after her best friend, Nadira, was attacked about a month ago. Today was her first day with no guard and she was more nervous than a prostitute walking into a church for confession. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door to the hospital and practically ran to her silver Toyota Camry. She looked into the car first, to make sure no one was hiding in the back seats, then jumped in and locked the doors.

  “This is crazy!” she said, shaking her head as she started the car and put it into drive. She didn’t live far from the hospital and made sure that she drove a little faster than normal to hurry home. She thought of all the tips that her vampire guard, Idris, had given her. He had taught her tips on how to spot someone following her; he had installed a new alarm system in her condo, and even taught her a few self-defense maneuvers, just in case someone threatened her.

  Her best friend Nadira Olaru, a vampire princess who wanted to have a purpose in life had become a nurse. Having met in nursing school, the girls had been inseparable since. Nadira was even able to pull some strings to help Anika get her nursing job at Lutheran Hospital, a private paranormal hospital that few humans were privileged to know about and Anika was one hundred percent human. She was one of the few humans that worked for the hospital.

  In all of her twenty-nine years, she would have never thought that supernatural beings walked this earth with humans. Nadira was patient in explaining about her being born a vampire and the other paranormals. A little over a month ago, Nadira became the target of a group of powerful beings called necromancers who were currently at war with the vampires. An attempt was made to snatch Nadira and Anika was with her right before it happened. As a precaution, Nadira’s father, the king of vampires, assigned a guard to watch over Anika. It had been a month now and since no other occurrence involved Anika, it was decided, she would no longer require a guard.

  “I’ll be fine. The necros do not want a pleasantly plump human,” she tried to reassure herself as she pulled into the parking lot of her condominium. She didn’t live in the best of neighborhoods but at least there were plenty of streetlights to illuminate the parking lot. Her building was an all brick three-story building with two condos on each level. Goosebumps spread across her arms as she walked up to her third-floor condo. The Cleveland night air could be chilly in the fall.

  She hurried up the stairs when a feeling of dread appeared in her belly. She slowed down as she made it to the top of the stairs on her level. She silently cursed herself for taking the top floor condo and the building did not have an elevator. But it would be great exercise; she had thought when she first bought the place. At five-foot-five and one hundred and sixty pounds, she wasn’t drastically overweight but she was definitely out of shape. She definitely wasn’t what was plastered all across the supermarket magazines.

  The condo across from her had been empty for a few months. The previous owners moved due the husband’s job transferring him to Phoenix, Arizona. She stopped outside her door, putting her ear to the door to listen to see if someone was in her apartment.

  “Get a grip, Massey; there is no one in your condo!” She unlocked the door, and immediately noticed something was wrong. She pushed the door open, flipped the light switch in her entryway, and immediately a scream tore from her throat. “Oh my God!”

  Her place had been ransacked. Everything was flipped over, her pictures slashed and thrown across the room. The pillows in her couches were slashed and the filling scattered across the floor. Even her television didn’t make it; it was cracked as if someone kicked it in.

  “Snowball?” she called out for her little West Highland white terrier that her parents had given her for her birthday seven years ago. She didn’t come running as she normally did when Anika came home. She frantically wiped her face as tears flowed down her face. She knew she shouldn’t go into the apartment but she had to find her beloved dog. “Baby, mommy is home,” her voice cracked, ending on a whis
per.

  She pulled out her phone as she carefully entered into her apartment, stepping over her broken coffee table and slowly making her way down the hallway. She stopped dead in her tracks at her bedroom door, frozen, as she stared at Snowball’s tortured, bloody body hanging from the ceiling fan in her bedroom. “No…” she moaned, falling against the doorway, sobs racking her body.

  She backed up, bumping into a solid mass. She quickly turned around, seeing a hooded figure. A scream flew out of her mouth, quickly cut off as the figure grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off her feet and slammed her into the wall.

  “Where is she?” the figure growled. She shook her head frantically as she clawed at his hands, fighting to get a breath as he pulled back, slamming her again against the wall causing her world to go black….

  Toma

  The Dark Shadows 2

  Coming Soon

  About the Author

  Ariel Marie fell in love with books at an early age. She can remember her first favorite book was Mickey Meets the Giant. She read the book so many times that it fell apart and she was devastated! Fast-forward thirty years later, Ariel now writes books she hopes readers will fall in love with and read over and over. Paranormal romance is her favorite genre. Who doesn’t love Shifters, Witches, Faes and all the other paranormals? She just loves writing about couple’s first meeting, the magnetism of when their eyes first meet and the first kiss! Her favorite part of writing paranormals is creating the world that the characters live in.