The Vampire Prince’s Bride

by T. S. Ryder

  “You fat little whore,” Jason McKenna growled at her, as he loomed above her, naked, his beautiful face contorted into an ugly mask of vicious fury. Bianca started to fight him, kicking and scratching at him, trying to free herself from his steely grip, even trying to bite his hand, but it was no use. He was just too strong. “Eric always did have abysmal taste,” he sneered at her snidely. “But at least this time I’ve got some use out of his vulgarity.”

  He moved his hand away, giving Bianca just enough time to utter one desperate scream for help before he punched her, sending her into unconsciousness.

  She did not know exactly how much time she spent passed out, but when she finally woke, she decided it couldn’t have been too long. It was still nighttime, and her head was in a whirl, heavy and thudding. Her wrists and ankles were bound painfully tight, and she was cold because the bastard had snatched her out of bed naked and just tossed her under a large oak tree in a clearing of some sort in the woods, adding humiliation to injury.

  “Oh, good,” Jason snickered. “You’re awake.” An angry howl cut through the air, making Bianca’s skin crawl with dread. “Ah... I hear Eric’s got my message,” he said, grinning. Still naked, he would’ve been an even lovelier sight to behold than his brother was, if it weren’t for that psychotic look on his face. He was standing just a few strides away, holding an enormous gun in his hand. Bianca recognized it from the movies as the infamous Desert Eagle. He lifted it, aiming for her, and she cowered against the tree. “I knew he wouldn’t resist playing your knight in shaggy armor,” he taunted her, relishing her fear. “Damn fool always did have a hero complex.”

  There was a rustle of leaves and branches, and Eric, still in werewolf form, jumped out of the bushes, landing just a few feet away. Unperturbed, Jason cocked his gun without a word, looking to Eric with a deranged grin on his face. “Not another step, brother, or I blow the bitch’s brains out.”

  A moment later, Eric shifted back to human, his expression grim. “Your note said you’d let Bianca go if I came,” he said, making Jason bark out a cruel laugh.

  “No, it said I’d kill her if you didn’t come,” he corrected Eric snidely. “Two very different things, those.”

  The look on Eric’s face grew even darker. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he asked, tranquil fury in his voice, cold and cutting.

  Jason’s reply sounded unhinged. “Taking what’s rightfully mine!” he growled, bitter resentment thick in his voice. “I should’ve been made Alpha – I’m smarter, and better, and more talented at everything that makes a good leader! But all anyone cares about is whether or not I have the brute strength to win in a fight. What’s the use of fighting skill in today’s world? The Pack needs a political leader, a cunning diplomat to solidify its position and build influence, not a knuckle-dragging Neanderthal who’d let it stagnate as a petty family commune. Even that blockhead Hector knows that – that’s why he passed down the title. He just chose the wrong brother to give it to.”

  “The Pack is happy with the way things are,” Eric replied, but Jason just laughed him off.

  “Oh, what do they know?” he scoffed. “They have no vision, no ambition. Twenty years from now, when the Government in the entire Tristate Area is full of our people and we can run this territory as we see fit, they’ll thank me for this.”

  Insane, Bianca thought. Jason McKenna was utterly insane.

  Sadly, Eric waved his head. “Don’t be a fool, Jason,” he said to his brother. “The Pack would never accept you as the Alpha.”

  But that only made Jason angrier. “After I put you and Hector down, they’ll have no choice,” he snarled. “Everything you own – the land, the shares in the company – it’ll all be mine, and I’ll have the power to cut off every single one of them. And when I’m done with you, I’ll get rid of this whore as well. With you gone and no other heirs around, The Law will support my claim, and no one will dare stand against me!”

  Eric sighed, looking hurt, beaten and exhausted, and Bianca’s heart hurt for him. To see his own brother turned into such a monster... she couldn’t imagine his pain.

  “There’s just one problem with that plan,” Eric told Jason, his head dropping in defeat.

  “Oh, yeah?” Jason jeered. “And what is that?”

  Eric lifted his eyes, now shining gold. “Hector and I aren’t dead yet,” he replied, his tone sharp.

  As if on cue, a werewolf with a red-brown pelt leapt out of the trees behind Jason.

  Terrified, Bianca turned her head away and closed her eyes.

  There was a horrific crunching sound and a thud, and then silence, heavy and eerie. The air was permeated with the iron scent of freshly-spilled blood.

  Moments later, she could feel a pair of strong, gentle arms pulling her into a tight embrace, and something inside her broke in that moment. She began to cry, all of the stress of this horrible, magical day pouring into her tears. She knew it was Eric holding her, and she buried her head into his chest, desperate for his comfort and protection. Silently, he held her, letting her vent her emotions for as long as she needed, not even moving to cut her restraints until she had finally begun to calm down.

  “Go bring her something to wear,” he murmured, and Bianca looked over his shoulder to see the enormous, red-brown creature was still there. He stood over Jason’s dead body, licking his bloody chops, before running away to do as his Alpha bid him.

  “Was... was that Hector?” she asked Eric, her voice weak and choppy from crying, and he nodded. Gathering a bit of courage, Bianca looked at Jason... or what was left of him.

  His body was on the ground, laid on its stomach, and Bianca could see large claw marks on the shoulders and lower back. His head resembled a smashed watermelon, skull cracked by the powerful jaws of his eldest brother, blood and brain matter spewed everywhere around it. The sight made bile rise in Bianca’s stomach, but the shock wouldn’t let her look away. She let Eric remove her bonds and scoop her into his arms protectively, almost catatonic from the experience.

  “I’m sorry,” Eric whispered, holding her close, warming her with his body. “It’s all my fault.”

  Bianca closed her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder, and sighed. “It was Jason’s fault, all of it,” she told him, her voice weak, “And it’s over now... right?”

  Kissing her forehead, Eric petted her hair and nodded. “It’s over.”

  And, for Bianca, that was enough.

  Chapter Ten

  Eight months later

  The moon was full and, after spending a good hour pleasuring his wife, Eric McKenna opened the window of their bedroom and morphed so he could go run with his Pack.

  “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to seeing you shapeshift,” Bianca said, her tone full of pride and wonder as she sat up on the bed. Lolling his tongue out, Eric stalked over to her, wanting to feel her touch again, putting his head in her lap. She was so beautiful, his Bianca, even more so now that the baby bump was starting to show, even though she always complained that nobody would be able to guess she was pregnant anyway, considering all the padding she carried on her. To Eric, it just meant that there was more of her to love. He did not care about her size, or the stretch marks the pregnancy was putting on her expanding stomach, or any of the changes her body would go through over the years. He found endless joy in her body, yes... but he loved Bianca.

  Suddenly, the baby in her womb kicked, making Bianca gasp and start laughing. God, but he wanted to spend his life watching her this happy. It had taken him months to convince her that, yes, he really did love her, and no, he wasn’t with her only for the baby. The day she had accepted his hand in marriage was the happiest he’d ever had. He didn’t even care if the baby she carried was a girl; he just wanted to be with her and make his family with her. To hell with everything else.

  Petting him behind the ears with both hands, Bianca leaned to kiss him between the brows. “Happy hunting, love,” she murmured. He touched the tip of his
snout to her nose, making her giggle, before leaping out of the window to meet his Pack in the woods of the reservation.

  With his mate and child happy and safe, with his Pack thriving and strong, Eric felt nothing but joy in his heart.

  Through all the tragedy and pain, they had earned their happy ending, he thought, and bellowed a long, victorious howl, sharing his happiness with the world.

  *****

  THE END

  Vampire Romance: Chosen by the Vampire King

  Description

  A BBW who needs money PLUS a vampire king who wants to impregnate her PLUS a violent enemy out for revenge!

  Maribel Arnaz never thought she’d sell off her virginity. But she’s about to...

  Robbed of everything by an ex-boyfriend, Maribel needs money. One signature and some blood, and she has what she wants – a job as a vampire’s blood donor. This should be easy, right? Right. Until the sexy-as-hell vampire king makes her an offer. She can have whatever she wants, if she bears him a child.

  It’s just a business agreement. No emotions involved. So why is she so drawn to that predatory gleam in his eyes?

  Vampire king Sheridan wants an heir and has found the right woman for the job. But he can’t satisfy his needs, because he might lose control and hurt his human mate. What is he supposed to do? She tortures him with her golden-olive skin, lush curves and body made for love. How much longer before he gives into temptation?

  When others try to take her away from him, there’s nothing he won’t do to make them pay. There’s only one way to make them obey a vampire king. Fight. Destroy. Anything to get her back.

  Chapter One – Maribel

  The hair on the back of Maribel's neck prickled at the unblinking stare from the vampire across from her. If she had known that it was going to be this creepy to be in such close proximity to them, she wouldn't have applied to becoming a living blood donor within their city walls. Even now she was considering just cutting this interview short and going home.

  Except she didn't have a home anymore. So that wasn't an option.

  "Why did you decide to apply for this position, Miss Arnaz?" the vampire, Patricia, asked her.

  Maribel mentally grimaced. Even though she had prepared for this question, she wasn't exactly sure what to say. There were a lot of reasons she had decided to do this. How much information was too much?

  She was being evicted from her apartment because she was unable to pay the rent, having gotten fired from her job six months ago. The bank repossessed her car. She was half a million dollars in debt because her cretin of a boyfriend had stolen her identity and gone to Vegas, and apparently there was nothing the banks could do about it because she didn't report the suspicious activity sooner. It put her in a position where she didn't have a lot of options. Finding a new job in this economy was next to impossible. And vampires were always looking for a human to use as a juice box.

  "Honestly, the money," Maribel said after a moment of thinking. "Ten thousand dollars a month just for being here, another hundred dollars per ounce that gets… consumed. Not to mention the possibility of being picked to be exclusive with a vampire, and the benefits that come with that."

  Patricia nodded. She was insanely gorgeous, with long, thick, silky black hair and deep black eyes in a diamond-white face. All of her features were carved delicately. "You do realize that the act of being drunk from is often highly sexual, yes? You would be compensated with an extra twenty-five thousand dollars if things… heat up while being drunk from."

  "Yes."

  Her heartbeat increased at that. That was the most difficult thing about this job. She had been determined to wait with sex until marriage. It was still what she wanted, although she knew that there was nothing wrong with not waiting. Still, selling off her first time wasn't something she ever dreamed of doing.

  Patricia continued to stare at her. "You will need to sign consent forms stipulating you understand the process."

  "Yes, I understand." Maribel straightened her shoulders. So what if she was becoming some sort of glorified prostitute? She wasn't getting any help from the people who would sneer at her for doing it. She wasn't getting help from anybody.

  "Alright. Then I would like you to fill out these forms."

  Maribel jumped slightly. "I've been accepted?"

  "You're in your prime, you have a clean bill of health, and you're a semi-rare blood type." Patricia smiled. "There is always more demand for fresh blood than there is supply. One of the reasons why vampires will pay so much to be exclusive with a donor."

  Maribel nodded, feeling dazed. She hadn't expected it to be this quick. But that was a good thing. Less time for her to doubt herself or change her mind.

  She quickly filled out the forms and read through the agreement before signing it. Her hands trembled as she handed the papers back to Patricia. There. It was done. She would start earning money at once, and then she'd be able to pay off her student loans and the ridiculous amount of money Phil had spent using her identity. There was a chance she was going to get out of this without tanking her credit rating after all.

  "Excellent. I'll have Quinn show you to the girl's wing of the palace. You'll interact with our vampires in various formal and casual settings during the first month, but it's prohibited for them to feed on you until—" Patricia's head turned towards the door as it opened. "Excuse me, but we are—"

  She gasped and jumped to her feet. Maribel followed her gaze. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the vampire that had just strode into the room. To say he was tall, dark and handsome would be an understatement. He was perfection. Shoulder-length wavy black hair, a face that put Hollywood actors to shame. But there was far more to him than just looks. Everything about him spoke of power, from his sharp business suit to the intense stare in his blacker-than-black eyes.

  "Your majesty." Patricia curtsied awkwardly. "I did not expect to see you in the recruitment office today."

  King Sheridan. Maribel had seen his face on the news and always thought his hawk-like eyes were intimidating, but close up she could see how beautiful they were as well, like pieces of the universe's soul staring right at her. It took her breath away.

  "Has she signed all the consent forms?" His eyes never moved from her.

  "Yes," Patricia said as Maribel nodded.

  "Good." Sheridan held his hand to her. "You will be my personal donor."

  Maribel gaped. His personal donor? The king's? Was this some sort of bizarre stress dream? "Me?"

  "Yes. I've been waiting for a woman as beautiful as you to start drinking living blood again."

  This had to be a dream. When she came in here she didn't think her short, overweight frame would do her any favors. And now the king of the vampires was saying she was beautiful? Still gaping like a fish, she put her hand in his. In an instant, he had pulled her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her. His body was strong against hers and Maribel had to repress a moan of desire.

  Her face heated. What was going on here? She had never reacted this way to anybody before. Never. And yet here she was, giddy as a schoolgirl from the king's mere presence.

  The corridors Sheridan led her through were wide, decorated in the most modern styles, although ancient-looking chandeliers hung from the ceiling every few feet. When they passed by windows, Maribel could see the massive stone walls surrounding the vampire city in the distance. These walls had been constructed hundreds of years ago, separating the vampire city from the human one. Perhaps it wouldn't be so effective these days with bombs and such, but they were still a sight to behold.

  Eventually, they came to a large, cozy room. It was carpeted in light blue, and the décor was a collection of everything from medieval-style tapestries to Victorian chairs to modern lamps. There was a large fireplace in one wall, with two rooms on either side of it. The doors to the rooms stood ajar and Maribel could see a king-sized bed in one, and what appeared to be a two-person hot tub in the other one.

  "Are these your chambers?
" Maribel asked as Sheridan led her to the couch.

  "Yes. Your bedroom is through there." He pointed to a door she hadn't noticed. "It used to be my personal library, but as you are going to be my personal donor, I want to keep you close to me."

  "That makes sense."

  "You have read and signed the forms, yes?" Sheridan continued holding her hand as he settled down. "Which means you know that by being my personal blood donor, chances are we will have sex. Often, if I am reading you correctly. You are attracted to me."

  The heat in her face increased, as did the sensation in other parts of her. Maribel nodded. The idea of sleeping with a vampire was simultaneously more and less frightening than it had been when Patricia had mentioned it. Maybe because he was a king. Maybe because she wanted it so badly.

  "Good. Because there is something else I want from you as well."

  Her gaze was firmly fixed on his lips, even though she was embarrassed by her staring. They were full and perfectly shaped. At the moment she hardly cared what else he wanted. Maribel shook her head, trying to get a grip on herself. "Something else?"

  Sheridan's mouth quirked into a smirk. His black gaze dropped to her mouth this time. A predatory gleam echoed in his eyes, but Maribel found herself being drawn to them rather than frightened away. "Yes, something else... I have had your scent in my head from the moment you entered my palace. I tried to ignore your beckoning, but it soon became apparent that there was no ignoring you. And then when I saw you… Well. I knew you were the woman I had been looking for."