Brayden wasn’t leaving; he had no intention of doing so. It didn’t matter whether she wanted him to or not. He had decided he wanted her. But for how long, was the million-dollar question. Right now, though, she didn’t care. She felt deliciously content and safe in his arms, something she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Yes.”
Closing her eyes, she sent a prayer out to her angels for the strength to survive the moment he left. Because he would. People always left her.
“Sleep, gorgeous. I’ll wake you before I go.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Brayden watched Willow as she lay sleeping in his arms, his cock twitching and ready to go again.
Her tightness had been a surprise. She wasn’t a virgin, he wasn’t naive to believe that, so it must’ve been a while since her last sexual encounter. The thought both pleased him and gave him pause. Her body would need more time before they could go into round two.
He might not be human, but he’d been alive for a long time, long enough to know females needed time to adjust to a new sexual partner.
Then there was the emotional side. The act of sex created a chemical reaction in the human body which was often mistaken for love. The effect was stronger in females, but not exclusive. He sensed Willow’s strength, but in her eyes, he’d seen her vulnerability. He would be careful that she didn’t get attached. There would be no happily ever after for them, just fucking fantastic sex.
So why the fuck was he lying there, holding her in his arms? He told himself it was because he needed to have her again. A lie.
He peered down at Willow once more and felt a weird shiver run down his spine. Images of the moment he would say farewell filled his mind, and a low growl suddenly built in his throat. She wriggled and opened her eyes.
“Go back to sleep,” he whispered.
As she settled again, he lay back against the pillow, drawing in a deep, silent breath.
What the fuck?
Reaching for his phone, he opened his messages. It was the middle of the night, his equivalent of daytime. It was unlikely he would sleep. He could be doing one hundred more productive things right now—many things were expected of him—but for once, he didn’t care.
Lying here, enjoying the warmth of Willow’s body and breathing in her sweet vanilla scent was exactly where he wanted to be.
Vincent is pissed.
His eyes narrowed. He didn’t like having Craig’s voice inside his head while he was in bed with this naked female. The thought itself was hilarious, given the number of females they’d shared in their lifetime.
Tell him to fuck off.
Yeah, I’m not doing that.
He didn’t need to. Brayden would do it himself.
I’ll be home before the sun.
Roger that.
His brother, Vincent Moretti, King of the Vampire Kingdom.
While Brayden had enjoyed life as the second prince, and far more freedom than his brother the heir, that was now changing. His life was now far more important than it ever had been. Recently, he’d learned to value freedom more than ever.
Vincent had become king, as was his birthright, with Brayden heading their security—or as they referred to it, the Royal Army. Naturally, he was the more dominant alpha, something not discussed openly nor promoted; however, it made him the right male for the job.
As captain of the Royal Army, he reported to the king, as did every living vampire, but as brothers, they were close and respected each other’s strengths. Vincent was a strong leader with the wisdom to allow Brayden control, never questioning his loyalty as a brother or royal. The death of their parents, the former king and queen, had bonded them more than ever.
Everything had been going swimmingly for over a hundred years—especially since Vincent had mated Kate, their queen—and a few little Vinnies were all they needed to put more space between the throne and Brayden. Then what do you know, the king became ill. Which was crazy; vampires didn’t get sick. Yet here they were. The king had some undiagnosed illness they were trying desperately to cure, no one more so than Brayden. He didn’t want to be king.
Ever.
He was a warrior, not a politician. He hated the games Vincent excelled in. There was always some dickhead vamp attempting a coup or threatening to overtake the throne, with one group getting noisier: the Russo family.
Which was where his team came in.
While the king was doing all the smooth talking, he would send in one of his well-trained teams to assess the risk. Sitting on a throne talking was not the way he dealt with things.
So here they were in California, hoping these treatments by a human doctor they’d found would help. They weren’t. No one knew if he had a week, a month, or a decade. So unless Kate provided an heir to the throne before he died, Brayden was it.
He loved their queen. She was graceful, strong, and compassionate. Every day he watched her pain as her mate, his brother, faded more.
And everyone else watched him. Why? Because they believed they needed to protect the last heir of the Moretti royal family. It was a fucking joke. He was the most powerful vampire alive. A fierce alpha.
He shook his head silently against the pillow.
They all knew he didn’t want the job, but what choice did he have? Sure, he had a reputation as a playboy, footloose and fancy-free, but he wouldn’t abandon his family and his responsibility when the time came. He just wanted space while he had it.
Vincent, on the other hand, didn’t agree. He thought Brayden should spend time with him now, learning the ropes. He hadn’t appreciated Brayden’s recommendation to spend more time in bed with a different set of ropes and his queen. The guy had no sense of humor.
It had been a dark joke, given the two royals hadn’t yet produced any little vamplets, a sensitive subject they’d danced around until now.
Since birth, Vincent had known he could one day become king, and had been groomed for it. Their parents had been immortal, but there were ways to die.
Exposure to the sun, for one—but that wasn’t worth thinking about. Nearly all of them had seen someone burn to ash in front of them. The horror, the smell, and the noise were the thing of nightmares.
While their healing abilities were much more advanced than the humans’, a stab to the heart would require removal of the weapon and blood from another to heal in time to live. Assuming the person who stabbed you wasn’t playing, they probably were unlikely to offer their blood.
Lastly, the good old-fashioned beheading.
Their parents had died by choice. By severing their heads, the decision had been permanent. It was a moment neither Vincent nor Brayden would ever forget.
Extraordinarily, little else could kill a Moretti. The royal blood was the most pure and powerful of all vampires, a highly guarded secret which made killing a member of the royal family near impossible in battle. It also made healing faster, and shared some of its potency with the receiver temporarily. Vincent was the only one with the strange illness, and no one knew if or when he would die. Brayden was expected to prepare.
LA and this doctor had been their last hope. After six months, they had tried everything. Soon, they would return home to Maine, and it was likely he would soon become king, losing his brother and his freedom.
Brayden turned and nuzzled into Willow’s hair. He ran his large hand down her soft back. In her sleep, she leaned into his touch. He smiled, closed his eyes, and dozed.
A few hours later, he awoke, conscious that the sun would soon rise.
He had to go.
Willow was lying on her back. He leaned over her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She wriggled, surprised by the touch, making him grin. Softly, he cupped a breast and ran his thumb over her nipple. She moaned, her legs opening for him.
Fuck. His semi became a throbbing hard-on.
Dammit. He glanced at the curtains. Still dark.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
“Mmmph.”
He grinned. “I need
to leave.”
One eye opened. “Now?”
He ran his hand down her body, between her legs. “Yes. I don’t want to.” She arched into his touch and he cursed.
Another glance at the curtains. Still dark.
Fuck.
She reached out and ran her fingers over his lips. He snapped with his teeth playfully and pulled her digits into his mouth. She giggled. His chest tightened and his forehead furrowed.
What was he doing?
Another glance.
Fuck it.
He pulled her underneath him, nudged her legs apart, and pushed inside her. She cried out, clinging to his arms as her wetness soaked his cock.
He groaned, shuddering.
His concern over the time had been unfounded. He would not last. Prince Brayden, the infamous playboy and host of the most outrageous vampire orgies, was about to blow in under thirty seconds.
Pleasure pulsed along his cock as Willow tightened around him. He’d never felt such pleasure. Pounding with as much grace as he could muster, mindful of his strength, he erupted inside her.
Breathing into her hair, he said, “You are so fucking sexy. My cock is addicted to you.”
“Words every girl is dying to hear.”
He grinned. “Well, I’ve never said them to anyone else, if it’s any consolation.”
She shook her head, offering him a smile. “It’s not, but nice try.”
Okay, so it wasn’t his best compliment. Despite the smile, he could tell by the way she lowered her eyes that he’d upset her.
Unfortunately, time was not on his side. Through the curtains, he saw the night sky lightening.
He kissed her nose and went to the bathroom. When he returned, she was sitting up with a robe on. He could see her swollen breasts through a gap, and like a moth to a flame, he kneeled on the bed and pulled the material apart, leaning in to put one in his mouth.
Willow placed her hand on his head and threaded her fingers through his hair. God, how he wanted to stay and play all day. When he lifted his head, he saw the desire in her eyes burning.
“I didn’t mean to upset you, Willow, but you can’t lie; your body is on fire for me as much as mine is for you.”
“Yes, but...”
He ran his hand down her body and pushed two fingers inside her. “Yes?”
“Ahmmph...”
“I’ve just been inside you and you still want more, am I right?”
Eyes glistening at him, she chewed on her bottom lip, attempting not to cry out. He rubbed her clit, glancing at the curtains.
He was out of time.
“Come. Right now. Come on my fingers,” he demanded, pushing his alpha energy through her.
“OhfuckohGodBrayden.” She climaxed and cried out over and over again.
“Good girl.”
Pulling his fingers out, he licked them while she watched. “Now, I want you to look after this beautiful pussy today. Touch yourself when you think of me, but don’t come.”
She gazed back at him, drunk with pleasure and desire.
“When...”
“I’ll ring you. And I’ll know if you have come, so no cheating. Tell me you understand the rules.”
She nodded.
“Say it,” he demanded quietly, firmly, as he pinched a nipple.
“I understand,” she panted, looking dazed.
He stood and dressed, Willow watching him as he folded his cock into his jeans.
“Wait for my call.”
She nodded, looking deliciously flushed and ready to be fucked again.
Damn sun.
He walked outside and teleport to their home ten miles away. Punching the code into the door, he let himself in just as the sun rose behind the hills.
“Fuck!”
His skin sizzled from the burning beast, and his cock instantly deflated. Then a voice he really didn’t want to hear boomed.
“That’s about as irresponsible as you can get, Brayden.”
“Hello, your majesty.”
Brayden turned to look at the tall man standing in the hallway. The one who looked very much like him.
Vincent scowled.
“Fuck you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Willow woke up again a few hours later, feeling like she’d had the best dream of her life. Except it hadn’t been a dream. Her body was on fire, and not exactly from a fever.
Despite having four or five orgasms in the past twelve hours, she was still wet and in need of release.
“Play with your pussy, but don’t come.”
Brayden had given her instructions, and she had agreed. She laughed. As if she would let him tell her what to do with her body. As if he would know. He’d been playing with her, obviously. Building sexual tension. It was just a game.
Her hand ran down her stomach until she reached her moist entrance. Grabbing her breasts, she pinched her nipples and closed her eyes, imagining Brayden licking her pussy.
It felt so good.
She was so near, so ready for release, when suddenly, she froze. She wasn’t allowed.
What?
Heat flared at her core as she moved her hand away. Clenching her thighs together, she rolled over on the bed and grabbed a pillow.
“Goddamn him.” Frustrated, she threw the duvet off and had a shower.
By midmorning, she’d finished a few of her deadlines, so she stepped outside to soak up the sunshine. Her long, floaty dress billowed in the light breeze as she lifted her face to the sky.
She sat down at the table and considered what she would do for the rest of the day.
Play with your pussy throughout the day.
Her nipples hardened at the remembered instruction and sent a thrill of pleasure through her. She looked around. Her home was very private, but not completely. Most people were at work, but she felt naughty and she liked it. Lifting her skirt, she ran a finger over her panties. He body reacted, moisture escaping and making them wet.
She pushed a finger underneath the fabric and gently rubbed her clitoris. An ache grew, arousal building. As she pushed a finger inside, she heard a car turn into the road.
“Do not come.” She stopped, her body throbbing with need as she heard those words in her head.
Late afternoon, she found herself back on her bed, her panties on the floor and the vibrator in her hand, rubbing her clit. She’d been unable to concentrate on any of her work, so she had decided to ignore Brayden’s little game and relieve herself. He didn’t own her body.
Just as she was about to push the vibrator inside, the phone rang. One glance and she saw it was an unlisted number. She knew who it was.
Coughing to clear the desire rich in her throat, she pushed answer. “Hello.”
“Willow,” he said, voice equally gravelly. “Tell me what you are doing?”
Just his voice made her want to come.
“I’m...”
“Are you wet.” A demand, not a question.
“Yes.”
“Have you been behaving?”
“Only just.”
She shook her head. This was silly. She needed to get back to work and snap out of this sexual haze he had her in. A change of subject would help. “Are you at work?”
There was silence.
“Are you wearing panties?” he finally asked.
Her body clenched. “No.”
“Where are you? Tell me.”
She sighed, giving in to the building need within her. “On my bed. I have my vibrator. I’m going to come; I have to.”
She heard him groan, and took some pleasure in his own suffering. “Push it inside you.”
God, she nearly came just hearing his words. Doing as he told her without argument, she moaned loudly.
“Turn it on.”
She did.
“Move it in and out of you.”
Brayden’s voice got darker and deeper as she gasped and moaned.
“Brayden, please.”
“No. Don’t come, Wil
low. Remember the rules.”
She continued to slide the device around, the friction becoming unbearable.
“Now turn it off.”
“No!” she cried, tightening her pussy around the device.
“Now, Willow.”
She cried as she obeyed him, turning it off and placing it on the bed beside her.
“I’ll be over at 6:00 p.m. Be ready,” he said, voice strained.
The call ended, and she lay there panting, wondering what “be ready” meant.
CHAPTER SIX
The confrontation with his brother, the king, hadn’t gone too well.
After he’d followed Vincent into his private quarters, he’d demanded to know where he had been.
“Since when do I need the king’s permission to get laid, Vincent? I am the prince.”
“I don’t need you to fucking tell me who you are, Brayden,” he’d yelled, arms crossed.
The guy was slightly leaner than Brayden, an inch shorter. Regardless, he was a powerful, tall, and strong king. He had a presence about him that left no doubt he was their ruler.
Brayden respected him. Hell, he loved his brother. He just hated this goddamn situation.
“Perhaps I need to remind you of your role as captain of the Royal Army. Leaving your king without warning for a piece of ass, seriously?” He shook his head.
“Craig had things in hand, and you had three other vamps upstairs with you. You were well protected. Don’t disrespect me, brother. I know my team and my responsibilities.”
Vincent turned and sighed, sitting down behind his desk.
“Look, I know we’re all disappointed this treatment isn’t working, and no one more so than me. Do you think I want to leave my fucking mate?”
Okay, now Brayden felt like an ass. Still, he crossed his arms. This was also his damn life they were talking about. A future he didn’t want.
“Can’t you do vampire IVF or something? Seriously, get shagging and create a goddamn heir, for crying out loud.”
It was a low blow, but they frustrated him. The look he got was deathly.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that.” The king picked up a pen and idly twirled it.
The Vampire Prince Page 3
