The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by Charlene Hartnady

  “Yeah.” Zane’s jaw worked.

  “You need to control your male,” Brant growled.

  “How would you recommend I do that? Cut off his dick, remove his fangs?” Zane chuckled.

  Brant shrugged. “Threaten him, beat him, I don’t really care…he can’t have her.”

  “I will talk with him.”

  Becky came through the door. She breezed towards them trying to look carefree and happy, but Tanya could see right through it. Her bestie’s folks were both surgeons. Their careers were everything to them. Both worked long hours and both believed that appearances were everything. No public showing of emotion. No major outbursts. When it came to almost every situation, Becky defied this rule. It was why she was so out there so…utterly Becky. Yet, when faced with difficult situations, she struggled to show emotions. Pain, suffering, serious anger, she plastered on a fake smile and acted like nothing was wrong. Today was no different.

  “My friendykins. So glad you are doing better.” She waltzed over, shouldering Brant out of the way and kissing Tanya on the cheek. “You gave us quite the scare you little skank. If you were looking for attention then you should’ve just asked.”

  Zane growled but Becky ignored him.

  “You will be coming home with me. I’ve already hired a nurse to take care of you while I’m at work and I’ll take personal care of you when I am home.”

  “It’s already settled, our female is coming home with us. A healer…one of your human nurses, is already in place at the castle,” Brant said shoving his hands into his jeans pockets.

  “Someone’s a little testy,” Becky giggled. “Are you sure it’s what you want?” She raised her eyebrows. “I’m game for a little sleepover if you are.”

  “We’ll have that sleepover, just not right now. I need loads of sleep…” She yawned. Every muscle in her body ached.

  “Our female needs to rest.” Zane’s brow creased. He looked so freaking cute when he was being bossy. Tanya hoped that she was making the right decision.

  “You call me if you need me.” Becky sounded way too serious, but thankfully it didn’t last. “I throw the best sleepovers. I’ll invite some male strippers and we can have an all you can eat ice cream buffet…on their hot naked bodies.” This time Brant’s lip curled up to expose a fang when he growled in Becky’s direction. Her best friend ignored him flat out. “Any nonsense from these two and you’re with me.”

  “I’ll call.”

  “Do you pinkie swear? I’m not fooling around here. I really could do with some Rocky Road on some rock hard abs.” Becky did a great job of licking her lips and bobbing her eyebrows.

  “I swear, I’ll call you.” Tanya couldn’t help but to giggle.

  “If you decide to go back to these jerks, I need to visit you often.” Darn it all, Becky looked serious again. Her eyes stern and fixed on Tanya, her mouth a white line while she waited for an answer. This wasn’t normal behavior for her friend. “Often,” she repeated.

  “Of course you can and I’ll visit you too. I’m fine, Becky.”

  “I almost lost you,” Becky whispered, her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. Tanya felt a lump rise in her throat. She knew she had been in a bad way and knew she nearly lost the baby, but she hadn’t realized how close she’d actually come to dying. Becky leaned forward, narrowing her eyes. “I would’ve followed you through the gates of heaven and beat your ass if you had left me. Don’t freaking do that again. Not ever. Do you understand me?”

  Tanya smiled. “I pinkie swear on all counts.”

  They locked pinkie fingers and hugged. Both giggled. It was amazing how much better she felt.

  There were voices outside the door. It was the same feminine voice from a few minutes ago. “That’s my cue. Call me. I want all the slutty make-up details.” She turned to Zane and Brant. “For efforts sake boys”—Becky put her hands on her hips—“give the girl her vampire sandwich already.”

  Tanya gasped, she felt her face heat. She wanted to set Becky straight. She had so not agreed to making up with them, but two sets of intense, dark eyes turned on her. She pursed her lips.

  Becky gave her an air kiss, skipped to the door, turned and waved at them with one finger before leaving.

  Zane stepped closer, running a finger down her arm. She was going to have to enforce a no touching rule. Brant came up close to the opposite side and thread his fingers through her hair before planting a kiss on her forehead. Zane trailed back up using just the very tip of his finger. Tanya had to suppress a sigh. She would so make the rule…tomorrow. Right now her eyelids felt heavy.

  “Sleep, Cenwein.”

  “We’ll be here when you wake up, sweetness.”

  Although her body gave in and she felt her limbs grow heavy as she started to drift off, her mind was in turmoil. She couldn’t allow herself to forget that nothing had really changed since they declared that they would be fighting to the death. They were still the same males she had left. It was only a matter of time before they came to blows even if they didn’t realize it themselves. Yet she loved them so very freaking much. There had to be a way to solve this dilemma, only she didn’t have a clue as to what that was.

  Chapter 32

  Six days in bed. It was enough to kill a girl. Oops, she probably shouldn’t say that out loud. Zane and Brant would react badly, they’d probably insist that she stay tucked up for an extra few days just to be sure. Charlotte and Stephany would become even more annoying. They’d make her eat more, drink more, sleep more, dress warmer…she sighed to herself. One more day and her bed rest would be over.

  There was a knock on the door. Before she could answer, Zane put his head around the jamb. “Are you decent?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

  “Yes.”

  “Dammit. I really have to try and time it better.” He closed the door. “I can’t wait to see all your silky skin…make that lick every inch of your body. Slow and careful. I’m going to make you scream and beg.” His eyes smoldered as they moved down her sheet clad body. Underneath the sheet, she wore flannels, hardly sexy. “You’ve been through an ordeal, but there’s nothing wrong with your vocal cords is there?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “I’ve missed you so much, Ysnaar. Just thinking about your tight, wet little p—”

  “Stop…” Her breathing had hitched. “I’m still not convinced that this is going to work.” Any more talk of what he would do to her and she might just beg him to take her here and now. Maybe she should take Becks up on her offer and have her friend bring her a really large vibrator. Once she got the all clear from the doctor tomorrow, it was going to be difficult not to just fall back into bed with her vampire males. Until they convinced her that they were going to put their dominance aside and work together though she couldn’t allow herself to be swayed.

  He pulled in a deep breath and his nostrils flared. “Your scent drives me insane.” Ever since she’d started to scent of the baby, both males had mentioned on more than one occasion how it drove them crazy with need for her. She needed this to be more than just about being shared between them though, she wanted a partnership involving all three of them.

  A vampire sandwich.

  Becky wasn’t far off. The thought of making love together, drinking together and hell even sleeping together had her toes curling. Tanya sighed. “I take it that one of you conceded and that you are ready to convince me that there will be no more fighting to the death?”

  “Our…relationship is much improved.”

  “I need guarantees that I won’t have to watch you kill each other in a”—she shrugged—“month…a year.”

  “You know I can’t make such a promise.” She could give them one thing, and that was that they were honest to a fault even if it was to their detriment.

  There was another knock and Brant opened the door. “I’ll come back later,” he said when his eyes landed on Zane.

  “No”—the bed dipped as Zane sat next to Tanya—“come in.”

 
Brant moved to the opposite side of the bed. He kissed her cheek, his eyes dipping to her lips as he pulled away.

  “It seems that we still have some convincing to do,” Zane said, his eyes on Brant.

  “Once the doctor gives the all clear.”

  “No,” she said a little too harshly, only because her body had decided it was all in. Her nipples had pebbled and had turned ultra-sensitive under her cotton pajamas. Her clit throbbed. She knew they would be able to scent her arousal and it irritated her.

  “Until you two can prove that there won’t be any fighting in the future, I’m afraid I can’t agree to anything.”

  “You know we can’t promise that. Give us another chance. We promise to try and not kill each other. I am optimistic that we will succeed,” Brant cocked an eyebrow.

  “Optimistic,”—she paused—“just as I thought,” she huffed. “You promise to try,” she made a sound of frustration. “First you take me away from my life, make me fall in love with both of you”—she looked from one male to the other—“You impregnate me. Make me go through a mating ceremony in which I bonded myself to both of you. Then you wanted to freaking kill each other while expecting me to carry on with the survivor. It’s insane.” She ran her hands over her face covering her eyes. “But you’re optimistic that you won’t kill each other in the future and that’s supposed to make it all better,” she mumbled into her hands.

  Silence.

  When she finally uncovered her face, both males looked to be in a state of shock, complete with gaping mouths, pale skin and wide eyes.

  “What?” she asked tentatively.

  “You love us?” Brant asked. “You love us,” he stated while grinning.

  “Say it again,” Zane slid his hand onto her belly, shifting closer.

  Holy shit. She’d just told them that she freaking loved them.

  “No,” she shook her head. “That’s not the point”—she stopped there because she realized that she was wrong in saying that—“okay, maybe it is the point. I do love you both. Do you really think I want to watch either of you die though? Especially at the hand of the other?” She fixed the pillows behind her head so that she could sit more upright.

  Brant cupped her cheeks with both of his big hands. “I just have to say that I—”

  “Don’t you dare say it.” She hit her hand on the bed covers with a light thump, needing to drive the point home.

  “—but it is important that you know that I—”

  “I said, no. Weren’t you listening? Love doesn’t change the situation. I don’t want to hear it.” The last came out sounding a little panicked. Her resolve would crumple if she listened to them…listened to Brant swear his undying love to her.

  “I’ll show you instead.” Brant kissed her. Lips warm, tongue seeking. She couldn’t help but to whimper as he deepened the kiss, plundering her mouth. She really shouldn’t be allowing this, but how could she refuse him? It was a scorching, smoldering, toe curling, heat inducing kiss. Slow, tender, loving.

  Brant pulled away and she found herself following him as he moved back. More please, her whole body cried. Zane’s hand hooked around her waist, he pulled her so that she faced him.

  His dark eyes seemed to look straight into her soul. “I need to show you too, sweetness. I wish I could really show you just how much.” His eyes dropped to her mouth a second before he kissed her. Oh wow. Her back arched as their tongues clashed. Her breasts mashed against his hard chest. Freaking hell, for a newbie kisser he was damned good at it. Slanting his face left then right. Suckling on her bottom lip before plunging into her mouth with his hot tongue. Her nipples rubbed against him. She dug her fingers into his biceps. Hard, hot male. Where Brant had been tender and soft, Zane plundered.

  Both kisses left her breathless. “How did you become so good at that?” She asked as he ended the kiss, then she narrowed her eyes at him in what she hoped was a death stare. “Who have you been kissing?”

  “No one.” He threw her a half smile. “You told me kissing with tongues was like sex, so I kissed you in the same way I would fuck you right now if I could”—he cleared his throat—“I wouldn’t take you slowly, Ysnaar, but I also wouldn’t rush. I’d sink deep into your sweet pussy keeping you on the edge until you begged me to make you come.” His voice had dropped to a low rumble.

  His words had her womb clenching. “So…so,” she stammered. “You haven’t kissed anyone else?” Flip, she hated that she was still so insecure.

  “Neither of us is even remotely interested in anyone other than you. We need you back.” Brant cuddled up behind her, his breath on the back of her neck as he talked.

  She stiffened. They might not be having sex with other females, but they were drinking from someone else and neither male would divulge who that someone was. They refused to take from her, stating that she wasn’t strong enough yet.

  “What is it?” Zane asked looking at her with such tenderness.

  “Who are you drinking from?”

  Zane looked panicked for a split second before schooling his thoughts. Brant moved away from her and climbed off the bed. “It’s not something you need to concern yourself with,” he said. “You need to trust that we are doing right by you.”

  “Just tell me. I need to know.”

  “Trust us,” Zane said, his eyes wide. He climbed off the bed as well and proceeded to pace.

  Tanya folded her arms across her chest. “Out with it. Right now.” She looked from one male to the other. Zane stopped his walking and turned to face her. His brow heavily creased.

  “It’s embarrassing.” Brant looked down at his shoes.

  “Embarrassing for whom?” she narrowed her eyes at them. “Is there something I should know? Once this gets out, will I be the brunt of all the jokes? Is everyone going to laugh at me…did you know the covens are taking bets on who—”

  “We are drinking from each other,” Zane growled, his hands fisted at his sides. “If it gets out, then we will be the laughing stock of both covens. Hell, not just the covens, of all the species.”

  Tanya giggled into her hand and immediately regretted it.

  Brant made a sound of frustration. “It’s not funny, Cenwein. Males do not normally drink from one another. We did it for you.”

  “Yeah, we knew that you would not want us drinking from any of the females.” Zane shrugged. “It was the best solution.”

  She bit down on her lip until she regained some control. It was hard to imagine the two of them…together. “Thank you. I appreciate it. It could not have been easy.” Her lip twitched but she managed to keep herself from cracking a smile.

  “More like freaking torture,” Zane grumbled.

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Brant growled.

  Zane grinned. “I didn’t realize that you enjoyed it so much. You’d better not ask me to start stroking your dick while you drink.”

  Brant grit his teeth. “You always have to take things too far. It wasn’t ranked as one of the best experiences of my life, but torture…really? My female will stroke my dick and I’ll be drinking from her from here on out.”

  “Our female.”

  Brant took a deep breath, his chest heaved. “Our female,” he conceded. Tanya noticed that it took some effort.

  Zane glanced at his watch. “Katar will be here any minute. We had best go and prepare. Did you have a talk with Xavier?”

  A look of regret crossed Brant’s face. “He will do what is expected of him.”

  Zane sighed and nodded once. “Good. I’ll do my best to convince the old king, but…” instead of finishing his sentence he raised his eyebrows.

  “What’s going on?” Tanya asked, although she could guess.

  “Katar is here to visit Esral. He won’t be happy when he finds out that she is not mated,” Zane said clasping his hands in front of his body.

  “And the whole Xavier will do what is expected part?” She narrowed her eyes at Brant.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Ta
nya. Xavier will mate with Esral.” She tried to interject, but he stopped her. “Please, Cenwein. It is something that needs to happen for the good of both species. Try to understand.”

  “Well, I don’t. Esral wants a chance to choose. I think that the two of them will end up together in the long run. A forced mating won’t work though, they’ll end up miserable.”

  “It can’t wait. They will have to learn to deal. It is their duty. I…we will try and convince Katar to give them more time but should we fail, tomorrow is the new moon…” Brant’s eyes were dark and pleading. “I will do my best, but Katar is very traditional in his thinking so I do not hold out much hope.”

  “Let me talk with him.” It was worth a shot. Tanya held her breath. The males exchanged glances.

  “You need to stay in bed.” Zane caught her gaze. “We do not want you to exert yourself. Please do not worry. Xavier and Esral may not be thrilled with the news but they have both resigned themselves to the inevitable. As you said, there is an attraction there.”

  “Yeah, but they shouldn’t be forced. Let me speak with him.”

  Brant shook his head. “Don’t worry. We will take care of everything. It’ll all work out.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

  “You need to take care of yourself, Ysnaar, and our baby.” Zane crouched over the bed. He pulled down her sheet and kissed her belly, nuzzling into the fabric of her pajamas.

  Brant threw her a wicked smile before kissing her lips. He nudged his tongue into her mouth and nipped on her bottom lip.

  Zane moved down and buried his head into the juncture at her thighs, he sniffed making a strangled noise. The sudden friction sent desire coursing through her whole body. Brant swallowed her moan while swirling his tongue with hers.

  By the time he broke the kiss, she was panting. Her breasts felt heavy, her skin tight. She needed that vibrator or she would end up begging. Having both males touch her like that at the same time was more than she could handle. What she really needed to do was to start enforcing that no touching rule.