The Chosen Series Box Set: Books 1 - 3

by Charlene Hartnady

  She bit on her bottom lip. “I don’t know.” She paused taking in a deep breath. “I agree, but only on the condition that you take me to Sweetwater as soon as the dust settles. Book me into a hotel and leave me there. I’m sorry, but I can’t have your scent on me when I return to my coven.”

  Although he completely understood, it still hurt that she wasn’t willing to admit that she’d fucked a wolf. If the shoe was on the other foot, he would probably do the same. Yet, it had never once occurred to him to keep quiet during sex. He didn’t care if his pack knew. It wasn’t something he wanted to hide even if he would take some flack for his decision to take a vampire to his bed. He was sure he would pay dearly, would be the brunt of many jokes. Regardless of the fact that he was alpha, but he didn’t care. Ward was very much the leader yet he didn’t rule with an iron claw. Unlike those dickhead kings, he preferred a united species as opposed to a dictatorship.

  “I’ll take you to Sweetwater. I agree,” he said. Using his hand on her hip, he moved her onto her side pushing his fully engorged cock against her ass.

  “I get the feeling you would agree to anything right now.” She giggled.

  “You would be right.” He growled in approval when she tilted her ass so that he would have easy access to her pussy. “Still so wet. I’m going to fuck you now, little vampire. You can call me whatever you want.” He thrust into her welcoming heat. Although she was still ridiculously tight. It was easier to push in and out of her this time. “Call me a name…any name…as many times as you want. As loud as you want.” He growled, rolling her nipples between his fingers as he lost himself in her heat. “I insist,” he added on a snarl.

  Ward made her come more times than she had fingers on her hands. Sometimes hard and fast and others slow and easy. Always from behind, always biting her when they found their release. Even after a nap, she felt a little tender.

  Ward’s member stiffened up against her thigh, alerting her that he was awake.

  “Again?” she asked, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back as she yawned. He nipped at her breasts, making her giggle. Stephany thread her fingers through his hair, trying to pry him away. “Stop that. I didn’t realize that wolves were such biters.”

  He rested his chin on her chest, actually looking quite sheepish. “It’s not something I normally do. Biting is mostly reserved for mates, but I figure since you’re a vampire you would probably enjoy it. The same rules don’t apply,” he shrugged. “I guess I really just like biting you.”

  She nodded, not trusting her voice. “Mates…you probably shouldn’t then.” She said. once she felt she could trust herself.

  “It’s okay, Stephany. You’re not a wolf. I enjoy doing it. If you were my mate, I would sometimes draw blood so I actually do hold back. To draw blood would be taking it too far. Besides, it’s not even a full moon.”

  She didn’t know what to say. It still seemed wrong somehow.

  “Look, if you don’t like the way it feels I’ll stop.”

  That was the thing. It felt too damned good. Almost as if he was drinking from her. It made her come so much harder every time. “I like it. It’s not the new moon…or a full moon…or anything. I guess it’s okay.” She whispered feeling even more guilt well up inside of her.

  “Good.” He growled in a way that had her nipples tightening. He wanted her, was going to take her again. She was helpless to stop him. Would have to stop herself from begging him soon.

  “You drive me wild with need, little vampire.” His green eyes glowed, his gaze hooded. “I want to taste that tight pussy of yours again. Can’t get enough…”

  The door burst open and a really pissed looking female entered. She was small and plump like Tanya. Really great, wide hips and full, lush, mammary glands. All the unmated vampire males she knew would have their eyes popping out of their heads looking at a female like her. Her thick black hair whipped about her face as she approached. Stephany clutched a sheet to her chest. Ward made to stand, not in the least concerned with his naked still semi aroused state. The female didn’t even blink.

  “I can’t believe you, Ward.” The female didn’t scent human. She had that same musky smell that shifters possessed. She put her hands on her hips, her nose scrunching in disgust. “This room smells like a whorehouse.”

  Stephany had heard of such places. Females sold their bodies to desperate males. It was a human thing. Something she didn’t understand.

  “What are you doing here, Luna?” Ward growled. “You have no right to enter my private space. Leave.” He spoke in an authoritative tone that made her want to obey.

  The female took a hesitant step back, showing that she wasn’t immune. She seemed to shake it off, squaring her shoulders. “She’s a filthy vampire for claw’s sake. Have you lost your mind?” The female glared at her over Ward’s shoulder. “I’ve had to listen to the two of you for long enough…a vampire…really?”

  “Don’t.” Ward growled louder this time. “Stephany is my guest and you will treat her with respect.”

  The female took a deep breath. She shook her head, her eyes flashing towards Stephany. “Like hell! Listen up, vampire. You may think you have your claws in him, but know that he is mine. Do not think to claim him for yourself.” Her eyes narrowed and she took a step towards the bed.

  Stephany embraced the anger that rose in her. She threw her legs over the edge of the bed and rose to her full height towering over the wolf female. “Yours? I don’t think so, wolf. I’m the one warming his bed.”

  The female growled, her eyes glowing softly.

  “I’m sorry, Ward.” Rushe stepped into the doorjamb. “She sucker-punched me.” Stephany noticed how pale the male looked. He clutched his crotch while swallowing hard. “I will remove her if you’ll give me half a minute to catch my breath.”

  “Don’t bother.” Luna shook her head. “I was just leaving.” She turned to face Ward. “This doesn’t change anything. We need to mate. This pack needs heirs. That vampire may be good for a rut, but she can’t give you anything else but a good time.”

  Pain blossomed inside her, but she kept quiet. How could Stephany argue against the truth?

  “I will be in heat again soon. You know where to find me when you come to your senses.”

  It was weird, a growl rose up in her causing her chest to vibrate. She’d never growled before in her whole life. It was something only males of her species did.

  The female wolf flashed her fangs and Stephany growled louder.

  “I’m out of here,” Luna huffed, turning on her heel.

  “I’m sorry.” Rushe’s eyes pleaded as they tracked Ward who paced across the room.

  “Don’t let it happen again.” Ward snarled. “Any word?” He asked, speaking softer this time.

  Rushe nodded. “The vampires have pulled back. They’re still in our territory, but should be gone within the next few hours. The coast should be clear by morning.”

  “Good! Now get the fuck out.” Rushe inclined his head, closing the door behind him. Stephany got back onto the bed, slumping back against the pillows.

  Ward paced the room for a few more minutes. Finally stopping, he cursed as their eyes locked. Ward strode to the bed and crouched over her. “I’m so damned sorry.” He cupped her cheeks.

  “There is nothing to be sorry about.” She said trying to sound indifferent. “We agreed that this was a short term thing. You can take me back soon and…get on with your life.”

  Her heart clenched.

  She had already fallen for him and in such a short time. It didn’t matter that she was a vampire and he a wolf. Night and day. Opposites and enemies.

  “Tomorrow,” he said as he leaned closer.

  “Tomorrow,” she sighed as their lips met in a tender kiss that spoke of feelings neither of them were allowed to admit.

  Chapter 6

  Back at the Vampire Castle

  Charlotte’s robe rode low on her hips. Her remarkably full breasts taunted him
. There was a reason this female was the most desired of all the single females. Zane’s favorite for many years, she was obviously feeling left out in the cold since the human had started warming his king’s bed.

  “I said no.” It was difficult to deny her. A big part of him wished to slake his need in her very willing, very hot body. Gods, the curve on the underside of her breasts was like a cure to a dying man. Her berry nipples begged to be sucked. Lance pursed his lips.

  “Rutting will make you stronger.” Charlotte said, yet she still pulled her robe back over her shoulders and fastened the tie.

  What an utter shame to hide such a spectacular body!

  “Thank you,” Lance said. “I appreciate your concern.” Best not to sever this opportunity completely.

  It was only once her enticing body was covered that he realized that his king stood at the side of his bed.

  “My lord.” Lance tried to sound as healthy and full of energy as he could muster and failed judging by the pitying look that Zane gave him.

  “If you change your mind.” She looked in Lance’s direction.

  “My lord.” She gave Zane a semi curtsy, which his king ignored.

  “I won’t.” Lance didn’t need the temptation. He had to win his female back. By blood he wanted Charlotte, but he needed to redeem himself in the eyes of his mate and that meant no more meaningless rutting.

  Confusion marred her features, Charlotte was not used to being denied. She nodded once and left the room.

  “You should’ve taken her up on her offer.”

  “I was tempted, but I hate lying here while Stephany…” His lips tightened. Pulling a second pillow behind his head, Lance struggled to pull himself into a semi upright position. His chest burned and his body felt so damned heavy. He was breathing heavily by the time he finished. Lance hated this damned weakness, but a whole quiver of silver tipped arrows to the chest would do this to a male. In fact, most would have perished.

  “It won’t be long before she is released. The wolves would be fools to harm her.”

  “Within a day or two, I will be well. I will find her.”

  “You will do nothing of the sort.”

  “I will seek out my mate and bring her back to her rightful place at my side.” Lance felt his hands turn to fists at his side. Not the best move when pitted against his leader, yet he was helpless to control the emotion.

  “Enough.”

  Lance closed his mouth into a thin white line.

  “Trying to find her would be futile. Our best trackers failed, as will you.” Zane pulled a chair up next to the bed. “If she is not back within the week, then we will act.”

  “A week is a long time. So much can go wrong. I need my female. Three days or I will—” the need to bring her back clawed at him.

  “Quiet. You are not being rational. Since when do you care so much about what happens to the female?” He could see that Zane was fast losing patience.

  So was he. “My female,” Lance growled.

  “You accidentally mated her twenty years ago, you ignored each other ever since it happened, and now you want to claim her as yours?” Zane narrowed his eyes.

  “The moment her fangs breached my skin during the new moon, she became mine. When our blood flowed as one, she became my mate.”

  Zane held up his hand. “Spare me, I know how it works. Twenty years, Lance. I gave you leave many years ago to take the female. Why now?”

  It was a rational response, yet he’d never felt the need to strike his king before. It rode him hard now though. “With all due respect, my lord. It’s none of your fucking business.”

  Zane chuckled. “Glad to see you haven’t turned into a complete pussy.”

  “Stop that,” Lance smiled. “You look weird when you laugh.”

  Zane smiled. “Having a female has been good for me.”

  Lance narrowed his eyes. “I hear you will continue to share her with Brant. Again, with all due respect…” Lance paused waiting for permission to continue.

  “Yeah, yeah.” Zane motioned for him to get on with it.

  “…a three way mating. What the fuck?”

  Zane arched his brow. “It’s a bit tricky.” His king’s brow creased in a deep frown.

  Lance chuckled and winced. “Tricky.” He smiled, “I’ll bet, one female and two cocks. Especially when the cocks happen to be attached to two dominant, arrogant males. It must be all fun and games.”

  “A whole, big bundle. Tanya is with child.”

  “Wow. You are to be a father. Good news.” His mouth pulled into a smile. What great news for their species.

  “It could be Brant’s,” Zane bit out.

  Lance refused to contemplate the possibility. “It will be yours, my lord.”

  “The covens are one, so it doesn’t matter who the father is.”

  Lance raised a brow. The sentiment was flawed. If it were him, he wouldn’t be able to stand it. In fact, he would never agree to such an appalling arrangement in the first place. Share a female? What utter nonsense.

  “If you are not going to rut, then make sure you take blood more often.” Zane raised his eyebrows.

  “I will,” Lance said.

  “Rest assured that Stephany will be back soon.” Zane smiled. Weird…just so weird to see his normally emotionless leader this way. “I don’t think she will fall back into your arms though, my friend.”

  “I will have her in my bed in no time.” All Lance had to do was click his fingers and Stephany would be back at his side. Where she belonged. She had not shared her bed with another all these years after all. His female had been waiting for him for all this time and who was he to deny her?

  Zane shook his head. “There is nothing more dangerous or difficult to appease than a female who has been slighted. You mated her and dumped her.”

  “She mated me,” Lance said.

  “It takes two, so don’t give me that bull. She may have bit you first but you bit her right back.”

  “The best sex I’ve ever had,” Oh gods, it had scared him how good it had been.

  “Whatever. The details are not important. You mated her and left her. Haven’t tried to see her or speak to her since.”

  “I’ve spoken to her.” What if what Zane was saying was true?

  “Traditional functions don’t count. You never sought her out yourself with the specific intention to talk things out. Did you call even once?”

  Lance shook his head.

  “You are so fucked, or in this case not. You won’t be getting any for a very long time.” Zane chuckled.

  “Want to bet? One week of courting and she’ll be mine.” Lance couldn’t wait.

  “A whole freaking week. Have you gone soft?” No he hadn’t, yet he was beginning to think it might not be quite as easy as he had first thought.

  Lance’s jaw tensed. “She might be mad with me.”

  “You won’t get anywhere near her any time soon, maybe not ever. The covens talk. She’ll know how many females you bedded while she has remained celibate. You can be thankful that you are not a human though, or your dick may’ve fallen off a long time ago. I am the king and yet even I have not bedded as many females as you.”

  All true. Lance grunted. “I am a male, I have needs. Rut with the same female too often and she begins to think that you are in a relationship.”

  “Excuses. You should’ve gone to Stephany.”

  “Oh yeah, and that would’ve gone over well. You and Brant birth enemies…” Lance said as he shook his head. “They were dark times of mourning. Both your fathers lost in battle. Levels of hate still ran high.” They had been bad times indeed.

  Zane shrugged. “You gave the impression that you didn’t care. If the female had meant something to you, you would’ve fought for her. You never did.”

  Lance winced. “I managed to convince myself that she was nothing to me. Lived the lie for so long that I believed it myself.” He scrunched his eyes shut for a few beats. “Watching that wolf ta
ke her though. Not being able to protect her. It made me realize what she means to me. I will find a way to win her.”

  “About that, you ran into their range, making it easy for the archers to take you out. Don’t pull a stunt like that again. You should’ve died from your wounds.”

  He could still see the look on his female’s face as that wolf dragged her away. How the male had struck her just before he had lost consciousness himself. “The only thought I had was of saving Stephany. I would do it again.” He felt his eyes narrow.

  Zane nodded. The male smiled again. Though it was a feral smile that still had the ability to get adrenaline surging even if unintended this time. “I would do the same if it came to my female.”

  “You have grown fond of her.”

  Zane nodded. “You could say that.” The male actually looked pussy-whipped for a few seconds.

  “Aren’t you worried about hurting her? She is human after all, and we know how fragile they are. It must be difficult to rut whilst being so careful.”

  Zane’s face tightened, Lance could see that he was thinking of rutting the human. “In many ways it heightens the experience. Humans are stronger than we give them credit for, yet at the same time they are so soft.” A low rumble escaped Zane. Yup, the male was definitely thinking of sex.

  Lance didn’t buy it. Humans were so puny, so unappealing. “If you say so.”

  “You need your rest if you are to be well when your female returns.” Zane stood. “You’re going to need your strength for sure.”

  “For rutting.” Lance felt his own skin tighten at the thought of sliding inside Stephany’s tight pussy. It had been many years, yet he could still recall how his blood had heated, how his dick had hardened to the point of pain.

  “More like for walking on your knees.” Zane laughed.

  Lance clenched his jaw hoping that his king was wrong.

  Somewhere on the outskirts of Sweetwater Town

  After a full day of travelling, they finally came to a halt. For the first part of their journey, she had been blindfolded and even though the other wolves had recommended that she be tied, Ward had refused.