When I woke up, we were spooned. I grinned uncontrollably, ridiculously happy while recalling our last night. I thought that I wouldn't mind living like that… until my brain shifted to my complicated concubine reality and having a Queen-slash-my-man's-wife as a neighbor who hated my guts. The smile disappeared from my face, making way for a gloomy, depressing expression. It sucked. Not even Sariel's cool breath, which I felt on the back of my neck, helped me put my mind at ease. Certainly, he could not have noticed my suddenly tense body while tightly pressing his against mine. He murmured and placed his head on my nape.
"Should I help you relax again?" he whispered, his hand sliding down my waist and spreading my thighs.
"Sariel," I gasped as his fingers thrust inside me.
My skin, still amazingly sensitive, started to shiver. The pleasure he was giving me was addictive, and the arousal I felt was overwhelming. He swiftly got on top of me while I submitte
Kanan was more than eager to come to the celebration ball with me. He immediately offered that he would introduce me to some of his supporters that would be present at the event. I was already convinced that choosing him as my so-called partner would be beneficial for both of us. He lived like an outcast for most of the thirty years of his life, staying in the shadows of the Palace that was supposed to be his home. He had to avoid all of the stronger semi-nobles and mixed-breed servants because mother nature didn't give him overly-grown muscles so he could fight for respect. Nonetheless, Kanan had been given other unique abilities. He was pretty much a genius. He was like a golden child, multiplying large numbers in seconds and swallowing advanced quantum physics as light reading before sleep. All those vampires who had lost their titles but still had quite a fortune gathered over the centuries adored him since he was giving them bits of financial advice and reviewing their latest p
Kanan made it sound obvious and easy to accept, but there was no way I could have thought of myself on the same level as an Alpha. I could barely defeat a mixed-breed, and facing a pureblood supernatural seemed amazingly terrifying. Nonetheless, Kanan gave me the courage to face the greatest enemy I had, who happened to be my father. After drinking another bottle of Don Perignon, I could even imagine myself shouting about the shit childhood that my bastard of a father arranged for me straight to his scary-Alpha-face. Of course, that part of my bravery disappeared as the hangover appeared in the morning…When I opened my eyes, I felt as if my brain was on a rollercoaster ride. Fortunately, the downsides of drinking disappeared quickly as my body turned on a super-digestion mode. My newly active genes were useful again. I managed to get up from bed when I heard someone knocking on my door. Alarmed, I jumped up to stand in a fighting stance, without knowingwhat to e
"Entering Prince Kanan Grimoard and Lady Lilith." The announcer's voice sounded loudly across the ballroom as we walked inside. From the moment we passed the threshold the crowd spread before us, making space for us. The gasps and murmurs surrounded us with every step we took towards the ballroom center. Of course, it would be a huge understatement to claim that the commotion wasn't caused solely by my stunning dress and necklace. I bet that sexy and confidently looking in his black tuxedo Kanan draw as much attention as my neckline with a shiny emerald marking between my breasts. Nonetheless, people weren't staring at us so attentively because they found us the hottest couple in the room but because he was a mixed-breed, and I was a human and we dared to hold our heads high. We were slowly moving forward until we found ourselves in front of the throne podium, where all the guests were expected to bow to the King and the Queen and show their respects. My guts flipped
Chills ran down my spine as I looked into his eyes, suddenly finding them dangerous. I could barely breathe after realizing that the one who wanted to enslave me stood right before me. I was so focused on Derek and my father that I forgot that Alpha Draven could be at the ball as well. "Calm down, Lilith. He can't hurt you, and he can't kidnap you while you are in the vampires' territory." My brain needed to prevent the rest of my body from falling into a state of panic. I took a couple of deep breaths, perhaps a little too deep for Draven not to notice. "Are you seriously all right?" His deep voice was soothing. Unknowingly, I locked my eyes on him, bemused by his presence. He chuckled faintly and gave me a kind, warm smile, which caught me off guard completely. "Do you have a name?" he asked, slightly teasingly. "L-Lilith." The answer just slipped through my throat. The warmth in his eyes instantly vanished as his black eyes
Kanan helped me calm down. He waited until the brush of cool night wind took away the flush from my teary eyes and cheeks, and then he led me back to the ballroom."Come on. I have to introduce you to a few important people." He grinned as he pulled my hand towards a group of men, drinking champagne and talking."Prince Kanan! So good to see you!" One of the men called out and reached his hand forward.Kanan shook his hand with a courteous smile. "Mr. Parson, I'm glad that we can finally meet. It's been a while."Mr. Parson looked like a handsome, brown-haired, and brown-eyed man in his forties, wearing a black, fitted tuxedo. He had an aura of prestige and elegance around him. His movements and gestures resembled those I had seen in old British historical movies. The man nodded politely, as if he was trying to hide the fact that he was carefully scanning my features while doing that."Mr. Parson, may I introduce Lady Lilith." Kanan gestured at me
Even though Kanan did whatever he could to improve my mood during the ball, Mr. Parson's words circled inside my head the whole night long. As terrifying as it all sounded, I knew that he was right. If I could become a part of the negotiation squad and sign my name on the peace treaty that would secure my position in the vampire world. The problem was, there would be Elora's name on that treaty as well, right next to Sariel's, because she still remained the damn queen and vampires' legal representative. When I found myself back inside my chamber I became even more restless."God, this is so frustrating!" I shouted, looking at the bathroom mirror.By the time I washed my face and prepared myself for bed, I already knew that it was going to be a sleepless night. My entire life, the hatred towards werewolves had increased. Even though there were exceptions, like Ezra and my mother, I couldn't talk to any wolf without even an ounce of spitefulness. Was I prejudiced? I sure
Alpha Draven's hand was almost twice the size as mine, yet he grabbed my hand gently as if he was holding something fragile. I smiled awkwardly at him and squeezed his hand harder, trying to prove that I wasn't made of porcelain. Once I did he immediately corrected his grip while dangerously locking his eyes on mine. We stood like that, wrapped in a strange silence that increased the density of the air around us. His thumb delicately rubbed the inner side of my palm, striking my skin with electricity as a wave of shivers flooded my body. I abruptly took my hand away, scratching the place he touched as if I wanted to wipe off the sensation of him. He smirked."So… Lady Lilith, do you wander around this garden often?" he chuckled."I have never been here before," I said, "It simply looked like a good place to clear my mind out of thinking…""Is something bothering you?" He sounded surprisingly concerned.I responded with a faint smile.
Draven had one knee on the ground while holding me in his arms. He stroked my back, trying to soothe me until my body stopped trembling and I got back to my senses. As soon as I realized that I was in his embrace, I flinched, releasing myself from his grip. Panicking, I pushed myself away from his chest and my butt immediately landed hard on the ground. He looked at me in my pathetic state, barely holding his laugh. I clenched my teeth and quickly got myself up from the ground."Um… I'm sorry about that... And thank you," I mumbled while avoiding his gaze and dusting the dirt off my butt.He softly chuckled, "You're welcome," and then he quickly added, "Are you ok now?""Yes…" I said, still avoiding his gaze. "I'd better go now…" I mumbled, walking past him and heading the same way I came.My head was a mess. I didn't know how I felt or what I felt. I only knew that I needed to get as far away from Alpha Draven as possible."Wa
Fucking Adragna! I could barely stand sitting in front of the Marquess or his sons, knowing that they were the ones who planned the attack on my parents. I should have squeezed my fingers around their necks and watched smug smiles disappear from their faces in agony, and yet, I was forced to keep calm, pretending I didn't know because I had no way to prove it. Those fuckers were good at killing witnesses. I hated them just as much as I hated those mongrels from the Southern Woods Pack. I was the Duke and a future king. I had the strength to crush those bastards to dust, but I had to sit there doing nothing. Why? Because King Mael said so! This old vampire thought that it would be refreshing if our annual meeting were held in his mansion in the Blue Valley, completely ignoring the fact that it was in the middle of fucking nowhere. I couldn't stay there a minute longer. I didn't care if King Mael would be pissed. I wouldn't lose his favor anyway. I was the strongest of all the
"My friend will finally wear the crown!" Martha's enthusiasm nearly made my eardrums explode. Truthfully, I couldn't care less about the crown. It was the wedding dress that was freaking me out. Who would have thought that the vows "till death do us part" would actually mean being together for at least a few centuries? I didn't doubt Sariel's love or mine for him, but still… I still hadn't sorted out the whole "vampire issue". After a month of living as a super-duper-commoner, I knew that I didn't need human blood; drinking Sariel's blood was enough for me. I was ecstatic to find out that he didn't need to drink any other blood than mine either. Will told us that it was a "mates' thing", and that this dependence would bind us forever as well as make us stronger. Yet, it didn't solve all the issues that made me anxious. Commoners lived forever, literally, and nobles had extended but limited lifespans. Would I be forced to live without Sariel? The thought of that formed a knot
"Good morning, my Queen."I would never get enough of hearing it. Sariel made it sound amazingly enticing. His smiling eyes were eating every piece of me. The intensity of his gaze made me flush. We were both naked, although I couldn't recall the moment I lost my silk nightgown. Sariel's arms were wrapping me tightly, and our legs were tangled. The air around us was saturated with arousal, so electrifying that the mere spark could cause an explosion. As my eyes roamed down from Sariel's eyes to his lips, I saw a smug grin. One breath later, his hands cupped my buttocks, lifting me slightly so I could feel his erection against my sex. I gasped."I see you're all healed," I chuckled nervously."Almost…" he smirked. "Now I need a different kind of therapy."His lips blocked mine before I could say anything else. He pinned my hands down on both sides of my head and deepened the kiss with passionate, lush licks. As I surrendered to his caresses, his han
According to the legendWill found, the mate's blood had the greatest effect on the full moon. Well… no surprise there. Conveniently for us, the full moon was tomorrow. The problem was that the whole ritual was quite risky since it required unplugging Sariel from any monitoring equipment in order to grant us an intimate environment. The healing ritual should have been performed between the two mates alone, without any disturbances. I could actually agree with that last one. The moment when we exchanged blood last time, well... I wouldn't want anyone to be around when it happened. Still, I was restless. What if we unplugged Sariel because we believed the legend, and he would die because of this choice?I asked Will if I could read everything he found about that legend, and he agreed to bring me all the centuries-old books that had mentioned something like "mates" among vampires. The moment I began to read it, my heart started to pound. The words describing the bond
After coming back to the Palace, I was dragged away from Sariel. The King was unconscious, and the reign of the kingdom had to be settled immediately. I was led to the study, where I met Gabriel, a group of lawyers, and Leo. I had no idea what my role was in all of this, and I didn't care. I would rather sit by Sariel's bed until he woke up, yet Leo firmly held my hand, convincing me to stay. He told me that there was a certain protocol I, as the queen-to-be, should follow. Reluctantly, I gave up and decided to listen.One of the lawyers stepped forward. He held a sealed envelope. He showed everyone the unbroken seal, and then he opened the content. It was an emergency protocol. It was only supposed to be open if something happened to the King. Acknowledging the reason we were gathered in that room made my head spin. I was suffocating. I stumbled, taking a step back. It was too much. Sariel wasn't dead! I couldn't bear to do anything as if he had already died!"It's on
When I saw Jarred standing over Sariel, who was lying on the ground, my heart stopped beating. My King was bleeding heavily from multiple cuts on his chest, his shoulders, his arms… When I ran into the arena and stopped in the middle, everyone's eyes shifted to me. I struggled to take a breath as the tears flooded my cheeks. Jarred growled and gestured at two standing-by guards so they could take me out of there. Jarred should have known better than to send two rogue werewolves against me. As I roared warningly and pulled out my claws, the wolves stepped back, recognizing my strength.I knew that I couldn't interfere in Sariel's fight. I was no match for Jarred, nor did I want to take away Sariel's pride. The only thing I could do was to bring back his will and courage. I couldn't lose him when we had just gotten each other back. As he turned his head towards me, I met his eyes. Their fire was slowly dying. The view devastated me, but I was not allowed to give up.
I ran towards the screen, processing the situation. The arena was surrounded by a rising ring of metal constructions with wooden boards lying on them, creating a provisional place to stand or walk. A few seconds later, Sariel and Jarred were joined by the audience. They stood on each floor of the construction. They were Jarred's men: rogue wolves and commoner vampires, hiding their flesh under the thick hoods and robes. The outcasts. They were all chanting Jarred's name and spitting underneath Sariel's feet. I could hear their spiteful voices coming through the speakers. Hearing their hatred tore my heart apart, but Sariel seemed unmoved. My King stood proudly, glaring at his enemy while he enticed the crowd, fueling their furious shouts. "Where's Lilith?" Sariel clenched his fist, seeking my presence in the audience. Jarred raised his hand, silencing the crowd, before speaking, "My Sister is safe. She is resting in her room." He curved his lips into a smile, but his
I turned towards the door and observed the overly tall shape of a man emerging from the shadows of the corridor. As he passed the threshold of my cell, I stepped back, soaking my bare feet in the puddle of Ian's blood. My instincts forced me to keep the right distance despite the circumstances. His dangerous aura filled every corner of the room, making every breath more and more uncomfortable.A second later, I saw a man with wavy, naturally ruffled black hair. The irises of his eyes were green with light shades of gold, captivatingly glowing in his olive complexion. He had strongly underlined cheekbones and a sharp jawline, giving him a highly intimidating look. As he entered, his eyes were locked on me. He never spared a glance at Ian's bloodied corpse. He stepped forward, and I instantly stepped back. Once I did, his full faint-pink lips formed a wicked smirk. He walked my way until my steps back brought me against the wall.He easily towered over me, shutting me in
"Lilith." Someone cautiously called my name, pulling me back to awareness.Waking up was hard. It instantly brought me pain before I could even open my eyes. My mouth twisted in a silent scream as I felt my body burning from the inside. My senses were dull, and I could barely feel anything except the pain."Silver is still in your blood. Try not to move; it will be less painful that way," the low voice advised.As more of my consciousness came back, I found myself lying on the bed. I opened my eyes and saw my hands in shackles, restrained by chains on both sides of the bed. There was also a cold metallic collar on my neck. The advice I heard was accurate: the pain lessened as soon as I stooped to move, yet I needed to find out more to evaluate my situation. I slowly turned my head to the source of the voice and saw Ian standing beside my bed.I instantly frowned. "Traitor," I mumbled.He smiled wryly. "I merely chose to be someone better than a dri