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Stolen by The Vampire King 18
I bristled at his low-key criticism but said nothing. I trusted Kyle to lead this mission right.He twisted the doorknob, and the entire thing crumbled under the flick of his wrist and squeeze of his hand. “Oops,” he murmured. “How careless of me.”He pushed the door open, and we followed him into a mudroom of some kind. The room was stone walled with a stone floor, with metal rings secured to both. The scent of fear and death lingered in here, too.“That bastard,” I breathed, and my heart rate picked up until I could only hear my blood rushing through my ears. I’m coming, Leia. I only hoped she was strong enough to hold on.“This way, I think.” Kyle led us forward. “You just let me know if you pick up on her scent.” He paused. “Same instruction to Sebastian, I guess?”My gums ached and I could only nod as my lips stretched tighter over my mouth at my effort to keep my fangs at bay. Sebastian and I definitely still needed to have a chat about things that belonged to me.“We have to mo
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“I concur,” he said.We slid along the hallway, close to the wall, sticking to the shadows that seemed to blanket every surface. We reached a door with a worn brass doorknob and I stopped.“I think this is it.” I pressed my hand to the wood like I’d somehow be able to feel her, and I automatically turned the handle to go in. “Is the door being locked a good sign?”It had to be. Anxiety squeezed my heart. I had no idea what Francois was capable of—I hadn’t thought him capable of even this. I simply had to hope Leia was most valuable to him alive and unharmed.Kyle motioned me away from the door and Jason checked his watch.“We have to step this up, guys. Nic nearly getting his throat ripped out cost us more time than we planned for.”Without further hesitation, Kyle destroyed the doorknob in the same way he’d crushed the one downstairs. He didn’t pretend clumsiness this time, swinging the door open instead as he stepped forward with his gun raised. I shoved him aside.But the room was
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The prince believes only his family members know of this portal, but it doesn’t mean he won’t check.”I almost expected her to vanish in a puff of smoke, but she climbed through the mausoleum entrance, her shuffling gait forcing us to wait before we could follow.“So much for a quick exit.” Jason chuckled as he spoke, but Kyle sent him a glower.“We have superspeed, Jason. I plan to use mine.” His tone was almost a challenge, and as soon as Lettie had moved far enough away, Jason took off, almost a blur on the horizon as he raced toward the airport.Perhaps Lettie had utilized a puff of smoke after all because she was nowhere to be seen when I walked into the daylight. Sebastian secured the old door so it looked undisturbed, and then we jogged away, picking up speed until we couldn’t be seen by the human eye as I clutched Leia protectively.My jet was standing on the runway as we approached, and I slowed to a jog, confident Francois wouldn’t reach us this quickly. I glanced at Leia, a
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“Never forgotten.” Nicolas spoke in a hoarse whisper then cleared his throat, his face tense, anguish in the depths of his eyes. He clasped his hands and tightened them until his knuckles whitened, like he was seeking to control something I had no knowledge of. “It was my fault. It was my fault, and I’m so sorry. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to make it up to you, if you’ll ever forgive me… If you’ll ever trust me again.”I almost laughed at his words.He couldn’t have been farther from the truth. If anything, I trusted him more now. He’d rescued me and asked for nothing in return. Not my blood, not my body, not a single promise of anything between us.There’s been no mention of the contract. Nothing.All he’d done was care.Care. Nicolas Dupont had cared for me.And I cared for him.“La Petite Mort…”His jaw tightened as the words left my lips, and his pupils dilated.“Your casino… Do you need to go there?”He laughed and looked away for a moment. “I’m certain it’s still standing
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I met his gaze. “For me?”He nodded, his pupils dilating as I opened my mouth and allowed him to place the chicken inside. “Do you like it?”I chewed and swallowed and nodded. “Yes. It’s very nice.” My voice came out breathy and my heart rate accelerated.Nicolas’s nostrils flared and he redirected his attention to his plate before gesturing for me to eat.“Would you like me to draw you a bath? I’ll draw you a bath for a change from the shower.” He stood and walked away before I had chance to reply.I’d finished my meal before he emerged from the bathroom, wiping soap suds from his bare forearm with a towel.“Your bath’s ready,” he announced unnecessarily, and I looked at him, enjoying the sheen the humidity of the bathroom had left on him. He met my gaze for a moment then looked away, directing his attention to the wall behind me. “I’ll stand outside the door.”That statement was also unnecessary. Nicolas always stood outside the bathroom door while I was in there. It was like when h
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I glanced at the clothing he’d indicated, almost amused to find a selection of pastel colors—not an element of red or black in sight.He retreated to the bedroom to stand guard once more and leave me to dress in probably the most expensive jeans I’d ever touched. They were soft and fit me like they’d been tailor-made.“Are you ready?” He looked at me expectantly as I joined him the bedroom. “For a walk outside, I mean.”I took a breath and nodded. “Yeah. I think that would be nice, actually.”We walked down the stairs, and not even Mr. Baldwin lurked in any of his usual spots. I had no doubt that both he and Mrs. Ames were around somewhere, but neither of them made themselves known. Sounds from the kitchen told me Chef was already at work, and my stomach grumbled in Pavlovian response, but Nicolas only chuckled.“Breakfast can be our reward for the walk.”“Knowing how slow I walk, it’ll be beignets for brunch.” I cast a last longing look in the direction of the kitchen, but Nicolas le
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But he shook his head, his eyes wild. “Don’t come to me like that. Don’t offer yourself for protection.” His words were a plea. “I’ll always protect you. Regardless of…” He swallowed. “Regardless of anything else.”I reached for his hand and pressed his palm to my breast, my nipple hardening immediately beneath his touch. “And what if I just want you?”My mouth dried at my declaration. It left me more vulnerable than I’d ever been in my life. I was a twenty-nine-year-old virgin standing in front of a vampire with more life experience than I could realistically imagine, and he made my blood rush hot through my veins and my whole body thrum with desire.“I want you, Nic,” I whispered.He kissed me again, moving before I even saw him, his mouth commanding, his breath hot as his tongue probed against mine. I moaned, and he started to rock his hips against me as his left hand cupped my right thigh, under my ass. His fingers kneaded my skin, and I pressed wantonly against him.“Never before
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“Mine,” he agreed.I tensed as the weight of his cock rested briefly against my thigh, and he drew back to stroke the backs of his fingers down my cheek. “You doing okay?”I nodded, my sudden fear receding at his careful touch.He probed against me, and I giggled. “So much bigger than a finger.”He laughed. “God, I hope so.”He groaned as he began to push inside me, the movement slow as my body stretched around him. I shifted slightly at the unfamiliar invasion.“Breathe,” he whispered, as he dropped his head against my neck.“Bite,” I whispered back, and he moaned softly as his fangs scraped over my skin.“I want to…”Time hung in the moment, his cock easing inside me, the tips of his fangs resting against my neck, until everything moved again and he was buried inside me, waiting for me to adjust to his size.“You good?”“Yes.” The sharp sting of pain receded, and I moved my hips against him, the change of position experimental as I tried to encourage him forward. I felt so full, so
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21NicI slammed against the door of the safe house covered in blood that wasn’t mine, my body aching, but with a fierce need to hold Leia in my arms. I yearned for her, to comfort her, to know she was truly mine. That she was okay.And if somebody didn’t let me in the door soon, I’d crash my way right through it. I paused as the sound of a bolt being drawn back scraped over metal on the inside, and the door opened.Aimée grabbed my arm. “What the fuck are you doing? If you break the door, Leia’s a sitting duck for any of those vampire fledglings who escaped. It’s not like Francois is going to gather them all up and take them home with him.”I waved a hand, dismissing her concern. “The wolves are feasting on fledgling tonight.”A movement from the shadows at the other end of the room attracted my attention, and the female wolf shifter came into view. She was naked. “Fledglings?”“I’m sure if you hurry, there will be some left.” I didn’t have time for pleasantries or conversation. Not
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When I didn’t move, he sighed, and Nic’s arms tightened around me.“Leia.” Francois never used my name, and I stiffened as I looked into two clear and focused eyes. “We can either do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is for you to accept all that you are—mon destin—and come with me now, and the hard way is for me to kill this man—” He shook Dad then, and Dad gurgled at Francois’s choking hold. “And then I shall claim you anyway.”“Please.” I reached toward him. “I’ll do anything.” I glanced up at Nic. “I need to help my dad. I need to do what Francois wants.”“No.” Nic’s words were a desperate growl. “You’re not his heart, you’re not his destiny. You’re mine. Only mine.”“But…”Nic shook his head.“Non?” Francois cocked his head, his expression empty of anything but curiosity as he studied me. “You reject your sire?” He shook Dad again. “You reject me?” He pointed at Nic. “For him?”I struggled again, sensing Francois’s grip on lucidity slipping away. “I need to do somet
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She gusted out a sigh. “You humans and your privacy. Nicky told me to protect you.”“Congratulations—you bolted the door.” I tried to smile to soften my harsh-sounding words, but tension ratcheted through me and I could only think of Nic out there trying to protect me as well, endangering himself for me—again. “Someone should be with Nic,” I murmured.“He’s got Conri’s pack and he’ll contact his own men, too. Nicky has more than enough protection. As do you,” she added, like I might somehow doubt her.I shook my head. “I’m going to get changed.” Then I walked into the bedroom that had been assigned to me and grabbed some of the clothes Aimée had provided, making sure to select dark colors.It didn’t matter how well-protected we were separately. When we were together, power seemed to course between us, stronger each time we had sex, and Nic needed that power now. I glanced in a mirror, momentary embarrassment coloring my cheeks as I took in my appearance. Moss clung to strands of my ha
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As we lay quietly together, I straightened her clothes and drew her against me, content to simply hold her as I considered all of the things I needed to say. I wanted to turn her for all of the right reasons, but time and the prospect of Leia becoming a thrall was also an aspect I couldn’t ignore. I’d withheld myself from her recently, not wanting to hasten her descent, but also not knowing if limiting the blood I took from her would help in any way.The limitation also served to reduce my power gains, but no one else would know about that effect. I would be stronger when we were truly together, but that was fast becoming a secondary reason for wanting her.Hell, who was I kidding? It was already a secondary consideration and slipping in priority every day.I stroked her hair and rubbed the ends between my fingertips as she used my upper arm as her pillow and rested against me, her soft breaths bringing me absolute calm.A howl echoed through the air, then another, and Leia sat up, he
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“Be my bride,” I murmured. “I love you, stay with me.”She stilled, and even my heart paused as I waited for her reply.“Be with me.” I tried again. “Let me turn you. Say you’ll stay. It’s the greatest thing I can ever offer you. The only gift I have to give. And I want to give it to you.”Fear that she might refuse seized me, and I kissed her with fervor, stroking my hands over her warm skin, luxuriating in the softness of her.Her gaze met mine, her eyes gleaming.“I’m human,” she whispered. “And there are so many things I don’t want to forget. My mother, not least of them.” She shook her head then focused on me again. “But I’ll be okay. And we have this. We have now.”She tugged me back toward her and took my mouth again, her kiss almost painful as she pressed her blunt teeth against my lip.My heart was heavy in my chest, but I could try again. I could show her my love this way. Prove myself, and I could talk to her properly after. Explain it all. Make it more than a desperate man
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Her laughter.She laughed harder and beckoned both of the other women forward. “Come at me then,” she taunted, as she took a swaggering step toward them. “If you think you’ve got what it takes.”I could have run so fast I would have grabbed Leia and taken her back to the jetty almost before Aimée or the shifter woman knew I was even there, but the sound of Leia’s laughter held me back.She was sparring with two women who could break her in half as easily as look at her, and she was having a better time than I’d seen her have in days. I couldn’t take this away from her.But either I moved, or I made a noise, or simply her blood ran as fast as mine did when we were near each other, because she turned around. For a moment, she didn’t spot me, and her gaze scanned the trees then back again, looking past me a couple of times before I stepped forward and offered her a rueful grin for disrupting her fun.“Hi,” I murmured.“Nic!” She ran toward me, and her name on my lips was the sweetest of
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“What?” My voice was muffled against her clothes. “From here? Is it dangerous here?”She shrugged. “Hasn’t been so far.” She took my hand. “Come on, you’re coming up to the house with me. Nicky and Sebastian have to head back.”I glanced over my shoulder, barely able to make Nic out in the gloom. “You’re going back now?”His clothes rustled like he’d shrugged. “I have to. We need to chase down some leads, see what we can find out about Jean.”I sighed softly, but when he spoke again, I knew he’d heard it.“I’ll be back tomorrow. I won’t go a day without seeing you.”“Yes, yes.” Sebastian heaved his own dramatic sigh. “We all suffer.”Before I had further opportunity to say goodbye, Aimée tugged my hand. “The sooner he’s gone, the sooner he’ll be back, so we need to let them leave.”When I glanced behind me, I couldn’t see anything but black, and there was no way to tell if Nic was still watching me or not.I stopped when I first saw the house. It was a quaint little log cabin, and lig
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And maybe if I could help get Dad back, I could go home. I glanced at Nic. He was a good man. I didn’t doubt that any longer. And… I hesitated, unwilling to even think the words that might cement how I felt in case they trapped me by his side, burdening him further. What if I explored my feelings, and I found myself unable to leave him?And maybe I needed to leave him.To save him.That thought hurt. But ever since I’d entered his life, it seemed to have been consumed by violence or by saving me. I couldn’t live like that. Nic couldn’t live like that. How could I expect him to?Innocent people had died when my dad’s exchange for me was demanded. Innocent fucking people. I couldn’t risk anyone else.I touched Nic’s hand briefly and he glanced down at me, his smile quick to take control of his lips as he met my gaze.I couldn’t risk him.The boat jolted gently as we nudged up against a new jetty, this one looking even more dilapidated than the one where we’d found the skiff, the wooden
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Sebastian smothered a chuckle in the back.I whirled as far as the seatbelt would let me and jabbed my finger in his direction. “And you can shut up. From my count, I’m two for two on crazy princes so far—one kidnapped me, and one likes to smell me whenever he gets too close.” I faced the front again, folding my arms and breathing hard, shame already taking the place of my sudden anger.“Leia.” Nic didn’t say anything else. Just my name.But it was enough.I pressed my hand over my mouth to stifle a sob. It was all too much. At least with red bills, I’d known where I stood. Now my world was vampires and more vampires, and everyone wanted to fuck me or kill me, and they’d taken Dad… And… And… I closed my eyes as tears spilled from them, and Nic pulled the car over before unfastening our seatbelts so he could pull me over the center console and hold me to his chest.“Conri isn’t a vampire,” he said gently as he smoothed my hair from my damp cheek. He pressed a kiss to my temple. “He’s a
