"Wait." Emeriel's eyes reached her hairline. "Coffin-bed?""There's so much you do not know about my kind, Emeriel. Our knowledge is vast and deep, as long as our age, as old as time itself.""But I thought only vampires used coffins," she said, embarrassed.Daemonikai's smile widened. "You may not have noticed, Riel, but we also drink blood."“Oh… I almost forgot that for a minute,” she admitted sheepishly.“Vampires are disgusting. Their coffins are literal, while ours are beds designed to resemble coffins.”"Ah." Emeriel nodded, understanding dawning on her. "So, how long has the Oracle been asleep?"“Seven hundred. She sleeps longer than most.” A shadow of sadness crossed his face. “If she were awake, the eclipse moon night may not have ended the way it did. The Oracle doesn't interfere. but she sees all. The past, present, and future… she may have given hints.""But deep sleep is vital for the old," he continued with a sigh. "It keeps them sane, relaxed… whole. The only thing one
Two Days LaterPRINCESS EMERIELShe knocked once before opening the door to her sister's bedchamber, only to freeze in her tracks.They sprang apart–or rather, Aekeira did–leaping out of Grand Lord Vladya's embrace as if his touch had suddenly burned her. They had been kissing."Em!" Aekeira's face was bright red. She looked both thrilled and flustered."That's me," Emeriel replied with a gentle smile, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Forgive my intrusion. I should have waited for an invitation. I didn't know I'd be interrupting...""No, no, it's quite alright!" Aekeira hurried forward, embracing her sister with a quick hug. "It's wonderful to see you. How are you?"This was the same question Aekeira had asked upon their return to the fortress the previous day. Despite Emeriel's reassurances, her sister's worry remained."I'm well, truly," Emeriel insisted, then turned to the third ruler with a respectful curtsy. "Your Highness.""Princess." Lord Vladya inclined his head in acknowledg
He landed a brutal blow to Ottai's stomach, stealing his breath, and Ottai staggered back, gasping for air."What's going on, Your Grace?" he wheezed, wiping blood from his mouth as he forced himself to stand. "Get a hold of yourself! Even you in your right mind would not want to go to her in this state!"Daemonikai broke into a dead run, moving with a speed that defied his usual grace.Ottai gave chase but couldn't match his speed.People scattered out of their grand king's path, their screams and shouts filling the air.Workers abandoned their carriages, mothers scooped up their crying younglings, everyone rushing for safety."What's happening?!" Zaiper appeared from the opposite direction, running towards Ottai in alarm."Stop him!" Ottai shouted, his voice desperate. "He has lost control! He cannot reach his woman like this!"Zaiper cursed, his eyes widening with apprehension and... something else, as he joined the chase.Something Ottai couldn't quite decipher.•••••••••PRINCESS
Author's Note: Dearest Reader,If you have made it to this chapter of the series, I assume you have a strong stomach and an even stronger heart. You may not need this warning, but still.If you are a sensitive reader, you can skip these parts and resume with book 4. However, if you wish to read on, please consider this a reminder to proceed with caution..PRINCESS EMERIEL“Come, Em, let’s get out of here!” Aekeira urged, tugging her toward the window.Emeriel was trying to force herself to move. But even though fear was shaking her body, she couldn’t bear to leave her Beloved in this state.“We cannot hold him for long!” Lord Ottai shouted. “We need to decide what to do before he shifts!”“Shit! His fist caught my eye!” Lord Zaiper growled from behind. “We really need to decide fast.”“It’s either knock him out or the forbidden chambers,” Lord Vladya said, his voice deeper and distorted in his half-shifted form.Knock him out? The forbidden chambers?“No! Don’t!” Emeriel tried to ru
“Pick a safe word,” Vladya spoke up at last in a resigned tone, his shoulders slumped in defeat.The chamber hushed, all eyes turning to him.“If you are going to do this, you will need a safe word. I will be out here. If you say it—if you scream it—I will come in there and pull you from his grasp, no matter what.”Emeriel let out a sharp, pained cry.Daemonikai had done something to her, but no one could see what.Still, she stared up at him, cupping his cheek with a trembling hand. “It’s okay, dearest." Her voice was soft, full of love. "I’m right here. I’m all yours.”Aekeira shook her head vehemently, her shoulders shaking with sobs “Em, please!”“Keira. That’s my safe word,” Emeriel said, her attention remaining on him. “Promise me you would not come in, no matter what you hear. Promise me you would not enter unless I use the safe word.”A muscle ticked in Vladya’s jaw. “I promise.”Daemonikai shifted fully into his beast form then, his erection huge and ready, glistening with p
SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER OF PART 3.In Greyrock, he stood by his window, a huge smile on his swollen face as Emeriel’s tortured screams pierced the night. He savored every pained cry.Now this is more like it. This is how it should be.They truly believed they could have happiness? Zaiper snorted in derision.“I have ruined everything,” he said with glee. “Daemonikai will never forgive himself for tonight. Even if she survives, I have shattered this nonsense between them once and for all.”His laugh was one of triumph. “He is the mad king,” Zaiper muttered menacingly. “He will always be the mad king.”Another chilling laugh came from him. “Maybe this will finally open our people’s eyes. If he cannot control himself—if he can hurt the woman he claimed to care for so much, the one he dared to introduce to court—then perhaps they will finally see he is a lost cause.”The idea delighted him. Yes, let them see their glorious king for what he is. A broken, dangerous beast.“I will have t
THE LAST CHAPTER OF PART 3.GRAND LORD VLADYAHe and Grand Lord Ottai sat by the door until the early hours of dawn. Emeriel’s voice had long since failed her.Reduced to raw, broken whispers of suffering. The girl was utterly spent.Occasionally, a tired sob would slip from her lips, but otherwise, the air was deathly quiet, though they both knew the beast within was still active.At one point during the night, Ottai had soaked his robes with tears.His shoulders trembled as he listened to the horrors taking place beyond the thick wooden door.Yet neither of them had moved, their promise holding them captive in that same position. Waiting. Hoping.Because Vladya was fully attuned to the room beyond, he caught it first. The faint, almost undetectable sound of fangs piercing flesh.His body snapped upright, every muscle coiled and alert.“What’s going on?” Ottai croaked, jerking awake from the shallow sleep that had finally claimed him.“It’s coming to an end,” Vladya told him. “He i
PART 4 {Final Part of this series}GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIHe opened his eyes reluctantly to the bright rays of the morning sun. The warmth of light on his face clashed with the cold, hard ground beneath him.He frowned. This… isn’t my chamber.Sitting up slowly, his gaze swept the dim, familiar space around him.The dark walls and its small window near the corner allow slivers of light to filter through.The Forbidden Chambers? His frown deepened. Why the hell am I in the Forbidden Chambers? And… why am I still wearing my training clothes?Rising unsteadily to his feet, he palmed his head, bracing himself for his unwelcome companion of late—the hammering headache.But he got… nothing.No headache. No pain.Huh.Unease crawled along his skin as he surveyed the space again.He remembered being on the training fields all day. Teaching the young recruits archery, pushing them harder than usual because he was eager to finish and return to his Beloved. But after that…Nothing.Stopping, his
“Please stop saying these things to him,” Lord Vladya groaned. “He’s smiling like a thief who just got promoted to head guard. He might forget why we’re here.”Daemonikai smacked him upside the head. “Shut it.” But he was still grinning ear to ear.The healer hid her smile behind a cough. So, the rumors were true. The quickest way to find favor with the Grand King… was to speak kindly of his queen. Or better yet—earn her favor directly.It warmed her to see them this way. Whole. Strong. Hearty. Happy.“Now, let’s return to the original matter. What can you do for us, old healer?” King Daemonikai asked.“I’ll begin work immediately on the herbs. I’m certain something like it exists. Our people have simply never had reason to search for it. I’ll start gathering ingredients, reviewing ancestral scrolls, and see what I can develop. With luck, I’ll have good news for you soon.”“That’s excellent,” Daemonikai said, nodding with satisfaction.The healer turned to Lord Vladya. “And you, Secon
“Can I open my eyes now?” she asked softly.“Not yet.” Vladya raised his hands to cover hers, even though a blindfold already shielded her eyes—just to be sure.He was... nervous. His belly felt tight inside, his hands clammy. He wanted to impress her. Wanted Aekeira to love the surprise.Gently, he guided her forward. Step by step, deeper into the cave until they reached the center. Moving in front of her, he withdrew his hands, and untied the blindfold.He stepped back, waiting.She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the soft glow, then gasped.Vladya tried to see the space through her eyes. The rough cave walls had been transformed. Smooth panels of polished wood lined the interior, holding candle sconces bathing the space in a warm, golden light. A plush woolen rug stretched across the floor. In one corner, a large, canopied bed stood dressed in roses. Across from it a long table, elegantly set with a feast laid, and two chairs facing one another.Her mouth parted as she took it in. “
She gasped as he flicked her clit, over and over again, building tension. Soon she was wiggling, twitching, hips shifting restlessly, seeking more.Daemonikai was burning, yet his mouth never left her breast. Arousal pounded through him, but beneath it—deeper, hungrier—was peace. There was something sacred, yet utterly obscene about this, in how her breast felt against his tongue, the rich rush down his throat, and the soft sounds she made.“Mmm.” His eyes slitted shut as time dissolved. Her moans grew louder, hips grinding against his thigh, but he didn’t relent. Not until her back arched and she came with a cry, her pussy fluttering around nothing.He switched breasts, sealing his lips around the other nipple, drinking her in as his fingers resumed their torment—circling her clit just enough to tease, never enough to satisfy.She squirmed, sobbing, her slick painting his thighs. “Daemon… please. Please.”He ignored her. Not yet.Only when the flow dwindled to drops, then drained int
That night, Daemonikai slept, and saw them.Standing at the river’s edge were his sons—Myka and Alvin. But unlike in the past, they weren’t sad. Their eyes no longer carried the weight of guilt or sorrow.No, his sons were smiling, waving at him.Daemonikai ran from the opposite shore, water parting in soft ripples as he crossed, and when he reached them, he pulled them both into a tight embrace.“Father…” Alvin whispered hoarsely. “I’m sorry.”“For what?” Daemonikai pulled back, his hands firm on Alvin’s face, forcing his boy to meet his eyes. “It was never your fault, and I’m sorry you left the world believing it was.”He turned to Myka. “I’m sorry I told you to protect everyone else. I should’ve told you to save yourself first. Maybe then, you’d still be—”“It’s alright, Father,” Myka interrupted with a smile. “I don’t regret protecting Mother. Or our people. I’m a protector, just like you, and I’m proud of that.”Behind them, a crowd began to form. His people were watching from a
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIZaiper's screams rolled down the dungeon corridor, bouncing off walls as Daemonikai sawed through his leg with a cutlass—whistling a slow, melodic tune. Blood sprayed, splashing onto Daemonikai’s robes, forming a growing puddle.“This blade’s gone dull,” he said conversationally, examining the edge. “Get me the dagger.”A guard handed it to him from the wall of instruments, so much polished steel behind them.Daemonikai discarded the cutlass with a soft clatter and resumed with the dagger, slicing deep into muscle and tendon, never missing a beat in his whistle.“Please! AHhhhhhh!” Zaiper howled. An animal sound, born of unbearable pain.Daemonikai sawed clean through until the leg detached entirely. He lifted it, holding it up like a prized relic.“I hope you don’t mind if I keep this,” he said casually, inspecting the severed limb. “It’s a clean slice. Unfortunately for you, it won’t regenerate—considering I’ve taken the entire limb. You’ll have to forgive me.
••••••Three Weeks Later PRINCESS EMERIEL“By the power vested in me as Grand King of this court, and in the presence of these witnesses, I hereby declare all Bonds of Human Enslavement broken. From this day forward, you are no longer the property of Urekai but allies. Free people under the protection and respect of this kingdom.”The court was overflowing. Humans filled every space, trailing from the dais down the carpeted aisle, pouring out the doors, spilling into the hallway beyond. Every human in Urai was present.At the front of it all, Emeriel stood tall beside her king, heart brimming with emotion. Her gaze drifted across the sea of faces, landing on her sister. Aekeira was smiling through tears. Just like so many others.Grand King Daemonikai continued, voice firm but warm. “I have already sent word to the twelve human kingdoms, informing their kings that the humans here are no longer captives, but allies of Urai. From this moment, no harm shall befall you—not by royal decre
GRAND KING DAEMONIKAIDaemonikai delayed just outside the dungeon corridor until he heard Zaiper’s first blood-curdling scream. Only then did he walk away from the dungeon hallway. He soon stopped hearing them. Almost a regret.He had instructed the guards to move Zaiper to the deepest, most fortified cell to keep his torture from disrupting the tranquility of the Citadel. But now, for the first time, he wondered about the wisdom of it.Reaching his bedchamber, the scene greeting him caused him to pause.There on the couch, Emeriel sat in sleep's soft embrace, holding their son, Daesovxscar, against her chest. His small mouth had slipped from her breast, milk dotting the taut, dark nipple still exposed to the cool air. Her arms held him close, even in sleep.Daemonikai’s mouth went dry.He was not a male to steal his youngling’s food—he had never done so before—but in the past few days, the thought had settled into his mind like an unsealed scroll. It was all he thought about.“Your H
“Yes,” the male continued coolly. “Vladya feels whole now. The male you always mocked for being cursed, then took away his bondmate. But she returned to him, not merely as a lover who may be compatible with him, but as his fated mate.” Daemonikai’s lips twitched. “Then there’s you. Hanging here like a carcass in my dungeon. With a dead lover, no heir, no legacy. No throne.”Zaiper’s scream tore from deep within his soul. “DON’T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HIM!”“Who? Oh you mean the dead lover?” Daemonikai smirked, adding with a drawl. “I never did tell you, did I? Just how good it felt to kill him.”Zapier struggled even harder. One leg jerked so hard, causing the chain to snap taut, nearly dislocating him, but Zaiper didn’t care, writhing and snarling like a feral.“His spine snapping in two as it struck my knees… that sound... it stayed with me for months. It had a better tone than even the harp.”“Fuck you, Daemonikai! I’ll fucking kill you!” Zaiper was out of control, spitting rage with
“You’ve no idea how fun it was. Playing you like a puppet, note by note, from the sidelines, with you none the wiser. It was... exquisite.” His grin was unrepentant. “But don’t blame me too much, Daemonikai. The real culprit was your pride. You believed yourself invincible. Too strong to be touched, too feared to be challenged. And because of that arrogance, you gave someone like me the perfect opening.”He let out a wheezing cough of amusement. “The Dragaxlovs have always sought the throne, but the Naelzharoth was too powerful. My grandfather shared with me that it was his lifelong dream to sit on the First Throne, yet every minor scheme he attempted to wrest it from your grandfather failed. He was a coward, you see, just like the rest of them.” Zaiper sighed. “Even at a hundred, I knew I was different from those spineless relics. I knew I would achieve great things, and I knew you would assist me. Your casual dismissal, that prideful superiority… always a Naelzharoth, viewing the re