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A Tortured Soul Without a Soul
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Luna's Vampire Prince Deep Inside Me
*Ainslee*The bedroom door is unlocked. Zoey didn’t leave it that way when she cleared my dinner tray and said goodnight about an hour ago, but as soon as I was certain she’d disappeared from the hallway, I went over and unlocked it. I know that Prince Rafe has a key, but I want him to feel invited in.He already knows that I wouldn’t deny him entry, and I mean that in every way possible.Standing in front of the window in a slinky satin nightgown I found in one of the drawers and put on after Zoey departed, I stare out at the moonlight, watching the beams color the garden in an ethereal blue. It looks heavenly, like something out of a painting. I’ve never had a view like this before. Back home, everything is gray, and moonlight only makes it grayer. Here, everything is full of color and life, even though the people walking around in the castle my kind considered to be already dead.But when I kiss Rafe, when I touch him, it’s impossible for me to think of him that way. I don’t see hi
The Luna's Vampire Prince The Next Move
*Rafe*I don’t stay in Ainslee’s room for the night. I could. She’s sound asleep when we finish, but I decide it’s not the best idea. I’d rushed through dinner to get to her. The last thing I need is for rumors to start that we’re fucking. If people know that, it puts her in more danger.So I go back to my room and take a shower. The last thing I want to do is wash her scent from me, but it’s necessary. Finding it best to keep the water cold so I don’t get hard just thinking about her, I rush through. Then, I get dressed and go to my office.I got next to nothing done earlier today when all I could think about was her. Now, I see the same paperwork on my desk and imagine it will stay untouched until tomorrow, too. She’s consuming all of my thoughts, and now that I’ve had her, I know that I will take her again and again every time she allows me to.She’s a drug. I’ve had a little taste and am intoxicated. Recovery is out of the question. I’ll be addicted to her until the day I die.And
The Luna's Vampire Prince Afterglow Dimmed
*Ainslee*My body hurts. It’s not the sort of pain that makes me think I might die if I don’t get to a healer right away, but it’s a bit uncomfortable. I suck in some air and adjust on the bed, wondering how a person is supposed to get over this. How long does it take?But then, it was so much fun causing all this pain, maybe I don’t care.My eyes open, and I stare up at the ceiling for a moment, contemplating the events of the night before. A smile falls into place, and I bat my eyelashes, dreamily thinking about him.I know he’s not here. When I woke up in the middle of the night to hobble into the other room to pee, he was gone. I can still smell him every time I inhale, which is comforting, but I do wish he would’ve slept with me. I wish I could’ve woken up with my hair spilling over his chest, his strong arm wrapped around me. We would gaze into one another’s eyes and whisper about how much we enjoy each other’s company.Not love, though. No, I refuse to use that word. It’s silly
The Luna's Vampire Prince Make Me Queen
*Rafe*Waking the king in the middle of the night is never a decision to be taken lightly. Standing in the throne room, waiting for him to make his appearance in the light of day, my mind wanders back over the conversation we had the night before. I’m still not sure if I should’ve woken him or not, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the moment, and I can’t take it back now.Kris is keeping his distance from me, standing about four feet to my right instead of the customary one foot. On his other side, Zeke is rocking back and forth, uneasy. I had a brief conversation with him this morning to let him know what went down, and I can’t blame him for being antsy. He said then that he didn’t see how there was a solution to this problem where I could declare myself the winner, and I have to agree with him.The more I think about it, the more I know that the game is nearly over, and I am the loser. Not just me, but Ainslee as well. It’s so unfair, all of it. I knew there was a chance
The Luna's Vampire Prince Turning Tables
Beginning of Book Two*Ainslee*A rock hits the side of the carriage, kicked up by a horse as we travel from Shadowmanor castle to the very border of Shadowglen–and my home village of Beoutown. There are three carriages and a host of guards, a truly worthy entourage for my future husband and me.The window curtain brushes my cheek as the carriage bumps from side-to-side, the roads becoming increasingly less well-maintained. I push it aside to look at the bleak terrain, remembering the washed-out, gray, dilapidated village I come from. Somehow, it always seemed wet. I wore a threadbare cape, holey socks, and worn out boots that did not keep out the wet or the cold. My family and I barely ate. And the Blacks, the family that runs our town, hates me.It was that hatred that led to big changes in my life, so I suppose I should be grateful to the assholes. They sent me to a culling. I found out I was a Luna Queen. Or rather, Princess, as the Vampire King, Axel, has decided to call me. An
The Luna's Vampire Prince Grovel
*Ainslee*“B-Begin?” Angus Black squeaks, his eyes bulging out of his fat face.“Yes. Kris, if you would, take the accountants to go over the books, that would be appreciated. Mayor Black, if you so much as twitch, I will have Kris put you to the rack in the castle dungeon, do you understand?” King Axel’s voice is flat, unyielding.Though I am hopelessly in love with Rafe and despair at the realization someday I’ll be married to King Axel, for this one moment, I am proud. Proud to be the king’s fiancee. Proud of the man standing next to me.Angus Black looks as though he’s pissed himself. I sniff the air. Maybe he has. “O-Of course, your Majesty.”Half the men who came in with us peel away from the wall and follow Kris in a hunt through the mayor’s office. Food the Blacks provided had to be shoved aside as record after red-marked record slaps down on the table.King Axel doesn’t even bother to look at them. Instead, he holds Angus Black’s gaze until the balding, bloated bastard hangs
The Luna's Vampire Prince Family
*Ainslee*“Lenny!” I shout, releasing King Axel’s arm and running to my best friend. I can hear the king behind me sighing loudly, despairing that I still haven’t learned the proper decorum.I don’t care at this moment, though, because it’s Lenny. “How have you-?”Lenny steps back when I go in to hug him. “Princess,” he says, bowing.I frown. Sure, Lenny and I didn’t part on the best of terms, but we were still best friends. “What’s wrong?”“Nothing’s wrong,” Lenny insists. “Nothing at all. You’re just… you know… a princess now.”“But I’m still me,” I argue, frowning at him. Flashes of the time we spent together come back to me. Not just the two of us donating blood together or hanging out in line to get bread, but the fun times, too. Exploring the woods, foraging for berries.Kissing in our secret spot….King Axel catches up, having kept his measured pace, and puts a hand on my shoulder. “Ainslee? Who is this?”“Oh. Sorry, King Axel. This is my best friend, Lenny,” I smile, gesturing
The Luna's Vampire Prince Mother Knows
*Ainslee*“That is a fantastic idea,” King Axel says after a pause. “Yes, Kris would be ideal in this situation.”“Er… but… he’s… a bit… um… torture-y… Your Majesty,” I gulp. “Maybe he wasn’t such a good suggestion?”“Nonsense,” King Axel responds, standing. “He will get done what needs doing. And he knows better than to make me angry. I will be quite upset if he gets… what did you say?” He shakes his head, unwilling to use my not-quite-a word. “If he tortures anyone. At any rate, I will be most displeased if he makes me regret appointing him.”That made sense. Kris will have no qualms about throwing the bad leaders to the wolves--literally. He will get the territory under control, and governed according to the king’s standards. He might be absolutely ruthless in some cases, but he wouldn’t be stupid enough to do anything that would upset the king.Now that he had retained his position as First Advisor to the king, there was no stopping Kris Moore.“I suppose…” I concede.King Axel ri
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The Luna's Vampire Prince A Hopeful Future
*Ainslee*Sophia and Karl kiss, and the ceremony is over in a cacophony of cheers.The High Priestess sets the goblet of blood Karl had grudgingly shared with Sophia back on the altar, and the king waves at the crowd to be silent. “I know you are all excited to begin your celebrations. But we would also like to thank the Moon Goddess for the miracle of Paisley Poe’s birth.”Rafe squeezes my hand and waves while I hold Paisley against my chest.“And for the fruitful union of Marcus and Lucia Lightfoot,” the king continues. It’s kind of him to do this during his wedding ceremony.Lucia blushes, and Marcus pats her belly fondly.“And, let us not forget, Zeke and Annamarie Winters, who were unable to join us today, but I hear are expecting a beautiful baby themselves,” Karl concludes.Everyone claps.“Now, you may all adjourn to your celebrations.” The High Priestess waves us all off.Karl kisses Sophia passionately, and they walk hand-in-hand down the aisle.“Were we that cute when we we
The Luna's Vampire Prince A New Life
*Ainslee*Drake blinks down at Paisley, who is nestled in my arms.Rafe holds him just close enough to get a good look at her but not close enough to reach her nose, which he is trying to grab anyway.“This is your sister,” he says to Drake, pointing a finger. “You’re going to torment each other terribly.”I laugh. “Oh, come on. It won’t be that bad.”“It sure will be. Siblings this close in age are notorious for tormenting each other. Didn’t you see it with Brock and Sinead?” he asks, referring to my half-siblings.I think for a moment then grimace. “Yes, they do torment each other quite a lot.”“Exactly. They’ll fight over toys and chase each other around. It’s going to be chaos,” he says.“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now,” I remind him. “They’re both here, and we adore them.”He chuckles and kisses each little head, then kisses me on the mouth. “It will be the best kind of chaos.”Drake gets a hold of Paisley’s nose and our little girl squawks in protest.Rafe grins. “
The Luna's Vampire Prince Back at Shadowmanor
*Rafe*The ride home gives me a mix of elation and sorrow. Being by Ainslee’s side in the carriage with our son on her lap makes me feel complete, and Ainslee’s family was so happy to get to spend a few days with her and the baby before we left for home. We’re met along the way by my people celebrating our victory and sharing our joy, but among those are those who have lost so much.We stop the carriage when we notice a young girl crying as she is comforted by a woman whom I learn is her aunt. She explains that the girl’s home is in the north and was destroyed in the carnage. Her parents were killed, leaving her with nothing.“I think the gods that she was staying with us,” the woman tells me.Ainslee speaks to her while I pull Zeke aside. “Ensure this family is taken care of.”He nods with understanding. Anger churns inside me at this encounter and dozens more like it along the trip. It makes it that much easier to deal with the evil men responsible upon return.The day after our ret
The Luna's Vampire Prince Feels Like Home
*Ainslee*“Why does it still hurt?” I ask after we’ve been holding each other for a while. This is the second thing I ask Rafe after I demand to know where Drake is. While I’m aching to see my baby, Rafe explains to me that he’s the only reason my father is allowing us to be together, so I’ll have to be patient a bit longer. Just knowing that he’s safe and near me is a comfort.“Maybe because we were separated for so long,” Rafe replies. He strokes my cheek. “But I have an idea of how to make it better.”I raise an eyebrow at him. “I’m sure you do.”“Honest. It’s not about sex, it’s about reuniting,” he tells me.“Hmm.” I wonder if either of us have the energy for sex.“It’s worth a try,” he says.“All right,” I agree. I sit up with some effort, and he scoots out of bed to start taking off his clothes.When he looks over at me, he blinks. “I didn’t realize you were in full ballroom attire.”“This was for the mating ceremony that was supposed to happen yesterday,” I explain.His eyes n
The Luna's Vampire Prince A Final Plea
*Rafe*“Are you ready?” Percival asks.The man looks ragged. Whatever he does to make sure I don’t keel over is really taking its toll. For that reason alone, I need to make sure Howard sees the light. I’m afraid Percival is going to die instead of me.“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” I admit. I step out of the carriage as it rolls to a stop in front of Howard’s very luxurious looking home.Karl is there to greet me with a wide smile and a warm arm clasp. “Rafe. You look like shit.”“Thanks,” I reply with a laugh. “You look great.”Howard stands off to the side, eyeing me contemptuously.We are already off to a bad start, it would seem. “Alpha King Howard,” I say with a slight nod.“King Rafe.” He responds coolly. “Shall we retire to the conference room? It seems we have a lot to discuss.”“Where is Ainslee?” I ask.“In her bedroom. Lying down. I didn’t think she needed to be here for this,” he replies.My heart thumps in my chest, screaming to tear past the two Alpha Kings and find he
The Luna's Vampire Prince The Marriage Ceremony
The wind swirls the skirt of the emerald dress around my ankles as I walk to the temple with Lucia at my side. She is somber and silent. I think she has finally accepted the inevitable. Rafe isn’t here, and my father will have his way.Marcus stands at the door of the temple, looking just as somber as Lucia. He is wearing Longclaw black and silver and looks quite nice in it. It should be Lucia approaching him now in a dress suited to her. But instead, it’s me, and my father, standing at the other side of the door, is the only one who looks happy about it.“You don’t have to be here, Lucia,” I whisper to her. “This is going to be terribly difficult for you.”She squares her shoulders. “I would walk through fire for you. Do you not remember the temple where you saved me? I know it’s been a long time, but you hid me in a spot just like that one over there.” She points to a little area near the back of the building where there’s a statue of the Moon Goddess that sort of reminds me of the
The Luna's Vampire Prince Broken Hearts
*Ainslee*I sleep more now. Lucia is concerned, as is Marcus, but my father is convinced once I marry Marcus, all of this will change. I know it won’t.The ceremony is tomorrow. I know I have to go through with it. I don’t want more people of Shadowglade or of Longclaw to die. This constant war business has to end.I’m glad that my mother hasn’t seen me since my illness worsened. She’s been so busy helping with the troops. I don’t want her to see me like this. Only now I realized that on the same occasions that she visited since I’ve been here, my father found excuses to be away. He’d insisted that he felt no pain since she’d remarried, and I wonder if his brain injury had some effect on the severed mate bond.I’m staring at my canopy again when Lucia comes in with tea. “This is chamomile,” she says, helping me sit up and then pressing the teacup into my hands. “It should help your stomach and settle your nerves.”I look at her, and my heart sinks. “I’m sorry, Lucia. I promise, I won’
The Luna's Vampire Prince The End of a Claim
*Geoffrey*Boris tells me we are within a day and a half of Shadowmanor Castle when we meet a real force to stop us. Soldiers in three different liveries come up over a hill as we are marching through a valley. They are very angry, and we are in a bad position, not having the high ground.“Why are there Longclaw and Warfang uniforms among them?” I ask Boris who, thus far, has kept me off the battlefield.“I guess because they’re fighting with the Shadowglade forces,” he replies as though I’m stupid.“If we’re liberating Shadowglade, why would the wolf shifters join forces with Shadowglade’s soldiers?” I ask, confused.Boris looks at the armies bearing down on us, looks at me, then laughs. “Oh, boy, King Maximus said you’d be easy to manipulate, but you really are an idiot. We’re not ‘liberating’ anybody. We’re taking Shadowglade by force.”My blood runs cold. “We’re the aggressors?” I gape.He pats me on the shoulder. “Welcome to reality, Your Majesty. Shadowglade is actually well kno
The Luna's Vampire Prince Disturbing News
*Rafe*Zeke, Percival, and I lean over my desk in my office, looking at the new numbers. “I think you should also push into Tormentia,” Percival says.“You just want King Dartmoth Croft to get it right up the ass,” Zeke snorts.“Why not? He deserves it,” Percival replies.“I’ll have the army push forward into Tormentia,” I agree. “King Dartmoth doesn’t deserve to be responsible for a pet rock, much less an entire people. Reports say soldiers’ families are being threatened. I’d like to take that off their chests so they might surrender instead of fighting for a king who abuses his power.” I rub my chest.Percival puts his hand over my heart again, and the warmth spreads, taking away most of the terrible pain. But I can see it costs him as his shoulders droop when he finishes.“Thank you,” I say. “Really. I know whatever you’re doing isn’t easy on you.”“I’d rather have my king fighting fit and take a few more naps than have you curled in agony on the floor while Zeke and I try to strat
