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Escape
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Luna's Vampire Prince Hybridians
*Sophia*When I hear the Hybridians are within two days’ journey of the southern border, I ride out, despite Zeke’s protests.By the time they reach the border, I am there to receive them.They are a skinny, bedraggled lot at first glance. My heart hurts for the children whose bones are showing.A tall man with pointed ears approaches me. I ascertain that he is a vampire/fae half-breed.“Princess Sophia Brodcraz?” he asks, eyeing me up and down.“Yes,” I say, keeping any fear I might be feeling out of my voice. Vampire/fae half-breeds are supposed to be the most dangerous of all creatures. “With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”The man bows. “I am Percival Strongwind of Hybridia.”I couldn’t fault his manners. I hold out a hand that trembles just a little, and Percival takes it, bowing respectfully. “I am pleased to meet you. I hope.”He smiles slightly. “I am also pleased to meet you. I hope.”“I assume you are speaking for the people of Hybridia?” I ask tentatively.“I am,”
The Luna's Vampire Prince A Little Girl
*Ainslee*Jerim looks at me. “Is something the matter, Ainslee?” he asks.“Can you tell me if I’m pregnant?” I reply, watching Annamarie’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise.“Pregnant? I…. Yes, I can check,” he says, also looking shocked.“And if I am,” I continue as he snaps open his bag, “can you tell me if the pain I’ve been in recently has hurt the baby?”He freezes, and my heart falters. I can tell the news is not good. “If you are pregnant, Ainslee, it will be impossible for me to know if the baby has been affected until you give birth. I am hopeful that if you are pregnant, there will be no complications.”“All right.” I decide I must make peace with this, and quickly, because if I do have an unborn child within me, that does not change the fact that Drake is somewhere in the north, and I don’t have time to mope about and worry about something I can’t control. “Examine away, Jerim.”He takes out a syringe and draws a small amount of my blood, then combines it with something in a te
The Luna's Vampire Prince A New Ally
*Zeke*I watch as Sophia returns with a host of half-breeds behind her. One, a tall half-fae/half-vampire, rides beside her. I blink at the throng.“Sir,” a guard says at the door to Rafe’s office, where I have been holed up trying to coordinate this war for days, “Princess Sophia says we’re to house them all.”“What, here?” I reply, turning back in surprise. “She’s joking.”He shakes his head. “No, sir.”I leave the window and go to the guard. “Take me to them.”“Yes, sir.” He leads me down to the courtyard, which is now filled with the Hybridians.“Sophia?” I ask, approaching her. “What–”“These are my guests,” she tells me. “They will be staying here until we can find them a proper place to settle. We will fit as many as we can in the castle, and if there are any left over, I want proper structures built out here to house them. Good, snug dormitories.”“I… Sophia?” I gape.She gestures to the tall half-fae beside her. “This is Percival Strongwind. He is the leader of the Hybridians
The Luna's Vampire Prince Rumor Has It
*Rafe*“You stink,” Devon says again as we sit down for a meal at an inn nearing the northern farmland.“Yes, thank you. I am aware,” I grumble back. I smell to high heaven of lycan. The trick had worked beautifully on Ainslee at the culling. However, that was in an enclosed space, so I hadn’t had to use as much wolf shifter scent. Now, wearing lycan scent, I have to use more because of my open surroundings. I might have overdone it, however.He wrinkles his nose. “Seriously, you smell awful. Like a lycan who’s never had a bath in his life.”I can’t tell myself because the scent is so strong in my own nose that my eyes are watering. “Are you sure it’s that bad?”He gestures around us, and indeed, I see people changing tables to be further away from the two of us. “I don’t think we’re going to hear any rumors anywhere if you keep driving people away like this.”“Good point.” I sigh and get up. “I’m going to the bathroom to wash some of this off.”“Take a change of clothes with you,” he
The Luna's Vampire Prince Able-Bodied Men
*Ainslee*We do not get far.As soon as we are outside Mighty Jaw, we start to see the carts, the terrible cage carts where the Rallegrad guards are imprisoning every able-bodied man they can find.My guards become nervous, as do Jerim and Lawrence.“This isn’t good, Your Majesty,” Lawrence whispers, riding beside the cart. “We’ll never make it past these guards.”“If we end up in a confrontation, Your Majesty, there aren’t enough of us to defend you,” the leader of our four guards adds, coming up beside Lawrence.Jerim shakes his head. “For the baby’s sake, Ainslee, we can go no further.”“No. We have to find Drake! Rafe!” I insist. But my words fall on deaf ears.“Ainslee.” Annamarie rides up to the other side of the cart. “Think of the baby. Like Jerim said, Rafe would never want you trying to go on such a dangerous journey.”“But we must find them.” I try to use my most royal tone to persuade them, but they don’t look like they are listening to me.“Your Majesty,” the lead guard s
The Luna's Vampire Prince Freeing the Thieves
*Rafe*“This could very well be a trap,” Devon whispers to me as we approach the place just up the road where the guards stop to quickly water their horses.“It could. But it could also be the only way we don’t get caught. If they know I’m around here, we won’t have any peace,” I murmur back.There are two guards on duty while the rest water the horses. They’ve captured a lot of men over the course of the day, and those men are filling the cage carts.“This is reprehensible behavior for a king,” I grit out.“I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear your opinion in person,” he replies, rolling his eyes.“No doubt. Let’s try to make sure that doesn’t happen.” We sneak as close as we dare. Luckily, we are standing downwind.When one guard crosses our path, Devon grabs him, and I quickly put a hand over his nose and mouth, smothering him unconscious without a sound. Devon takes his uniform and puts it on quickly so he can go on patrol like nothing’s happened.I hover in Devon’s shadow until he
The Luna's Vampire Prince The Ultimatum
*Ainslee*“He wants me to what?” I ask, frowning at Zeke.“Your father wants you to return to Longclaw. Abandon Rafe and Shadowglade and ‘come home,’ as he puts it,” he says. “He says if you do that, he will send Longclaw troops to fight in the war.”“You’ve got to be kidding me. I’m married. We have a child!” I place my hand over my belly. “Two children!”He shrugs helplessly. “You’re welcome to write him yourself and try to point that out. I already have once. He won’t budge.”“Does he expect me to leave both my husband and my children behind?!” I gape, disbelieving.“He said he will accept the ‘half-breeds.’” His lip curls at the term. “Percival says they prefer the term ‘hybrids.’ I’ve been trying to scrub my language clean.”“But it would be such a wonderful opportunity for the children to grow up here among other hybrids,” I argue. “I can’t take them away from their father–and I can’t leave Rafe.”“You’re right,” he agrees. “But, like I say, he won’t budge.”I shake my head. “I’
The Luna's Vampire Prince Son of a Vampire
*Rafe*I stalk right up to the porch of the farmhouse, ignoring the startled guards, and snatch my child out of Eustice’s hands. “I’ll take him, thank you very much.”“K-King Rafe Poe,” Eustice splutters, stumbling backward.I turn to the baby-shaker then and grab her by the throat, lifting her off the ground. She gurgles.The guards are stirred to action, and all five of them swarm toward me.The lycans who came with me leap out of the trees and run across the road, throwing themselves on the guards. Scott makes short work of two of them, snapping their necks before they even know what hit them.Casper and Jim head for two other guards and rip them open before they can make a sound, though I have no idea if they were able to use their mind-link capabilities to call for help.A guard almost reaches me, but Devon grabs him by the neck, ripping through before he shifts, wiping blood off his mouth. “Go ahead,” he says to me. “I wouldn’t let a baby-shaker live.”I won’t be the one to kill
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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
