Stolen By The Vampire King by Roxie Ray
Nic
Iwoke up in Leia’s bed, with her cradled against me. One day, we’d wake up in my room, in my bed, and she could cover my sheets in her soft, floral scent. I was more than ready for her to stake her claim.
Immortal lives were long. Really fucking long, but I’d never been this happy, this complete. Like something had been missing my whole life and I’d never actually known.
Fuck. Could things really be this simple? Warm woman in my arms, hard on pressed against her ass… Was that actually the secret to eternal happiness?
I grinned. Seemed pretty accurate to me.
Leia shifted, pressing back against me, and I tightened my arms around her waist as I leaned forward to kiss where her neck met her shoulder. “Good morning,” I murmured, and she rewarded me with a shiver.
“Hey.” She wriggled a little. “Someone seems pleased to see me.”
“Always.” Even the thought of her made me hard, and being this close, actually breathing in her scent, made me almost crazy.
It was a kind of out of control I’d never experienced—had never wanted to experience, but now it felt natural.
Knowing the heat of Leia’s arousal and the fact that heat was for me—only for me, only had ever been for me—and the pleasure it brought me to drive her to orgasm, coming around my cock or on my fingers was the greatest ecstasy I’d ever known. Soon, she’d come on my tongue, too. I almost moaned at the thought, but instead I traced my tongue over the hollow by her neck.
Her blood… Fucking hell. My cock jerked against her.
It was delicious in ways I’d never imagined. Invincibility inducing. Euphoria inspiring. Addictive.
And she’d given it freely to me.
Mother’s stories hadn’t told of this bliss, and although it had been the first thing I’d wanted since I first discovered Leia, I hadn’t known. The very first taste, I’d nearly lost myself.
It was like Leia’s blood was a custom blend created just for me. It was all I ever wanted to taste ever again. I’d never get enough.
I’d never felt as powerful. Like I could take on anything. Nothing would stand in my way. My mind was working quickly, my thoughts clear, my body responsive.
Almost too responsive. As Leia turned in my arms, my cock lengthened against her, resting against her soft tummy.
She grinned and turned her face to mine. “Good morning again. Do you need a hand with anything?”
I’d intended to drop a quick kiss on her lips, but her tongue flicked out and I groaned at the sweetness of the invasion, memories of figs, and fucking, and her soft sweet body… And cleaning up in the shower after.
It had taken all of my strength to resist the lure of her. She really was the siren I’d described to her, the one luring me to my doom. But I didn’t want to make her sore.
I groaned and drew away. “We can’t.”
She glanced around furtively, and her eyes sparkled as she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “We’re in my bedroom. We can have all the sex we like.”
I groaned again. Fuck, I wanted to. “You tempt me so much,” I murmured, my nose against her neck, my fangs pressing against my gums as I breathed in the combined scents of her skin and her blood.
“I can do more than tempt you.” She slipped her hand between us, and her fingertips grazed the tip of my cock.
In spite of myself, I pressed closer, seeking more of her touch. I sucked gently on her skin, wanting her to wear my mark, needing for my claim on this woman to be undeniable to anyone. She was protected by me now.
“We shouldn’t.” But my protest was weaker. I wanted her hands on me, her lips on me. I wanted her any way she was willing.
“Let me touch you.” She drew away and wrapped her fingers around me, and I pressed up, the move instinctive, driven by my body as I sought friction and her touch. “Like this?”
“Harder,” I gasped as she smeared the precum she found at my tip over the head.
Her strokes were long, and she was responsive to my unspoken demands, quickening when I needed it, pulling back when I wanted to prolong the moment. She slid her hand to cup my balls and I moaned against her skin before seeking her mouth, thrusting my tongue in time with my cock, wanting to own her, to take her and make her mine.
I caught her lip with my fang, just a nip, but a drop of her blood spilled into my mouth, and her flavor bloomed across my tongue, driving me forward, increasing my urgency. I gasped as each of her strokes drew me closer, spreading pleasure through me until I was panting, unable to coordinate the most basic of exhales.
Teasing myself, I hovered my mouth over her jugular again, my arousal growing further still, filling me, threatening to spill.
She pressed her neck to my mouth. “You can… if you want to,” she whispered, and just the thought was enough for my balls to tighten and me to groan my release against her skin.
Her consent was everything.
I pressed a soft kiss over the place I wanted to bite. “I can’t take too much from you,” I murmured. “It would weaken you.”
She chuckled. “But it feels so good when you do.”
I sighed as I pressed my forehead to hers. “Mate, you’re going to kill me.”
Then I drew her from the bed and to the shower.
* * *
I watchedas Leia bit into one of Chef’s beignets, leaving powdered sugar on the tip of her nose. I leaned over and smoothed it off with my thumb before touching my thumb to my tongue. Her cheeks pinked and she glanced back at her plate.
In the corner, Baldwin smiled before staring resolutely at the wall opposite him.
“Chef can make dishes other than beignets, you know,” I said. “Anything you desire really.”
“Oh, I know.” Her nose already had a fresh dusting of powdered sugar. “But I think I could eat these forever.”
I grinned. “Forever is a very long time. Besides, you can’t eat them forever today. We’re expecting a guest.”
Her gaze immediately became suspicious. “A vampire guest?”
I chuckled as I nodded. “Of course. I don’t tolerate humans well.” Then I flashed her a hint of fang, allowing my desire for her to show. “Present company excepted, of course.”
She blushed again and looked down at her plate. “Should I prepare?”
“Not on my account, I hope.”
At the familiar voice, I stood and held my arms out, greeting my sister with a hug. “Aimée, it’s been too long.”
She grinned wryly. “You always say that, Nicky, but we never see each other more regularly, despite your faux regret.”
I shrugged dismissively and grinned. “It’s true that there is too much of a good thing.” Then I turned to my mate, apologies already trying to spill their way off my tongue. “I have to go into La Petite Mort, today.” I paused to witness the shiver she always seemed to fight when I said those words. It was almost irresistible. “There’s some business I can’t ignore.”
Although I’d claimed Leia as mine now, Francois wouldn’t know that, and he wouldn’t give up. He’d been bold enough to come into my territory and take her once before, and I needed to prevent that from happening again.
I needed to prepare for war.
“Hm.” Leia drew her brows down. “So you’ve arranged a babysitter?”
I chuckled at the accuracy of her assessment even as I denied it. “No. Just a prettier face than Jason’s.”
And I trusted Aimée even more than my sireling. I’d thought claiming Leia would end my worry over other vampires wanting her, but it had only increased it. I didn’t trust anyone.
Except my man-crazy sister. She was the safest person I could leave to protect Leia in my stead. Whatever other disagreements and squabbles we’d had in the past, I had no doubt of her reliability on this.
“Sit with us.” I gestured to a chair. “Leia is just having her breakfast.”
Leia laughed. “But I don’t expect either of you to sit there just watching me eat it.”
I shrugged. “I enjoy the view.”
Leia narrowed her eyes, and Aimée laughed.
“I never thought I’d see the day. My big brother choosing to watch a human female eat breakfast rather than…” She broke off and shrugged. “Any number of the things that used to be more interesting to him. Are you still parting people from their money and writing water-tight contracts, Nicky?”
I gave a low growl of warning. Those two things hit too close to home when Leia was sitting right with us, but neither woman flinched at my quiet display.
“I don’t think I need an escort now.” Leia spoke suddenly, setting her beignet down as she looked at me. “After all, the reason I was so…”
My mind filled in all the words she didn’t say. Sought after. Hunted. Attractive.
“…interesting before was my—” She broke off and glanced at Aimée. “My status, so I… uh... I don’t think I’m as interesting now, right?”
“Oh, sweetie.” Aimée petted Leia’s hair softly, like even she couldn’t quite keep her hands to herself. “Even I heard the stories of Nicky’s virgin, the one he was saving. And I didn’t get it either. But now I do. You don’t smell like a virgin anymore—”
Leia glanced away, her cheeks pink, and I drew my chair further under the table as my cock twitched at the memories of her change in status.
“But you definitely smell attractive,” Aimée said. “You smell of power and control and rule and authority. Your scent is all Nicky. There’s no mistaking who you belong to, which means everyone immediately knows Nicky’s vulnerability. You.”
“Me?” Leia’s eyes widened.
“Sure.” Aimée nodded. “Anyone who has you has control of the king. And there are a lot of people who want that kind of power.”
A shudder worked through me at how much I could still lose.
“But… But I thought this made me safer?” Leia wrinkled her brow.
“In many ways, yes, it does,” I said. “You are very clearly mine. Your blood, your body no longer call to just any vampire.”
“But for the people who would see Nicky dead or overthrown?” Aimée’s shudder was delicate as she scrunched her nose. “You’re gold, lady.”
“Oh.” Leia glanced at her beignet. “Well, shit.”
Aimée laughed. “It won’t be forever, right? I mean, soon…” She glanced at me, but I shook my head slightly.
Leia was human and had never even expressed a desire to be anything else. Maybe I’d bring up the option to her one day, but she’d had to deal with too many traumas and changes lately. Now wasn’t the time.
“Oh…” Aimée recovered quickly. “Uh, so what are the rules, Nicky? What can we do to have some fun around here?”
I grimaced. “Currently, you’re limited to the house and grounds.”
Aimée twisted her face. “Huh. Tour of the gardens?”
Leia glanced at me, her eyes loaded with meaning, desire flickering in the depths, and I reached into my pocket to extract a fig I’d asked Chef to collect for me.
I put it at the side of her plate. “I thought you might like this as part of your breakfast.”
Not that I’d be able to stay and watch her eat it. I had way too many erotic memories tied up in watching her mouth on the fruit.
“Huh.” Aimée’s nostrils flared delicately. “Maybe not the grounds, then. But there’s plenty to do in the house, right?”
Leia pushed her plate away. “Sure. Movies, swimming, gym. But I should really get out to The Pour House. Or, you know, my actual house.” But a shadow passed over her face as she mentioned her home. “Actually, maybe I’m not ready for that yet.”
“I’m sorry for what he did,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry he took your safe space and made it not safe.”
She just nodded.
I turned to Aimée. “Taking Leia was Francois’s act of war, and he’s the reason I need her to stay within the house and grounds. He’s still out there somewhere, and he’s stepping up his activities to either recover her or get to me. We don’t know which yet. Even Kyle’s man has gone quiet. We’ve reduced the scope of Francois’s operations by taking out a couple of his warehouses along the border boundary, but a couple of my guys haven’t returned from some recent basic reconnaissance.” I shook my head. “I don’t know who’s doing his strategy or if he’s more lucid than we thought, but he hasn’t put a foot wrong so far.”
“What does that mean for Leia’s future?”
“Well.” I sucked in a breath. “It means the immediate threat is very hard to eliminate.” I reached for Leia’s hand. “But I won’t give up. This isn’t the rest of your life now.”
“The outside world still exists,” she murmured. “What’s happening out there?”
“I don’t want you to worry about it. I’ve got it under control.” My words were clipped even though I’d aimed for reassurance, and guilt tugged at my insides as I stood. I hadn’t simply switched Francois’s prison for one of my own. “Of course. And there are things I need to do.” I squeezed her fingers gently, a show of solidarity and affection. “I’ll leave you to get to know Aimée. You’ll probably be tired of all of her tales of Tomas by the time I get back. I might even be a welcome face.”
I winked but the sudden flash of lust in Leia’s eyes made my breath lodge in my chest. I cleared my throat. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“No hurry.” Aimée waved a dismissive hand. “We’ll find plenty to do, I’m sure.”
But I disagreed, and my cock certainly disagreed. There was plenty to hurry home for.
* * *
I walkedinto my office at La Petite Mort, expecting to find my uncle and Sebastian waiting for me, but the twin scents of sage and patchouli greeted me instead and my steps faltered just inside the door.
“Witch?” I asked the question in a sharp voice. “What are you doing here?”
Lettie stepped from the shadows. “The threat of war is increasing.”
I nodded, sudden irritation flaring across my skin as I stomped to the chair behind my desk. Not even the sight of greed playing out in my favor on the floor below could take my mind from Leia and the threat Francois posed to her.
“You need to do better,” the witch said, sitting down.
“You’re a long way from New Orleans,” I murmured, my voice at its deadliest. “Possibly unwelcome in my territory.”
She made a dismissive noise, her lack of fear evident. “I’ve lived a long time, vampire king. Seen a lot of things, and I thought I could keep that girl out of the shadows. I thought the pendant would be strong enough to resist your call, to offer the protection she needed until you directed your interest elsewhere, but there were circumstances I didn’t take into account.”
“My call?” I laughed, a bark of surprise. “Leia’s like my own personal siren. I’m powerless to resist.”
The words seemed to fall from my mouth of their own accord, as I revealed more than I would have ever expected to a woman I didn’t know and was pretty sure I didn’t even like.
Something about her chilled my skin. Like magic flickered over me every time she moved.
“Exactly. The depths of that were perhaps…unexpected. But I predicted great love, so…maybe all is not lost.” Her words were nearly lost, though, as she muttered them almost to herself. “But there is still a great deal you need to do.”
I sighed and stretched my legs out under my desk as I scrubbed my face with my palms. The witch was a distraction I didn’t need, with Francois still out there and Leia waiting for me at home. “I don’t have time for this—for you—today. I’m a little busy with a small war with the Prince of New Orleans. I’m sure you understand?” I made my tone as patronizing as possible. “You can show yourself out the same way I’m sure you showed yourself in.”
“No,” the old woman hissed as she leaned forward. “I didn’t come all this way for you not to listen. You might think yourself old and all-knowing, but you’re young, and you’re a fool, and that makes you dangerous.”
A shiver stole through me, and I glanced automatically at the A/C vent because I never got a chill.
“Oh?” I aimed for something casual and careless. “I’m very aware of how dangerous I am.”
I grinned, making sure to include a hell of a lot of fang.
But she didn’t even flinch. Instead, she shook her head. “You’re deluded, and you’ve all forgotten the old ways.”
“I’m bringing the old fucking ways back.” I jabbed my chest, sudden fury warring with pride. “I have a true mate. That hasn’t happened for generations.”
She shook her head. “Prideful fools. All of you. Tell me, vampire. What do you know of your true mates? Did you expect to find yours in a human?”
“What?” Her question made no sense. “I… No… Of course, I…” I stopped. I couldn’t keep babbling at her. Kings didn’t babble. We spoke with authority, issued commands, and people listened. I straightened some papers on my desk and moved a pen to line up with three more, the fidgeting buying time. “I have very little tolerance for humans. Every true mate I’ve heard of was vampire. It was unexpected,” I conceded.
“Precisely. Because you’ve all forgotten. You’ve forgotten the glories and the dangers of your past, your lore, and actually being vampire.”
“What?” I didn’t hide my irritation this time. “What are you talking about? Do you always speak in half sentences and riddles?”
“Check your lore,” she muttered. “Dig through the archives. Every true mate recorded was vampire because they were all turned by the vampire that loved them. They started off as human.”
“All of them?” Surely not all true mates had started off as humans? “But what’s deeper in the archives?”
She grinned, but it wasn’t a kind smile. It spoke of destruction and danger. “Ah, now. Now we’re getting closer to the real questions. Currently, your human is marked. For you, that brings all of the benefits of a full claim. While she lives, your power and ability to rule will be unsurpassed.”
“What the hell do you mean while she lives? How dare you sit in my office and threaten my true mate. I should remove your head.” I stood and leaned over the desk. Fucking witch.
But her expression became sad, her mouth downturned. “It’s you who threatens her, vampire.” She shook her head. “A marked human will eventually fade away, becoming a mere shell of themselves, only finding pleasure in the bite.”
“What?” My ass landed on my chair as I sat down unexpectedly. “But I…I… What the hell? I’ve claimed Leia. She’s mine. She’s my true mate.”
“Yet you know of no human true mates?” The witch’s suddenly clear eyes met mine, intelligence gleaming from her gaze. Then she reached into the folds of her cloak. “I’ve brought something for the girl. It should stave off the worst of the thrall if she wears it at all times.” She handed me a charm bracelet, decorated with small chips of glittering stone. “Each of these has protective and healing properties, but I can’t offer anything more than a temporary solution. You started this chain of events, vampire king. Now to prove your worth.” She bent toward me and lowered her voice. “You must turn her.”
The air around her shimmered, and I leaned forward urgently. “What? But I have questions!”
But she faded as she sat in front of me, only the scent of her herbs lingering in the air and the charm bracelet lying on the desk proof that she’d been here at all.
I reached for the bracelet, but a knock at the door stayed my hand. “Come in,” I called.
Sebastian entered first, closely followed by my uncle. I stood to greet them, and Sebastian’s smile widened. “Well, well.” He grinned.
“What?” My head was still too full of the things the witch had said.
He grinned wider. “Someone finally made his claim. Congratulations.” He and my uncle made themselves comfortable in the small seating area on the other side of my office.
I rarely used it, but I joined them. “I don’t think this is all going to be as straightforward as I anticipated.”
“Oh?” Sebastian cocked an eyebrow. “Why? Is Leia unhappy?” For a moment, his eyes glowed a dull red.
“Far from it,” I snapped.
He held up his hands. “Okay, but a man can dream.”
A growl ripped from my chest. Dangers were everywhere. Francois, other men, the witch. My own damn brother.
“Sebastian,” my uncle counseled. “Be sensible. Don’t provoke Nic. A newly mated male is very dangerous, and I would guess a newly mated—truly mated—king is excessively so.”
I sighed and pushed a hand through my hair.
“I think I have bigger problems than Sebastian.” I filled them both in on everything the witch had said. “Have you ever heard anything like this?”
Sebastian shook his head, but my uncle’s face paled, his lips thinning.
“Thralls,” he whispered.
“Thralls? What the fuck are they?”
Sebastian shuddered. “I thought they were just stories.”
“They’re humans who don’t get turned after they’re marked.” My uncle’s voice was stronger now.
“For fuck’s sake. Why am I only finding out about this now?” I stood and paced away, useless anger humming through every part of me. “Why has no one ever told me this before? I’m the king.”
And fuck, I should have known.
Sebastian shrugged. “Nic, you drink blood baggies. When would you ever have marked a human before? Why would you know the dangers?”
“Fuck,” I barked as I continued to pace. “So the witch was right? I’ve got to go back to Leia and tell her I was wrong? That claiming her wasn’t enough, that it was never going to be enough? That I’ve condemned her to death?”
“No, you haven’t,” Sebastian said carefully, but I rounded on him anyway, looking for an outlet for my anger.
“I might as well have when the only fucking alternative is to turn her.”
