Team Changes by Erin R Flynn

15

“I’m sorry,” Kristof said the second I was awake. “I’m so sorry, my love.”

Dread filled me. “Who died?”

He sat up and pulled me with him so I was straddling his lap. He cupped my face and brushed his lips over mine. “Now I’m extra sorry. No one. We did not lose a single person, I swear it to you. I’m sorry I made you think that.”

I bobbed my head as I tried to digest that. “Really?”

“Everyone is accounted for. No one was killed. Some injuries, but nothing that anyone won’t recover from. No human was even touched, so no chance of infection.”

It took me a few times to get my mouth to work. “Really, really?”

“We are absolutely sure and plan to celebrate. Yes, no one died, My Princess. You made the right call, and we kept everyone safe.”

I broke down sobbing. There were at least a few ugly wails of relief in there as well, and he simply held me.

“Please don’t cry, Inez,” he begged when I started to ramp up again. “My heart cannot take it. Not after last night and how upset you were with me. I hate to hear you so upset even if it’s in relief.”

That wasn’t the full truth as some of it was fear and worry but yeah, most of it was relief. Realizing that helped me pull it together and give him a quick kiss.

Which turned into another one.

And then a few longer ones.

Plus, some extras.

But then I wanted to have a private celebration and be naughty.

I glanced over at Vitor and smirked. “Come please me with my husband, lover. Tian is more than able to watch the door alone.” I kissed Kristof’s neck when he flinched. “You are not replaceable to me. You are very different people to me. I know you have some similarities but—you saw how different I was from other princesses. Just because you’re both super-duper ridiculously old farts who—”

“Fine, brat,” he growled while pinching my butt. “But as your husband, I should be able to lead and be in charge.”

“I have no problem with that when I join you,” Vitor agreed before I could even respond.

Well, that was something at least. Who knew sex could make men behave?

Probably every woman ever, but I was late to the party and not caught up on social norms.

“I also want to show you more,” Vitor murmured as he moved behind me.

Oh, I just bet he did. Kristof snorted, so his mind had gone right to the same place.

“To try more with your power,” he clarified, kissing my shoulder when I flinched. “Try for me? It might help. I know our power isn’t the same, but I can do some of what you can.”

I nodded when Kristof seemed to think it was a good idea.

“Drink from your husband, but visualize the blood as power to fill your every cell,” he guided as they took off my nightgown. “You use that power for electricity and more, but that’s the end result. Keep it as energy that your body needs. Hydrate your skin and feel it wake you up like the coffee you love. Let it run over your body and refresh you as a shower does or comfort you like fuzzy clothes.”

I nodded, taking in all the suggestions and checking with Kristof he was fine with me drinking from him.

He simply snorted again.

Just to be a brat, I ran my fangs along his neck to tease him first. Then I pushed him, making it clear I wanted him to lie back. He gave me a curious look but then did it. I kissed down his chest and licked along his abs, smirking when he moaned. His fat dick twitched when it brushed against my breast and I did it on purpose to drive him insane.

“It’s hard to behave when I have such a luscious view, My Princess,” Vitor admitted.

“Then don’t,” I chuckled. “But I want to suck my husband’s legendary cock this morning, so don’t interrupt his fun.”

“Inez,” Kristof groaned. We hadn’t done that or any slap and tickle since things blew up with Darius. I wasn’t sure about getting back into the play with everything else always piling on—I probably needed it because of that—but this I missed. I missed giving it to him and knowing… It was about us and not me being a princess.

And I needed that right then as much as he did.

I grabbed his dick and licked it as I dug the nails of my other hand into his skin until I made marks. I gasped as fingers teased my pussy, and I spread my legs wider for more.

“Drink from him there, Inez,” Vitor pushed. “You’re a powerful queen when others are princesses. You are the one we want, and we are at your mercy. Even our blood is yours, and you will do with it as you want.”

My body flamed hot at his words. Apparently, I liked that. I had three guesses as to why, and their names were Cerdic, Jaxon, and Darius, but I didn’t want to think of them right then. Instead, I bit Kristof’s upper thigh as I stroked him. I slowly took in his blood and pushed it into every cell of mine to recharge me like I could vehicles and more. I needed to be at my best, not simply feed.

I wanted more mileage out of what I was getting or whatever the appropriate analogy was. It worked in my head, and from the praising tone of what Vitor was saying, I was doing it right.

Licking the bite when I was done, I swallowed as much of Kristof’s cock as I could once my fangs retracted. He came almost instantly, completely shocked at the change or maybe still orgasming since my bite made them climax. I worked him through it though and didn’t stop when he was done, wanting more and more from him.

Forever even, and I didn’t mean the blow job.

Especially when Vitor moved to sit me on his face. I whimpered and enjoyed every second of his talented tongue.

“Oh fuck,” Kristof hissed. “Shit, she likes that. Give her more, Vitor. Oh my fuck she likes it. Inez, please don’t stop. I want to be inside of you and this too.”

I wasn’t even sure he knew what he was saying or how that made sense, but I appreciated that he was enjoying it so much and would tell me. I screamed when someone’s blood touched my skin while Vitor sucked on my clit and I set off Kristof’s next orgasm.

Moments after he was done—but not completely spent—he moved me to straddle him again and lowered me onto his dick.

“I long for the day I can be inside of you as well,” Vitor whimpered as he teased my other hole.

I flinched and moved my face against Kristof’s neck.

“She doesn’t want to try it with the monster dick ancients around her,” Kristof muttered, explaining what Vitor had stepped in. “There was an idea of how to try it first.”

He wasn’t wrong, but he was implying only Cerdic, and I’d had many fantasies of him and something else. Someone I probably shouldn’t have, but also shouldn’t have given part of my heart to.

Especially since James was acting as he was now. The men around me were trying to kill me.

“Stay with me,” Kristof whispered, but really it was more of a question and part begging.

“Always,” I promised, trying to snap out of my falling mood and get back into the sex. I mostly managed it, especially when Vitor’s hands helped touch me everywhere good.

He took me next, and then it was really time to get going to the super serious meeting that was needed. I quickly cleaned up and changed into nothing fancy but not normal breakfast attire. Black slacks with matching sandals that had a slight heel and a white twisted crop top sent the message I was ready to go but not worried enough to wear running shoes.

At least that was how I saw it after learning more about clothes and perceived messages from my female knights.

There were a lot of people at the castle. I could tell that even the moment I stepped out of my tower. And I wasn’t happy that one of them I knew would be attending was waiting for me.

“Good morning, My Princess,” Llyod greeted, giving me a smile I was sure he thought was winning. “I’m so relieved to see you’re fine. I know everyone told us, but I needed to see it with my own eyes.”

I frowned at him. “Well, thank you for admitting you don’t trust my people.” I brushed past him and focused on Petre. “Let’s also put a conversation on the books about who is allowed this close to my tower. Just because people are invited to the castle doesn’t mean they have open access. That needs to start being handled as well.”

“Yes, My Princess,” Petre agreed, looking seconds from laughing.

Which was why I’d said it to him. He had the same—if not harsher—opinion of Llyod as I did.

People started quieting down the moment they saw me arrive and finding seats, and I appreciated that. We had a lot to handle and fast, so we all needed to be adults, something I was going to address first.

“You were all invited because while I don’t know all of you, the future of this coven and any threats against it affect you,” I started with a bang. “From all the settlements I’ve traveled through, some of the best ideas came from the most random places, and I acknowledge I’m young, so could use help. I want to hear any ideas you all have, but we are limited on time, so we’re going to also be smart.

“We’re starting with my nobles sworn to me and my knights in charge of security and our forces. From there, the floor is open to all my knights and the nobles of this coven who have signed neutrality agreements making them members. We can go from there, but I’m making special exception to bump Sebastian, Jacob, and Winston to special advisors as my in-laws and allies. Who is starting?”

The amount of impressed and proud looks I received made me feel better that I was handling this the right way. Wonderful.

“Our first suggestion is we beef up the security at Albuquerque,” Cerdic started, someone already setting up a huge map of North America off to one side. “It has the majority of the humans we’re protecting there. We’re going to have to be honest with them, and I suggest those we know we can trust, we work with to train on advanced weapons we get there and set up. Fast.”

“I agree,” Trisha interjected. “We have a lot there and we can get it set up, but also that we allow those who worked with Chris access to what we have and train them up. We constantly felt nothing but relief at the help we got from them. Enough with the busing in and baby steps. We get his people out and gear them up to help. Those who want protection deal with it for now, and we’ll work towards what we said.”

“Chris, can you make that work?” I checked.

“With my guys? Yeah, they want out badly as that place is going to explode now that we’re busing out most of the good people. I have no idea how to handle getting the rest out or who all is ‘the rest.’ There were over a million people there to start with.”

“There are several of us who can help with that if one of your nobles would supervise,” one of the nobles from Bahati’s court offered. “This needs to be taken off your plate. The attack last night was large. We need to prepare for more.”

I nodded I heard him but looked back at Cerdic. “What else?”

“We fortify defenses here and at each outpost. We’ve been focusing on being proactive and going to find corrupted or luring them out, but they won’t be the only enemy we fight. You learned that with your visions from Aether about Princess…”

“Bahati, yes, I remember them and the effects of them,” I bit out. My heart ached when he flinched. I hadn’t meant us, but the side effects of the visions themselves, but clearly that was where his mind went.

And he couldn’t even say his first love’s name in my presence. Of all the problems I’d thought we could face over what I did, him being upset I killed her because of his lingering feelings for her wasn’t one of them.

My mistake.

I looked over at Trisha since James was apparently a landmine right then as well. “I’m assuming M-ATV assault vehicles to start? Is it better to drive over what we have to locations or break them down and rebuild them? That’s still moving energy beads.”

“I think there are still enough metals and vehicles for you to remake some no matter which area, and that would get us at least a good start,” Trisha answered. “We also need to test who can do what and get lists for training. It makes no sense to train faster on weapons when they are the weapon. Cross-train later? Yes, of course, but we focus on the shifters for weapons and space out the vamps for close contact.”

That was, without a doubt, the general consensus, so I made it our starting line.

Then came the part where most everyone had a different answer or thought they knew best. I listened to a lot of that while I ate breakfast and for a couple of hours.

I felt the ghosts about to start and excused myself, saying Kristof and Trisha would keep the meeting going in my stead while I handled them. I was starting to think the bathroom off the ballroom was just cursed for me because I went to use it and more fucking drama happened there.

Or really, more of the same, and she brought a friend?

I had just finished and Safie appeared… With Bahati.

The rage that poured of them took the breath from my lungs, but I didn’t hesitate, focusing on them and dissipating their ghosts as fast as I could. Safie was easier for some reason and logically, I would have said that was because I’d already done it before.

But that wasn’t how ghosts worked, so I was clearly losing my mind.

A sentiment that I felt even more firmly when Bahati was able to injure me before I sent her to wherever. She reached out and grabbed me, digging her nails in my skin and injuring my arm as I hurried to dissipate her.

When they were gone—and no seeds left behind like normal—I simply stared at the bruise that quickly formed and then healed. What the fuck was really going on? Was I seriously snapping? Was this my guilt?

Once the bruise was gone, I shook it off as best as I could and raced through all the ghosts. I didn’t want to deal with any of them that day and felt like they were going to unravel my mind soon. People noticed but didn’t say anything, simply keeping me fueled, which I appreciated.

Finally, when I was done with the ghosts, I went back to the meeting and found it was just the same back-and-forth. That wasn’t productive and I called it.

“This gives us a lot to work with and think of. For now, we know where to start. I want the knights to figure out the best spots to get back online for more vamps in your area. Stay for lunch and discuss it with who you need to. Today, we’re celebrating we survived the attack and didn’t lose anyone. Tomorrow, we get our asses in gear to make sure we keep up that track record and are ready for the next problem.”

It seemed most were ready for the meeting to end as well. It was too long in my opinion, but long enough that it was clear I would listen to options and give people voices. But not overly long where talk was all I did and people would whisper I couldn’t make a decision and maybe could be influenced.

Life was a balancing act after all.

“Talk to me about what Hanna wants and the plan,” I said to Winston off to the side once the party got started.

“More weapons, and I think you know why,” he said at a level I could barely hear. He waited until I nodded. “We have some young ones who know how to handle it all, but we would appreciate some training and teaching.”

“Or some better visual deterrents,” I muttered. “Trisha was discussing that, so speak with her, but whatever you guys need I’m fine with. I know Hanna’s not trying for world domination.”

He swallowed a snort but nodded. Then he went over how he’d brought back extra teams who were solely hunting on the side and loading up several cargo planes that had refrigeration. Hanna had made it clear the idea was smart and it needed to happen fast. Some thought Bahati’s coven would make me implode from the inside and to attack before that happened so they could get me.

Basically, they were idiots, and I wanted to claw my ears to stop hearing such stupidity.

But we had some luck in what we’d found in Mississippi. There was a massive chicken farm in good condition and wildly populated. So that got thrown on the items list along with the ducks, bass, turkeys, deer, wild boar, alligator, and black bear. Which meant we had lots of incentives for people to kill corrupted and Hanna’s power backing it up that no one would bulldoze us.

Fabulous.

The kitchen had used all the hog roasters from the wedding for the party, so there was a massive amount of pulled pork and just everything pork. That made me happy, and I grabbed myself a huge plate. I tried not to pay attention to Darius who kept being closer and gave even less to Jaxon and Cerdic who were off to the side… But I did keep catching something that I wasn’t a fan of.

Namely, James had a lot of fans. He was apparently a really popular guy.

The jealous bitch in me loved that. I seriously loved that after all he’d said the night before I got married again, and then he’d been ducking me. Yup, big time.

I was debating getting drunk when Vitor and Petre appeared, several of the super old nobles next and before I could blink. What shocked me was a few were from Bahati’s coven or visiting.

What the fuck was going on now that they had to worry about me so much?

“Risa, I apologize for my reaction, but you normally don’t come to any court and travel with a group if you do,” Vitor greeted, his posture relaxing.

I swallowed a sigh and got to my feet to see what was going on now.

“This is now our complete group,” a woman I couldn’t see replied. “One of our sisters was killed in the mass destructions. Even our speed cannot outrun a nuclear weapon.”

“I’m very sorry for your loss,” he muttered. “Truly, but that does not explain why you are here and at such an odd time.”

A different female voice answered, but I was barely listening, focused on the situation that was upsetting me and trying to hear more of the conversation going on over there. “We are here to meet Aether’s champion. The tide was turning but she is in danger. We are here to make sure Aether and Her champion win so our planet can be rebuilt in a way it will thrive instead of implode.”

“One would expect no less of the Sisters of Earth,” Petre accepted.

I felt my mind was about to burst at what I was hearing while they were still blocking me, about to push past to see what was going on, except the final straw broke for me.

“Yeah, tonight sounds good,” James said as he leaned in closer to a female shifter. He whispered something in her ear that made her chuckle and flick her hair over her shoulder giving him all the green lights she was in.

Nope. No. Not happening. I wasn’t dealing with this shit.

Not anymore.

“I forbid it,” I bellowed, getting the attention of everyone there and not in the best sense. I ignored it and headed towards the pair. “This isn’t happening. You’re my knight and I don’t give my permission.”

The look James gave me was almost comical if any of it was remotely funny.

But it wasn’t.

He seemed to snap out of it and slapped on a smile. “Princess, I haven’t actually—”

“Get away from my knight and spread the word he’s not available,” I warned the shifter as my fangs slid out. I hated her less when she held up her hands in surrender and backed off, dipping her head to me. My focus was on James then. I grabbed his arm and bit him, taking just a sip but enough to make my point.

Namely, my bite made him orgasm.

“Not mine, huh?” I purred, licking my bite and then my fangs. “Aether seems to think otherwise.” I tossed his arm back at him, ignoring his shock. Why was he shocked? Had I really been the only one to feel anything? Had it all been a game to him? Even the possibility of that made me blow my lid. “Arrest the secretary of defense.”

Everyone froze around me, but I didn’t care how I sounded. I wanted it done.

“On what charges?” Jaxon of all people asked me.

I didn’t look at him, keeping James’s gaze. “Betraying his princess. Lying to her. There’s a list. I’m the princess and I said so.” I looked to whoever was next to me to yell at them to do it, but Cerdic moved to grab James which added to the surprise. But I met his gaze and sneered. “I’m not sure you should be the one to do it. I’m done letting people do as they want to me. You should get out of range.”

“No, I shouldn’t, and I accept whatever you think is deserved,” he said loudly.

Now he was backing me up? I was fairly sure that made me feel worse and wish he’d just stayed off to the side. Seriously, these men were going to be the death of me.

I followed after Cerdic and Jaxon who escorted James. Trisha tried to intercept me, but Vitor, Sisay, Moon, and Petre made sure to flank me through the party. I didn’t blame her, but I wasn’t happy she did it in front of people.

Then again, she probably wasn’t happy I did the same. Validly, but I was also pretty valid for blowing my lid.

We made our way down to the dungeon, and they locked him up in the first cell, Cerdic even going as far as bolting James’s wrists to the wall.

“Everyone out,” I whispered as I tried to gather my thoughts.

“No, we’re not leaving you alone right now,” Jaxon said quietly. He shook his head when I gave him a look of death. “No. You’re too upset and would never forgive yourself if you went over the line, a line any of us would cross with what else is going on. We will stand off to the side and not say a word, but we are not failing you and leaving.”

“Well, this time,” I sneered.

“You’re right, but it’s still our answer, love,” Cerdic interjected.

“Don’t call me that,” I snapped. “None of you need to hear this.”

There was a sharp intake of breath that I was fairly confident was Darius figuring it out, but then Jaxon growled.

“What happened that night you slept over with him?”

“Not what you’re thinking, but shut up if you’re going to stay. I don’t want you here, and you’ve lost any right to comment on my life.” I wasn’t convinced that last part was true but… Fuck all of them. It worked and at least they listened, my guards backing off but making it clear they were staying too. I went to the cell and grabbed the bars. “Why?”

“Why what?” he whispered, not meeting my gaze.

“Why her?” I rasped, finally not holding back what I was feeling, the flood gates of pain opening fully. “Because she’s a shifter? A leopard?” I thumped the bars with my hands. “Her you can love, right? A leopard from Safie’s coven. One you’ve met since me because you don’t want real with me.”

“Inez, please,” he breathed, hanging his head.

“What did I do?” I begged. “Tell me this is about something more than I’m a princess and you can’t—tell me I did something. Tell me I’m a nutcase and you can’t handle the drama. That I could understand. Tell me anything other than it’s the one thing I cannot change and I hate about my own life.”

“It’s not—”

“Don’t lie to me again!” I bellowed, flicking the switch to open the door and storming inside the cell. I shoved his chest, and that made him look at me. “You owe me that after all the flirting and promises and lies about wanting me. Don’t lie to me again that you don’t wish I was a leopard. You lied to me that night and we both know it. You would love me if I was a shifter, a leopard like you.”

Tears filled his eyes and I saw the truth there. It was absolutely true just like I’d known, and he could never love me because I was a princess.

“You are so cruel,” I breathed as I lost the strength in my legs and sank to my knees. “You’re so fucking cruel. All the flirting and promises. All the bullshit that I would be yours and I mattered to you. All your—”

“I’m so sor—”

“I love you, and you’re sorry that you can’t ever love me because I was born a princess?” The pitch of my voice hurt my ears, but my heart was beating in my throat, and I was all-around a mess. “You made me fall in love with you and want something that would be complicated after all your promises, and you are sorry you are so heartless to feel nothing because I’m a princess?”

“Not nothing,” he argued. “Inez, it’s not nothing and it’s—”

“But you just said all of that after I came to you and then… Drifted. Another of you who says he cares but disappears.” I let out a bitter chuckle as I reached behind me for the bars. “No, you were worse. You pick a leopard shifter, which you wish I was—would love me if I was and can never be—and set up a date at my home while I’m right there. I was not ten feet away.”

“I was trying to—”

I looked at him while I pulled myself to stand. “Do you hate me?”

He gasped. “What? No, never.”

“Why would you do that to me then? Right in front of me? You hate me because I can’t be what you want, right? Is this my punishment?”

“No, no, I would never play games with you like—”

“All you’ve done is play games with me!” I screamed.

And watched in horror as a huge gash appeared on his arm. I’d seen that before. I’d seen Safie do it.

Bahati had done it to me.

Dread filled me and I stepped along the bars. I didn’t know what to say, but he started talking, and all I heard was ringing in my ears. Another wound opened along his chest and panic raced through me as I realized I was just like them. I was a monster like Bahati and Safie. I was just like them.

That was why I kept seeing Safie and now Bahati. My mind was telling me I was now them. I’d killed them and absorbed their darkness.

And I didn’t blame James for not loving me.

I didn’t blame any of them.

Vitor grabbed me and shook me, saying something I couldn’t make out the words for.

“Don’t tell Kristof,” I begged, whimpering as tears kept flowing. “Please don’t tell him. He didn’t see. He didn’t see me be a monster like them. He won’t love me if I’m like other princesses. He stayed back, so he didn’t see it. Don’t tell him. I can’t lose him too. I’ll be all alone again. Four of them couldn’t love me. I can’t lose all five. I can’t. I can’t shatter anymore. I can’t go back to being all alone again.”

And that was the moment I broke. It was as if someone pulled the plug of a lamp out of the wall and the lights went out but instead, it was in my brain. I officially hit my limit and something in my mind just disconnected.

I suddenly felt nothing, and everything around me was muted like I was underwater. It just happened and I had no idea how to fix it.

I was quite certain I didn’t want to.