Blood Crown

I was just returning home from an assignment — dust and dirt clung to just about every inch of my body as I strode through the main market of my home city. Cresta wasn’t as large as the capital, but it was an important trading city, which meant that the king was often here if he wasn’t at the palace. Which was fortunate for me, because it meant I didn’t need to leave the home I’d built myself to get close to the asshole.

A small, lithe body slammed into me, stumbling a bit before she landed on the road. I winced. That had to hurt. Holding out my hand, I studied the young succubus before me.

She was stunning. She had glimmering golden skin and soft blonde hair that framed her face. Curves that would give a man a damn heart attack were clearly visible through the dress she had on. Her golden wings shimmered in the light, and her black horns provided a stunning contrast to the bright strands of her hair. But it was her bright green eyes, the fire in them, that shocked me to my core.

“Gods,” she fumed, “what are you made of out? Stones?” She pushed her hair back and glared up at my hand, her eyes telling me she didn’t trust that hand one bit.

Climbing slowly to her feet — not even bothering to touch my hand — she crossed her arms across her chest. Which only served to push her ample tits up in a mouthwatering display. Her foot started tapping on the ground and she cocked her head slightly. “Well?” Gods, that voice was made for sex. I wanted to know what it sounded like when I was balls deep in her.

“Hmm?” I blinked at her.

“Aren’t you going to apologize for basically running me over?” she demanded.

“I’m…sorry…” I was pretty sure she was the one that had run into me. “You should probably pay more attention to where you’re going. What had you in such a rush anyway?”

A beautiful blush reddened her cheeks and crept down her neck. Her lips tightened into a thin line. I wasn’t going to get anything out of her it seemed. At least not without some smooth talking.

“I’m not the one who should be paying attention, you giant oaf.” I had to fight the smirk that wanted to creep over my face. She was adorable and sexy as fuck when she was angry. I wanted to pin her up against one of the buildings and fuck her senseless.

“Look,” I tried again. “Why don’t I buy you a drink? As a proper apology.” Her eyes narrowed as she raked her gaze over my body.

“I have a mate,” she warned.

“That’s nice.” And wasn’t an issue. Plenty of demons, and other species, took multiple mates.

Wait… Why was I even thinking along those lines? I ran my hand through my hair and sighed. There was no way I could entertain the thought of having a mate. She’d be fun, but that was all she could ever be.

“Fine. But I want food too.” I didn’t bother to hide my grin this time.

“Completely understandable.” I swept my arm out. “I’ll also let you pick the establishment.”

“Such a gentleman,” she scoffed.

When we were seated in a small pub I hadn’t even known existed, I studied the succubus in front of me once more. “I apologize for knocking you over. My name is Malachi.”

“Ashera.” She seemed a bit more relaxed now. “I suppose I should offer you an apology as well. I’m sorry for running into you even though you took up the entire damn road and didn’t seem to care if there were people around you.”

I threw my head back and laughed. Gods, I liked her. She grinned over at me, and I felt my dick twitch. Hell, I wanted to bend her over, smack her ass, and then spend a few hours slamming into her pussy. I clearly needed to get laid.

“I’ve never seen you before,” I commented. “I’ve lived here since I was young. Thought I knew most people in this city.”

“I live on the estate.” That got my attention. She lived with Lord Pyper. Lord Pyper was one of the closest confidants of the king. I eyed her in a completely different light now. I might be able to use her to get close to the dick who currently ruled Shaytan. Excitement buzzed in my veins.

I was part of a small group of rebels who wanted to overthrow the current king. Having slaves was one thing but treating the rest of the demons no better wasn’t something many of us tolerated well. The current royal family had been in power for far too long, and it was time things changed. I’d been working as an assassin in the Royal army in an attempt to work my way up the ranks and gain access to him. He was a slippery fucker.

“How long have you been there?”

“Pretty much my entire life.” My eyes narrowed at that statement. Was she related to Pyper? She didn’t look anything like him. But that didn’t rule out a blood connection, she could simply look like her mother. “I…” she stopped herself.

“You?” Curious now, I leaned in closer to her.

She looked up as her order was placed in front of her. I didn’t bother to acknowledge what was placed in front of me. Ashera took the large cup and drained half its contents. Impressive.

“This is my first time out of the estate,” she admitted softly. As though afraid she’d already said too much, she began to shovel food as fast as she could.

Something about her tugged at me. I placed a hand over the one that tightly gripped her glass. “I know you don’t know me,” I murmured, “but I won’t betray you. I swear it.”

* * *

I woke from the memory to a predawn sky. Ashera had her head on my chest. It wasn’t unusual that I awoke before she did, but I didn’t have meetings to attend, so I didn’t need to wake her up. I could simply…be. Something I hadn’t been able to do since Ashera took the throne. Hell, even well before she had taken it if I was being honest with myself.

Ambrose was curled on Ashera’s other side, I’m sure the other two wouldn’t be too pleased we’d left them to the guest chambers. Watching the two of them sleep warmed something in me. Nothing about this situation was pleasant, but we’d at least been able to provide some form of comfort to the vampire prince last night. We were all connected by the mate bond. It wasn’t just a one-way connection to Ashera — the four of us were bound to each other too. Something I knew would take adjusting to for Ambrose and Caspian. More so Caspian, I suspected.

It was hard to believe everything that had happened since I’d met Sher. I’d known that day after I’d bought her a meal, that she was my mate. I knew she had Visa but had so desperately wanted a place in her bed too. It became clear fairly quickly that my desire would have to wait. And when Visa died… I hadn’t been able to bring myself to say anything about the bond between us. I’d only been able to help her get vengeance.

Ashera stretched, plastering herself against me while also shoving her ass against Ambrose’s cock. I chuckled. By now she was well aware of what that would do to us. Shifting so I could press a kiss to her head, I heard the door to the room open as Jacobi and Caspian came in, both of them glowering at the sight of us in bed without them.

“What the fuck?” Caspian growled as he glared down at us from the side of the bed. “Why didn’t you come get us?”

Ashera cracked open an eye before groaning softly. “It’s too early for your temper tantrums, Cas.”

Jacobi simply climbed into the bed beside me, reaching a hand over so he could take Ashera’s hand in his. She beamed at the angel and wiggled away from Ambrose, who was amazingly still asleep, and over me so she could cuddle into Jacobi’s side. Caspian’s scowl deepened.

“There I was with my thumb up my ass,” he began, only to have Ashera cut him off.

“Now why would you do that when there is an excellent array of dicks to shove up there?” She turned to look at him, effectively making her the small spoon to Jacobi’s big spoon. “I’m sure someone would have been more than happy to fuck the attitude right out of you.”

That actually shut the fae up. I was mildly impressed and so damn proud. I pressed another quick kiss to her head, earning me a pleased smile. I grinned back.

“How about you stop bitching and just get in the bed you fucker?” Ambrose growled before burying his head in the pillow again.

Caspian huffed, glaring at all of us before slowly climbing into bed next to the vampire. He lay there stiffly on his back with his arms across his chest. Ashera wasn’t having any of that. She wormed her way across all of us until her head was on Caspian’s chest and her feet were resting on Jacobi, allowing each of us to touch her. “This isn’t comfortable, but I’m hoping all of you will just shut up so I can get a few more hours of sleep since I’m now touching each of you.”

Caspian grumbled a bit at that but then everything was silent.

* * *

Jacobi

After lounging in bed for a few more hours to allow Ashera to get more rest, we were all gathered in the throne room. Ashera told us what happened yesterday, but you couldn’t tell looking at it now. Everything had been cleaned.

A servant scuttled into the room, bowing furiously at Ambrose. His asshole vampire mask was back on in force as he glared down at the quivering man.

“When is my father supposed to return?” I could hear the violence in his tone. I didn’t blame him, not after everything we’d learned.

“H-he… Th-that is…” The servant stuttered, clearly not wanting to deliver his message.

“He’s not returning today,” I surmised. The servant cast me a quick, grateful glance before wincing when Ambrose swore loudly. I could feel the fury as it wove its way through the vampire, at least until our mate wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest.

“When the hell is he supposed to be getting back then?” Ambrose demanded while clutching Ashera close.

“He… He said he would be away for an undetermined amount of time.”

“Where the hell is he?” I could feel Ambrose’s rage boiling up again.

“I-I’m unsure.” The servant cowered at the promise of death that shined in Ambrose’s eyes.

I sighed, deciding to intervene. “I suggest we travel back to Shaytan, Prince Ambrose, we have much to discuss.”

Ashera sent me a soft smile of thanks. Ambrose scowled at the servant for a bit longer before giving a tense nod. “Fine. But I want word as soon as he returns, am I clear?” His tone made it obvious that if he didn’t receive word immediately it wouldn’t just be this particular servant who lost his life.

“Y-yes, sir.” The servant bowed and ran out of the room when Ambrose dismissed him.

“Let’s get back to the palace. We can game plan from there.” Ashera pressed a gentle kiss against Ambrose’s neck. A new tension flooded the vampire and I had to bite back a laugh. Our mate had the wonderful ability to turn our minds from anything to her soft body in the blink of an eye.

When we eventually made it back to the palace in Shaytan, Ashera excused herself when a servant asked for her attention. I drew the others to me.

“I suggest we all send out spies we trust to track down your father, Ambrose.” All three nodded. “I’ve also been doing some reading…”

“What sort of reading?” Malachi arched a brow at me. All three of them had no idea where I was going with this. I swallowed my nerves.

“I would like to try something with you all and Ashera.” I had their entire attention now. The three of them practically vibrated with curiosity. So I told them my plan. Dark, devious grins spread across their faces when I finished.

“I know where to get what we need.” Malachi took off. The other two chuckled.

“He shouldn’t be long,” Caspian murmured. No, I didn’t suppose he’d take too long to get what we needed.

Ashera came back over, looking curiously at us. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, love. Why don’t we head back to the bedchamber? You can change.” She looked at me suspiciously before nodding her head slowly. I placed my hand on the small of her back, Caspian and Ambrose falling into step on either side of us.

I could feel their excitement bubbling up with each step we took. We’d never surprised our sexy little mate before. And we certainly hadn’t tried anything like this before.

“Would you be willing to lend me that book you were referencing?” Ambrose asked with a sly smirk.

“Book?” Ashera asked, looking between the two of us. Her eyes narrowed, and I could feel curiosity and suspicion raging within her.

“Our angel king has been taking advantage of the library here at the palace. He mentioned he’d recently read something rather interesting, and I’d like to read it myself.” The vampire’s eye glittered with amusement.

“Oh?” Ashera looked up at me. We’d made it to the doors of our rooms and paused just outside. “I admit that I haven’t been able to start in on any of the books in the way I would like since assuming the throne.”

“You have an interesting selection,” I replied, narrowing my eyes on the now chuckling blood sucker.

Malachi came running up to us at that moment, Caspian reached over to open the doors so we could all make our way into the bedchamber. Mal clutched a bag and smiled at all of us as he sauntered over to the bed.

“What’s in the bag?” Ashera’s voice was laced with suspicion again.

“Come here.” Malachi placed his hand next to him on the bed. He released his own pheromones into the air, causing the succubus queen to moan in need. They weren’t as effective on the rest of us, it seemed, as Ashera’s were.

Entranced by the scent he was releasing, Ashera made her way over to the incubus, sitting delicately on the bed beside him. With movements too fast, even I couldn’t track him, Malachi had Ashera blindfolded with her arms held down on the bed above her. A wicked grin spread across his face, one that mirrored my own.

Trying to tug her hands out of Malachi’s grip, Ashera squirmed on the bed. “What’s going on?”

Caspian and Ambrose — both naked — moved to stand on either side of the bed. All three of my love’s other mates turned to look at me. I’d started this, so it seemed that I was the one now running the show.

“You trust us, don’t you, my love?” I asked as I moved onto the bed.

“Of course, I do.” Her reply came so swift and sure. I could feel a deeper desire rage through the four of us. Damn, but we’re lucky.

I pressed my finger against her mouth, and she instantly sucked on it, swirling her tongue teasingly around the digit. I groaned. “Then you’re going to be good and let us have our fun.”

Her breath hitched, and she nodded her head, my finger still in her mouth. My eyes trailed down her body, taking in her dress before I reached up and ripped it away. She gasped, her back arching off the bed. Caspian leaned in and removed the remaining fabric.

“You’re not going to know who is touching you. Whose cock you have inside you,” I rumbled.

“We’ll see about that,” she chuckled. But I only grinned at the others.

I quickly removed my clothes, getting off the bed as I did so. I nodded to Malachi, who quickly tied Ashera’s hands together before tying her to the bed. She tugged on the ropes, experimenting to see how far she could reach. He hadn’t given her much slack. Mal quickly divested himself of his clothing so we all stood naked around the bed, eyeing our lovely mate as she lay before us.

We didn’t want her to know when we were going to touch her. We simply wanted her to feel. I felt my dick jerk at the thought. The longer we went without touching her, the more she squirmed. We all watched as her breasts swayed enticingly with each movement of her body. Gods, she was stunning. I would happily give up my kingdom to remain by her side.

With a nod to Caspian and Ambrose, they leaned over, sliding their hands slowly, gently up Ashera’s legs. She gasped, instantly stilling under their touch. Their hands roamed the inside of her thighs, just glancing over her core before slowly moving back down her legs.

When they reached her ankles again, they both gripped one delicious joint and spread her open for us. Ashera bit her lip in excited expectation. But we all stilled, once again not moving, and making her wait for our touch. Malachi and I moved so we were kneeling at the end of the bed — not close enough to touch her, but close enough that we could easily slide between those lush thighs whenever we pleased.

Waiting a moment longer, Malachi then settled his face between her thighs, blowing gently on her already soaking pussy. She let out a soft squeak and tried to arch her hips off the bed, but the mates holding her legs placed their other hand firmly on her thighs to keep her in place. Malachi chuckled as she once again attempted to tug her hands free.

“Fucking touch me,” Ashera snarled, which had us all chuckling.

“We’ll touch you when we want, my love,” I growled. For this one moment, I was king in this bedroom. I ordered, and we were going to take her the way I wanted. And she was going to love every fucking second of it.

Ashera let out a frustrated snarl but stopped tugging on the rope. We all let out pleased rumbles. We knew she hadn’t given in that easily, biding her time until she could pounce, but we weren’t going to let her this time. We catered to our queen’s every need, she was our entire world and our reason for existing, but she needed to hand over control occasionally. And we were about to show her that.

Mal lurched forward when I gently tapped his thigh, latching his mouth onto Ashera’s clit and sliding two fingers roughly into her pussy. She flung her head back as she cried out. Mal didn’t hold back. He was almost vicious in his approach, which completely contradicted how Caspian and Ambrose had touched her.

Unlike how we usually operated, none of us were going to talk to her from here on out. A smirk crossed my face as I watched her thrash against the bed. It was almost as though she was trying to get away from the sensations Malachi was making her feel, but the fae and the vampire wouldn’t let her.

“Gods!” she screamed as she came. But Malachi didn’t stop, didn’t let her come down from her high. He was relentless, demanding she come around his fingers again.

I switched places with Caspian nodding for him to replace Malachi. Ashera was biting her lip to keep herself from crying out as she continued to come for Mal. The fae and incubus moved seamlessly. Caspian gave her pussy a quick lick that had her shuddering before he levered himself up and slammed himself inside her.

I could see the fae struggling not to make a sound as he started to pound into her. With a look at Ambrose, we pulled her legs wider apart while Mal moved in to tip her hips slightly.

She came again with a scream to the gods. Caspian came soon after, his hips roughly jerking against hers.

We all moved a step away from the bed. Ashera’s breath stuttered out of her as she once again pulled at her bonds.

“What the fuck was that?” she demanded as she continued to tug in vain.

None of us answered. I shot Ambrose a look, and he grinned in response, moving quickly between Ashera’s still spread thighs. With vampire speed, he thrust all the way into her. She moaned and tried to wrap her legs around Ambrose’s hips, but Mal and Caspian moved to hold her legs once again.

Ambrose moved so just the tip of his cock was quickly pistoning in and out of Ashera’s tight pussy. She whimpered and tried to move her hips to take more of him, but he continued to tease her, only fully thrusting into her as he came, keeping his hips flush against hers.

“Fucking tease!” she yelled. We all chuckled again.

Mal and I closed in on her, the other two easing back. I lifted her up so Malachi could slide onto the bed on his back as I flipped her, so she was straddling the incubus. I then leaned over to grab the bottle of lube from the nightstand.

Ashera was surprisingly still and quiet as we got ready. I looked over at Ambrose and Caspian, gesturing for them to get on either side of us and play with her body. They happily complied. Locking eyes with Mal, I lowered Ashera so that we entered her at the same time, both of us sliding in to the hilt.

She let out a ragged moan, her voice hoarse from screaming. We all paused for a long moment before the four of us burst into action. Malachi was thrusting vigorously under Ashera, while I was doing the same behind her. Caspian and Ambrose pinched her nipples and caressed any other skin they could get their hands on.

Ashera clenched down on both me and Malachi, and we both bit back groans. She was always so damn tight and fucking perfect. I nodded and we both upped our pace. Ashera couldn’t hold back her cries as we continued to slam ourselves into her body, unable to get enough of the feel of her.

She came twice more before Malachi, and I finally found our own releases. Mal kept his hips pressed against hers while my hips jerked against her tight ass. We all slipped away from her, leaving her on her back on the bed. We all quickly cleaned ourselves before I sent Caspian into the bathroom to get a bath started for our mate.

I leaned over Ashera and removed the blindfold first, her eyes blinking as they adjusted to the light. Her skin glowed and there was the beginning of a very satisfied grin tugging at her lips. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I quickly untied her from the bed, gently massaging her arms to ensure proper circulation returned to the limbs.

I could hear the other three males sliding into the giant tub that would — thankfully — hold all of us as I picked Ashera up off the bed. Settled in the hot scented water, Ashera groaned softly and tilted her head back against the rim of the tub.

“You are all more than welcome to do that again,” she stated in a husky whisper. “Any time.”

I grinned and shook my head while the others chuckled. “Believe it or not, birdbrain was the one who came up with the plan.” I shot Ambrose a glare. “He’d read it in a book.” His lips twitched when I punched him in the arm.

“Please feel free to explore any other ideas from this book.” My queen threw a quick grin at me. “I’m more than happy to explore any sexual fantasy you may have.”

Fuck. I was sure I wasn’t the only one hard again.