Blood Crown

We stood in front of a nondescript door inside the basement of an old, abandoned mineral processing factory in Masas. Knowing what was happening behind it turned my stomach. Ashera was in there, being tortured within an inch of her life. My little queen. My mate. If I had wings, I would’ve fucking flown into the dungeon where she was been held. But I didn’t, so I would have to settle for dramatics. Especially after being carried here by Malachi. Not only did I have to save my mate, but I also needed to assert some dominance.

My subjects didn’t have a healthy dose of fear for the royal family — me in particular — for nothing. I didn’t glance back at Malachi or the feathered fuck — I was apparently stuck with both of them now. Instead, I kept my gaze forward, focused on my little queen and every single asshole who stood in between us. With all the power and rage in my body, I kicked the door open — roaring as I did so.

Mine. And they would fucking regret ever taking her.

My vision was a blur as I raced inside, but the shocked faces of my supposed people would remain with me. Especially since that expression stayed frozen on their faces, as I ripped the heads off their bodies. Men, women, it made no difference to me. They had dared to touch what was mine. It was an instant death sentence.

I was born into a world of violence — a kingdom where human flesh was worth less than a sack of produce. I was the prince of blood, the king of night. The slick blood that coated the floor as I ripped the limbs off Ashera’s captors was merely a price to pay, and I’d pay it gladly. But the memories of Ashera’s injuries as she stood up for what she believed in, for protecting innocent children…that was spilled blood I refused to accept. So I made my way through the room to her, snapping bones, and ripping skin with my teeth. None of these vampires deserved to live. Even becoming slaves was too good for them. Death was the only justice for what had been done here today.

I stood at the far end of the room — in front of a door that was locked with a heavy chain — trying to catch my breath. I cracked my neck, running my bloody fingers through my hair to achieve some semblance of decorum before I turned around to admire my handy work.

I had painted the room a mix of bright and dark red, and the bodies of ten or so vamps laid strewn in various positions. Some had all their limbs attached. Some didn’t. And back at the entrance stood Malachi and Jacobi. The feathered fuck looked taken aback, but Malachi actually looked impressed.

“Well, princess. Looks like you might actually care more than you let on.” Malachi grinned at me, and I wanted to punch that smirk right off his fucking face. I would fuck his face up later for calling me princess.

A low, tortured moan drifted through the door in front of me, and all three of us froze before slowly, canting our heads in that direction. Ashera. The beast within me roared at the sound of our wounded mate. My blood lust rose even higher.

I grabbed hold of the chain around the door and with a quick yank, pulled it free. I slammed my foot against the door, and it flew off its hinges into the dimly lit room. My head tilted as I took in the scene before me — a predator watching its prey.

Ashera lay in the middle of a large group of vampires. Even though we’d gotten here as quickly as possible once I realized where these morons were holding her, they’d still been able to do quite a bit more damage. She was bruised, bleeding, and desperately in need of power. I could see the tremble in her limbs from here as she strained to remain conscious. A low rumble rose in my chest, and every vampire in the room froze in fear. They knew the better, stronger, predator had arrived. I was the alpha male, and they were going to be sorry they ever fucked with what was mine.

I sauntered into the room, allowing my rage to build to savage levels within me. I took a deep breath, and when I spoke my voice was surprisingly calm. “Imagine my surprise when I saw that vampires had taken a royal.”

The vampires shifted uneasily as I continued forward. “Imagine my further surprise that these vampires suggested to the world that I was somehow responsible for the kidnapping and torture of a royal.”

“M-my lord,” the vampire who’d been orchestrating this whole thing whimpered. “S-she is a woman. Sh-she f-freed her slaves. Sh-sh-she must be dealt with.”

“And who are you to deal with her?” My roar had all the vampires falling to their knees.

I finally stood in front of Ashera. My mate. She had propped herself up on her arm and was now tilting her head up to look at me. I clenched my hands at my sides. She was covered almost entirely in her own blood. She’d been whipped, stabbed, burned, and beaten. And yet the fire that had always been present in her eyes still burned bright.

I knelt in front of her and lightly placed a hand on her cheek. To my awe, she turned her head into my hand. I could feel the connection running between us, what had always been there flared bright.

“Ambrose,” she murmured. My heart clenched, and I could no longer contain my rage. I no longer wanted to contain my rage.

“Malachi. Jacobi.” My voice was a low snarl, but I knew they heard me. “Remove her collar and feed her.”

The vampire who’d been torturing my mate protested. I shot to my feet in a blink and watched as he collapsed to the ground, his still-beating heart in my hand. I sank my fangs into it, quickly draining it of all the blood it possessed. That was all it took to unleash my beast.

I closed my eyes, feeling the power rush to every cell in my body. Everything in the small, dank room was very clear to me. Vampires didn’t typically drink the blood of one of their own. That was for a very specific reason. The aftermath usually wasn’t pretty. Bloodlust could easily take hold and never release its grip on the vampire in question. I had to stay in control though. For her.

Ashera’s sigh of relief woke me from my trance, and my eyes sprang open to size up the remaining vampires in the room. Elites. Friends of my father’s. Noblemen. And not one of them deserved a quick death for what they had done to my little queen.

“Did you really think this would end well for you?” I growled, stalking closer to the vampires. They shrank away in fear. The bravado they had demonstrated while torturing Ashera was gone. They knew this was the end for them, and there was no changing my mind.

I approached the first — an older vamp I had known since I was a child. I stroked his cheek with my blood-soaked hand, leaving a bright red streak behind. “Did you think I would praise you for this?”

“Ple..please. My lord. My family,” he begged, looking anywhere except at me.

“Look at me when I am speaking to you!” I roared, and his nervous gaze locked onto mine. My voice dropped to a deadly whisper. “That woman you have been torturing is my family.” I snapped my hand out, ripping his arm clean off and throwing it to the ground with a sickening, squelching thunk.

He screamed, the other vampires looking away as he clutched his remaining arm to try and staunch the blood loss.

“I told you to look at me!” His gaze wouldn’t meet mine. I growled and gave his neck a quick snap, leaving him slumped in a pool of his own blood. I had killed him far too quickly, but there were so many more who needed to be punished.

The next vamp in line had never been a favorite of mine, a piddly bootlicker of my father’s. I slit his throat efficiently with the obsidian blade I kept in my boot. I couldn’t deny it — my cock hardened eagerly as I listened to the sounds of him choking on his own blood. I’d always been a sick sonofabitch who needed a rough fucking after a good killing spree.

I could feel Ashera behind me, stronger after feeding. But the remaining vampires in this room still needed to pay. The spilling of blood demanded a high price be paid in return. Three more remained, and the fury was still blazing hot within my soul. I wanted to tear them limb from limb and burn the bodies, but I also needed answers. I needed to stay in control of the beast inside of me until I had them. I paced in front of them, lazily twirling my knife on my finger. “One of you will tell me who you work for. And the one who does gets to go home at the end of this.”

The oldest spit at my boots. “If you think I’ll ever bow down before that human-loving whore, you’re sorely mistaken. King Tomas would be disgus-” With a quick flick of my wrist, I flung the knife to pierce one of the old vampire’s blood-red eyes. He screeched and fell to the ground.

I kneeled over him. “You will not speak of my queen that way.” Slowly I dug the knife in deeper until I knew the tip had reached his brain, not deep enough to instantly kill him, but the wound was certainly fatal. He could suffer with the other asshole.

I stood back up, dusting off my pants. “Which one of you will tell me who you work for?” A dark-haired idiot kept nervously glancing at his dying comrades as they rolled on the floor in agony next to him. “Pay them no mind, it’s no different than what you did to Ashera,” I commanded. But he couldn’t keep his eyes off them, and I sighed, stepping forward to snap his neck.

I turned to the final man — the youngest of the group. Ramon, his name was. One of the noblemen I had grown up with and trained with. “Ramon. Tell me who you work for, and you can go home.”

Ramon met my gaze boldly. “Shaytan will fall. If you aren’t careful, you’ll fall with it.”

Control. I needed to stay in control. A growl built low in my chest. “Ramon. I’ll give you one more chance.” I stepped closer, pressing my knife to the delicate skin of his neck.

Ramon didn’t look away and narrowed his eyes at me. “Humans are a disgrace to walk our great land. And your queen,” — he glanced behind me at Ashera as he spat the word — “your queen deserves everything that’s coming for her.”

I wanted to kill him. I really wanted to kill him. I could hear the blood pumping in my veins, every cell screaming to slay him where he stood. But I stepped back, turning to where Ashera still kneeled. I crouched in front of her, offering her the knife. “Ramon is right about one thing, little queen. You deserve everything coming to you. Including killing him in whichever way you see fit.”

Ashera met my gaze, weakened and bruised, but a fire still burned in her green eyes. She gave me a knowing smile — a simple twist of her full lips and got to her feet. I stood as well, brushing off my pants. “You can make it last as long as you want, Ashera.” I wanted Ramon to suffer for the disgusting things he had said about her. I wanted to hear him scream for mercy.

Ashera stepped up to where Ramon stood, still unwavering and defiant. He didn’t attempt to beg for his life. He knew this was the end for him. I wondered how long she would draw it out for. Ashera turned my knife in her hand, feeling the sharpness along her finger. And then she swiftly, and efficiently severed his neck from his body. She turned around to look at the three of us, giving us a casual shrug. “He didn’t deserve to live a moment longer.”

I was certain my jaw hit the floor — surprise and lust warred within me. Behind me, Jacobi was also silent. Malachi, however, was laughing. “That’s my girl,” he praised. Ashera rewarded him with a blinding smile.

Now that the immediate threat was over, exhaustion weighed heavy on my bones — the knowledge that my people weren’t who I thought they were ate at me. I sank to my knees. For the first time since Ashera had been kidnapped, I felt like I could breathe. I felt a gentle hand rest on my shoulder, and I sank into the touch, away from the bodies strewn around us.

“It’s okay, Ambrose,” Ashera whispered, her spirit bright even through her bruised body. “It’s okay.”

* * *

Ashera

“It’s okay,” I whispered again, resting my hand on his face like he had done to me as I laid in chains. “I’m okay.”

Ambrose looked up at me, and for once I didn’t see the cocky, self-assured vampire. I saw a broken man, one who had gone to hell and back just as he’d promised. I leaned in and kissed him softly.

He groaned, deepening the kiss as he wrapped his hands around me, still slick with the blood of the vampires he had slaughtered. He had killed his own people. For me.

If I had doubted the mate bond before, I no longer had those doubts. Everything he had done for me today, everything he had sacrificed…

Ambrose moaned, and the hard length of his erection pressed against my naked thigh. I could feel his desperation in his kiss, his desire, his need to possess. I could feel it all because I felt it too. I could feel Jacobi’s and Mal’s emotions flooding my veins as well, igniting all my senses. These vampires had battered my body, but they hadn’t shattered my mind. These men — my men — their minds had been tortured imagining the worst. We needed to heal before we took on the resistance, and we needed to do that together.

I opened my mouth, letting my vampire’s tongue dart in and swirl around my own. A gasp escaped me, and Ambrose broke our embrace. When he glanced at me, his eyes were dark with lust. “Oh, my little queen,” he breathed. “You’re in so much trouble. If you had just let me into your room none of this would’ve happened. You won’t be able to walk by the time I’m done with you. Your feathered king will have to carry you home.”

Jacobi made a noise of discontent behind me, and I heard him mutter to Malachi under his breath. “Are you seriously going to let the vampire prick do this right now?”

Malachi chuckled — a dark sound that sent a shock of desire straight to my core. “I think Princess Ambrose has earned it at this point.”

Ambrose growled, biting and licking his way down my neck. He slid his fingers between my legs. “I’ll show you fucking Princess Ambrose. You two watch while I show you how a real man fucks a succubus queen.”

He tweaked my nipple with his fingers, stroking my wet folds with his other hand. I wasn’t surprised to find myself already soaked with desire for him. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t deny the attraction I had to my dark prince and seeing him kill relentlessly like that to save me… it was the biggest turn-on. His lips and fingers had me a panting mess in no time at all, leaving me begging. “More.”

“On your hands and knees for me, little queen,” Ambrose demanded.

I sank to the floor eagerly, not paying any mind to the blood pooling around us. It was a real disappointment that the blood was wasted, and I couldn’t use it for a bath. Most of it was probably mine anyway. No matter. We’d all make them pay, and I was sure there’d be more blood for my store before this was finished.

Ambrose dropped to his knees behind me and slid his finger into my wet pussy. I moaned at the sudden intrusion, but it wasn’t enough. “Spread your legs wider.” I did what he asked without question, my knee slipping in the blood I was resting on.

He took his finger away, and I whipped my head back to look at him. “Are you going to fuck me, or are you going to tease me?”

Ambrose laughed, unbuttoning his pants, and stripping off his shirt to display his impressively carved stomach. He leisurely stroked his cock, slipping it between my legs. “I never said I was going to make it easy.”

He slapped my ass as hard as he could, the smack ringing in the small room. I cried out, but before I had time to register the pain, he slammed his dick inside of me. My cry of pain turned into one of pleasure, feeling whole once more. Ambrose started a punishing pace, only slowing occasionally to smack my ass — hard. The room slipped away, the punishments disappeared as I focused on Ambrose and the way he moved inside of me. The connection we had was real, and the sexual energy between us gave me enough energy to help me heal. I could feel Malachi and Jacobi’s desire as they watched Ambrose fuck me, and it only added to the overwhelming sensation building inside of me.

I needed a release — I was so close to orgasm — until Ambrose pulled out suddenly, leaning over my back to whisper in my ear. “I asked you once before, little queen, and I’ll ask you again. Who is your master? Who can make you come like no other?”

I moaned, arching my back, and pressing against him as my need soared. “Not until I have my answer, Ashera. You’ve made me ache, made me wait for you. Now, who owns you, body and soul?”

I wouldn’t cave. Couldn’t cave. Before I could protest, he dragged a finger down my back, and I curved my spine to meet his touch. “Because I’ll tell you a secret, mate. You’ve been my master since that first moment I saw you in the throne room.”

I felt the bond sink into place with the confession, both of us acknowledging what had always been there. “Ambrose. Fuck me. Please,” I begged, craving him inside of me.

“Say it, Ashera. Say the words,” he hissed, and I felt his cock ease inside of me, but not nearly enough to satisfy me. “Say it, and I’ll give you what you need.”

“I’m yours!” I screamed, and he sank to the hilt. It was all I needed, and I shattered around his cock, calling out his name. The back of my neck burned, and I knew the mate bond was solidifying between all four of us as my vampire joined our group. Ambrose stroked my back, brushing my hair over my shoulder as he continued to thrust, prolonging my orgasm. When he slowed to a stop, I sighed — my hands and knees trembling as my body came back down.

“Fuck, that’s beautiful.” Ambrose pushed my hair over my shoulder before running his finger over the mark.

“What is it?” I whispered, knowing he was admiring his mate mark as he once again moved inside of me.

“An ankh.” I smiled. It was the perfect representation for my vampire mate — life. I relaxed into his touch, comfortable in the knowledge that we were one.

“Feathered Fuck,” Ambrose called softly.

“I have a name,” Jacobi responded with annoyance.

“Whatever. I can feel how badly you want her. Get over here and fuck her mouth. Show her what happens when she doesn’t listen to her mates.” His voice was filled with wicked amusement. I shuddered, suddenly far more alert and aroused than I’d been moments ago despite having had a mind-numbing orgasm.

Jacobi mumbled something I couldn’t hear before he was down on his knees in front of me, his cock already out and deliciously hard. Malachi’s footsteps drifted closer, but he didn’t come down to play just yet. It seemed he was willing to let Ambrose lead for the time being. Something had definitely shifted between them while I was gone.

Jacobi fisted his hand tightly in my hair, a low growl rumbled up his chest. “Don’t you ever do something like that again.” The emotional strain in his voice had tears welling in my eyes. “Now suck my cock and show me how sorry you are.”

My gaze darted up to meet his. Where did that come from? Wherever it came from, it was fucking hot. I clenched around Ambrose — who let out a soft groan — before I leaned in to lick the tip of Jacobi’s cock. I moaned at the taste of him, salty and sweet and oh so heavenly. I lapped at him, wanting to tease him the way Ambrose had teased me.

Ambrose brought his hand down on my ass. “He said suck his cock, little queen.” His voice was low and deadly, and I clenched around him again. “Don’t squeeze my cock, suck the feathered king.”

Jacobi tightened his hand in my hair, pulling my face closer. My gaze dropped to his cock as I wrapped my lips around the tip, sucking hard.

“Gods!” Jacobi shuddered. Ambrose rewarded me with a hard thrust, which forced my mouth down further on Jacobi. My angel used his hand to guide me further down his shaft until he was fully seated in my mouth. I swallowed around him, and he cried out his pleasure as he tilted his head back.

I wanted a portrait of that moment. His wings spread wide; his head arched back in ecstasy. He was stunning. And mine.

“Let me show you.” Malachi’s voice was suddenly right in my ear as he placed his hands over Jacobi’s in my hair. He slid me off the king’s cock, keeping just the tip in my mouth before saying, “Now fuck it like you would her delicious little pussy.”

Jacobi’s head snapped up and our eyes locked as he thrust against my face. I moaned low in the back of my throat, and he bit off a curse, never once stopping. Ambrose started a leisurely pace behind me, every now and then thrusting hard enough to slide me hard down Jacobi’s cock as he thrust inside my mouth.

“Princess.” Malachi’s deep tenor sent shivers down my spine. “I believe you threw an epic tantrum once you’d learned the angel king here had fucked that tight little ass before you. Since you did all the work tonight, I’m willing to let you claim it right now without a fight. So I’ll ask you, do you want to remain buried in her dripping pussy? Or do you want to fuck her ass?”

Jacobi stopped thrusting, holding me against his cock. Ambrose pulled out almost immediately and instructed Malachi to get on his back under me.

Almost as though they’d been doing this for ages, Jacobi and Malachi moved my body in a way so my mouth never once left the throbbing cock it was wrapped around as my assassin settled himself beneath me. As they lowered my body back down, Mal viciously thrust up into me, causing me to cry out around Jacobi.

Gods, all three of them. I was fully healed by the time Ambrose and I completed our mate bond. All of this extra sexual energy had me humming with power and flooded me with a savage, primal need.

Ambrose’s slick hand spread the cheeks of my ass as he inserted one, and then a second finger, working me in time with Malachi and Jacobi’s thrusts into my body. I could feel my eyes start to roll into the back of my head when the vampire replaced his fingers with his cock. He slid in with one smooth thrust, and I shattered again.

And then again when Jacobi opened his gift to all of us, causing my other two mates to bite back curses, flooding us all with the pleasure the others were feeling. It was like I couldn’t stop coming. I might actually pass out.

Malachi brought his hands up to play with my nipples as all three of them started thrusting, and Ambrose trailed his fingers down to play with my clit.

I am absolutely going to pass out.

With Jacobi’s gift open, I hadn’t had the chance to come down from the high of one orgasm before being thrown into the next. The sensations didn’t stop as they continued to use my body to find their own releases.

“Holy fuck,” Malachi cursed. “I think she’s trying to strangle my cock.”

“I’m never letting either of you have her ass,” Ambrose moaned. “I will literally kill you both first.”

“Gods, her mouth. It’s almost like she wants to suck my very soul from my body.” Jacobi shuddered. His release set off the other two.

Three sets of roars had my ears ringing as their hips all jerked against me, emptying themselves into me. I couldn’t hold myself up, my bones turned to jelly from the continuous orgasm I just experienced. We all collapsed into a sated heap, limbs tangled, hearts beating wildly, and satisfied sighs and groans ringing out.

“My chest hurts,” Ambrose complained.

“Shut the fuck up,” Malachi grunted. Seriously. Couldn’t they get along for two fucking seconds?

“No, I’m fucking serious. It’s burning.”

I rolled my eyes. “Come here princess. I’ll kiss it better.” Ambrose rolled over to glare at me, and as soon as I saw his chest, I couldn’t control my laughter.

Malachi saw what I was laughing at and quickly joined in.

“What the fuck is so funny?” Ambrose looked absolutely livid. I really shouldn’t push him. Not after the day he’d had. But I couldn’t help myself.

“Your chest,” I gasped in between laughter. “My mark.” I couldn’t get the words out without collapsing again.

Ambrose’s gaze darted down to his chest — broad and deliciously muscular — now covered in a large tattoo of a crown. His eyes narrowed, and he glared at me again. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. It’s covering my entire fucking chest!”

I stopped laughing for a moment. A sense of possessive pride filled me. “I know. Isn’t it great?”

Ambrose huffed. “You’ll pay for this one, Ashera. And don’t you fucking start, you feathered fuck!” He turned to point at Jacobi, who was trying to hide his smirk behind his hand.

“Come on,” I purred, dropping my voice, and allowing my hungry gaze to slide over every inch of his chest, making it damn clear what I thought of the marking. “Don’t you think it’s kind of sexy? I mean, now everyone will know you’re my mate.”

Ambrose stopped for a moment, considering. “Everyone will know you’re mine…” He leaned over me again, kissing me hard enough to take my breath away. He pulled back, looking at me seriously. “You’re mine. And don’t you fucking forget it.”

I pushed him off me, rising to my feet. “Time to stop thinking with your dick, and for us to start tracking down whoever is running this resistance. Please tell me one of you thought to bring me clothes?”

The three of them looked at each other, and then back at me. “Why am I not fucking surprised?” I muttered. “Get dressed. I’ll deal with this.”

I made my way back into the front room, grimacing at the mess Ambrose had left behind. I scoured through the bodies before I found a woman about the same size as me and stripped her of her dress. She wouldn’t need it anymore. I pulled the loose-fitting garment over my head. Not my style, but it would do to get me home at least. “Are you guys ready, or are you in there jerking each other off?” I called, crossing my arms impatiently.

Malachi exited first, his dark energy making me smile. My incubus was all snarls and fighting leathers, but so loving. Toward me at least. Jacobi trailed close behind him, offering me a sweet smile as he shook out his bright wings. Last but not least, Ambrose sauntered out the door — a glare firmly in place, pants and shoes on, but no shirt in sight as he proudly showed off the giant crown he was so pissed about only moments before.

I shook my head at them, love making my heart swell for these wonderful creatures who hadn’t given up on me. My men. My mates.