Fuck, oh fuck.
Tanya had to try and get away. As soon as it was dark she’d escape.
“Damage,” she choked out the word. “What do you mean by damage?”
“I’ve said too much already, I will draw a lavender bath.” She turned and disappeared through a door. Tanya followed. It turned out to be a huge restroom complete with a jacuzzi bath. Stephany turned the faucets. “Relax. Freshen up. I’ll send for Alexandra to massage and dress you.”
“Relax?” As if. “I still don’t understand. Why does he need to mate with a human in the first place? I’m sure they could have their pick of vampire females that could handle them.”
Stephany shook her head, her face clouded. “Although on the rare occasion, it is possible for vampires to breed with one another, our wombs will not quicken with royal seed. The whole turn a human into a vampire myth is just that, a myth.”
What the…heck? “Are you trying to tell me that they are taking mates to bare their children?”
“Their heirs. It is imperative that the bloodlines continue, this is for the safety of the covens. The shifters…or the elven-kind would exterminate our species in years to come otherwise. If the kings do not take human females then the royal lines would die out. With the lack of dominant royal blood to rule, our species would become extinct. The covens would eventually implode.”
Her fate, it seemed, was sealed. If she somehow managed to survive the mating, she would end up barefoot and pregnant. Locked away in this beautiful prison.
No freaking way.
Chapter 3
Tanya’s heart pounded in her chest. “Where is he?” That vampire king needed a piece of her mind. She turned and strode out of the restroom, through the bedroom and into the hall.
“You need your rest. Brant is…busy. He wouldn’t want to be disturbed.”
“Well tough luck for him.” She kept moving, glancing into each of the rooms as she passed them. Decadence personified, but she would not allow herself to get drawn in by all of this. She wasn’t some kind of baby making machine and neither was she a pin cushion. If he thought that she would just agree then he was mad.
None of the rooms were occupied so she made for the stairs. The reception, living area and kitchen were all empty. Maybe the second wing. To the right was the twin, marble staircase.
“Please don’t. He’ll be mad.”
Great. She was getting warmer. Tanya made quick work of the stairs and strode down the hall. There was a definite noise, just ahead, to the left.
Not just a noise, it had been a gasp. Distinctly female.
Tanya rounded the corner. There were two people on the bed. Tanya clasped the doorjamb when she realized that the man was Brant. His big stature, broad back, dark hair. Definitely him. His shirt was off. The woman beneath him was in jeans and a bra, her breasts heaved. His face was at her neck. The woman moaned.
Her first instinct was to creep back out. To walk away. But hell…he had brought her here. Had chosen her as his future mate, yet here he was…drinking from another woman. The woman in question moaned again. It sounded like she was halfway to an orgasm. Her slender fingers slid around his neck as her hand tightened on his bicep.
“No fucking way.” Tanya was grateful that her voice sounded just as angry as she felt. His head spun. His dark eyes widened as they landed on her. In one graceful motion, he leapt, coming to a crouching halt in front of her. Blood on his lips, fangs extended. Brant pulled himself to his full height.
His massive chest had a smattering of hair. His biceps bulged as his hands pulled into fists. If it weren’t for the half naked woman on the bed behind him, she’d have found him attractive. Much to her irritation her body reacted to him even though he was a grade A asshole.
“Leave,” his voice sent fearful shivers rushing through her.
She took a tentative step back.
“Not you.”
There was a distinct sound of rustling as the woman got up and gathered her top. Instead of leaving, she stepped in next to Brant. Blood dripped from the two holes on her neck. Leaving no room for error on what they had been doing, or more precisely what he had been doing to her. Although Tanya had no rights over this man, she burned with anger. Jealous over a stranger. Frustrated because he held all the cards.
The vampire female was tall. So far that seemed a prerequisite. She was slim with perky breasts. Perfectly straight shoulder length hair encased a startlingly attractive face. The woman slid her eyes down the length of Tanya’s body. A smirk quickly took residence on her face.
“I see you chose a robust specimen.”
Brant growled. Tanya seethed inside. Just her luck to be chosen by a species where all the women were toned and athletic. A few extra pounds was hardly something to be concerned with. Her doctor had assured her that she was perfectly within a healthy range.