#4 Chosen by the Vampire Kings: BBW Romance (4 page)

He
squeezed. “She wasn’t a very good mother. Thankfully there were many females at
the coven to take care of me. She would spend days in her room. She cried
often. I can only ever remember her hugging me once. I fell and skinned my
knee. Even though it healed almost immediately, I cried. She comforted me while
telling me that life was unfair. It was the first and the last time it ever
happened. I saw her less and less and when I did, she had a vacant faraway
look. On my sixth birthday I was told that she had died.”

Tanya
gasped, “On your birthday?”

Zane
smiled humorlessly. “I only found out much later that she had taken her own
life. Cut her wrists in the bath. How cliché. Couldn’t even wait one more day.”

She
could see how much he hurt. “Look, Zane. I realize that by some sick twist of
fate that I also am not your first choice. I’m really sorry that she died the
way she did, and that your first choice died. That they both died…”
Shit
.
She was babbling, she took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry about…”

Zane
cupped her chin. “Be still, Ysnaar. You are nothing like those humans.”

Brant
cleared his throat about to say something it seemed. Tanya was just turning
toward him when Zane’s hand tightened on her chin. He moved forward and kissed
her. It wasn’t fumbly like before. His soft lips caressed hers for a brief
second before he slanted his head in the opposite direction. She made a sound
of frustration as he pulled away altogether.

“I
thought you liked to kiss, sweetness.” Zane whispered.

“I
do, but there’s more to it than that.”

He
looked confused. “Kissing is the touching of lips. Have I missed something?”

She
couldn’t help but to smile. “Kissing me like you just did was really great.”

“I
don’t see the problem then…” His eyebrows had drawn together.

“Let’s
use sex as an example.” She said watching his delectable lips form a sexy, half
smile. “A quick brush of the lips is great. It’s similar to rubbing your dick
along my slit. Feels good right?” His eyes turned a little hooded and he
nodded. “But not as good as thrusting into my pussy.”

He
rolled his eyes and covered his ridged shaft with his hand like he was about to
shoot off at any moment. “Careful, sweetness, I don’t have much control at the
moment and you’re still sore.”

“Yes,
I am. So no ideas.”

“I
still don’t understand what you’re—”

She
leaned in cutting his sentence off with her lips and tongue, which she swiped
across his lips. Thankfully he caught the hint and opened. He was a quick
learner and it wasn’t long before he took the lead groaning as their tongues
swirled together.

Zane
was panting when they finally broke apart. “Another human concept that I really
like and want to do often.” She was about to kiss him again when Zane tensed up
pulling her behind him. Brant jumped to his feet grabbing one of the swords
that Zane had discarded earlier.

Then
she heard the sound of footfalls. “It’s me.” The sound of Xavier’s voice
punctured the room. Two arrows jutted from his back and his face and torso were
covered in blood.

“Oh
my God,” she whispered.

“Do
not be alarmed, my queen. They are merely flesh wounds.” Xavier must’ve seen
the look of confusion on her face. “The arrow tips are not poisoned,” he added.

Zane
stood, donning a pair of pants. “Casualties?” he barked.

Xavier
blinked several times. It was as if he raged an internal war. “Only four when
we were taken by surprise. None of your men, although Lance is badly wounded.”
Xavier hung his head. “He may not make it.”

“What
the fuck happened?”

“Back
the fuck off.” Brant turned glowing eyes on Zane.

“What
happened?” She asked also needing to know.

“Stephany
was taken.” Xavier said, head still facing the ground.

“What
the fuck happened? Who took her? I’ll fucking kill them!” Brant raged.

Tanya
clasped his arm trying to give him a measure of comfort, but he brushed her
off.

“They
took Stephany, my lord. Lance was nearly killed trying to save her. As for the
rest of us, we had to choose between you”—He turned his head to look them each
in the eye. His teeth clenched as they landed on Zane—“or her. I would choose
the same way again if given the opportunity.”

“You
did the right thing,” Zane said.

“Oh
my God. How can you say that? Poor Stephany.” Tanya felt tears cascade down her
cheeks. She’d never cried so often in her whole life. Zane wrapped an arm
around her.

“We’ll
send a party after them right now,” Brant growled.

“Already
done. Vampires from both sides.” Xavier looked at them both in turn.

“Good.
If I leave right now,” Brant said taking a deep breath. “I’ll be able to catch
up to them.”

“No,
my lord. You need to stay with the queen.” He raised his eyebrows.

“Zane
can take care of her, I will find Stephany.” Brant strode down the tunnel and
within seconds it was too dark to see his retreating back.

Tanya
buried her head into Zane’s chest and cried. She felt guilty because although
most of her tears were for her vampire friend, some of them were for herself. Zane
thread his fingers into her hair.

“Why
did they take her?” she gasped. “You don’t think the alpha will mate with
Stephany do you?”

“Stephany
is already mated, so I highly doubt it.”

“It’s
not like her and Lance are truly together.” She sobbed harder.

“That
is true,” his deep voice rumbled through her.

“How
would the alpha even know that she was mated?”

“He
would scent it. Then again, Lance has not left his mark on her in many years.”

She
sobbed even harder.

“It
would be unwise to speculate. Wolves and vampires do not mix anyways, so I am
sure he has not taken her for that reason. We will soon know his intentions
though. Brant may just get her back before the wolf makes it back to the rest
of the pack and into shifter territory. Problem is, the bastards are fast and
really good at hiding their trail. Brant might get lucky though.”

At
the mention of Brant’s name, she clutched onto Zane hiccupping as her tears
came down faster.

“He
will get over himself.”

“No,
he won’t.”

“Sweetness…”
he caressed her back. “Look at me.”

She
shook her head, unable to stop the tears.

“Tanya.”

The
use if her real name had her pulling back. Red nose, snot and all.

“He
will get over himself. This is a big adjustment.”

“How
is it that you don’t mind? Don’t you care either way? Is this all about heirs
to you?”

His
eyes softened turning to melted, rich chocolate. “I care, Ysnaar. For whatever
reason, I don’t mind as much I thought I would. I enjoyed watching him rut with
you.”

She
gasped, “Really?”

Zane
nodded. “Yeah, really. Problem is that Brant doesn’t feel the same, so we’ll
need to keep things separate…It will work out in the end,” he shrugged.

It
made her feel hot remembering their earlier encounter. Especially now that she
knew Zane had enjoyed watching. A shiver raced through her and her pussy gave a
little throb of both need and soreness.

Zane
chuckled, the sound coming much easier than the first time he had laughed for
her. He sniffed in her direction. “You amaze me, female.”

She
giggled stopping as soon as she thought of Brant. “He can’t even look at me right
now, let alone…” She sniffed and bit her lip trying to hold back another wave
of tears.

“Like
I said, he’ll get over it and if not then it’s his loss.”

She
tried to smile even though half her heart felt like it was raw and bleeding.

Brant
strapped the last of the weapons to his back. A long samurai sword capable of
doing much damage. He pulled on a leather jacket and started running in the
direction that Stephany had been taken. He could scent the group of both covens’
best warriors on her trail.

It
was indeed a wolf that had her. Damn it to hell. He could smell its musty
animal scent. Wolves were much faster than elves. He picked up the pace some
more. Xavier’s breaths came in ragged pants next to him.

“Are
you sure you are sufficiently healed brother?” he glanced in Xavier’s
direction.

“Yes,
my lord. Yet, I think I should stay and protect your female. Hells, I think you
should stay with your female for far more important reasons.”

“We
have had this conversation.”

“She
is in heat, my lord.”

“I
had noticed. Zane will stay with her.” It almost physically hurt to say the
words.

“It
increases his chances of impregnating her each time they rut.”

“I
know that,” Brant ground out.

“For
the future of our coven, you should return.”

“She
can’t take it.”

“Tanya
is a strong human.” Xavier didn’t turn his head when he spoke.

“She
is an unmated human female. Next time will be different. Right now one of us is
too much for her. Let alone both.”

“There
may not be a next time, my lord.”

“If
she has Zane’s child,” he paused trying to compose himself. Brant shook his
head, “You know what? I do not believe that she will fall pregnant. Human women
are more fertile, yet it can still take months. If by some small chance she is
pregnant and the child is Zane’s”—It killed him to say the words—“I will make
sure that I impregnate her as soon as she is fertile again.”

“That
could be years.”

“I
am a patient man.” He pumped his fists, willing his legs to go faster.

“You
love her.”

“I
don’t know, maybe.”

“You
fucking love her.”

Brant
rolled his eyes, “Yes. I do.”

“Fucking
kill me if I ever fall in love.”

 Brant
turned to face his brother, slowing down for a few beats. “I will.” He laughed.
“It isn’t what I thought it would be. Not at all what I expected.”

“Three’s
a crowd and all that.”

“Yeah.
It’s weird though. I hate Zane, yet I am turned on when I have to watch them
fuck even though I detest that another male is touching my female. It’s a
nightmare.”

“Too
much information brother.” Xavier held up a hand.

“I
need help with this. I don’t have much experience in this type of situation.”

“Fine.”

“He’s
not as bad as what I thought. I think he really cares for Tanya. Might even
love her.”

Xavier
tripped. “You’re shitting me.”

Brant
slowed down while his brother regained his footing. “I hate sharing her. It
kills me, but at the same time I am turned on by watching them. What the hell
is wrong with me?”

“I
don’t have the answer. I have shared a few females before but none I felt
strongly about. If it helps any, I enjoyed watching them being fucked too. It
is an erotic sight, like a live action porno. One of the biggest perks about
going second is a fully lubed pussy.”

Brant
choked out a laugh. “Really? Who’s giving too much information now?” They
jogged in silence for a few beats. “You’ve never felt anything more for a
female?”

“No.
I’ve liked a few and lusted after many, but nothing a good rut wouldn’t cure.”
Xavier turned his grey eyes on him.

“You’re
lucky brother. Love sucks.” He sighed. They continued along the trail, the
scent of their comrades growing stronger with each footfall.

Damn
it all to hell, he may’ve been turned on watching them rut but he had hated
watching them kiss. The sight had been enough to bring his blood to a boiling
point. If Xavier hadn’t arrived when he had, Brant would’ve intervened and
would only have been satisfied once Zane’s lips were smashed to a bloody pulp.

Even
though his fists still itched to punch the bastard, he felt a pang of guilt at
not setting the record straight about Zane wanting to choose Tanya at the
ceremony. He had been about to rectify the situation when their female had
started the whole kissing thing.

Their
female.

The
need to hit something returned, so he picked up the pace.

Right
now he had to focus on the task at hand. There was no doubt in his mind that
Stephany would survive this, but the sooner he had her back the better. He had
grown up with the female, she was an important part of his royal staff and
Tanya had grown to like her. By blood, he considered her to be a close friend.

Brant
spotted the team of males converged ahead at the banks of Sweetwater River. As
he ran towards them a ridiculous image hit him, so out of place at that moment that
it had him stumbling for a micro second. He pictured Zane and Tanya rutting.
Not being there drove him insane, he used the image to push himself faster and
to fuel his resolve to bring Stephany back.