#4 Chosen by the Vampire Kings: BBW Romance (9 page)

“You
told him we are to be mated?”

“We
are not mated yet. There is one female and the two of us. Katar would never
have understood.”

“Fuck,”
Brant snarled. “You’re right. If you had refused, he would’ve seen it as an
insult. Get your ass here, we’ll discuss it then.” Brant sighed. “We’re in so
much shit.”

Zane
had to chuckle. “Tanya will not be happy.”

Brant
made a sound of agreement.

“Inform
her before I arrive with the princess. We’ll meet in the dining hall in ten.”

“You
want me to tell Tanya? You were the one that fucked up,” Brant whispered.

“You
would’ve done the same,” he growled.

“Fine.”
Brant ended the call. The princess continued to weep softly.

****

They’d
had a fantastic day together. Brant had taken her back to his tower and had
worshipped her body. First with his mouth and hands and then by making slow,
sweet love to her.

They’d
gone for a picnic on the grounds and had talked for hours. He’d had to take a
call at one point and then everything seemed to fall apart. He’d insisted Zane
was fine while they packed up and headed back to the castle. Zane had called a
meeting so they made their way to the dining hall.

Brant
had paced for a few minutes before finally telling her what had happened.

“The
elven king did what?”

Brant
took a deep breath, cleared his throat and spoke louder this time. “Katar gave
his daughter to Zane as a token of his allegiance.”

“Why
would he give…” Then the reason hit her, “…oh.”

“Didn’t
he explain that he’s already…taken?” Tanya asked.

Brant
shook his head. “The king is old school. All he knows is that there are two
kings and only one chosen, so therefore he has given his daughter. If Zane had
refused, it would’ve been seen as a major insult.”

“I
thought Zane couldn’t mate unless with a chosen female.”

“He
can mate, he just can’t have heirs.” Brant ran a hand through his hair and then
jammed his hands into his jean pockets. “He is not going to mate her so don’t
worry.”

This
was wrong on so many levels. Just then the door opened and a tiny woman walked
in, Zane followed close behind. She had to be at least one and a half heads
shorter than Tanya and at least four dress sizes smaller. The princess had big,
blue red rimmed eyes. Such a pretty little thing.

“This
is
Esral
,” Zane said avoiding eye contact with her.

“Why
has she been crying?”

“I
told her that I am not going to mate her.” Zane turned his gaze on Tanya.

The
elf female hiccupped rubbing a tear away with the back of her hand.

“Of
all the insensitive brutish things.” Tanya put her hands on her hips. The
princess cried harder. Damn these non-human men. “You are a bunch of boorish”—she
walked to the princess and put an arm around her shoulders—“bullish,
insensitive…”

Zane’s
brow furrowed. “Do you want me to mate her?”

Really?

Tanya
couldn’t help it when her finger pointed at the big vampire. “You did not just
say that, Zane.” She wagged her finger at him and he had the good grace to look
sheepish. “No, you will not bloody well mate with her. Unless you want to that
is.” Her eyes narrowed and her heart raced.

“I
said I did not. You are all I need.”

She
felt herself both soften to Zane’s words and anger as the princess’ shoulders
shook beneath her arm. “You are all a bunch of barbarians and should be ashamed
of yourselves.”

“This
isn’t our fault.” Brant moved in next to Zane.

“Not
your fault?” She paused clenching her teeth. “You vampires don’t hold a little
ceremony every century or so where you force young women from their homes,
their families, to mate with and raise your heirs?”

Brant
shuffled. Zane’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s
barbaric and wrong. The elven king gave you his freaking daughter. You have to
see that as wrong on some level as well. Females are not possessions to be shuffled
from one to the other, here to scratch an itch and raise your children. We have
feelings.”

“We
know that,” Brant said.

“Our
females are prized. The mating thing is to secure our partnership…” Zane
stopped when she narrowed her eyes on him. “You are right. We will relook over the
rules of the choosing ceremony.”

“I
want one of you to mate me. I can’t go back. I told you I will be seen as
defective to my people,” Esral sniffed.

“Who
brainwashed you into believing that load of bull?” Tanya shook her head. “You
are a beautiful and intelligent woman. You don’t need to mate with either of
these males. You don’t have to mate with anyone. You are free to choose.”

“No,
she isn’t,” Zane spoke softly. “She has to mate vampire royalty or her father
will see it as an insult and declare war.”

“You
can talk some sense into him,” she paused. “Better yet, let me meet him and
I’ll talk some sense into him.”

“Sense…”
Brant looked flustered. “Cenwein, you can’t talk sense into him. He won’t get
it. Age old beliefs and traditions will not fall away because you say so. I
hear you and I agree, but he’s not—”

“Call
him, set something up…”
Hang on just a minute
, she thought. “Unless you
want to mate her, Brant.”

He
pulled in a breath, his eyes wide. “No, that’s not what I meant. I thought I
made myself clear earlier when I said that you were the one for me…us,” he
quickly added.

She
held up a hand to stop him and ushered the elf female to a chair. “Sit.” The
princess sank into the soft fabric looking defeated. “Can I get you something
to drink?”

Esral
shook her head.

“Don’t
mind if I do,” Tanya said to herself. The freshly squeezed orange juice looked
so good. There was condensation on the glass jug. Rivulets of water ran down
the sides. Tanya poured a glass and downed the contents.

“I’m
not calling him,” Brant said.

“Please
don’t,” Esral pleaded.

“You
don’t need a man to complete you. You can stay here as long as you please.
Until you meet someone you want to be with that is.”

“You’d
allow me to stay?” Her voice was filled with awe. Her eyes held hope.

“Yes,
Esral. For as long as you need. We can be your new people.”

“Cenwein,
it would still mean war. Unless the princess mates with royalty…wait a minute.”
Brant laughed. “I have the solution. Why didn’t I think of it sooner? Xavier is
royalty.”

The
male stood by the door. “No freaking way,” he said as he shook his head.

“You
must. You are a prince and royalty so technically if you were to mate the
princess…”

Xavier
shook his head, his grey eyes darkened. “I’ve always been happy that I wasn’t
born as heir, because I wouldn’t have to be saddled with all the bullshit. I
have other plans and they don’t involve a mate.”

“You
are royalty and will do what is best for the people.” Brant’s even voice
brought chills to Tanya’s spine.

Xavier’s
mouth pulled into a thin white line.

“You
may be royalty but you are not a king. Katar says that she is stronger than she
looks. Although not as fertile as humans, the princess should get you young.”
Zane said.

“Did
you not hear a word I just said?” Tanya narrowed her eyes at Zane. She turned
to the princess. “Esral, it is your choice. You don’t have to mate him or any
other.” She swallowed, her mouth feeling dry. “You don’t have to have…young.
You can decide.”

“No,
she can’t.” Brant looked frustrated. “If she is not mated by vampire royalty it
will be considered an insult. According to Esral, the mating will need to take
place soon. No pressure.” He added looking at Xavier who had turned a lighter
shade of ghost.

Esral
shook her head. “I have to say that since hearing your female talk of having a
choice, I like the idea of being able to choose my own mate. The male doesn’t
even want me.” Esral looked at Xavier. Her lip wobbled. “I need time to think
about it.”

“That’s
not what you said to me when you were disrobing in the vehicle.”

“Disrobing?”
Both Tanya and Xavier said together.

Zane
threw up his hands. “I didn’t ask her to. I told her to stop.”

“I’m
sure you did,” Tanya narrowed her eyes at Zane.

“I’m
done talking. You mate her ASAP.” Zane pointed at Xavier and Esral in turn. He
strode towards Tanya picking her up in one easy move. Her breasts flattened
against his chest. “I may have to keep telling you over and over while we rut,
you are the only female for me.” The way his eyes heated told her his words
were true, except at that moment her eyes were pulled to the pulse at the base
of his neck.

Her
mouth felt dry.

So
thirsty.

She
licked her lips, feeling sharp little fangs instead of canines.
Holy shit.
Still carrying her, Zane moved towards the door in determined steps.

“You’d
better come with us.” Tanya met Brant’s eyes. “I need to tell you something
important.”  

Part
5: Red Lust is available now on
Pre
Order

Thank-you for
reading the fourth part of my vampire serial. I was so glad I wasn’t Tanya at
this point but also just a little bit jealous of her. Okay, you got me, I was a
lot jealous. Who doesn’t want two gorgeous males fighting over them?

 The serial
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