Darkest Prince (10 page)

H
is teeth gently skimmed my neck as he planted several kisses along the length of it. “I studied you whilst you slept. It was then that I knew I needed you in my very long life. I have lived for a long time, I’ve come across people that have caught my eye, but none have ever made me want to keep them. That is, until I met you.” Dario’s fingers skimmed over my shoulders and down my arms until his fingers twined with mine. He folded our arms across my waist and began a slow seduction on my neck with his lips and teeth.

A lot had changed since that first visit to the castle. I was no longer a hunter. I was
a trained assassin that was now using her vampire skills to bring down the hunters. I was also Dario’s Consort, a position that had bought bile to my throat at the thought of it and I had hid away rather than take my place at his side, but now – now I felt as though I belonged. How could seeing a picture that he had obviously taken his time to perfect, time to give each stroke of the brush the ability to bring me to life on a canvas make me feel as though I truly belonged to him? It was crazy to feel this way wasn’t it?

Dario spun me around so I faced him
. The intensity of his eyes told me he had been picking up on my feelings, maybe even hearing my thoughts. “Our paths crossed and I’m eternally grateful that they did.” I was about to remind him that if I hadn’t had one to many glasses of whisky then our meeting and paths crossing would’ve been a bit one sided. He wouldn’t have known I was stalking him or that he had made it to the hunter’s shit list and that I was hired to kill him, but decided that it was probably better not to drag it up now.

Dario
kissed my forehead and said, “In answer to your unasked question, no, I did not record you when I brought you to the castle, but if you are open to new experiences then I will set the camera up.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me and then his face became serious again. “I want us to announce our joining in the traditional way of our people Shyla – I wish for the King to witness our marriage and welcome you to the DeLuise family.”

My mouth became dry as I fought the sudden panic that was rising in me.
We’d already done the blood binding bit, Dario had sired me and I was his Consort, I knew nothing of marriage or happy ever afters, and let’s face it, being a vampire meant that there would be a certain longevity in the whole being together part.

It was time to think fast. “Dario, I don’t think we should rush into anything too hasty, I mean, it’s one thing being sired to you but to actually marry you? That’s for humans not the likes of me.”

Dario frowned a little and held a finger up to my lips silencing me. “You are a vampire now Shyla, a Royal Vampire by decree. This is the reason for the Kings visit. It is his duty to honour and welcome you and bring forth your fertility.”

Bring forth my fertility? What the hell was he talking about?

Dario’s hands caressed my stomach as though I was already carrying his child. I wasn’t sure what bringing forth my fertility actually involved and I wasn’t particularly looking forward to having it explained to me. Dario held me close, his voice a deep whisper in my ear. “Fear not my sweet Consort, the King will recite an ancient fertility incantation and you shall hold the power to conceive our first child whenever you wish.”

“Is this how your Father was able to conceive so many children with different erm… wives?”

Dario was thoughtful for a moment and finally gave a small shrug of his shoulders, “If it was that simple then we would have more children. I have no doubt that the incantation was altered for my Father to produce three sons, but even witches have been unable to perform the same miracle.”

I could sense Dario’s
sadness; it was always the same when he thought about his brothers or in particular Demetrio and his son Carlos. I wrapped my arm around him and looked up, “Maybe there was no witchy hocus pocus in the conception of three sons Dario, maybe it was as simple as your Father really loving three different women.” I’m not sure why I said it, maybe it was because it sat better with me than the idea of some witchery magic letting me be a vessel for the birth of a royal vampire. As soon as the thought crashed through my brain I knew Dario had heard. I saw him cringe before his hands found their way into my hair. He gently tugged, tipping my face up so he could see me.

“
I hope that you come to your senses soon and realise that you mean so much more to me then a walking incubator or just someone that I randomly picked to be my wife. Tell me what I have to do to convince you Shyla.”

I knew deep down that he thought a lot more of me than that. Perhaps the problem wasn’t with
him; perhaps it was my problem to work out. “I’m not ready to think about our relationship in that way. I guess the idea of making it official is making me cranky.”

“I
have been without you for too long. I’m trying to make you love me but with everything spinning out of control with the hunters, I fear I may lose you again before you have given me a chance to prove myself as worthy of your love.” Dario held me against his chest and I felt him stiffen. “Would you rather not have Marco perform the incantation? If the idea of us having a child is so abhorrent to you at the moment then it can wait until you are ready to fully commit yourself to me.”

It wasn’t like I had a choice in committing to him.
“You said that I had the power to decide when I conceive. How is that possible?” My interest was piqued; this certainly wasn’t in my 101 hunter training manual.

“When the King recites the incantation,
your body will respond and the final words used to complete the casting of the spell, and they will be imprinted in your mind, you are the only one who knows the words to complete the spell, that way no-one can influence you to complete the incantation before you are ready. When your heart desires a baby, the magical intent of the spell will be unleashed, you will complete the spell. I must warn you that once you utter the final part of the incantation, there is no going back on it. I will make love to you, claiming you, making you mine until my seed brings forth a new life inside of you.”

Judging by the way my panties were getting wet, Dario had reconnected with the hot line to my lady parts, and they liked what he was saying!

Dario swept me up in his arms and at vampire speed; we made it back to his room. It wouldn’t hurt to practice a little bit of safe sex before the King imprinted words into my mind, words that I would be too scared to voice.

Dario
was watching me screw up my face as I sucked in my waist, so that Keera could fasten the ball gown that they insisted that I wore to greet the King.

He looked amazing. His black pinstriped
suit screamed of wealth, tailor made just for him. His silk tie matched the deep red of my dress and poking out of the top pocket of his jacket was a matching handkerchief. He fastened a cuff link and tugged the sleeves of his jacket down over his wrists. His eyes never left me as he got ready. He wasn’t giving me a look of desire, this look was one of utter adoration.

I tried to ignore the longing in my lady parts, but I honestly enjoyed the way my body heated up an
d was ready for him. I sank onto a chair, closed my eyes and let Keera get to work on my hair and makeup.

We had heard his brother and the entourage that followed him arrive and trusted that the King would be looked after by Dario’s day walkers and guards until we were ready to join him.

‘God, I need a drink!’
I heard Dario’s soft chuckle in my mind as he grabbed the whisky decanter and poured two glasses.
‘My brother awaits, but I figure we have time to enjoy a drink together before the final steps to taking your rightful place at my side.’

Keera knelt down at my feet and I lifted my foot from the floor as she slid the shoe into place followed be the other one. Heels
and so much lace, this was going to be a disaster!

“Thank you Keera, I can manage from here.” I
stood up and took a few steps trying to get used to the height of the new shoes and the restrictions of the lace that swam around my legs. I heard the soft click of the door as Keera left the room.

Dario held out his arm and I accepted his help as I paced the room trying to stay upright
, concentrating on not getting my shoes tangled in the length of the dress. He crossed the room so I stood directly in front of the large mirror. I did a double take as the reflection was a far cry from my usual attire.

“As much as I like the dress, I want you to know that I am wearing it for you! I would be more comfortable in a pair of trousers and a top.”
He handed me the glass and I welcomed the burn from the whisky as it left a hot trail down my throat. There was no where to hide my dagger and even if I could secure it to my thigh, I doubted I would be able to get to it in a hurry. Layer upon layer of lace would forever separate me from my trusted blade.

His hands found their
way to my tiny waist, giving me a small squeeze, whilst his teeth seductively skimmed over my bare neck. “You look beautiful.” I let out a little huff of disdain. Just a small one, because even though I resented wearing the dress, I did look beautiful.

Keera had worked wonders on my hair transforming it from a ‘just fucked’ look to a ‘just stepped out of a salon’ look. She
had plaited, twisted and artfully let down a few tendrils of my hair to resemble an up-do that any bride would be proud to wear. She had accessorised my dark hair with tiny clips that had small diamonds that sparkled when the light hit them. My bare shoulders were covered with a pashmina that was the same dark red as my dress but it had a silver thread running through it. My eyelids were a glittery silver that were perfectly framed with a dark grey liner that somehow made my red eyes seem so much darker.

Dario’s eyes carefully watched
my every move as I twisted and turned, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I turned in his arms so I faced him and ran a finger down his chest, stopping at the top of his trousers. “I hope you are going to give Keera a bonus for making me look this good.” Dario gave a small nod of his head before his look intensified, becoming more heated. His eyes swept down to the top of the sweetheart bodice of the dress, lingering on my cleavage and back up again, drinking me in. For some reason I felt nervous, almost exposed, which was crazy considering Dario had carefully inspected and kissed every inch of my body.

“Are you ready to meet my brother?
If we stay here much longer I will do more than undress you with my eyes.” As tempting as that sounded right now, I knew that I had to get it over with. I was Dario’s, and it was time to let the vampire’s know that I belonged to him. It was time to forget that I was once a hunter and time to claim my place at his side as a vampire, his vampire.

I had fought against the inevitable for months
, but after learning about his brother’s son, Carlos, and his intentions to become King, I needed to show the world that Vampire’s and Hunters needn’t be enemies. Although, I hadn’t quite worked out how to let the hunters know, as they were too intent on killing me!

With a new found bravery, I smiled and stood
on my tip toes, brushing a light kiss against his lips. “When the meet and greet is over, I expect you to do more than undress me with your eyes Dario. If this is our equivalent to a wedding, then I expect us to consummate our marriage as soon as possible.” For good measure, I ran my hand down the front of his trousers, lightly brushing my fingers over his fine form, before giving it a gentle squeeze.

Tugging
me hard against his body, his teeth nipping down the length of my neck, I felt his hand caress my breasts and slip lower down my body. He slowly tugged the layers of material up, until his hand found what he was searching for. Slipping his finger inside, I let out a groan and spread my legs further apart. His thumb teased my sensitive nub making my legs turn to jelly. As quickly as his seduction started, Dario removed his hand and licked his fingers, before kissing me hard on the lips. “That is just a small taste of things to come, I promise tonight will be a night to remember.” His voice was laced with lust and promise, he sounded so sexy. I couldn’t respond, if I did, I would beg him to make love to me all night and we had things to do. I stepped away and smoothed down my dress, and took a moment to get my erratic breathing under control. The last thing I wanted was to meet the King and him know that I was still in the throws of lustful thoughts!

We were escorted from the bedroom by Mackinley and Arius. It was a
very formal affair. Mackinley took the lead and Arius followed behind us. I quickly glanced behind me hoping for a quick flash of teeth that resembled a smile from Arius, but his face remained stoic. They were armed to the hilt. Swords hung from their hips, leather shoulder holsters held guns and they wore a tactical leg holster on top of their dark trousers, that held another gun and a couple of blades. They wore Roman gladiator style armour, all thick leather and a metal chest plate to protect their hearts. I briefly wondered if they were bullet proof, but the sound of music drifting from the lower level caught my attention.

More guards joined us as we made our way to
wards the great room. I quickly imagined a large room filled with vampires and felt my heart begin to race. Dario patted my hand that was draped over his arm. “Are you ready?” The small gesture made my racing heart return to a more normal beat.

I could see by the look in his dark eyes that he was truly excited about seeing his brother. I pushed down my reservations and nerves, planted on a big smile and nodded my head, but kept an eye on the door ahead of us. Mackinley stopped, turned and gave me a respectful nod of his head before signalling to the guard at the door.

The music quietened and the distinct sound of chairs scraping across the floor as people rose to their feet made my body shake with nerves. This was by far the worst experience of my life. Send me out on a kill anytime, at least then I was dealing with one vampire, not a room full of them!

A sudden need to
run overwhelmed me.

Instead of running, I pulled Dario to a stand still. Drawing in a deep breath and letting his scent wash through my system and offer me comfort
. I rested my head against his chest and wrapped my arms around him. He knew how I was feeling, he could feel it through the bond that was between us, but he remained quietly at my side waiting for me to make a decision to stay or to run. I was thankful for his silence.

Cupping his face in my hands and running my thumb across his bottom lip, wishing that we were alone, I whispered “I’m not running Dario, I belong with you.”

I heard his possessive growl that emanated from within and loved the way that his arms gathered me close as he bent down so his head was so close to mine. “And I belong to you my sweet Shyla.”

I searched his face for a moment
and found nothing but the reassurance that I was looking for. It would like walking into the lions den, but knowing that Dario would be at my side made me feel that I could take on anything.

A smile grew on his
face as he brushed a feather light kiss on my lips. Dario stood tall, wrapped my hand in his and we walked side by side into the great hall.

My eyes scanned the
room; it didn’t take long before I spotted his brother, King Marco. He was seated at the opposite the end of the room, surrounded by his guards. A couple of beautiful women were sitting on either side of him. I felt his gaze fall upon me as we made our way inside the room. We continued walking up the centre of the room, across what I imagined would later become a dance floor. Unsure of the protocol for meeting a Vampire King, I gave a polite smile and a small nod of my head. Marco gave me a warm smile and I felt some of my tension disappear.

Marco was
dressed in what I can only describe as a lot of velvet and frills. His jacket was a deep red, almost the same colour as my dress; it was covered in big gold leaf embroidered patterns, that would’ve looked ridiculous on anyone else, but somehow, it suited him. His cream shirt spilled frills down his chest and he wore trousers that were a cross between a soft beige and gold. Marco’s hair was longer than in the oil painting that I had seen hanging in one of the rooms and he wore it tied back in a low pony tail. His features were very similar to Dario’s. The family resemblance was more stunning in the flesh.

He
was handsome and very powerful. My teeth ached and I thought they were going to descend, but that wasn’t the only problem, I felt sexually attracted to the King in some unfathomable way. I hadn’t spoken to him, I didn’t know him, yet my body burned for him.
‘Would you like a hanky to wipe away the drool coming from your mouth?’
I flicked an embarrassed glance at Dario and quickly tried to find something to distract me from all of the things I was feeling for a total stranger.
‘
You shouldn’t have awoken my sexual needs and left me wanting more!’
I felt his sweet caress and heard a small chuckle in my mind.
‘I will take care of your needs later my sweet Consort, you will be begging me to stop by the time I have finished with you.’

Clamping my thighs together to try and stop the burning need that was spreading through me,
I drew in a couple of shaky breaths and made sure I kept my thoughts in check and my eyes off the King. I would have to face him, but I would prefer to be able to look at him without having lustful thoughts.

Tables and chairs lined the room, standing aro
und the tables were beautiful human women, and they were dressed in bright colourful ball gowns. It took me a moment to realise that some of the women were Dario’s day walkers. I didn’t like to think where the other women had come from, I could only assume that they were here for one reason, and that was to quench the thirst of any of the guards. My vampy senses kicked in as I located every vampire in the room.

Marco and Dario’s light
were brighter on my mental vampire radar; I could feel their power as opposed to just detecting them by the light they naturally emitted. My body gave a small shudder, and to my horror it wasn’t from fear, quite the opposite in fact. Their power excited the vampire part of me. A small pat on my hand from Dario reassured me that everything I was feeling was normal. I concentrated on holding my head high as we took the final few steps, placing us directly in front of the King.

The silence was stifling, making me feel as though the air was free from the oxygen I needed to breathe. I felt light headed, the last thing I wanted to do was face plant the floor
because I had suddenly developed panic attacks! I gripped Dario’s hand tighter.

‘
Jesus Dario, you should’ve warned me that his power sucked the life from you!’

Dario looked at me with concern in his eyes before he turn
ed a steely-steady gaze at his brother. Dario wrapped an arm across my shoulder and tucked me close to his chest. “Marco, I would like you to meet my Consort, but I should warn you now, if you harm her then I will have no choice but to declare a war between us.” His words swirled in my head, about as clear as the fog that was taking over my mind.

I sagged against Dario. Hi
s grip tightened as he pinned me in place with his hand. The brothers stood staring at one another for what felt like a lifetime, all the while I struggled to breathe, yet I made no movement and showed no fear, a complete contrast to the internal silent screaming and internal writhing about that I was doing whilst I slowly suffocated.

Mackinley came and stood at my
side; he had drawn his sword and was waiting for instruction from Dario. Before my eyes began to close, I noticed that Arius and some of Dario’s other guards had come to stand at Dario’s side.