Zed's Dishonest Mate (3 page)

In a couple of days, King Kane would order another beating or he’d walk through the door and do it himself. Maybe he would do worse things, if Luka continued to refuse. This time he wouldn’t do what they wanted. Well, if he didn’t get out of here, it wouldn’t matter. He’d be dead. Normally his body healed after a day but the damage to his leg needed constant energy. The knee was taking too long to heal. Was his magic failing or the injury too severe? He wasn’t sure, but if they beat him again, he wouldn’t be able to take the damage.

“Stupid,” he cursed, as he wrapped his arms around his chest, hugged his body and started to cry. He wanted to meet people and touch them. It was forbidden for others to touch his body. The only time he felt another’s touch was during the beatings, but most of the time they used a belt or other objects. Kane’s orders never changed, bruise, break bones, but do not scar. The king wanted him perfect, like a doll.

Sometimes he hated himself. When the king walked in and ordered Luka to strip off his shirt, he would, allowing Kane or one of his men to hurt him. He wanted out and if he couldn’t be free, then he wanted everything to be over. It was wrong to think of ending his life. Elves were full of life. Their light healed others. They gave back and created life. Everyone in the elf race believed suicide was wrong, and most of the time Luka did too.

He shook the dark thoughts away and focused on building the little bit of hope that still flickered within. Luka replayed the images that helped him get through the worse of it. He had been cursed with a special ability that no other of his kind had. He could see the future.

Every time he curled up in pain after a punishment, he looked into the future. He closed his eyes and continued replaying the images. Prince Zed held his hand, pulling him toward the bed, and then the two of them sat in front of a large window as he leaned back into Zed’s strong muscular chest as they watched the city. His future revolved around Zed, the head vampire in the city. The man was his mate. He just needed to meet him in person, not through some electronic conference. Zed would save him. He just hoped the vampire didn’t dislike him too much.

He didn’t want their first meeting to end with Zed hating him, but Luka couldn’t control his temper. When the meeting started, nerves prevented him from looking at Zed. The fear of revealing the truth to the king and seeing the real Zed overwhelmed him. Then Zed attacked his character. The man didn’t see him. He didn’t see the real Luka, but saw the puppet prince. The words came out before he could stop them. Then it was too late so he went with it. Luka tried everything to provoke the vampire prince. Zed needed to find him. He hoped it was enough to get his mate to notice him.

In his visions, Zed protected him using his strong body. He held Luka close, pulling him into a protective shell. The meeting last week was a chance to make an impression. For the first time, he sat in on one of the teleconferences. Vampires and elves didn’t meet face-to-face, so Zed and Luka never crossed paths. He’d met most of the other territory leaders except his mate. He just hoped he didn’t blow his only chance to get Zed’s attention.

He cursed again. Nerves and fear always got in the way. He couldn’t look at Zed. It was like looking for a lost treasure and after the final clue was solved he stood in front of a large chest afraid that it lead to nothing. Then Zed spoke to him. The horrible words made him angry and the nervous tension finally left his body. He couldn’t remember all the rude comments, verbal attacks, and insinuations concerning Zed’s inability to perform. Luka needed to control his temper, but in the end, his smart mouth always made things worse.

After refocusing, Luka realized his mistake. He hoped his strong and proud mate wanted to find him. It wouldn’t be to love him, but to punish him for the degrading comments. Luka practically dangled his body in front of the vampire prince. Zed had threatened to fuck him. His own lust mirrored the look in Zed’s eyes. He wanted the fat cock up his ass as much as Zed wanted to shove it up there. He’d take anything as long as he was held by his mate. Zed just needed to keep his promise.

The vampire prince ended the conference angry. Glowing red eyes and long fangs threatened to do terrible things to him. It couldn’t be worse than what they did to him here. Besides, when they met, Zed would know. He would look at Luka and see his mate. Mates loved each other. Mates helped each other. Zed would help him.

Luka loved the visions of their happy future. In one vision, they sat at a table laughing. He was laughing. How long had it been since he really laughed? Too bad Luka’s vision didn’t include sound. He wanted to listen in on the conversation, but he only had silent visions.

“Well, what’s this?” a voice asked, moving across the dark rooms.

Luka froze. His head slowly moved, looking around the room. He stopped when his eyes met the glowing red eyes of a very annoyed vampire. He closed his eyes in relief and thanked anyone that might be listening to his prayers.

Luka slowly stood. His leg ached, but he ignored the pain and focused on the vampire. The monitor didn’t do the man justice. He towered over Luka’s small body with a powerful, six-foot-eight-inch body. Elves were generally small, but Luka was smaller than average. Maybe it had something to do with the limited amount of food he was allowed. If Zed wanted to, he could break him into pieces. He looked up at the vampire, wondering if the enraged man would save him or kill him. Zed’s eyes promised pain. He looked down, trying to avoid eye contact. He didn’t want to see those eyes. The anger and rage promised a lot of painful things. This wasn’t the man from his visions. This Zed looked vicious.

Was life with Zed going to be any different? The vampire looked ready to hurt him and rip his body into pieces. Luka’s temper flared. He wasn’t going to be Zed’s punching bag too.

Neither of them moved. The silence slowly killed him as he waited. Luka hated to wait. He needed to know what was going on. His heart pounded in his chest. As the seconds went by and still nothing, Luka reached his boiling point. His mouth opened before he could stop it. “Well, if it isn’t the ball-less vampire.” Luka looked up and smirked. His mind screamed.
What are you doing?
Hell if he knew, but when he felt scared and angry he attacked, and right now he felt both. Luka hated playing with fire, but continued to push the vampire to his limit. Zed’s eyes glowed. The glow only intensified the elf’s fear and anger. Then his temper flared to match Zed’s burning red eyes. He needed to know. Would an angry Zed hurt him?

Prince Zed’s pride would challenge any comment pertaining to his inability to perform in the bedroom. Luka felt the anger radiate off his mate. Just another push. Will the man attack? Maybe Luka would be killed in a fit of rage. “Oh that’s right. You’re here to slit my throat. Since that’s the only thing you can do.”

Luka waited, leaning against the wall. This was it. Did he need to fear the person in front of him? What were his mate’s limits? He looked away from Zed’s glowing red eyes that held hatred and contempt. The eyes were so different than the ones from his visions. He longed to see the loving, dark-brown eyes, but the person in front of him was a complete stranger.

Luka’s inner voice screamed at him. The little voice ordered him to plead with Zed for help, but he couldn’t do it. Was his mate honorable? Luka tilted his head back and exposed his neck. “Do it. I’ll make it easy for you,” Luka ordered.

“Demanding little thing.” Zed moved across the room. He was fast. Before he could blink Zed stood in front of him, grabbed his shoulders, and pulled him hard against the vampire’s body. He looked down at Luka. The anger changed to shock. The two stared at each other for a long moment. The vampire prince hissed and pushed Luka away. “You’re my mate.”

The look of disgust on Zed’s face hurt. Luka stumbled back. The pain shot up his leg. His shoulders stung. Zed’s fingers pushed too hard into the bruises. The physical pain didn’t hurt as much as the shattering of his dream. He would never be loved by his mate. Even Zed didn’t want him.

“Mates. Yes, we’re mates,” Luka confirmed.

Zed cocked his head and studied him. “You knew,” he finally concluded. “For how long?”

Luka looked directly at his mate. He refused to back down. No matter the size difference, he was a man too. He would stand his ground. His mate’s eyes were no longer red, but a deep, sexy brown, the same color from his visions. A vision of Zed staring down at his naked body replayed in his head. He shook the thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time. “I’ve known since the first time I saw you. Don’t worry, no one else knows,” Luka finally said.

“Why would that worry me?” Zed’s eyes moved up and down his body.

“I’m a dirty elf. Someone not worthy of your time. Besides, you hate me.”

“Hate you? No, you’re selfish and annoying, but that doesn’t mean I hate you. I might, but I would have to get to know you.”

“Yeah, whatever. Just get on with it.” Luka pulled down the white turtleneck to give Zed better access to his neck. “Is this enough for you to rip out my throat?”

Zed looked confused. Luka wanted to smile. The man was probably centuries old while he was almost twenty-two. He needed some sort of edge. How far could he push Zed before the vampire prince pushed back? He spent years being beaten and hurt. Would his mate treat him the same way?

“What am I supposed to do with you?” the vampire finally asked in a disgusted tone, like Luka was the vomit spewed in a car on a hot summer day that needed to be dealt with.

“Slit my throat. Drink my blood. Break my neck,” Luka said. His heart broke at the loathing on his mate’s face. The harsh tone didn’t help either. The vampire prince hated him and he wasn’t going to be mated to someone that hated him.

“What?” Zed asked.

“I’ve known you were my mate since the first time I saw your image.” Luka thought back. It was the first time Zed saved his life. The vampire prince gave him a reason to live. He dreamed of this moment, but every second that went by the dream turned more and more into a nightmare. Yes, he longed to be touched and held, but not by a man that hated him. All he knew were touches full of anger. It hadn’t always been like that, but the time before his life turned into a nightmare barely existed within his memories. Those memories had faded with time. That happiness existed through a thick fog that clouded those memories. Now, he wanted Zed to caress and touch his body with love and fill his soul with warmth. “You hate my kind. We can’t be together. You don’t want to be my mate, so if I can’t be loved by you then kill me.”

“What does one have to do with the other?” Zed asked. “Only someone spoiled would come up with your reasoning. Love me or kill me. I might not have recognized you as my mate, but the first time I saw you, I knew you were nothing but a spoiled brat that demands everything and gives nothing. You’re not worth my time.”

Luka’s knees almost gave out, but he stood his ground. He was weak, but he didn’t want to show that to his mate. He thought about the years he fought to stay alive just long enough to meet the man that saved him over and over again. The visions gave him a reason to live, but that too was a lie. If Zed no longer gave him hope, there was nothing left. “Please just do what you came here to do.”

“I didn’t come here to kill you,” Zed said.

“Then why are you here?” Luka asked.

Zed licked his lips. “To show you I can get it up by fucking you. I came here to screw your tight ass.”

Luka’s eyes widened. He suspected as much, but to hear his mate say it so bluntly shocked him. Mates were supposed to have sex. He looked at the large man and shivered. Right now his body hurt too much. He definitely wanted the vampire, but he didn’t want Zed to touch him in anger or with hate. Was it wrong to ask to be held with love and affection? Did he deserve that? This was the one thing his vision never showed him. He saw simple touches and kisses, but not sex.

“Oh, well I haven’t done anything like that before, but if you take me to your place, then you can do whatever you want to my body.” That sounded like a give-and-take type of plan. He knew how to block out pain. The sex shouldn’t be that hard to get through. As long as Zed didn’t touch his heart, he’d survive. Besides, he might be able to get Zed to like him a little.

“Shit, I’m leaving,” Zed said before turning and walking toward the window.

“Stop, you’re really not man enough to fuck or kill an elf?” he asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

Zed turned and grabbed him by the neck. He pushed Luka into the wall. Luka groaned when his bruised back hit the flat surface.

“You don’t have to be so rough.” Luka looked at Zed. This was it. He would either help him escape or help him die. He’d leave the choice to his mate. Maybe Zed would see some worth in him. No one else did.

“I don’t like games,” Zed said, releasing hold of Luka’s neck.

“Take me with you. We can get to know each other. If you want, you can kill me later.”

“I hate repeating myself. I didn’t come here to kill you. I came here to fuck you.”

Luka swallowed. The part of his body Zed touched burned. His heart beat a little faster and his cock hardened at the thought. “That can happen after we get to know each other.”

Zed’s eyes roamed Luka’s body. “Yes, maybe that would work. You need character building. You’re far too selfish.”

Luka couldn’t believe Zed’s opinion of him. Selfish? Spoiled? In what world? He lived in a dark box, forced to look at other people’s futures. They beat him when he refused or if he saw something the customer didn’t like. Basically, they beat him whenever they felt like it.

Zed pulled Luka by the waist up into his arms. Luka gasped as Zed touched a particularly painful area. He looked into the vampire’s eyes and saw rage. Damn, did this man hate him for groaning in pain too? Fine, he’d try to keep quiet since no one cared about his discomfort.

They moved instantly from Luka’s room to the street. Zed lowered him back down. The moment his feet hit the ground the pain zoomed up his leg. His damaged knee threatened to give out. He smothered the cry before it escaped. He learned that trick a long time ago when he realized that crying only worsened the beatings. He reached his hand against his leg and pushed his healing power through the broken part of his body. He focused only on his leg, which left the other bruises and fractures to heal naturally, but the pain still tore through him.