Insurrection (Monarchs of Hell Book 1)

by R. L. Caulder

  As I stared out the carriage window at the passing landscape, I briefly wondered if my mother was somewhere out there. Did she think about me? About my father? Or was she caught up in orgies twenty-four seven or some shit? My fingers twined with one another as I held them on my lap, trying to not feel the surge of heartbreak that usually accompanied thinking about my mom.

  I had only been five when she left, so I didn’t remember a lot about her. I didn’t have any positive memories, really—just negative ones that were associated with her eventually leaving. I hadn’t realized it at the time, but I distinctly remember the feeling of seeing less of her and asking my father why. His answers had never been distinct though. Well, until the night that she’d left for good.

  It had been time for bed and, despite her being absent most of the time, she had always said goodnight to me. This time, when she had come into my room, I could tell something was wrong. When she had pressed a kiss to my forehead, I’d noticed that she was wearing a coat, which was odd. I couldn’t tell you what she had said to me that night, but I had been left with a feeling of heartbreak and, after lying in my bed for a few hours, I had gotten up and gone to find my dad.

  It was the only time I had ever seen the man cry. I had immediately given him a hug, and when I’d asked him where my mother was, he’d squeezed me even tighter. Then he’d told me that she’d left. That she was going on a trip and wouldn’t be back for a very long time.

  I knew he’d thought he was saying the right thing, especially when trying to explain to a five-year-old where her mother was, but I really had thought she was on a trip. She’d gone on a lot of them, so I had clung to that until I was nearly eight and asked my dad again. That time, he had told me the truth.

  My mother had decided that her freedom, her ability to express herself however she wanted, was more valuable to her than her own child. Her own husband. Her own family.

  He had been far kinder, hashing out some bullshit about her feeling trapped by the territory’s expectations of her and the responsibilities of being a queen, but I knew what had happened. That was the day I’d learned that blood meant nothing. Family wasn’t genetic code—it was who you wanted in your life. People who truly loved you. So, while I hated how exiled I felt in Mortem, I knew I had my father and Zurie.

  They were my family. They were all I needed.

  Chapter Ten

  Nico

  “Nicolas, are you paying attention?” My mother’s sharp voice had me turning away from the massive bookshelf I’d been staring at, sorting through the titles with vague interest. I wasn’t a huge reader, but considering the large number of books in our suite and the fact that my only other option was to interact with my parents and their...many sexual partners, I was completely open to it.

  “Yes,” I feigned a bit of interest in my voice, “You were talking about possible voting allies and how we couldn’t afford to let the House of Death win yet again.”

  I hoped they won, just so my parents could end this pointless bid to “rule the houses.” They were power-hungry assholes, and that wasn’t how the Supreme position was supposed to work anyway.

  I could recognize that I loved them as my parents, but I also didn’t think they were the best leaders. Honestly, sometimes I thought they fed off of power, politics, and deceit, far more than the sexual energy members of our house truly did feed on.

  My eyes darted to the closed bedroom door, where there was a large amount of exactly that coming from my father and one of the women he kept on staff. I would have felt bad for my mother, but she had several lovers herself, and the excess allowed them constant access to power anytime they needed it.

  They had tried to suggest that I bring some people along to the Summit as well, saying that it not only served the purpose of providing power but also showed your status. I wasn’t positive that was true, and I didn’t really need to show my status in such a manner, considering the crown on my head. I think they just liked the idea of me becoming more like them. Something that I was planning to avoid, no matter the cost. I could be loyal to my family and our house without wanting to be like them.

  “I heard that the House of Death’s heir is attending instead of her father,” my mother continued after a moment, seeming satisfied with my answer. My ears perked up slightly with interest. The House of Death was fairly private, so no one knew a lot about the heir. She was probably just as boring as every other Reaper, but I still was curious, especially since she had been kept so hidden.

  “So?” I asked my mother as I walked over to the large set of french doors that led to a balcony overlooking the beautifully manicured gardens, which stretched at least a mile in each direction. It was a small oasis in a massive urban capital city. In the distance, I could see the gates and large wall that surrounded the Summit center—a gothic structure that looked more like a castle than anything else. I wasn’t positive what they used this center for during the other ninety-nine years of each Summit cycle, but it was beautifully maintained and looked completely remodeled.

  “I want you to try to get her vote,” she explained, and I froze. I turned and arched a brow, her serious expression making me realize the woman might have finally lost it.

  “Why the hell would she vote for us?” I asked bluntly, hearing my mother’s jaw click at the reminder that no one ever voted for us. Oh well.

  “She’s young and can be swayed.”

  I muttered a curse, realizing she wanted me to seduce the House of Death heir as I looked back out at a dark carriage coming down the lane. Something about it held my attention as I tried to figure out what the hell I was going to say to my mother. I already knew I was going to do her bidding—I always did. But I definitely wasn’t happy about it. I wasn’t one who would ever force my powers on unwilling participants, and I had never once had a Reaper to feed off of sexually. I had never found any I was compatible with, and I truly doubted this one would be any different.

  Also, royals as a whole—especially those from other realms—tended to be judgmental assholes, so this had the potential to be a rather frustrating endeavor.

  The sun was beginning to set, its golden-red rays covering the gardens and making me squint slightly as I attempted to see the carriage approaching in better detail. My head tilted to the side in curiosity when I realized it bore the crest of the House of Death. Speak of the devil. Well, not the actual devil, because that dude was still taking the longest nap I’d ever heard of.

  When the carriage rolled to a stop, the door opened almost immediately, and a massive reaper stepped out, looking both frustrated and flustered. Interesting. I wasn’t positive who he was, but according to my mom, the heir was a woman…and I was going to assume that was her. That being a gorgeous specimen that all but tumbled out of the carriage, her onyx horns nearly caught on the door as she put as much space as possible between her and the male Reaper with her. I frowned at that, feeling an irrational surge of protectiveness at the way she was eyeing him cautiously.

  Wait, horns on the Reaper heir? I reared back slightly, then opened the french doors, deciding I wanted to further observe this woman who was the supposed heir to the House of Death. Clearly, they had been keeping secrets.

  I desperately wanted a closer look, but I didn’t know how else to achieve that besides flying down several stories and landing right in front of her. The carriage began to pull away, and I knew I was going to run out of time.

  “The girl is a hybrid?” my mother sneered from next to me, startling me. I had been so preoccupied I hadn’t felt her approach. “Oh, that won’t do. That alone is a reason for the other houses to not vote for them.”

  “She’s a Succubus-Reaper hybrid,” I murmured and then frowned. “She’s going to see right through any seduction attempts if she has even the smallest bit of our power running through her.”

  My mother waved dismissively, “Try anyway. She’s hybrid trash and probably has low self-confidence, so focus on giving her attention or something like that. She’
ll be putty in your hands.” My entire body went tight at the words coming from my mother’s mouth.

  Hybrid trash? Hardly.

  I hopped up onto the balcony ledge, and my red wings stretched to either side of me as I jumped. The air was a bit crisper than normal, and it ruffled my hair, the brown mixed with caramel highlights moving in my peripheral vision. The journey down gave me a moment of peace before I landed right in front of the newcomers.

  Almost instantly, a smile was pulling at my lips because holy hell this woman was…well, I didn’t really have a word for it.

  Arresting? Exquisite? Bewitching? None of those seemed to capture the small, curvy beauty in front of me, her large pink and silver eyes, framed by massive dark lashes, widening in surprise at my landing.

  I didn’t even bother looking at the Reaper with her, completely entranced as I was. She ran a hand over her dark, sleek ponytail, and her soft, pink lips opened slightly as if she was going to say something. Her black wings, a color I had never seen on a Succubus before, snapped out from her back as she jolted in surprise, a blush staining her cheeks. The scent of roses and ashes had my cock hardening as my own pulse hitched, and I moved closer to her on instinct.

  I nearly growled when the asshole traveling with her stepped in front of her defensively. I was tall at nearly 6’2”, and I could easily hold my own in most fights, but this guy was clearly here for the purpose of protecting the House of Death’s heir, and I didn’t completely blame him. I mean, the woman was obviously priceless. I was surprised someone hadn’t attempted to steal her yet.

  A near growl tore from my throat at the thought of how good she would feel under my fingers. That alone was enough to consider stealing her away and locking her up. I bet she would come so fucking pretty. I was about to throw this bastard out of the way, but then, all of a sudden, I didn’t have to.

  “Drayven, stop being rude.” Her voice was soft but commanding as she stepped around the man and offered him a confused look, something like hurt shadowing her eyes. Had he hurt her? When she continued, I realized why she’d thought he was stepping in front of her, “I might not be great at politics, but I can hold a conversation. I’m not going to embarrass anyone, contrary to what everyone else seems to think.”

  My smile grew as the man grunted and stepped aside, barely, his desire for this woman so painfully obvious. Also, his possessiveness, but I had a feeling that she didn’t recognize it at all with the confusion that blanketed her face when she looked at him. If she couldn’t recognize his blatant and obvious need for her, maybe she really wouldn’t see through my seduction attempts—not that I had any intentions of telling my mother that.

  “You must be the heir to the House of Sin?” she asked softly, looking at my crown briefly before her cheeks deepened in color.

  “His name is Nicolas,” the large Reaper provided, clearly annoyed with not being part of this conversation—something I planned on maintaining.

  “Nico,” I offered my preferred nickname, ignoring him and hating the formal one my parents insisted on. She put her hand out for a handshake, but I captured it gently and brushed my lips against it, noting how her skin broke out into shivers.

  “What’s your name?” I prompted, genuinely excited for small talk for the first time in my life.

  “Amare, or Ama,” she mumbled, then shook herself, a shadow crossing her gaze, as she stepped back. My magic circled around me, frustrated that she had snapped out of my unintentional seduction so easily.

  Although, to be fair, I hadn’t been trying to use it, so much as my magic had been reacting to her. I would gladly let my mother think I was spending this entire time seducing her if it meant getting to know Ama better, though.

  “We should go to our chambers.” Drayven’s voice was harsh and annoyed, his eyes seeming to burn a hole through me.

  Her eyes darted to him as her jaw tightened, and she seemed conflicted on whether that was the right move or not. I decided to make it easier for her.

  “Why don’t I show you?” I stepped closer to her and her pupils dilated slightly, the scent of desire surrounded her like a gorgeous perfume. Fuck. I could practically smell how wet she was, and it was making me want to pin her up against the closest wall and bury myself inside of her, to feel how tight I knew she would be.

  My biggest hold up was that I wasn’t positive whether her arousal was just for me or if it was for Drayven as well. The desire she felt for him was obvious to me, but far more concealed. The idea that she could be attracted to someone besides me made me both irrationally possessive and oddly insecure. Two emotions I never felt.

  I could make her feel ten times better than this Reaper. I knew that.

  “Fuck no.” Drayven’s growl was sharp and filled with anger, causing Ama to startle and go wide-eyed as if surprised by his intense reaction to a seemingly polite offer. I had to wonder what their relationship was because she clearly wasn’t aware of how he felt. Good, I’d use that to my advantage.

  “I’m almost positive the heirs are supposed to get to know one another,” I purred, my hand brushing over her shoulder as her tongue darted out to wet her lip, causing me to let out a small growl that caught in my throat. Damn it. This woman had way too much pull on my physicality already. “Besides, I have a feeling that Ama and I have far more in common than you ever will.”

  Drayven’s eyes lit up with fury that I wanted to tease out, making him as angry as possible, just to show Amare how much better I was than him. I didn’t even know the man, but I instinctively knew that he was a threat to getting this woman in my bed and under me.

  Before he could say anything, Ama pulled away from me, her energy going from confused and turned on to nearly fucking joyous. It pissed me off instantly because I knew I wasn’t the one making her happy, and clearly I had some serious issues with being jealous when it came to this woman.

  She darted around me, avoiding Drayven, who tried to stop her, as I turned to watch her nearly run into…wonderful. She ran almost right into the House of Runes heir’s arms. Fucking wonderful.

  “Motherfucker,” Drayven growled as Finias, who I hadn’t met personally but whose reputation for violence I was well aware of, engulfed her in a hug. I never felt anger, but in that moment, I felt absolutely furious.

  “How does she know him?” I asked quietly, putting aside my annoyance with Drayven to get my answer.

  “He came to our house just the other night,” he grunted.

  Finias was talking with her, a smile playing on his features, as she ran her hands up his chest. I wanted her hands on me. This was bullshit. I felt like a child who’d had their toy taken from them. Not that Ama was a toy, but I wanted to fucking play with her. I wanted to explore every inch of that gorgeous body.

  “Are they together?” I inquired, full of curiosity as to how the Dark Elf had managed to bond with her this much in just one night.

  “No.” Drayven’s answer didn’t match the way they were talking to one another, and the way Finias was looking at Ama, though. It was clear they were definitely into each other.

  Suddenly, Finias looked over Ama’s head at both of us, his eyes instantly going cold and flat, his expression filled with warning. It only lasted a second, but it was enough to even cause me to feel uncomfortable, and Drayven practically vibrated with violence next to me.

  I didn’t move as Finias began leading her towards the large front doors. “Stay away from her,” Drayven warned, his eyes flashing with a ring of green as he stalked towards them. Before they disappeared, Ama looked back at me, her eyes sparking with interest as her lips pulled up into a tiny smile, making me uncomfortably hard. How a smile had the ability to do that, I had no damn idea.

  When she looked away, I put my hands in my pockets and resisted the urge to go after her. Despite Drayven’s words, I had absolutely no intention of staying away from Amare. Not for my parents. Not for my kingdom.

  No, I wanted her all for myself.

  Chapter Eleven

&n
bsp; Ama

  What were the chances? Seriously. What were the chances that my sex drive, which had been essentially non-existent, had decided to explode to life in the span of two days?

  Not to mention that, between meeting Finias and Nico, spending more time around Drayven, and running into the asshole from dinner, it felt as if a blush was permanently staining my cheeks recently. I hoped there weren’t any other alluring men lurking in the shadows around here, and if there were, I hoped they had absolutely zero interest in me. I was awkward and horrible enough at handling the attention I was already getting.

  My history of being downtrodden and made to feel inferior in every way by other members of my house meant that I was constantly faking my confidence and repeatedly having to remind myself that I had something amazing to offer to the world. Even if others didn’t recognize it.

  Having this much interest in me out of nowhere kind of felt like life had thrown me a curveball that knocked me on my ass. It felt surreal, and I kept wondering if it was some type of cruel joke at my expense. I was used to being lonely, so accepting affection was hard enough as it was—I think it would break something in me to find out that all of this was someone’s underhanded way of inflicting emotional pain on me.

  The best option would probably be to ignore all of it. I wasn't here to find a boyfriend, after all. I was here to secure the seat for my house, and despite how much I was enjoying the attention of these gorgeous men, I had no way of knowing if they were just playing games to distract me or win votes.

  I might have seemed friendly and laid back, but the truth was I didn’t trust easily, and these men—despite being absolutely unique and tempting—had certainly done nothing to earn my trust. There was no history.

  Finias' rough hand held mine gently, and I looked down at it, feeling conflicted as I came to the conclusion that getting involved with any of them was a bad idea. I retracted my hand from his gently, playing with my hair to try to make it less obvious that I was setting boundaries now. Confusion flashed in his beautiful violet eyes as he glanced at me. I kept my gaze forward, but I saw it with my peripheral vision, and it took every ounce of self-control not to immediately grab his hand again to soothe him.