Secret Blood Ties

by Felicity Jordan

  Chapter 18

  Melanie

  Jexin returned the day before the wedding. The teams were still looking for Elise, but Rachel wanted all her mates to be there. It seemed that Elise had managed to pull of another disappearing act.

  Melanie didn’t know how she did it. When she’d first been approached by vampires, she would gladly have taken tips from her sister on how to disappear. Fortunately, that hadn’t been an option. Now, she knew better.

  She hadn’t chosen the life, but now, Melanie would choose no other. She loved everything about it, from being a vampire, to having a sister, to helping run the Cherki palace. Most of all, she loved her mates. Her husbands, at least soon to be.

  “You ready?” Rachel poked her head in. Bethany, one of the donors, was helping Melanie with the finishing touches to her hair and dress.

  “I’m ready. Is everyone there?”

  “Yes, everyone. The turnout is even bigger than my wedding. I think some of the bloodlines are getting antsy. There’s only one more Cherki princess left. When we find Elise, people are going to be lobbying hard for her hand.”

  Melanie nodded. She couldn’t focus on Elise right now, not when all her thoughts were on Jake, Aris, Apeo and Mike. They were waiting for her. She swallowed her nerves. She knew there was nothing to be nervous about. She trusted her guys absolutely.

  Still, a lifetime of trust issues was choosing now to flare up. “They’re all there, right? They’re waiting for me?”

  “They’re there,” Rachel assured her. “Trust me, none of them would dare to back out, even if they wanted to. There must be about a dozen vampire princes out there in the audience. They’re big on honor and wouldn’t take kindly to an Essa being left at the altar.”

  Melanie chuckled. She knew enough about vampire princes to have some idea of what would happen to anyone trying to back out of the wedding at this stage. It involved a fair amount of screaming and quite possibly broken limbs.

  “You don’t think they are having doubts, do you? I mean, I’d rather they were given the chance to back out if that’s what they want…”

  “No, Mel, that’s not what I mean. Of course they’re not having doubts. They love you. They want to marry you. You’ll see that for yourself in a few minutes. I’ve got to get back out there. You sure you don’t want me to walk with you?”

  “No, I’d rather have you conducting the ceremony. It’s more special that way. I mean, I like Dasek, but… I want it to be you.”

  Rachel hugged her briefly before slipping out of the door.

  “You’ll do great.” Bethany helped straighten the tiara Melanie was wearing.

  The music started, and Melanie took a deep breath.

  The hall was full of people, but she barely saw them. Aris, Apeo, Jake and Mike were waiting for her, as Rachel had promised. They looked amazing in tuxes that were all slightly different but complemented each other. Aris and Apeo were wearing circlets that matched her tiara.

  The long aisle disappeared under her feet, and in moments, Melanie was standing with her mates. The four of them clustered around her, and she turned slightly so that she could see Rachel, who looked resplendent in royal robes and a jeweled crown.

  They’d rehearsed this, and Melanie knew how it would go. What she didn’t know was how she’d feel. Jake and Aris were to either side of her, holding her hands, while Mike and Apeo linked hands with them to complete the circle.

  It was a good thing that both of her hands were captured, because if they weren’t, Melanie thought she might just embarrass everyone by flinging her arms around her mates and kissing them senseless. Her face hurt from grinning as Rachel took them through vows that were slightly different to the ones she’d always seen on TV.

  For humans, marriage was until death. For vampires and donors, it was forever. The concept of having forever to spend with her guys was still a foreign one, one that Melanie planned to explore thoroughly.

  The entire hall held its breath as they said those fateful words, the words that would bind them for eternity.

  “I do.” Melanie looked each of them in the eye, trying to express all her love in those two words.

  “I do.” Jake squeezed her hand.

  Aris, Mike and Apeo spoke their agreement, and Melanie was sure that they were glowing slightly; she imagined she was too.

  When the time came to exchange the rings, Melanie’s mates surprised her. Jake tenderly took her hand and put a beautiful, sparkling ring onto her finger. She did the same for him, Apeo, Aris and Mike. They all had matching rings.

  However, it seemed they weren’t done. Mike pulled out a necklace, a sparkling flower made of different color crystals on a gold chain.

  “What’s this?” Melanie murmured, ducking her head so that he could put it on her.

  “We all wanted to give you something separate, as well as the ring, which is from all of us.” Apeo took her wrist and put on a bracelet that matched the necklace. Aris put a bracelet on her other arm, and Jake carefully unclipped the earrings she wore, replacing them with a pair that went perfectly with the rest of her jewelry.

  Melanie didn’t know what to say. She just beamed.

  “Then by my power as Assa of the Cherki bloodline, I pronounce you married! You may kiss.”

  Jake kissed her first, sweet and tender. Then Mike, slowly with his arm wrapped around her waist. Aris’s kiss was fierce and full of joy, while Apeo’s was soft but passionate, building in a way that would have had her forgetting the audience had Jake not gently pulled them apart.

  “I love you,” Melanie told them.

  “As we love you, Essa.” Aris snatched another kiss while Apeo, Jake and Mike repeated the sentiment.

  There had been some friendly competition as to who would receive the first dance, but Melanie didn’t care. The order made no difference. She loved all her mates fiercely, and couldn’t choose one over the other, nor would she want to.

  The dancing went on late into the night. She had to dance with a few palace officials and dignitaries from other bloodlines, but for the most part, Melanie remained in her husbands’ arms. All her worries from earlier seemed silly now. Of course, they would never leave her, never hurt her. It may have taken her over two decades, but she’d finally found people she could rely on. It was certainly worth the wait.

  Rachel eventually called an end to the festivities, and Mike lifted Melanie off her feet, carrying her to the car they had waiting. Averin was already in the driver’s seat, waiting to take them to their honeymoon location.

  It was an isolated spot, but there would be guards ringed around the perimeter the whole time. They would be safe.

  Melanie stretched out on the back seat, her head on Jake’s lap and her ankles resting on Apeo’s knees. He took off her heels and started rubbing her sore feet, causing her to sigh in pleasure.

  “So, what’s it like being married to a princess?” She grinned self-consciously at Jake.

  “It’s amazing. What’s it like marrying below your station?”

  “Hey! You’re not below my station.”

  Jake grinned as he teased her back. Aris, Apeo and Mike joined in, and soon all five of them were laughing and poking each other. It was late by the time they all arrived at the small house they’d be staying at. It was in the countryside and had a swing in the garden alongside an open grill.

  For now, Melanie wasn’t interested in the swing; she was more eager to see the bedroom. Apeo and Jake lifted her, forming a seat for her with their arms, carrying her across the threshold.

  The bedroom had a huge bed, definitely big enough for all five of them. Melanie threw herself onto it, beckoning for her husbands to follow her.

  She tilted her hips up so that Aris could pull her panties down. Jake lifted her shoulders as Mike pulled her dress over her head and unstrapped her bra. Apeo was making swift work of the pins in her hair, which had become uncomfortable several hours ago.

  Within mere moments, Melanie found herself naked. “Wait
.” She grinned between her mates. “I want you to undress for me one at a time and make it sexy.”

  Four almost identical grins split their faces.

  Melanie watched as first Jake, then Apeo, Aris and Mike undressed. By the time they were done, she was panting and fingering her clit. God, why were they all so sexy?

  “Mind if I take over?” Mike moved her hand aside, replacing it with his own, which was so, so much better. Melanie groaned, tilting her head back. She was embarrassingly close already, and when Aris started kissing her, it just pushed her that much close to the edge. She reached down to find his cock rapidly filling, and when she slicked her hand over the drops of precome, he grabbed the hair at the base of her neck, deepening the kiss.

  Jake and Apeo, meanwhile, seemed to be having a competition as to who could make her nipples harder. Each of them had one in their mouth, and their tongues were doing things that had her arching up against them.

  When Mike pushed a single finger inside her pussy, it was too much. Melanie cried out loudly as she came, bucking up into all the maddening touches she was receiving. She had to push her guys away when she was done, needing a moment to catch her breath.

  Mike was touching his cock, and by the look on his face, he was close to coming.

  “No. I want you to come inside me.” Melanie spread her legs, and he eagerly settled himself between them. “Apeo, Aris, on either side of me. Jake, above me.”

  She was lucky to have four guys who were always eager to try out her ideas, and this was no exception. Melanie carefully took Apeo’s and Aris’ cocks in each hand and beckoned for Jake to move further down. “In my mouth, Jake.”

  Could a woman die of bliss due to too much amazing cock? Because that’s how she felt. Jake tasted delicious as she sucked on him, and Aris and Apeo were both twitching in her grip. Mike slowly thrust into her, and Melanie tilted her hips impatiently. Even though she’d just come, her body was already ready to go again. How could it not be, surrounded by such a fine display of male form?

  She lost herself in the rhythm as Mike pounded into her, one of his fingers steadily working her clit. Jake yelled, coming into her mouth, and Melanie struggled to swallow and breathe, her own orgasm only moments away. Next was Apeo, then Mike.

  Finally, she came loudly, all her muscles tensing as waves of pleasure wracked her. A hot warmth on her hand told her that Aris had come too. The five of them fell in a sticky mess. Taken by another desire, Melanie pulled Mike’s neck close, waiting for him to nod slightly before she bit into his neck.

  The sweet rush of blood so soon after the explosive orgasm had her entire body quivering. Mike moaned and grabbed her ass, his fingers sending delightful shivers through her.

  By the time she was done feeding, Melanie saw that Mike was again hard, and her pussy was rapidly becoming wet.

  “You have strength for one more, Mike?” Aris asked, and Mike nodded eagerly.

  As he fed, Aris stroked Melanie’s breasts with increasing urgency, his cock steadily rising. Melanie grinned; sure she wouldn’t be able to walk for a week after tonight. And she didn’t care. It would be worth it.

  #

  The next morning came and went with all five of them soundly asleep. They’d gotten next to no sleep the night before, and Melanie happily slept all the way into the afternoon. When she finally woke up, she crawled into the shower, leaving her mates to grab some more rest.

  When she was done washing, Aris had already gotten up and started making omelets for breakfast. Melanie bounced into the kitchen and gave him a good morning kiss. She could just hear Mike, Jake and Apeo rousing, bickering lightly about who got to shower first. Even from here, she could hear the fondness in their voices as they spoke.

  An hour later found them all washed and digging into a hearty breakfast. Aris tried to heap third and fourth helpings on a protesting Mike. There were donors staying nearby, and they could be called in to assist Mike, since feeding four vampires by himself was a bit ambitious.

  Still, they’d all fed from him last night, and Melanie did her best to persuade him to accept the over-stuffing, sure he needed the fuel.

  “So, what do you guys want to do today?” She finished the last piece of omelet, smiling between her four husbands.

  Jake scooped up her hand and kissed it. “Anything you want.”

  Anything… it was an interesting proposal, one Melanie thought she would do well to explore. She was married to four men she loved, men who absolutely adored her, and they had an eternity together. Right now, the world seemed full of infinite possibilities.

  The End

  A Note from Felicity Jordan

  I hope you enjoyed Secret Blood Ties. I had a lot of fun writing it. I’d love to hear what you think, so be sure to leave a review. It can make all the difference for authors like me.

  I also wanted to offer you a freebie. Just head on over to my website at https://felicityjordan.com and you can download Saving the Alpha (A Werewolf Romance) totally for free! I know you’ll love it!

  Synopsis

  My sister is dying.

  The doctors have tried everything.

  As a scientist I believe her only hope may be an exotic herb mentioned in ancient texts. Now I’m deep in the woods looking for it.

  By myself.

  No problem right.

  Of course, I didn’t anticipate running into a beast – an injured wolf shifter.

  I should’ve known better than to take him back to my cabin in the forest, but I just couldn’t leave him.

  Now, I don’t want to.

  He has secrets he’s keeping from me.

  Someone’s hunting him.

  Perhaps together we can save the ones we love.

  And maybe even save each other.