by L. L. Ash
But he didn’t.
Logically, it was unrealistic. Obviously he will care for his other mates at the very least. He would love them for the children they give him, and he will share their beds as well as mine.
I needed some time to myself, away from my brother and sister, and away from Calix and his siblings. I wandered down the halls, my two strapping guards following my senseless movements until I found a little room with spiraling stairs upward.
“It’s another exit, Mistress,” one of the men said. “Nobody knows about it but a few of us.”
“Can I go up? Nobody can get me this close to dawn.”
“Prince Calix would never allow it.”
I was about to shoot back that Prince Calix didn’t own me, but I had already given up trying to deny that he did.
“Fine,” I nodded closing the door. “Take me to the serven’t area then. I have a friend I want to make sure is ok.”
They looked at each other.
“Prince Calix—” the burly one started but I put up a hand to stop him.
“Prince Calix might own my body and my heart, but he doesn’t own my mind. I may do what I like and suffer the consequences accordingly. If you don’t want to follow, fine. But I’m going.”
I stomped down the hallways until I reached the stairs that led down. The men followed.
The door opened immediately for me and a half dozen people were on their knees asking how they can assist me.
“Janey,” I told them. “I want to see Janey.”
Murmures rippled through the crowd of people until the sea of humans parted and there was the pert, young face of my sort-of friend. She grinned and I let out a sob of happiness.
“I’m so glad you’re ok!” I told her, moving her away from the crowd. “I heard there had been deaths and I just prayed and prayed that you were ok. Is Manny alright?”
“He’s ok. It was so scary, Lily! I seriously thought we were all going to die. The dudes came down here and they just...”
Tears brimmed in her eyes and I took her into my arms again.
“They just started killing people, Lily. No reason, just because they could. I’ve never been so happy to see vampires as when the door burst open and ours came in and fought off the psycho ones.”
“I know the feeling. It was much the same when we were attacked.”
“I heard there was blood everywhere… How did you escape?”
“Calix...saved me,” I told her.
She didn’t need to know the entire story.
“I guess it pays sometimes to have an asshole vampire boyfriend.” She smiled.
“I’m sorry for the words I said before, Janey. I was mad and I… I was insecure in my relationship.”
“No way. I was acting like a bitch. Call it even. Besides, you didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. It took me some time, but I’m ok with him sleeping with other people.”
I bit my lip and pulled her further away into an empty sitting area.
“Can I—I know it’s private, but can I ask you about that?”
She shrugged.
“How are you ok with him sleeping with other people?”
Another shrug.
“It’s just the way things are down here. He has a job to do, on pain of death.”
“Can I be frank with you, Janey? You need to keep it all a secret if I do. Not even to Manny.”
“Sure Lily, say what you need to.”
“I just… Calix just told me that after what happened… because so many of the people in his family have died, that they’re basically putting the mates and baby mission on overdrive. He’s going to demand his brothers take on more mates ASAP and he’s going to do the same.”
“Oh Geez… Lily...” She looked sad.
“He didn’t really promise a lot. He says he wishes he didn’t have to, but that he does. There’s no choice in the matter. He said he’ll start the search soon… but that I’m the one who owns his heart. I don’t even know what that means. He’ll have to sleep with...who knows how many other women… And once he finds some more mates, he’ll constantly be with them. He’ll develop a relationship with them. He’ll grow fond of them, at the very least… I don’t think I can do that, Janey. I can’t watch him with other women for the rest of forever...”
“Then don’t. Give him his babies then ask to be let go. Don’t turn.”
I gasped.
I hadn’t considered that in a long time. It would likely be the least painful option.
Breathing a sigh, I nodded.
“You’re probably right, J. Thanks for the talk.”
“Whatever you do, just don’t lose yourself to him. You are your own woman, with your own likes and dislikes, your own desires and goals. Loving someone doesn’t mean turning into them. Stay true to yourself and you’ll know what you have to do. Plus, you have me here and I’m a pretty good sounding board. Always have been.”
“Thanks Janey.”
She grinned and drew me into a hug before letting me go.
“As much as I’d love to chat forever, your gun show over there is giving me dirty looks. You should probably get out of here.”
I turned to look at my security and saw their strained expressions.
“Fine. But come see me soon. Calix wouldn’t dare deny me you.”
“Good. Now see you later.”
We hugged again before I stood and headed back out of the room and up the stairs. The tension radiating off my guards eased with every step until we were back to my bedroom door. I stepped inside and instantly my belly began to swirl and I knew he was there.
“Where have you been, Lily?” he asked in a deep voice.
“I went to see Janey. I needed to talk to someone.”
“Lily, I told you not to...”
“So what?” I whirled around and found him sitting on the edge of the lounge couch. “I can’t talk to you, my sister couldn’t understand and my brother is naïve. I needed someone to talk to about you fucking someone else because I’m...I’m...”
Tears bubbled up out of nowhere, closing my throat off so I couldn’t get any other words out of my mouth.
“Please, Lily. There is so much going on. I can’t deal with you melting down, too.”
The words were a blow to my gut. Air left my lungs for a different reason and I struggled sucking in more.
“Don’t let me distract you, Prince. You’ve got a war to plan, another mate to find and fuck. You’re a busy guy.”
His eyes closed in frustration and he sighed.
“But thank you,” I added as an afterthought. “For bringing my sibling here. For keeping them safe.”
“I would do anything for you, Lily.” He sighed again, looking at me this time.
My heart broke and sank into my stomach.
“I know. You’d do anything for your mates.”
Calix’s jaw clenched and he stood, marching toward me.
“Every fucking time we get to a good place, something happens and you withdraw. Every fucking time, Lily. This is nothing new to you. You knew this was the future. You knew I would have to have other mates if I were to become king and yet you still told me you loved me.”
His hands gripped my arms tightly as he looked me in the eyes with a pained but angry expression.
“You told me you would be here. You promised me that you would never leave me. And yet, here you are. Here we are. Like Berlin, you’re erected a massive wall between us and nothing I say will assuage you.”
His fingers gripped so hard they began to hurt.
“You promised me,” he said in a harsh whisper before dropping my arms and storming out the door.
“You also promised that you would be mine and no one else’s.”
“I promised that you owned me.” He turned to growl at me from the doorframe.
“You broke your promise, Calix. Don’t blame me for breaking mine.”
“I didn’t break my promise, Agápi. I promised that you owned me and you do
. Whether I have to share my body with someone else, you own everything that counts. More than flesh and blood and bone. You own my soul.”
My mouth popped open at his words as he closed the door with a loud slam.
The man certainly knew how to make an exit.
I stayed in my room for a while, hoping my siblings were sleeping. But soon I got too anxious and went to Maggie’s room, waking her up.
“Sup,” she asked with a rough voice, rubbing at her eyes.
“It’s dinner soon,” I told her, wondering why I felt so awkward standing in this large room with my sister.
“So you and sexy vampire dude make up yet?” she asked while yawning.
“What do you mean?” I played dumb.
“Oh c’mon. Everyone in a four mile radius heard you. Well, heard him. The guy’s voice carries.”
“Did you..?”
“Yeah I heard it.” She sighed, propping her chin on the heel of her hand as she laid on her stomach. “Something about other mates or rather. Basically polygamy if I got it right.”
“Right,” I breathed, sitting on the edge of her bed.
“So? What’s so bad about that?”
I turned to her and stared at her like she was crazy. She was crazy.
“What’s so wrong about sharing my mate? Did I hear you correctly?”
“Sure you did. What about it? What’s so bad about it? I can only think of upsides.”
“Like what?” I demanded.
“Like you get to continue doing whatever the hell you want to do. And with more chicks you don’t have to worry about the awful-morning-sex begging or going-to-sleep-sex begging or middle-of-the-day sex begging...”
“What’s so bad about those?” I grinned.
I couldn’t help myself.
Now that I had some experience in the matter, hearing my virginal sister talk about it was kind of funny.
“Talk about getting old quick.” She made a face.
“Oh God… Sister… It would never grow old with someone like Calix. I promise you.”
Her disgusted expression twisted further and she put her hands out to stop me.
“Ew. Ew! TMI!”
I laughed quietly and brushed my finger over my arm, remembering the feel of his hands there only hours ago.
I was so gone for him… I would do anything for him, even share him if I had to… I knew I would.
“Guess I don’t have any say in the matter anyway. I’ll have to let him do what he has to do. I just don’t want to.”
“So don’t.”
“I don’t have a choice, Mags. It’s his duty.”
“Awful convenient duty if you ask me.” She raised one eyebrow.
“Sure. Except I’ve seen it in action. Nobody seems to enjoy the idea. They do it for practicality purposes.”
“Right, right. Have you told him you’ll leave him if he doesn’t stop the stupid rule? Seriously. If the dude is really a prince, he has a say.”
“No, he doesn’t. He’s a prince just as much as his other brothers. And until this afternoon his father was king. King with five mates, nonetheless.”
“And he lived with five women?” she sounded flabbergasted.
“Just a couple of them. Three I think.”
“Where were the others?”
“Gone, I guess.”
“So, go get gone then.”
I didn’t want to get gone.
“You’re not helping me, Mags,” I said finally, moving back toward the door. “Dinner in five. Big guy will show you the way.”
She nodded and face planted into her pillow as I left.
Chrys barely said a word as he waved me out of his room.
When I closed the door behind me, big guy said in a quiet voice that didn’t match his hulking frame, “Prince Bion is here, Mistress.”
“Oh really?” I asked, then looked down at my clothes.
Dangit. This would require a fast cleanup.
Running back to my room, I pulled off my clothes, brushed out my dark hair and slipped a fitted black silk dress over my head before gliding red lipstick over my lips.
My eyelashes were long and dark already so for the sake of time I skipped mascara and swiped on the smallest hint of blush before stumbling into my heels.
I would meet my mate’s brother, and I wanted to do it looking hot.
Calix deserved it.
Chapter Fifteen
Checking my appearance once more, I fingered the thin spaghetti straps, and fussed with the draped bust one more time before exiting the room. My guards fell in line behind me and my small steps, following faithfully as I slowly made my way to the dining room with my restricted stride.
It was one big reason I rarely wore fitted dresses. It made my curves look killer though so, worth it.
As I approached, I heard voices, some I didn’t recognize and some I did. Appearing at the door, I observed the crowd. My siblings were yet to arrive but Ariston and Nyx were there, along with a tall man who looked just like Calix, just not as tall. A small, rotund woman stood next to him, dripping with jewels and an expensive dress but her poor face… it resembled a pig more than a woman.
Another woman stood a little off to the side, her figure similar to Nyx though her face structure was different. Her hair was blonde instead of Nyx’s black and her face stretched in a frown.
Alexandra.
Nyx attempted to converse with her but she was having none of it. Alexandra chose to stand and stare instead.
Ariston stood beside Calix, who was talking to the other man who I assumed to be Bion. But the first to notice me as I stood on the outskirts of the room, was my mate.
Calix’s eyes swept me from head to toes and back again twice before he outstretched his hand silently. Ariston followed the movement and his eyes drifted up until they caught on me. He did a similar sweep but his mouth popped open a little before slapping back shut. As I approached, I caught the moment when Bion must have sensed me or smelled me, because he stopped mid-sentence and turned.
All three men, similar in looks, stared as I took the last few steps. My hand slipped over Calix’s and he took it as always, but this time he lifted it to his mouth and pressed my knuckles to his soft lips.
“Lily, my brother Bion,” Calix said in a low voice, his hand moving over my back before settling just above the curve of my butt where the dip of the dress stopped.
Hey, I never said it was a modest dress.
“A pleasure,” Bion said with a straight face. “I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Right, of course.” I nodded. “I don’t think anybody really wants to be here right now.”
Bion raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother, almost as if to translate.
“The occasion isn’t a good one, certainly,” Calix agreed.
I felt his thumb move a little, settling on the skin of my lower back before brushing back and forth, stroking heat into me from the outside in.
“You’ve yet to meet our sister Alexandra,” Ariston put in. “You look beautiful tonight, Lil.”
“Thanks, Ari.” I smiled back at him and he gave me a real smile in return.
It was good seeing him smile after the night we’d all had.
“You are stunning,” Calix agreed, pulling me tighter into his side as a couple of his fingers slipped inside the back of my dress.
“Thank you,” I breathed, staring into his eyes.
Every angry thing we’d said to each other dissipated in that look and I wanted him so badly. Every nerve fired off at once and I sort of forgot that there was anyone else in the room.
Bion lifted a brow before saying, “I’ll give you your space.”
When he said that, it occurred to me that not only could Calix smell my excitement, the entire room full of vampires could, too. My cheeks burned red and Calix smiled, pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“I should thank you,” he murmured in my ear. “The conversation was growing tiresome.”
&nb
sp; “I’m still mad, Calix.”
“Not that mad, obviously.” He chuckled and pressed his hand against my back, moving me with him through the room.
“Alexandra, my mate,” he said to the stoic blonde woman.
“Charmed,” she said blandly, her eyes like cold crystals.
“I’m sure,” I said back and felt Calix’s hand press me tighter.
I wasn’t sure if it was a warning or amusement. Or maybe he was just as horny as I was.
A boisterous voice came into the room and my sister followed close behind. Chrys was at her side and the two were laughing.
Alexandra turned and strode away.
“It might be best if your siblings ate in their rooms tonight,” Calix murmured at my side.
“Why?” I demanded.
“Because Bion and Alexandra are rather forthcoming with their thoughts. And their thoughts are rarely polite.”
“So they’re assholes like you?” I asked him and he grinned sheepishly.
“Exactly,” Ariston said from behind me.
I whirled around and slapped his arm.
“Don’t friggin do that! I don’t like being snuck up on.”
“Sorry, sorry.” He smiled, his hands planted deep in his pockets.
“Who’s the hottie?” Maggie asked as she approached us.
Chrys followed but was silent.
“Which one?” I asked and Maggie’s eyebrows bounced.
“Not yours. I’m not into the whole sister wives thing.”
I grimaced and Calix rolled his eyes.
Ariston, on the other hand, seemed enchanted immediately.
“I don’t think we properly met. Ariston. Or Ari as your delightful sister likes to call me.”
“You know Ari is a chick name, right?”
“Sure. But I’m masculine enough to get away with it.”
Maggie grinned.
“By the way, I was referring to you. The other dude looks like Calix’s twin. You’re still young and hot. We all know women would prefer Spider Man to the lame, tightass Batman.”
“Oh my God… Maggie!” I seethed through my teeth at her.
“We’ll get along just fine.” Ariston nodded with a grin, placing his arm gently around her shoulder.
“Remember,” Calix told his brother. “Under my protection,”