by Lea Jade
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Sneak Peek: Royally Charmed
Book One of The Royal Bad Boy Shifter Series
CALEB
I sense her magic before I see her.
A raw magic that prickles and teases my skin. Then a bare glimpse of the witch priestess moving, cutting through the crowds, before she’s gone again. Smooth, long legs. Toned arms and shoulders. Delicate features hiding strength and power. Power only a shifter would recognize and want to devour—A shifter like me.
I follow her, staying behind as she heads toward the middle of the arrivals lounge. Hordes of people, sauntering along like they have all the time in the world, back from who knows where, slip in between us. Carting luggage or pushing trolleys loaded with bags, at a snail’s pace.
I’m about to lose sight of her. I’m stuck behind some oblivious-to-the world-around-him tourist with an obnoxious Hawaiian shirt, shouting down his cell at some poor taxi driver. Then she stops suddenly next to the ticket counters, and drops her enormous duffel bag, which is large enough to fit a dead body inside, smack down in front of her.
I ease around Hawaiian Shirt and move closer, pausing casually by a departure board at the edge of the lounge, in time to see her bend over and rummage inside the numerous pockets of her bag.
This close, her perfume is intoxicating.
A goddam supernatural honey trap.
Every shifter for miles is probably sniffing the air to catch her scent. As prey goes, she’s already got my lion riled up. And I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t influencing me in my human form.
I’m only at Sidlow Springs Airport during rush hour, at some fates forsaken hour of the morning, so I can protect her. A lot of witches have been going missing lately, inside Blackwater territory—My territory. Most have turned up dead—Mauled to pieces. A supposed shifter attack rather than a vampire. Instead of lying low, the Vale witches send another of their coven to hunt for the killer—and it’s on me to make sure nothing happens to her.
But if I can’t keep myself in check...
My beast prowls just beneath the surface, ready to come out. The smell of her fills my nostrils and sets off a reaction through my body, making the muscles in my shoulders and neck spasm. My canine teeth have lengthened. I don’t have to look in the mirror to know my eyes are flooded with gold.
Ok. This isn’t good.
Damn. I’m about to shift.
I’ve no idea how this is happening.
I’m a royal. I’m supposed to have perfect control, not swoon like a lovesick cub over the first female of the season.
Sweat trails down the back of my shirt. A reaction to the sticky heat? Or my core temperature rising as I’m about to change? I grip the nearest support, the backrest of a lounge chair, and suck down some air.
I need to restrain myself. I palm my phone and consider calling the whole thing off, before I do something stupid like shift—or worse, try to claim her.
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Are you high right now?” My brother’s voice is suddenly in my head, via our psychic connection we’ve had from birth. A benefit to having the same pure bloodline as well as pride.
Noticing how exposed I am, I take a step back closer to the wall.
“Give me a break, Trey. I’m as sick as a dog here.”
He gives a snort-laugh. “You’re more than sick, you’re a mess. Must have been some solo party after I left last night. What did you do? Drink the court bar dry? Cheer up, at least you gave dear dad’s best bodyguards the slip. Didn’t think you’d manage that with one of your famous hangovers.”
“You know this is his way of testing me,” I send with a sigh. Getting out of the palace without alerting security wasn’t something I could have done alone. Not with the Council leaders visiting and everyone on edge about the murders. I couldn’t have pulled it off without Kaiser’s magic.
I owe the warlock big time for this.
“Ah, I’d happily switch places. Just say the word. You know I would. I’m supposed to be your older brother. I’ll always have your back. Don’t even have to get out of my seat to do that.”
“I think you’ll find it’s me who’s got yours.”
“Oh, so I didn’t just wake you up back there. You were sleepwalking. Totally out of it.”
“Fine, fine. I owe you one.”
Trey laughs, and I see him as the crowd parts. Sitting on a bar stool on the far side of the arrivals’ hall, at a fast food joint, with a massive grin on his face. “Just remember that when you finally win over the rest of the Pride and take the throne, and you’re knee-deep in Vale and Council bullshit.” He takes a bite of what looks to be a greasy breakfast wrap in front of him.
I scowl under my breath as he continues to chuckle in my head between bites, and I lean against the wall for support.
My head is spinning again.
I don’t have to do this. I could pull rank. Get Trey to take over and go lie down in the back of his Jeep. Just for a few hours. We have plenty of bodyguards to do this sort of task given the size of Blackwater Pride.
But like my father, I trust absolutely no one. Well, no one except for Trey. It also looks good to the Tigers if I handle this myself. Show them that I can build bridges with the Vale witches personally. That’s how our family have stayed in power so long. That’s why Blackwater Pride has the respect it has. Pure bloodline or not, we deal with our problems directly.
And this is problem is mine.
No one else’s.
I roll my shoulders, take a deep breath, and focus on locking my beast down using visualizations the lionesses teach to young cubs. It works. Just.
Okay, I can do this. Protect the witch. Clear my name. Then, I can get back to drowning my sorrows.
“If you need to throw up there’s a trash can about fifty yards to your right.”
“Trey, you’re an S.O.B sometimes, you know that?”
“You should stop whining and enjoy the view.”
Enjoy the view? My brother has no idea what I’m going through right now. Our connection sometimes allows us to share sight and emotions with each other, but I’m pretty good at blocking him on everything apart from direct communication these days.
Still, his comment makes me take a second look.
I’m not disappointed.
In full view, the witch is wriggling her ass my way as she bends over. Generous hips and slender waist. Thick, wavy red hair, the kind you want to wrap around your hand, and amazing legs that go on forever. I’m rewarded with an even better view when she stands up, brushing her unruly, auburn hair out of her face. Cute, snub nose. Creamy skin. And big, beautiful green-eyes. Stunning compared to the shifter gold I’m used to seeing.
I stay back, hidden next to an information board, as she pulls out her phone, swiping at it madly and scowling at the screen. A long, drawn-out puff of air escaping her lips as she breathes out.
Behind her, there’s a gap in the crowd. There’s fewer tourists today, but it seems unnaturally quiet. Something feels off.
I glance back at her, but she’s not even paying attention.
Witch, what are you playing at?
I take the moment to check for immediate threats. My right shoulder leaning leisurely against the wall as I cast a casual eye on those exiting the terminal across from me.
Then I see it.
Vampire.
I know it’s a vampire because he smells of decaying earth. He also moves like one—as though he doesn’t have any bones. Dressed straight out of the 1920s—A living, dead piece of history.
“Trey, are you seeing this?” I give him a visual through my eyes.
“I bet you he’s not on the family guest list.”
“Can you run a check?”
“I’ll do it now.”
I scan the place a second and third time, in case our vamp broug
ht a friend. I confirm he didn’t before shuffling my stance, tilting the last of my coffee back and grabbing my backpack like I’m a tourist. Out the corner of my eye, I see my charge gather her things.
Time to make a move.
I keep at a distance as the witch priestess steps onto the escalators making her way towards the exit. It’s painful to watch her struggle with such a huge bag, which is almost twice the size she is.
My lion puffs up, wanting to help.
Well, mostly he wants me to carry her out of here. Far away from the vampire and the roving eyes of the other males. It takes all I have not to seize her, haul her petite frame over my shoulder and whisk her back my place for safety.
What better way to protect a human than to keep her close to me?
I shake my head, as if to reject such a crazy idea. Fate knows what I’d do to her if I got her alone. I can’t trust my lion right now.
She is one hundred percent off limits.
“Trey, run a scan on her, too, while you’re at it,” I add, taking the escalator steps two at a time.
“You don’t trust the witches either, do you?”
“It’s not that I don’t trust them, but there’s no way she’s your average witch. I think she’s an earth user.” Her blend of magic feels almost alive to my lion. Earth magic is rare type that can overcome my kind with just a touch. Which makes sense if she’s here to investigate the murder of a witch killed by a shifter.
There’s a few seconds of silence before Trey speaks in my head again. “Cal, if she’s necromancer...”
“Yes, I know.”
“Why would Kaiser agree to this when he knows the state you’re in.”
“Was in. It’s been over a year since...”
Kai, is both a warlock and a council negotiator. And has been a friend to the family for many years. As well as having my back, it’s in his interest to let me escort the witch. But I don’t need mention our ‘deal’ to Trey. Not just yet. Not until it’s done.
“But, Cal, if she is—” my brother starts.
“It changes nothing.” As soon as I say it, I know it’s true. The past should stay in the past. ‘I need to ensure the Coven’s investigation goes smoothly. That’s all.”
“Chill, brother, I understand.”
“Forget it. Did you run the check?”
“No territory visit-requests from any of the vampire masters or the smaller clans. I also ran a local check. Our new friend is not from around here.”
I figured as much. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”
“Need me to track him?”
I hesitate. “Yes... No. Let’s stay on the witch. Better to make contact before she gets to the hotel. I’ll deal with the vampire later.”
“Is that a good idea? Letting the vamp just swan in here unannounced?”
My lion bristles at being questioned. Trey may be older, but he’s never been my alpha.” What are you implying?”
“Those other vamps...”
“Deserve what happened to them. They were trespassing. The rules are clear on what happens to those who break them.”
“Brother, I’m agreeing with you. Listen, why don’t you escort the witch to her hotel while I find out what the vamp is doing here. Let me handle this one.”
“No. You’re no a match for a vampire.”
“Okay.” Trey can be tetchy about his latent shifter ability, a defect since birth. It’s best to let him work through his emotional baggage on his own, rather than walk around on egg-shells.
I draw air in through my nostrils and let it out slowly, calming my lion and steadying my thoughts. “Look, I’ll deal with him. If I’m not done in time, make sure she gets to the hotel safely. Don’t engage with her though. She’ll get a cab to the hotel when her ride doesn’t show.”
“Kaiser’s going to go nuts,” Trey says after a few seconds of silence.
I don’t disagree with him. Any deviation from the plan will upset my oldest friend. When I asked Kai if I could take his place as the witch’s escort, he was reluctant at first. Now that I’m not even doing the job I said I would, he’s going to be really pissed off with me.
“He’ll understand, the vampire being here is a problem,” I counter.
“You’re going to let her get a cab though? Is that a good idea?”
“I think she’s old enough to get a cab by herself. Just let me know when she gets to the hotel.” I’ll have to find her there later to talk to her. The place will be crawling with Council this close to the summit, but it can’t be helped. The main priority is to deal with the vamp and keep the her safe.
Then I can find out what she knows.
I loiter outside the exit doors, while Trey moves his Jeep out front to where the witch is already queuing for a cab. Then I thread back through the crowds to where I stashed my bike. I check the side exits and pathways which are shaded from the sun as I go, just in case the sucker is lurking nearby.
Despite the seclusion, it’s always busy on the weekend through the summer. Sidlow Springs is a tourist town all year long. Skiing in the winter, fall, spring… well, just about any time. Then the warm days hit and the people flock in even more. A buffet for the local vampires, picking off the sweet and lonesome like sushi on a conveyor belt.
But that’s at night.
Not in broad daylight. Not at sunshine o’clock.
I pass by a few tourists, zipping my green hunter jacket and sliding my hands into my pockets, wrapping my fingers tightly around the wooden stake hidden in the pocket to the left. Shifters don’t need weapons against vampires, our teeth and claws are enough. But today, I’m not willing to stir the beast. There’s too much magic in the air.
Trey thinks I’m taking on the vampire because I see myself as the better predator. It’s more that I don’t fully trust myself around the witch. With magic as potent as hers, I was so close to shifting back there.
I haven’t had the greatest track record in keeping my beast under control lately. It took seven lionesses to bring me down after I went on a vampire killing spree last year. Not my finest moment. I didn’t know if I’d come back from it. I did in the end, though I haven’t shifted fully since. Not out in the open, anyway.
My lion hates it, but the only place I’ll let him out is my father’s estate and even then, it’s for the briefest of moments. It’s enough to stop me from going insane at the full moon.
Ahead of me, towards an emergency stairwell, I detect a whiff of decay.
“Got him,” I telepathically send to Trey. “You still on the witch?”
“She’s in a cab a few cars ahead, while I’m stuck in a slip lane. No one here is letting me out.” I can just about sense his anger through our link.
“Take the utility road. That should bring you out on Lakeside Road.”
“The long way round, you mean. I still don’t see why you get to play with the vamp while I sit like a stooge in midday traffic.”
I don’t bother to respond. It’s only going to encourage him. Instead, I trail the vamp’s scent until I get to a sub-level maintenance section, full of pipes and heavy-duty cleaning equipment. But there’s no sign of him. Just a maze of low-lit corridors with steel doors leading off, and a set of metal stairs going nowhere but down.
“This vamp had better be worth it,” I send to Trey with a mental sigh as I start down them. If this vampire is as old as he looks, I might need to shift so as not to have my ass handed to me. Only, shifter lions and tight spaces are never a good combination. At least the metal door at the top of the stairwell looks strong enough to contain my beast if I lose control.
“Trust me,” says Trey softly. “Another slew of vamp attacks around Blackwater isn’t going to go down well with the Council. As much as I dislike you following the leech instead of me, you’re doing the right thing.”
My lion doesn’t agree, not at all happy that the priestess is out of sight and smell. Miles away from our protection. Her scent faded quickly and has all but gone now I’m
in the basement. Without her power to taste, I feel her loss even more like a part of me is missing. Which is crazy since I only laid eyes on her for the first time this morning.
I grit my teeth and force myself deeper into the guts of the building. Ignoring the urge to retreat, grab my bike, and follow the priestess around like a shadow. Even though it’s all I want to do.
The vampire. I need to concentrate on the vampire. I can’t let just any blood sucker walk into my territory without question. The Council may have a treaty with the master vampire clans, but the Pride doesn’t and never will. Trespassers of their kind in Blackwater are open season in my book. An image of burning bodies flashes before my mind. Seven vamps burnt to ash—killed by a breaking dawn. Not my finest moment, and not nearly enough retribution for what those leeches did.
For a moment, all I see is red. But as I take the stake from my pocket and unleash my claws, my vision switches to a shades-of-grey—detailed night view. The low rumble in my chest becomes an all-out growl, and echoes off the enclosed walls as I start down the metal steps and into darkness.
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