by Lia Davis
“She’s right.” Mother narrowed her dark eyes at me. “I trained her to be your mate. I trained her to lead the people alongside you. And it’s not her fault that you’re rejecting your position now.” Her focus moved back to Trinity. “We’ll begin preparations immediately. Your coronation is in one week. You’ll care for my people, and when my son is through, you’ll care for him, and he can take his rightful place.”
I opened my mouth to argue again, but my mother gave me a taste of my own medicine. “No,” she said, voice chock full of power.
My insides quaked with rage, but I couldn’t say a word while her power washed over me.
“You do what you want to do. You still have your place in this coven. You will remain the prince until you accept Trinity as your vampire mate and take the throne alongside her.”
My body shook as I fought her compulsion.
“If you can’t accept this, you must leave this manor until you can.”
No fucking way I was accepting it. I stood and strode from the room before she used her power to force me to.
Maybe I’d consult with my father. Not yet. I needed time to prepare for a visit with him, but I had a feeling time was something I didn’t have. Who knew what the Red Night group had planned or when their next attack would come? I still had to protect the coven, even if they didn’t recognize me as their prince.
10
Jillian
My empty breakfast plate sat on the coffee table in front of me as I stared at some human show about vampires. I loved it, normally. They got so much right, but I usually watched with Quin and Voss and we laughed at how the show romanticized the blood-suckers.
My phone dinged on the couch beside me, but I ignored it. It dinged a few more times, and I turned it over so I didn’t have to look at the texts from Voss and Quin. I could still hear them in the kitchen. If they want to talk to me so much, they can walk their happy asses in here. I was calmed down enough to listen. Maybe.
It started ringing shrilly, and the kitchen went quiet. I turned it over.
Kane.
I knew I shouldn’t answer it, but of course I did. It was like I couldn’t ignore it. Damn it. This mate bullshit is strong.
“Hello?” I asked, attempting to make my voice sound standoffish.
“Can you come back?” he asks without preamble. His voice is gruff, upset. “I promise be on my best behavior.”
Even though he chuckled, I heard a hint of sorrow and anger in his tone. “Are you okay?”
“Just come back.” He hung up.
If, if we took the mate thing anywhere, he’d have to stop hanging up on me. Damn that fucking vampire!
I took my plate to the sink and rinsed it before putting it in the dishwasher. Totally ignoring Voss and Quin as they sat at the table apparently shooting the shit, I walked out through the garage door and headed for my SUV. The bike reminded me of what I’d done the night before. I needed to be good.
“Where the hell are you going without us now?” Quin asked from the doorway as I opened the SUV’s door.
I took pity on them. “I’m going to Kane’s. He called and sounded upset.” If they wanted to come, they could. At least that’d keep me and Kane from fucking again.
“Why are you going? You don’t have to drop everything and rush to his side because he’s upset.” Quin said. Voss stayed silent, wisely.
“Quin, listen. You need to back off. I’m dealing with a lot of emotions, a lot of confusion. Your alpha bullshit is making me feel like a rebellious teenager, and it makes me want to take off without you.” I got in the car, and they rushed forward.
“Fine, I’ll try to curb it.” He climbed into the back seat.
Voss sat beside me. “Want me to drive?”
It was a nice offer. He knew I hated driving. I preferred to take my bike most places, but my sentries wouldn’t both fit on it.
“I’m fine.”
As I watched the garage door open in my rearview mirror, I tried not to let my eyes stray to Quin, sitting behind Voss. He looked forlorn and that tore at my heart.
This shit with Kane was powerful, but I still cared for Quin and Voss, and still felt similar mating urges for both of them. What was I supposed to do with all those conflicting emotions?
The drive to Kane’s apartment was tense. Quin kept staring at me, and my eyes flicked involuntarily to him in the mirror. I didn’t want to be angry with him.
“You can’t control me,” I whisper.
His gaze met mine in the mirror. “I don’t want to. I was surprised and angry. Are you sure he’s your mate, and you weren’t just horny?”
I snorted. “Jackass. I’m sure.”
Voss tried to placate us. “If they’re mates, we’ll be able to smell it.” True mate’s scents were similar, almost as if created with the same base. Lycans could always recognize true mates once they’d mated.
“You know I can’t help it, right?” I asked him.
“I know,” Quin replied.
I parked in front of Kane’s building, but then moved my car when I realized the deli under his apartment was open. I didn’t want to block their customers. We parked in a small lot down the street and walked back to the building.
The door to his place wasn’t locked, so I went on in. The door at the top of the stairs was also unlocked. I didn’t bother knocking. If he was my mate, why should I?
Kane was slouched on the sofa, nursing a beer.
“It’s eleven in the morning, Kane,” I said as a greeting, pointing to the beer in his hand. “Why are you drinking?”
He lifted his beer and nodded his head. “Grab one.” He nodded at my sentries, crowded in behind me.
I walked over to stand directly in front of him. He looked weird, off. Was he already drunk? “What the hell is going on?”
“Hello, mate.” He gave me a sardonic smile. “I gave up my throne for you. So we’re having a beer.”
“Shit,” Quin muttered from the doorway. He walked around the couches and into the kitchen area.
“Fuck, get me one too.” I plopped down beside Kane then took his beer and took a long pull off of it. “You didn’t have any other option?”
“No.” He took the beer Quin held out to me. “Trinity got to them, and I chose you. They’re crowning her queen, mommy dearest will go back to Hell, and when I ‘come to my senses,’” he said with air quotes, “then I can take my place by Trinity’s side. Fucking bitch.” He drank half the bottle in one gulp. “I won’t take the throne and mate with someone I could never love. I chose you,” he said with finality.
I stared at my beer bottle. Quin and Voss were very still.
“I smell it,” Voss said. “The mating.”
“Yeah,” Quin said, voice sad. “I do, too. Which sucks, since I’ve felt the pull to mate with you as well. I was waiting for you to be ready, or indicate you felt it too.”
We all froze with that declaration. Voss looked between the rest of us. “I, uh, I have, too.”
Of course he has.
“Why did it hit me over the head like a sledgehammer with Kane, but it’s a pull with you two?”
Kane’s head jerked. “You feel it for them?”
I nodded. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t help this.”
“How long have you felt it?” I asked Quin.
“Since you were born.”
“You’ve felt this since you were thirteen?” I asked in amazement.
“It wasn’t always sexual,” he said defensively. “I’m not a creep.”
“I know that,” I exclaimed. “You’re not the first to feel the pull as a child. Maybe that’s why it’s not overwhelming for us. I’ve felt it since I was a small baby.”
“It’s why I signed up to be your sentry,” he said. “I had to be near you.”
I looked at Voss. “It was pretty strong when I first met you,” I admitted. “But that was several years ago. I was hardcore into denying the fact that I’d need to mate before taking over the pac
k. Then when you became my sentry, I couldn’t deny it, but I was able to ignore it by then.”
“Fate always brings mates together in the end,” Kane said. “That’s true no matter the species. Even humans have them, but they can’t feel the pull. They just think it was a coincidence that they chose each other.”
“So, now what? How do we deal with this?” Voss asked.
“Now, we see what happens. This isn’t something I’ve ever heard of, one woman having three mates. Maybe there’s a spell or something going on,” Kane said. “I vote we wait and see.”
“I can get behind that,” I said. Voss and Quin nodded.
If we were admitting the mate pull to each other, did that mean I got to fuck all three of them? Cause I’d been wanting to get my paws on Quin and Voss for a long time. My wolf jumped up and down when I thought about it. She really wanted them, too.
“The most important thing is that we keep our people safe,” Kane said. “I may not be about to take the throne, but they’re still my people.” He turned to me. “You’ve got to convince your father to work with the vampires. He’s got to take a stand and help convince the vampires to join the fight. That’s the only chance we have to defeat this military group.”
Great. If I failed, it would be up to me and these three guys to stop an oncoming war. No pressure.
To be continued…
Vampires and lycans have warred since the dawn of time.
Mating between a vampire and a lycan is forbidden.
A harem is unheard of.
Until now.
Meet Kane, Voss, Quin, and Jillian.
When a new enemy threatens both the Coven and Pack, will it tear Jillian’s world apart or unite the two races, ending an ancient war?
One-click the series now
Kane
Voss
Quin
Jillian
About Lia Davis
In 2008, Lia Davis ventured into the world of writing and publishing and never looked back. She has published more than thirty books, including the bestselling A Tiger’s Claim, book one in her fan favorite Ashwood Falls series. Her novels feature compassionate yet strong alpha heroes who know how to please their women and her leading ladies are each strong in their own way. No matter what obstacle she throws at them, they come out better in the end.
While writing was initially a way escape from real world drama, Lia now makes her living creating worlds filled with magic, mystery, romance, and adventure so that others can leave real life behind for a few hours at a time.
Lia’s favorite things are spending time with family, traveling, reading, writing, chocolate, coffee, nature and hanging out with her kitties. She and her family live in Northeast Florida battling hurricanes and very humid summers, but it’s her home and she loves it! Sign up for her newsletter, become a member of her fan club, and follow her on Twitter @NovelsByLia.
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Also by Lia Davis
Paranormals
Ashwood Falls Series
Winter Eve
A Tiger’s Claim
A Mating Dance
Surrendering to the Alpha
A Rebel’s Heart
Divided Loyalties
Touch of Desire
A Leopard’s Path
Jaguar’s Judgment
Bears of Blackrock
Bear Essentials
Bear Magick
A Beary Sweet Holiday
Bear Marked
Dragons of Ares
War’s Passion
Ashes of War
Artemis’s Hunt
Chaotic War
Sons of War Box Set: Volume One
Dark Scales Division (Co-authored with Kerry Adrienne)
Dragon Undercover
Snowed Undercover
more coming soon...
Shifting Magick Trilogy
Moon Curse
Moon Kissed
Moon Mated
Shifting Magick Trilogy box set
The Divinities
Forgotten Visions
Death’s Storm
Dark Divine
Divine Awakening
The Divinities Boxed Set
Singles Titles
First Contact (MM co-written with Kerry Adrienne)
Ghost in the Bottle (co-written with Kerry Adrienne)
Dragon’s Web
Royal Enchantment
Contemporaries
Pleasures of the Heart Series
Business Pleasures
Red Hot Pleasures
Single Titles
His Guarded Heart (MM)
About L.A. Boruff
L.A. Boruff lives in East Tennessee with her husband, three children, and an ever growing number of cats. She loves reading, watching TV, and procrastinating by browsing Facebook. L.A.’s passions include vampires, food, and listening to heavy metal music. She once won a Harry Potter trivia contest based on the books, and lost one based on the movies. She has two bands on her bucket list that she still hasn’t seen: AC/DC and Alice Cooper. Feel free to send tickets.
Visit L.A.’s website and subscribe to the newsletter, or follow her on Facebook.
Also By L.A. Boruff
Southern Soil
Literary Yours
Snow Cure
THE UNSEEN WARS
War of Fangs
War of Fire
War of Wings
VALENTINE PRIDE
Co-Written with Laura Greenwood
Unicorn Mates
Unicorn Luck
Unicorn Truths
COVEN’S END
Co-Written with Lia Davis
Kane
Voss
Quin
Jillian
SATURDAY IN REVERSE
Co-Written with Laura Greenwood
Face the Music
Gimme a Beat
Play Their Song