by Julia Mills
VIKTOR
Heart of Her King
Kings of the Blood ~ Book 1
by
Julia Mills
No One Escapes Destiny...
Not Even the King.
Copyright © 2016 Julia Mills
All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictional manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
NOTICE: This is an adult erotic paranormal romance with love scenes and mature situations. It is only intended for adult readers over the age of 18.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
DEDICATION
Also by Julia Mills
Index of Latin
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
Her Dragon, His Demon
Zoey: A ‘Not-Quite’ Zombie Love Story
About Julia
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Edited by Lisa Miller, Angel Editing Services
Proofread by Charlene Bauer with Wickedly Bold
Cover Designed by Linda Boulanger with Tell Tale Book Covers
Cover Model Tommy Barresi
Photographer Eric David Battershell with Eric Battershell Photography
Formatted by Charlene Bauer with Wickedly Bold
DEDICATION
Dare to Dream! Find the Strength to Act! Never Look Back!
Thank you, God.
To my girls, Liz and Em, I Love You. Every day, every way, always.
To Charlene, Your support is just amazing! This one’s for you!
Also by Julia Mills
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The Dragon Guard Series
Her Dragon to Slay, Dragon Guard Series #1
Her Dragon’s Fire, Dragon Guard Series #2
Haunted by Her Dragon, Dragon Guard Series #3
For the Love of Her Dragon, Dragon Guard Series #4
Saved by Her Dragon, Dragon Guard #5
Only for Her Dragon, Dragon Guard #6
Fighting for Her Dragon, Dragon Guard #7
Her Dragon’s Heart, Dragon Guard #8
Her Dragon’s Soul, Dragon Guard #9
Her Love, Her Dragon: The Saga Begins, A Dragon Guard Prequel
*****
The ‘Not-Quite’ Love Story Series
Vidalia: A ‘Not-Quite Vampire Love Story
Phoebe” A ‘Not-Quite’ Phoenix Love Story
Zoey: A ‘Not-Quite’ Zombie Love Story
Index of Latin
as spoken by the Kings of the Blood
Custos Animae..........Keeper of My Heart
Te Amo..........I Love You
Saecula..........Forever
Amicus..........Friend
Amicorum..........Friends
Hodie Ipse Et In Saecula..........Today and Forever
Amica Mea..........My Love
Rex..........King
Deliciae Meae..........Darling
Dilectum Meum..........My Beloved
Cor Meum..........My Heart
Saietas..........Feeder
Ita Vero..........Yes
Imperator..........Commander
Vale..........Goodbye
Tuus sum..........I Am Yours
Tranquillitas..........Calm
Sum Rex Ab Eo..........My King
Sanguinem..........Blood
Prologue
The warrior known as Viktoras lay atop the highest mountain, the point of the village closest to the gods, as the sun scorched his bare skin. He waited, spread eagle, wrists and ankles bound to the stakes that had been driven into the dry, brittle earth by his comrades. Those he’d fought beside, bled beside, and swung his sword to defend. This brave soldier had been sentenced to the foulest punishment of their kind. Left to wither away, a slave to the elements, a feast for the vermin.
He thought about the years of his life, the thrill of the victories and the pain of the defeats, all only memories to take to his grave as he felt blisters form upon his searing flesh. He relived every moment of his trial; a farce set upon him by his enemies, led by the weak-minded commander of their sister clan, Bjorn. Such a big name for such a small man. The same coward who’d left his men to die while he ran in fear when faced with their most bloodthirsty adversary.
Bjorn had come to the trial prepared. The traitor had called upon his goddess, Eris – the ruler of chaos, strife and discord, who lent him the power to stand before their Council of Ancestors and provide false testimony against Viktoras. The turncoat assured a conviction against the mighty warrior with a glint in his eye and a snarl upon his lips. Viktoras’ men shouted from the gallery, screaming at the injustice before them, telling and retelling the true story of the battle they’d just survived. Their Supreme Commander, however, stood stoic, unwilling to lower himself to be a party to the charade playing out before him.
The only defense Viktoras waged for himself was to the gods. Praying to the goddess of war and wisdom continually from the first day of his incarceration, begging for her guidance. Every unanswered plea was an arrow to his heart. He’d been left to suffer in silence...alone...a doomed man. Sure that his appeals for justice had fallen upon the deaf ears of the goddess Athena, the warrior began praying directly to Zeus. He asked the Father of the Gods to shine light and honesty on the travesty before him, while hour after hour he listened to tainted testimony planted by his enemies.
Finally, the time came for his generals to take the stand. Roman, his second-in-command and friend since childhood, spoke of Viktoras’ bravery and valor. The general explained how Viktoras had led the charge against their enemies, never asking even the lowliest of their ranks to do anything he himself, had not already accomplished. Achilles, a brigadier general and named for his father, spoke of the many wounded their supreme commander and friend carried to the medics while continuing to fight the thundering hordes descending upon them from all sides. The last allowed to speak was Bain, the eldest of the Michaelidis family and a newly promoted general. He focused on the man beyond the battlefield, explaining in excruciating detail the special care Viktoras took of the women and children left without a man of the family due to their country’s constant conflicts.
The commander watched the faces of each member of the council as his friends and comrades gave testimony. The corrupt lawgivers showed no emotion, gave no indication they were even listening, only looked over the crowd as if taking attendance. When they left to deliberate, Viktoras knew the outcome was a forgone conclusion. His fate had been decided the moment the cold steel shackles were clamped tightly upon his wrists and ankles. The trial was only a formality, a way for his enemies to justify his murder. They wanted to avoid an uprising from those who would remain loyal to the great Supreme Commander, Viktoras.
No matter his belief in the doom he faced, Viktoras still prayed to the almighty Zeus, knowing if a miracle was to be bestowed upon him, it would be by the King of the Gods. Long after the fateful verdict had been delivered, while the mighty warrior sat waiting for the executioner, a light shown from above and a voice unlike any Viktora
s had ever heard reverberated off the stone walls of his cell.
“You have remained loyal, my child, even unto the end. A fate worse than most has befallen you and it is true that life as you know it will soon be forfeit, but this is not the end, great warrior. You are destined for far greater things.
“Your heart will cease to beat. Your lungs will cease to draw breath. You will be buried in a traitor’s grave—but do not fret. Thirty days will come and go while your body rests and transforms. As the sun touches the horizon on the night of the thirty-first day, you shall rise. Your heart will again beat. Your lungs will again draw breath and you, my loyal servant, will be made immortal. You will be known as ‘The Unum’, The One, the first King of the Blood. You will serve a higher purpose. You will smite the enemies that mortals cannot. You will live in resurrection as you lived in life, an unknown hero amongst the masses with a worth beyond all imagination.
“Those loyal to you in life may also be called into service. It is a choice you will have to make, for only you will have the power to make them immortal, to make them future Kings of the Blood. Together, you and yours will form a fraternity unlike any other, with the sole purpose of protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
“As with everything, there is a price and yours is twofold. Although you will live and thrive as you always have, you will also need to consume life’s essence once every new moon. The darkest night of the month at the darkest time of the night is when you shall feed. It should be given willingly and accepted gratefully. Take only the small amount you need to replenish the powers bestowed upon you and leave your donor unblemished.
“Lastly, you will have a mate, your custos animae, the keeper of your heart. The one woman in all the world who can save your doomed soul and breathe life into your dead heart. She will be the perfect complement to your darkness, a light that shines so brightly there are no shadows for you to hide behind. She will know your every weakness, share your every secret, and accept you for all that you are. This gift of the gods will be your only nourishment from the moment of her recognition of you. You will know when this woman is born. You will feel it in the depths of your soul, but you must wait for her. When the time is right, she will come to you. The mating must be completed before nightfall of your three thousandth year or you will cease to exist. You will return to the ether from whence you came, ashes to ashes and dust to dust. You will enter the Elysian Fields and live a hero’s afterlife.
“Our time is up, my supreme commander. The guards approach. Your day of death is nigh. Know that I am watching and waiting. Know that your purpose is true and just, blessed by not only the King of the Gods but by the entire Pantheon. Go forth, brave warrior, die so that you might live and fulfill your honor bound destiny.”
In the blink of an eye, the light from above and the voice of Zeus disappeared as if they had never existed. The guards arrived as predicted and once again locked steel shackles on his wrists and ankles, but this time, he was taken to the top of the mountain and left to die.
Days passed. His strength waned. He knew the end was near but held out hope that what Zeus had promised would come to pass. Viktoras knew he was to serve a greater purpose. He would be true to his mission and do as the King of the Gods had commanded, while also hunting down those responsible for his premature death. Bjorn and the lawgivers would feel the cold, harsh steel of his blade upon their necks. He would watch the life fade from their eyes. Their blood would pay the debt.
With that one last thought, the supreme commander gave his spirit over to the gods and the true story of Viktor Katsaros began....
Chapter One
“Enjoy your stay in London, Ms. Romalesky. Thank you for flying American Airlines.”
Enjoy? Yeah, right.
“I will and thank you, Natalie,” Kat smiled and answered the perky flight attendant as sweetly as she could as she exited the plane. It was the best she could do considering the Diet Pepsi and poorly baked fish she’d consumed during her eight-hour sleepless flight from the states were threatening to make an unwanted reappearance.
In less than eighteen hours she would meet the single most powerful businessman in the world—the elusive Viktor Katsaros. Not only her future but that of her father’s company depended on the multi-million dollar deal she was hoping to broker between Roma Technologies and Katsaros Industries. In the last two years, Kat had taken the nearly bankrupt company she’d inherited after her parent’s death and turned it into a thriving business that just the day before she’d left home had been added to the Forbes’ Most Innovative Companies list. If she had any hopes of getting their new product in the hands of consumers outside the U.S., she had to convince Katsaros to be her partner.
The man she was hinging all her hopes of success on was not known for his willingness to partner with people. The little bit Kat had been able to dig up about him on the internet and in articles gave her a clear picture of a corporate raider. He took what he wanted at the lowest price, kept it if it was something that interested him, but in most cases, broke the companies into pieces and sold them off to the highest bidder. It was easy to see how he’d become so rich and so infamous.
But none of that mattered. Kat had a stable company that was operating in the black and she had the tech to back up a partnership. All the patents and copyrights belonged to her personally, not Roma Tech, so even if Katsaros tried to take her business, he would never get the moneymaker. That was the beauty of still being an independent owner. Viktor Katsaros may be a viper in business but Kat had dealt with vipers before.
She’d been working on the proposal for almost three months, basically from the moment she’d met Roman Marinos, KI’s Vice President of Operations, and if all the stories on the internet were true, Mr. Katsaros’ right-hand man. Kat had to believe it had been destiny that they’d literally bumped into one another at the bar while attending Fortune Magazine’s Man of the Year awards banquet.
She’d been there with the hopes of meeting Viktor Katsaros and pitching her idea of their partnership to the man himself. After her many emails to KI’s development department had gone unanswered, Kat was betting on a long shot. By all accounts, Katsaros hadn’t been seen in public for nearly twenty years, but she’d taken the chance that winning the same award for the tenth year in a row would bring the recluse into the light. The outcome she wanted hadn’t happened, but thankfully, the luck that had seen her through some of the roughest times in her life was still on her side and she’d met Marinos.
Kat had been so shocked when he’d called her by name and introduced himself. She’d almost dropped her ginger ale. Her surprise grew as he apologized for her previously ignored correspondence and asked if she had the time to discuss her proposal right then and there.
Never one to miss an opportunity, Kat had followed Marinos to the table farthest from all the commotion, pulling data out of her overworked brain as fast as she could. Once seated, he’d asked a few preliminary questions about Roma Tech that she was positive he could’ve had answered by any business website anywhere. It was Business 101 – never ask a question you don’t know the answer to. If possible, it made her respect him even more.
Fifteen minutes into the hour-long presentation she’d practiced at least a hundred times in the mirror, Marinos lifted his index finger and offhandedly said, “Excuse me for just a moment.”
Kat prepared for what she was sure was going to be the most elegant and practiced brush off she’d ever gotten. From everything she’d seen of this man so far, he was nothing if not the consummate professional. But to her surprise, he’d taken his cell phone from his jacket pocket, made a few quick key strokes, and placed the device between them on the table.
Marinos smiled as the phone rang but gave no explanation. On the fourth ring, Kat opened her mouth to speak but quickly swallowed her words as the voice on the other end answered, “Katsaros.”
The man’s voice was deep and warm but with a raw power that seemed to resonate within her. He had a
n exotic accent; one she couldn’t place but knew without a doubt was not British, despite reports that he’d lived in London for most of his life.
You just can’t trust what you read on the internet.
“Roman, here. Glad to see you’re still awake, old boy.”
It was then Kat remembered the five-hour time difference between New York and London, making it nearly three a.m. in the men’s homeland. She knew if one of her associates called her in the wee hours of the morning she would’ve been less than pleased and probably a cranky bitch. Viktor Katsaros however, lived up to what little information she’d been able to dig up about him. He’d been a true professional with a voice any woman would gladly give her eye teeth to hear whispered in her ear.
“I am. What can I do for you, old boy?” Viktor answered, throwing Roman’s words back at him with just a touch of levity. It both surprised and reassured Kat.
I was worried he was a stuffy old man. At least he has a sense of humor. Even if he is a viper.
The cocky grin that flashed across Roman’s face made Kat wonder if he’d read her mind, but it was gone so quickly she chalked it up to her imagination and focused on the conversation taking place before her.
“I am sitting here with Miss Romalesky of Roma Tech. She and I were just discussing a joint venture between her company and KI, and I thought it only right I bring you into the discussion.”
Roman went on to explain word for word everything she’d told him. One or two ‘uh-huh’s’ and an ‘I see’ were the only responses Katsaros gave. When Marinos concluded, there was no response from the phone on the table. Several tense seconds of utter silence and Kat thought she might pull her long, red tresses from her head. She tried to appear nonchalant as she felt each tick of the clock, knowing the next words she heard would seal not only her company’s destiny, but also her own.
“How soon can you be in London, Katarina?”
Viktor’s use of her given name stole her breath and caused a warmth to fill her from the inside out. Had she been alone, there was no doubt she would’ve closed her eyes and drifted on the dreamy fog the man’s voice created around her. She thought of the hauntingly erotic dreams she’d been having for the last three years. There was no doubt Viktor would be starring in the next few.