Calculating bastards many of them, quite a few were leftovers from the twins’ father’s rule—personally, he thought a few of them should have lost their heads when the bastard fell.
Having not met the young man yet, Adrian hoped they had brought him with them.
The guards at the gate looked a bit shocked to see him sprinting toward them, Adrian thought with a laugh. When Adrian finally reached the gates, he quickly ordered the guards to open them. Standing on the other side of the gate were two gorgeous young men, along with a scattering of other people.
The twins were both six feet tall. They appeared leanly built, but hidden by the loose-fitting clothes that draped their bodies were muscles worthy of worship—and he would know, as he had seen both without. With pale, almost translucent skin, and ears that extended at the top and ended in a point, they had soft yet still very masculine facial features, slightly pointed noses, high cheekbones, and beautiful yet intelligent silver-gray eyes that glowed.
However, it was easy to tell who was who. Their hair—which was almost as long as his—set them apart, specifically the color. Tristan had long, straight reddish-auburn hair that shone multiple shades of red in the sun. Aiden, however, had white hair that seemed to glisten like freshly fallen snow.
Adrian smiled widely at the two kings. “King Tristan, King Aiden, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
While both the twins were smiling, there was a hint of worry in their eyes. Aiden, the more talkative of the two, was the first to speak. “Come now, Adrian, are we not close enough to discard titles?”
“Yes, yes, but I really want to avoid getting scolded by a certain someone, and I’d rather not listen to an hour-long lecture about proper protocol when out in public.” Adrian looked pointedly at Baylin, who had caught up to him and was now standing stiffly behind him.
Baylin remained silent. He apparently didn’t feel like dignifying his comment with a response.
While Aiden and Tristan laughed, the look of worry remained in their eyes. “Adrian, there have been rumors,” Aiden said hesitantly.
“Rumors?” Apprehension filled him—the twins appeared to be gearing up for a fight.
* * * *
Xavier Dayden stood back and watched as King Aiden composed his thoughts. There was going to be an argument for sure. However, his kings fully intended to win the fight that was about to happen.
He briefly wondered how he had never met King Adrian. He had met the man’s father at the age of twenty-five—the man had been as much of a bastard as the previous Arcadian king, Davin.
It made sense, he supposed. When Adrian’s father, King Kade, stilled ruled, he avoided venturing into Vadin, as it was a mess to say the least. When Adrian Silvermore Bloodhart took over, he had just been named the captain of the guards. For years he mostly remained in the castle. Then when King Rand died—murder by his own twin brother—King Davin started a war with the Kingdom of Vadin. At the time, he had been forced to be Davin’s personal bodyguard. He had been stuck in the castle being King Davin’s “faithful” bodyguard—or so Davin believed up until the moment he allowed Tristan to remove the bastard’s head.
It was quite a shame that he hadn’t met the man earlier, he mused. He did find it a bit odd that Adrian was barefoot. However, it was easy to ignore when Xavier examined the rest of him. Adrian was beautiful and had a voice that was pure sex. It was causing an alarming amount of sexual scenarios to run through his head, so much so that he had been forced to adjust himself.
Forcing the thoughts away, as they were seriously inappropriate considering the current situation, he turned his focus back to the conversation going on around him.
“Yes, rumors. We ignored them at first, as rumors more often than not are just that. However, the rumors started to multiply. When more tales of attacks reached us, ones more violent than the previous, we decided it was time to investigate ourselves if there was any truth behind them. What we found, Adrian, was not reassuring. Many of your people are worried about the future. They fear what could happen. They fear for your safety.” King Aiden paused and then asked, “Adrian, is there a reason for them to fear for you? Are the rumors true? Have there been multiple attempts on your life?”
The Vampire King appeared uneasy with the line of questioning. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, he said, “I think it would be best to have this conversation in the privacy of my throne room.” Adrian turned without another word, scurried through the gate, and hurried back down the path that led to the entrance of his castle.
Xavier almost laughed at how quickly he retreated, but held it in, as he doubted his kings would find any humor in the situation. They considered King Adrian one of their closest friends, and the situation worried them.
Both the twins and the guard—who had been standing behind King Adrian—sighed as they watched him retreat.
As the man disappeared into the castle, King Aiden murmured, “I suppose we should follow…”
The guard grimaced and motioned them forward. “Yes, please follow me, King Tristan, King Aiden. I apologize for his rude behavior. He has been unusually stubborn about this whole mess.”
“It’s fine, Baylin. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy when you informed us of the situation. Obviously, he’s a bit out of sorts. Considering the situation, it’s understandable. You have nothing to apologize for,” King Tristan demurred, speaking at last.
Out of the two, Tristan was the peacekeeper. He was more levelheaded than his twin and was unlikely to let his temper get the best of him. King Aiden, however, enjoyed a good fight and usually was the first to jump in. He also tended to be a bit harsher with his words.
Though, Tristan’s temper was a sight to see when unleashed. Overall, the two seemed to balance each other out, making up for each other’s faults.
Xavier followed them in and through the castle to the throne room. The rest of the entourage, who arrived with the kings, were shown to their rooms.
There were two guards stationed outside the throne-room doors when they arrived. The throne room itself was empty aside from King Adrian. Two thrones, sitting side by side, faced King Adrian—thrones he would bet were not there earlier. As his kings sat down, the doors closed behind them, sealing the three kings, the guard Baylin, and himself inside.
They all remained quiet as the sound of the doors closing echoed throughout the room.
The hairs on the back of Xavier’s neck stood—someone was watching him. With so few in the room, it was easy to figure out who.
Adrian was examining him closely. “And who is this?”
King Aiden started to answer, but stopped when King Tristan grabbed his shoulder. Tristan seemed quite aware that now was not the time to reveal why Xavier was here. He would have to agree with the assessment, as King Adrian looked ready to bolt already.
“We’ll tell you why he’s here in time. Please take comfort in the fact that we trust him with our lives. Now, Adrian, please tell us the truth. What is going on?” Tristan pushed gently.
With a heavy sigh, Adrian admitted, “The rumors are true. There have been multiple attempts on my life, but it’s really nothing to worry about. I can take care of myself.”
King Aiden narrowed his eyes, anger building. “What about the rumors that each attack is more brutal than the last?”
Adrian began to fidget on his throne. “That rumor may also be true…”
Aiden slammed his fist down on the arm of his chair. “May be true? Adrian, it’s a yes or no question. What is being done to guarantee your safety? Is anything being done? Also, why weren’t we informed of this when it first started? Not only are you our friend, but you also rule a country that we share borders with. This is a serious matter. We could face major diplomatic problems if you are unseated. Citizens of both countries could get hurt. Why are you being so foolish as to refuse a bodyguard? Have you lost all common sense?”
Xavier winced—in his outburst, King Aiden had revealed too much. The slip-u
p was not one King Adrian was likely to miss.
“And how do you know I’m refusing a bodyguard?” the man asked coldly, and turned to glare at the guard Baylin. “You dirty little fink! You couldn’t win an argument, so you went and tattled on me?”
Baylin stiffened at the words and glared back. “It was for your own good. I would do it again if I had to.”
“Baylin, you may be the captain of my guards, as well as my friend, but you do not get to decide what’s best for me!”
Xavier watched as the two argued back and forth like an old married couple. Despite how they bickered, he could tell there were no romantic feelings between them. At least he now knew who Baylin was.
He glanced over to see how his kings were handling this exchange. While Aiden was trying not to laugh, King Tristan’s face was completely blank. Many would probably assume the man was bored; however, his right eye was twitching.
Xavier stepped back away from them all and covered his ears. Aiden must have noticed, as well, as his ears were also covered. The twitching was a warning sign—Tristan’s patience was running thin, and it was only a matter of time before he snapped.
The two were allowed to argue for a few more minutes before Tristan blew up at them. “Enough!” Tristan bellowed, his voice echoing loudly through the room.
It was highly likely the sound had carried through the walls. He had always had a good set of lungs on him. It brought back memories from when Tristan was a baby. Everyone had always known when he was upset, as you could hear his cries throughout the castle despite its thick walls.
King Tristan glared at Adrian—the man seemed to be trying to make himself appear smaller.
And then Tristan did what he did best. He ended the argument. “Stop acting like a child! You are almost ten thousand years old! Act like it! This is your safety we’re talking about. What the hell do you think will happen to your people if you die? Didn’t think about them, did you? Do you really think a person who doesn’t even have the guts to attack you themselves will care about the happiness of your citizens? Get your head out of your ass!”
Xavier winced despite having his ears covered. Tristan’s voice was loud enough that it seemed to almost echo in his head.
Not the most diplomatic speech he had heard from his ruler—it seemed that Tristan’s close friendship with the man had trumped his need for diplomacy—but he supposed it worked, as King Adrian looked thoroughly admonished and embarrassed.
Tristan got up and took Adrian’s left hand between both of his. “Adrian, in all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you disregard something so serious. Why are you being stubborn about this? There has to be a reason.”
Adrian peered up at Tristan. The man’s eyes showed what his youthful body hid. The happy, and somewhat odd man Xavier had seen at the front gate began to crumble away. He looked exhausted, defeated, and angry.
“I’m…tired. I’m tired of dealing with power-hungry bastards who probably wouldn’t even know what to fucking do with it if they got it. I’ve put everything into making my people flourish, but for some, it is never enough. It will never be enough. So someone is trying to kill me, big deal. It’s not the first time, and it sure as hell won’t be the last. It never ends. Thanks to my father, there have been people trying to kill me since I was born. I refuse to cower in fear because some asshole wants me dead. And I refuse to hide away or put my life on hold. If they want to kill me so badly, then they can go ahead and fucking try. It will be the last thing they do.”
“Maybe it’s time to think about having an heir and retiring,” Baylin murmured.
Adrian laughed bitterly. “What, and have a child who is plagued by the same? You want me to bring a child into a world filled with people who want to kill them? Then again, it’s possible my child will turn out like my bastard of a father.”
“Your child would never turn out like your father. Do not forget that your grandfather was just as terrible. Your father was not born cruel; his cruelty was learned. You, however, were stronger than him and resisted. You would never let a child of yours turn out like that,” Aiden asserted.
“I do not wish to discuss this right now. Let’s just drop it.”
King Aiden stood up and walked over to grab King Adrian’s other hand, mirroring his brother. Worry and a touch of sadness filled the twins’ eyes.
Tristan pleaded softly, “Please, Adrian, our dear friend. We would be lost without you. While we cannot deny that you have the strength to protect yourself, all it takes is a bit of luck on your attacker’s end to come out on top. You cannot deny it has happened. Many times in battle the more skilled opponent dies due to a bit of bad luck. Please, we beg you.”
“Fine…” He looked away and stared blankly into the distance. “Though the question now is who to trust?”
Tristan grinned. “Well, now that you mention it, we sort of took the liberty of finding someone already.”
At the announcement, Adrian peered back at the twins, glaring at them. “You two are truly insolent brats. What would you have done if I had tossed you two out on your asses for your disrespect, hmm?”
Tristan let out a laugh. “You wouldn’t dare. Besides, I have never lost an argument before, and I had no intention of starting now.”
All eyes turned toward Xavier as he stepped forward and bowed.
Grinning, Aiden introduced him. “Meet Xavier Dayden, your new bodyguard.”
* * * *
She paced angrily in her study. Men were useless, all of them. The king should have been dead by now, but was he? No! Like most of the men in her life, they had failed her.
And to make matters worse, now the king had a fucking bodyguard. He would be even harder to get to.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her study door. “Come in,” she snapped.
The door opened to reveal her maid. “Madam, he’s here.”
She grinned widely at the announcement. She supposed not all the men in her life were useless. The very gullible could sometimes be very valuable.
Chapter Three
Adrian looked out over the pond. The moon and the light from the surrounding lanterns reflected on its still surface. Flowers of all breeds bloomed along the many paths of the mazelike garden—some only kept alive by the magical spells cast upon them. It was beautiful, and just being surrounded by such life usually calmed Adrian. However, that calm was nowhere to be found tonight.
His bodyguard remained taut beside him, looking for danger around every corner, his displeasure at the location clear.
He shouted in alarm when Xavier grabbed his arm and started to drag him back toward the castle doors. “What are you doing?”
Adrian was beyond frustrated when the man ignored his question, escorted him to his throne room, and pointed at his throne. Glaring at the man, he huffed as he sat down. As beautiful as the throne room was, with its marble pillars and intricate silver-and-gold embellishments, it was the last place he wanted to be. He had spent so much time in the room the last few days, he felt like screaming.
In fact, Adrian had been stuck in his castle for days, as in their infinite wisdom Baylin and his new bodyguard had decided that venturing into town was no longer safe. Of course, they had done so only after he had been attacked in the marketplace…but still, he was going stir-crazy, and now apparently he couldn’t even wander around his own damn garden.
Five days—only five fucking days—since he had gotten a bodyguard. All of his fears had been realized. It was annoying as hell to have someone silently following you like a stalker all day and night.
He didn’t even have anyone to distract him from his restlessness. The twins had returned to their kingdom the day after they arrived—which he understood, as thrones were usually stolen if you stayed away too long. Understanding the reason for them leaving, however, didn’t keep him from missing them. That same day, Baylin had abandoned him, as well. The man had decided that with the addition of his bodyguard, it was safe enough for him to re
turn to his duties as Captain. Which, again, he understood, as the man had stuck to him like glue and had been neglecting his duties since the first attack.
Under normal circumstances he would have been perfectly fine with them all returning to their responsibilities—but the pool of people he talked to had dwindled considerably due to his new restrictions. And his bodyguard wouldn’t fucking talk to him.
Honestly, was it so much to ask for a little conversation? Xavier hadn’t uttered a single word to him the whole time he had been here. And it wasn’t as if the man couldn’t talk. He had seen him do it. He just refused to talk to Adrian.
Adrian had tried many times over the last few days to start a conversation, but only managed to get a few grunts out of the man. While Xavier didn’t seem overly talkative with others, they still got more than a damn grunt. He glared at the silent man standing beside him. In his opinion, Xavier was completely unlikable in every possible way.
Well, maybe he was being a bit harsh. Not everything about the man was bad. He was complete eye candy—what he lacked in personality, he made up in looks. In fact, Adrian found Xavier’s looks incredibly distracting, so much so that he often had to stop himself from drooling. Who the hell had ever heard of a king drooling? Drooling was most certainly undignified, not to mention disgusting.
He was a frustrating, beautiful, completely horrible man. And the cocky grin he got on his face every time he caught Adrian staring pissed him off to no end. Xavier Dayden was gorgeous, and he knew it—the entire situation was embarrassing as hell.
There was just something about him that drew Adrian in. His gaze roamed over the man, searching for…well, he wasn’t sure what he was searching for.
There was an aura of danger around the man. Xavier had weapons strapped all over his rock-hard body, along with a broadsword attached to his belt—all of which made Adrian horny as fuck. Anything that drew blood had a certain appeal to a vampire.
Adrian's Bodyguard [Vampires of Vadin 1] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 3