“Don’t speak like that. It was right that I was made to leave through the back door, given the circumstances. I shouldn’t have been angry or complained about it.” She felt her cheeks heat. “Truth is, I was just jealous because you were meeting with those elven females. Leaving through the back door just made me feel worse. You may end up having to take another female still, an elven female and then you will belong to her. I can’t be seen with you because that could be the way things will go.”
Keto frowned, looking angry. “No matter what the future holds, I will always belong to you. It doesn’t matter what the elders say, who I am forced to mate with. You are mine just as I am yours and that will never change, despite the circumstances. It has always been that way for me. Ever since that first day so long ago. Don’t let the maybe of tomorrow take away the time we have now.” He paused. “Book yourself into a hotel in town. You’re technically on vacation so no one will question it.”
Charlotte nodded. “Okay, I can do that.”
“Message me the details and I’ll be there.” He brushed a kiss on her lips. “As often as I can.”
“I will.” She didn’t want to feel any kind of hope. She couldn’t allow the emotion to creep in. It was dangerous. This could devastate her.
“It’s going to be okay.” He kissed her again. “I’ll make them see it my way.” His eyes were clouded with worry though.
Chapter 20
Charlotte glanced at the packed bag next to her front door. She looked at her watch for the umpteenth time.
Finally.
Finally!
There was a knock at the door. She rushed forward and pulled it open. Esral’s frown turned into a scowl. “I told you to kick him.”
“Thanks for coming. You should come inside.” Charlotte moved to the side.
“Why didn’t you kick him?” Esral wrapped her arms around herself as she walked into the apartment. The female looked both sad and angry at the same time. She turned to face Charlotte.
“I did kick him. Right in the shin as promised.” Charlotte looked the female head-on.
“Apparently not hard enough.” Esral’s eyes blazed.
“I kicked him damn hard and more than once. I also slapped him so hard it left a red handprint on his cheek and I broke a nail.” She held up her hand.
Esral didn’t break eye contact. Her features filled with worry. “This is worse than I thought. It’s not just a little crush or a simple infatuation.”
Charlotte shook her head. “No … no, it’s much more than that.” She felt her lip quiver. “I wish it was just an infatuation. Then we could rut our way out of it.”
“Too much info. Come on,” Esral put an arm around her, “I’ll put the kettle on.” Her eyes narrowed and her back stiffened. She glanced back over her shoulder. “What’s up with the bag? What are you planning?” She paused. “Why do I get the feeling it involves my brother?”
“I’m checking into a hotel in Sweetwater.” How could something so right also feel sneaky and wrong? “Keto and I want to be able to spend some time together.”
Esral shook her head. She rubbed a hand over her face. “Why are you torturing yourselves? You can’t be together.” Her voice was strained and her eyes filled with tears. “My brother can’t step down. It would kill my lord father. Keto was born to lead my people. He can be stubborn and pig-headed but he is a good male, he is going to do great things. I just know it.”
“Keto is not stepping down. I won’t let him.”
Esral pushed out a breath. She sniffed, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. “Thank god. I think he would give it all up for you.”
“I won’t let him do that, so get it out of your mind.”
Esral nodded. “Thank you.” She grabbed Charlotte’s hand. “You are a good female.”
“He is going to ask the council for permission to mate with me,” Charlotte blurted. “We want to be together.”
Esral shook her head. “I doubt he’ll get it. Half of the elders are old and stiff and set in their ways. The other half are not quite as old but just as set in their ways. I can’t see them agreeing.”
“But Keto said—”
“Keto is living in hope. He is blinded by love and not thinking clearly. Try to enjoy the little time you have, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Charlotte nodded, her heart felt heavy. “I know that this is a long shot. We both do. We have to try though.”
Esral nodded. “Believe it or not, I understand. I wish you both all of the best. I want nothing more than for Keto to be happy. For both of you to be happy.”
“Me too.” They hugged.
Esral pulled away first. There was a glint of mischief in her eyes. “So you’re the vampire he’s had a crush on for all of these years?”
Charlotte felt her cheeks heat. “Yes, I am.”
“I knew it.” Esral laughed. “He always denied it but I knew.”
“We were friends … for a day … It was a long time ago.”
“More than just friends I’ll wager.” Esral smiled.
Charlotte nodded. “Yeah, you would be right.” Keto could never be just a friend. It wasn’t possible. “He’s turned into a very impressive male. I didn’t even recognize him ‒ which isn’t really my fault ‒ but, it turns out, he never forgot me.”
“That’s so sweet.” Esral looked into her eyes. “I really hope it works out for you guys,” she said, with a timid edge to her voice.
“Me too.” She’d never wished so hard for something in her whole life. Charlotte wished with every fiber of her being. With every beat of her heart.
Chapter 21
Keto took the black, silk robe off of the hanger and pulled it over his shoulders. He fastened the ties and began brushing his still damp hair. Charlotte could see the worry lines on his forehead. His shoulders were tense and his jaw was set.
She walked up behind him and began massaging his shoulders, working her way up to his neck. He groaned. “That feels good.”
“You need to relax,” she said, almost choking out a laugh at the absurdity of her words when tension, worry, absolute mind-numbing fear coursed through her own veins.
“I’m not worried.” His shoulders were tight. His eyes bloodshot. What a liar!
“You should be glad you’re not wearing any pants.”
“Why’s that?” Humor glinted in his eyes.
“They’d catch alight. ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire’,” she teased, “I can see that you’re worried.”
He turned to face her. “Of course I am. The last few days, our stolen moments, they’ve been the best of my life.” He pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest.
Charlotte chuckled. “Yeah, my muscles hurt. All of the sex …”
“It’s not just the sex, it’s being with you … holding you, kissing you, talking until midnight. And yeah … the fucking.” His eyes flared with desire. He cupped her ass. “You should really get dressed. I only have five minutes.”
“That long?” She raised her eyebrows and chewed on her lower lip. She ran a finger down the edge of his ear. Keto growled. She felt him shiver. Charlotte had since discovered that an elf’s ears were erogenous zones. Touching, licking, nibbling his ears turned him on and got him off almost as much as drinking from him. “You’re getting soft, my lord.”
“Hardly!” His cock throbbed between them.
“But do you know how to use it?”
Keto leaned forward, his cheek against hers, his mouth at her ear. His breath tickled her skin and her nipples hardened. “You know I do.” He nipped on her earlobe and she shivered as well.
Charlotte moaned. She knew it was probably just her imagination but her ears seemed so much more sensitive now. He licked along the edge of her shell and she cried out, clutching him. With a low growl, Keto turned her so that she was facing the mirror.
“Hands on the desk.” How things had changed since a few weeks ago. Charlotte did as he said. He pushed her forward, p
arting his robe, grabbing her hips and thrusting into her.
Charlotte cried out. She was sensitive from all the rutting. Keto bared his teeth as he reached around her and thrummed her clit. This was how it had been. The two of them, desperate for one another. Each one well aware that this might be the last time they could be together in this way. If the council went against Keto’s wishes … Charlotte didn’t want to think about that now. He thrust harder, his finger slip-sliding over her clit. She was panting. His eyes were glowing softly. Keto grunted, she could see he was holding off, using every ounce of control. His muscles roped. So masculine, yet so beautiful. He pinched her clit. Then she was falling apart. Keto came with a hard yell, following right behind her. She could feel him erupt inside her. Hard and fast became slow and gentle.
“I love my robe so fucking much,” Keto panted out the words and kissed her neck. He continued to undulate his hips, his eyes flitting closed. His hands loosening. “I’m much more relaxed. Thank you.” He held still for a few moments, breathing through his nose, lips pursed. Like he was savoring being inside her. His arms tightened around her for a few seconds. Then he pulled out, holding his robe out of the way. “Don’t move. I’ll be back.”
He disappeared into the bathroom, returning with a warm cloth. Keto wiped her gently, brushing a kiss on her temple.
He tied his hair and pulled on his shoes. “I need to go.” He ground his teeth.
Charlotte smiled. “You still look tense.”
Keto looked at his watch. “We still have a half a minute.” He raised his brows.
Charlotte laughed but the sound died on her lips as she caught his nervous glance. “I will convince them.” It was a low growl filled with determination.
Charlotte put her arms around his waist. “I know you will try.”
“I … I …” He pulled a face. “Wish you would let me say it.”
She shook her head, reached up and kissed him. “We must wait.”
Keto kept his eyes on hers for a long while before he finally gave a deep nod. “I’ll see you later.” He kissed her like his life depended on it. Like it was their last.
His hands shook. Shook.
For the first time in his life, he was wracked by nerves so intense he was sure he would puke. His stomach was tied in knots. His head spun. His mouth felt dry.
What the fuck?
He was a warrior. A male in his prime. A king. The male before him was frail, a shell of his former self. No match. Not even close, and yet Keto respected him more than anyone else. The truth was, he didn’t give a fuck about what the council said today. His future was in the hands of his lord father.
“What is weighing so heavily on you, my son?”
“There is something I wish to discuss with you but I see that you are unwell, you look tired … Perhaps I should return later?” He was a coward. A fucking coward. “Actually,” he spoke before his father could answer. “It can’t wait.”
His father nodded. “You can talk to me about anything at any time.” He leaned back in his armchair.
“It’s the elven females.” What was wrong with him? Why didn’t he just come out and say it?
“Ahhh … none of them is to your liking.” His father smiled, looking a little like his old self.
“How did you know?”
“I’m your father. I know you. You’ve never been content … you’ve never shown much interest, not like other males. Even that female, what’s her name?” his eyes clouded with thought.
“Cheri.”
“Yes, yes …” He shook his head. “You were never truly taken with her. I could see that you didn’t love her. No, no female has ever really caught your eye. Are you finally going to tell me why?”
Keto nodded. “I should have known that you would have suspected. You are the most observant male I know.” He needed to just say it. Get it out. “I’m in love with a vampire female.” There! A weight lifted but another settled in its place. What if his father was against this? What if …
Katar laughed. It started out deep and rich but quickly turned into a fit of coughs which rattled his chest.
“Here.” Keto handed him a glass of honeyed water. His father took a drink.
“Thank you.” He smiled. “Here I thought the whole time that you preferred males.”
“What?” Keto choked out a laugh.
Katar nodded. “It would not have been a bad thing. We can’t help who we love. I was very lucky when it came to your mother. I loved Esme from the first moment I laid eyes on her.”
Keto had heard the story many times. He felt the familiar tightening of the chest at the mention of his lady mother’s name.
“Our mating was arranged. You think you have it bad now … well, you don’t. I had no choice. I remember how angry it made me. I had my eyes on one of the highborns already. Even though I had never met your mother I fought hard against the union.” He chuckled softly, his eyes had a faraway look. “When she walked into the room it was like time itself stopped. That was the end. No one else came close.”
“That’s how it is for me with Charlotte. I met her many years ago. We were trying to mend relations with the vampires. On that secret trip into their territory. It was close on two months after mother passed away.”
Katar seemed to fold in on himself, looking smaller, more frail. His lip trembled. “A terrible time.”
“Yes, it was.” Keto could clearly remember. The shifters were threatening war and they needed to try to align themselves with the vampires. “We spent three days at the vampire castle. On the second day I ran away. I decided I was going to walk home. I was angry and hurting. Blaming and hating myself so badly I couldn’t even think straight.”
“It was not your fault son, but then you never listened to me.” Katar was silent for a moment. He smiled. “There was no way you would have made it back to Pulamor.”
“I was young, stupid and full of shit. I was in the middle of nowhere and ran into a vampire female. She was tall and slender. So beautiful she had me completely captivated from the word go. She didn’t take any of my shit, even slapped me when I was rude to her.” He smiled as the memories flooded his mind. “I called her a bloodsucker. It made her spitting mad. That’s when she slapped me. She asked me if I was lost.” Keto barked out a laugh. “When I said I wasn’t, she told me that the North Pole was a long way away and that Santa Claus was missing an elf so I must be lost. I’d never had a female talk to me like that before, never had anyone talk to me like that.”
His father chuckled.
“It was so refreshing ‒ and the most absurd thing I had ever heard. I couldn’t help but laugh. It was the first time I had been able to laugh since mom died. Charlotte awakened something in me that day.” Keto paused. “It turned out that she had lost her parents as a small child. Her grandmother had raised her. Charlotte had recently lost her gran as well. We were able to help each other heal somewhat … lessen the load. After just one day I walked away lighter, happier. Just one day, a handful of hours and I have never forgotten her since.”
“You met up with her again, I take it?” Katar smiled. He pulled his blanket more firmly around his lap. “Those feelings were still there.”
Keto nodded. “Yeah. Seeing her, spending time with her, it made me realize what I want. We tried to fight it. I tried to ignore it but it’s not something that will go away. I want your approval though. I plan to take on the council, go head to head if I have to. I love her.” It felt good to finally say the words out loud. It would feel better to say them to his female.
Keto watched as his father thought things over. Katar finally smiled and gave a nod. “I want you to be happy, my son. If you are happy then I will be too. If there is one thing this illness has taught me, it’s that life is too short.” He sighed. “Losing your mother so early taught me that love is scarce; when you find it, you grab it with both hands and never let go.”
“Thank you.” He paused for a few moments, his throat felt thick. His chest tig
ht. “Lord Paten is the key. If I can get him on my side then I think the rest will follow. We are in a new age. Things are changing and we must too. Adapt or die.”
“See, already you sound like a king.” His father took his hand. His skin felt like paper and was cool to the touch. “I trust you to do the right thing, my son.”
Keto nodded. “Thank you for understanding and for supporting me in this.”
Katar put his other hand over Keto’s. “Give it your all.”
“I plan to.” To have his father’s blessing took a load off of his chest. Now all he had to do was convince the blasted council and all would be well.
Chapter 22
The ten members of the council looked at him. Lord Paten leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his lap. “Let me be the first to congratulate you, officially, as our new king.”
There were murmurs around the room as each male gave their congratulations. “Thank you.” Keto worked hard at staying calm. At keeping his heart rate and his breathing under control. He tried not to overthink things. He had a plan. One he would stick to. This was going to fucking work.
Lord Paten smiled. “Quite intriguing though …” The murmurs died down. “Why all the secrecy?” He raised his brow. “There was no agenda posted for this gathering.”
Keto pushed his chair back and stood. “The agenda for this meeting is change. Transformation. Adaptation. We need to move forward as a species. We need to grow and evolve. I wanted to discuss some items of change and I wanted your immediate response to them.” He hadn’t wanted them meeting in secret. If there were those amongst them who were for change he wanted to know it before their minds could be poisoned.
Lord Paten’s jaw tightened. “What are you proposing?”
“Yes, I too am intrigued to know.” Lord Izul smiled. Many of the others nodded.
Wanted By the Elven King (The Chosen Series Book 7) Page 15