by Zoey Ellis
Contents
Copyright
Crave To Conquer
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
Crave To Capture
Author Note
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Copyright © 2018 by Zoey Ellis
All rights reserved. Sale of any edition of this book is wholly unauthorized. Except for use in review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part, by any means, is forbidden without written permission from the author/publisher.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
First Edition: January 2018
Crave To Conquer
He conquered an Empire - and she's next.
The Alpha Emperor
He is known as a ruthless barbarian by many. They are not wrong. His savagery has made him Emperor and now it will secure him his mate.
Omegas have gone missing over the past century, but that will not stop Emperor Drocco from finding his. He enlists the help of renowned historian, Cailyn, a strong-willed Beta female. She is not at all a suitable mate for an Emperor... but the longer he spends in her company, the more she stirs something within him like no other ever has.
Soon, his urge to dominate the defiant female threatens his control, and he begins to wonder if perhaps she's worth claiming as his own.
The Omega Spy
She was prepared for his arrogance and wild nature, but not for his perceptive intelligence or the effect he would have on her.
Knowing her life would be over if Emperor Drocco ever discovered she was an Omega, Cailyn plans to conclude her mission as a historian as soon as possible.
However, when she underestimates him, she is trapped in a dangerous struggle to protect her freedom, while every instinct she has tried to deny since she first saw the powerful Emperor, is unleashed.
Crave to Conquer is the first installment in the Myth of Omega serial, a dark, erotic, Omegaverse romance. Cliff-hanger included. For fans of dominant Alpha anti-heroes, sassy Omega heroines, epic fantasy worlds and captive romances.
Crave to Conquer is an explicit reading experience from sexual scenes to violence and language. Includes disturbing situations and romance of a dark nature. For readers aged 18 and over.
CHAPTER ONE
DROCCO
Drocco glared into the eyes of the traitor as he severed his head.
The squelch, pop, and ripping of flesh and ligaments filled the Great Hall as Drocco’s dagger tore through the man’s neck. His vast army of Alphas, the Lox, packed out the entire space from wall to wall, their fury made obvious by the burn in their eyes and the growled curses they muttered.
The traitor, an Alpha himself, had been bold enough to grit his teeth and keep his grunts low, trying to avoid screaming, but by the time Drocco’s dagger scraped bone, his voice was hoarse. He had been one of Drocco’s most fearsome warriors and yet a bitter hatred had appeared in his eyes when the truth about his loyalty was revealed. That hatred stained his expression in death, permanently declaring his true feelings for Drocco and the Lox.
Finally, Drocco lifted the man’s head into the air, as his body dropped to the ground. The hall erupted into a vicious cheer as his warriors pumped their fists and yelled out in triumph. Shouts also came from the surplus of Alphas that spilled out into the corridors surrounding the hall.
Drocco held still, allowing the man’s stinking blood and slime to slosh down his arm and splatter onto the raised platform he stood on. “This man has been with us for six months,” he bellowed into the noise. “He has been a member of the most feared, most revered, most skilled army known to all Lands. He has trained with us, fought with us, learned from us.” He paused to look around the hall. “He has been privy to powerful strategies that resulted in some of our most successful victories. And he was a traitor!” Drocco’s roar soared across the enormous hall. Silence pressed over the hall now, all eyes fixed on Drocco up on the platform.
“His death is not a victory. This betrayal reflects badly on all of us! We are Lox. We do not abide traitors. Not for one day, let alone six fucking months! All of you are responsible for this man remaining undetected for so long.”
He could almost feel the seven hundred Alphas before him bristle in unison. It was the first time he had implied that they were at fault for any traitors found among them, but he was not going to let it slide this time. As an army of over twelve thousand, they all had to be vigilant. He specifically looked along the front of the crowd where his generals stood. They each secured a territory in the expansive Eastern Lands Drocco had conquered and each had a Lox division they were responsible for. They needed to be aware that Drocco had seen their faces at this briefing.
“We do not know what information has gone to the Western Lands,” he continued to bellow. “We do not know what they plan for us. We have only just secured the Eastern Lands and it will be stripped from us if we cannot protect ourselves from these underhanded tactics by deviants across the White Ocean. Under my leadership, we have conquered every city, every territory, and every district that I promised. We are here, Alphas. We have made it. I have done it.
“But I also made you a vow when the Lox formed. A vow that would ensure you live full and complete lives as the Alphas you deserve to be and I cannot fulfill that vow if I’m being targeted from within my own ranks.”
The hall was so still it was as though the Alphas before him were statues. He threw the man’s dripping head to one side.
“All warriors need to be watched carefully by each of us. Anything suspicious should be reported. You know the culture by which we live and if a man is not a part of it, he doesn’t belong here, traitor or not. I do not expect to be spending my time dealing with this shit again within the next six months.”
A ripple of nods moved through the crowd and many pushed their chests up and widened their stances. Drocco suspected some of them thought he questioned their loyalty and abilities, and in a way, he did. It wasn’t enough to be a ruthless Alpha—that wasn’t the only thing that set them apart from other armies. They had to be intelligent too. Alphas were capable of both, and any Alpha in his army needed to be, as a matter of requirement, or they might as well die with the traitors.
Drocco stepped to the edge of the platform. “We are the only Alpha army in existence. If we fall to the stereotype pressed upon us, we are no better than those we deem unworthy of the name Lox.” He let the words hang in the air for a long moment before adding, “I am contemplating whether to still move forward with the celebration planned at the turn of the season. I’m not sure it’s deserved.”
He stalked off the platform to the servants holding the large bowl of water to wash his hands and arms. As he soaped up, the warriors remained silent. His commander, Torin, approached, his gray eyes searching Drocco’s face. Drocco ignored him. He already knew Torin would think he had gone too far in basically accusing them of treason, but he didn’t care. Another servant gave him a towel to dry with and he left the Great Hall without another word.
The Alphas filling the surrounding corridors parted for him and soon he marched along an empty passageway. Torin, who had followed him from the hall, kept pace beside him. At Torin’s insistence, and Drocco’s annoyance, Lox guards followed him wherever he went
, but in the Palace they stayed further behind.
“Was he the last?” Drocco asked without looking at him, his voice hard.
“For now, yes,” Torin replied.
“For now?” Drocco almost barked. “I want all of Malloron’s spies, like that one, out of my Empire. Permanently.”
“It is impossible to detect them when we don’t understand the Talent, Drocco,” Torin said wearily, like he had done many times before.
Drocco stopped abruptly, turning to look Torin in the eye. “That excuse is wearing thin, Torin. If we cannot protect the Empire from that asshole, we don’t deserve to keep it. I don’t want the Talent to even exist in my Empire and certainly not in my Palace. Those who manipulate magic can never be trusted, and that is the only way that bastard operates. Find a way to get rid of his fucking spies.”
Torin dipped his head in a nod. “I will, Drocco.”
Drocco held his eye for a moment. Torin was the only one permitted to call him by his first name, and the only person he truly trusted and confided in. Having known each other since childhood, Torin had weathered all aspects of Drocco’s mood and yet still remained by his side. Drocco had never known Torin to let him down but leading an army was not the same as running an Empire. He needed to consider that Torin may not be up to this job. He was a Beta, after all.
Torin seemed to read his gaze. “It will be done,” he insisted.
Drocco turned and continued down the corridor. “I’m going to the training grounds.”
“The historian from Vamore arrived an hour ago during the trial,” Torin said. “I thought you might be interested in meeting her.”
Drocco slowed. “Where is she?”
“In the research room. She was eager to get started.”
“Good,” Drocco said. He had demoted the ruler of Vamore from king to duke, and since then the man had been reluctant to send any of his accomplished historians to Drocco’s Palace in Ashens. Drocco had been close to sending a small fleet to destroy Vamore and remind the Beta ruler that he resided in the Lox Empire now and could not refuse the Emperor. Luckily the man had seen sense before it had been necessary. If the historian the duke sent was eager to help him push his investigation forward, that was even better. “I’ll go and meet her first. Begin the preparations for the celebration.”
Torin’s brows rose. “You still want to have it?”
“Yes. It’s not just for the army, it’s also about solidifying the Lox Empire. I want the rulers of all of the cities and territories in attendance. They need to know the expectations of them if they are to keep their positions. I will decide later if the army will attend.”
Torin nodded. “They should if you want to display your power.”
Drocco grunted in agreement. “Make the preparations.”
Torin stopped to bow and then turned back the way they came. Drocco watched him, a bubble of amusement bursting through his somber mood. That bow had been a salute only two short months ago. Now he was worthy of a bow. He turned and continued down the corridor.
The Palace Drocco had inherited after destroying the King of Ashens was enormous. In fact, it was almost a small village, a ridiculous size for the king’s family and small army. Drocco would have been surprised if they managed to fill even a quarter of it. However, it was clear it had been well built, with materials like marble, glass, and crystal being used in the king’s private areas. The Lox filled it out nicely and it provided all necessary areas and rooms for them to settle comfortably.
A general air of peace drifted on the horizon for the Lox for the first time, and Drocco looked forward to it. He was finally in a position to address the vow he’d made to himself and his army—the one that had had every Alpha clamoring to be by his side—and now he had unlimited resources at his disposal to devote to it.
He turned down a series of corridors until he reached the library wing and then swung open the double doors to the main room where his research was stored.
Most of the books had been pulled from the shelves and stacked in short piles on multiple tables across the space and on the floor. Sheets of parchment seemed to be spread along every surface and balancing everywhere, while the folders that had held them were open in various areas of the room.
Drocco pinpointed the woman hunched over a desk in the far corner, peering at a sheet of parchment through handheld glass frames while bouncing tendrils of her hair dangled over the desk.
He maneuvered through the mess of the room to where she was, becoming increasingly annoyed that she hadn’t addressed him when he entered. She didn’t even straighten as he approached—surely she couldn’t be that absorbed in her work.
“Found something worth sharing?” he asked, breaking the silence.
“When I need something I’ll let you know,” she said, in an efficient tone tinged with annoyance. “That will be all.”
A shot of irritation flared through Drocco. “I didn’t realize historians had the authority to dismiss me.”
The woman’s head shot up, her face in a scowl until she saw who stood before her. Her deep brown eyes widened and she immediately straightened and dropped her head, her hands clasped in front of her. “My apologies, your Imperial Majesty. I wasn’t expecting you.” On the small side for a Beta, she stood straight and confident, suggesting she had experience with statesmen or royals.
Drocco found himself slightly irritated. Although he appreciated her professionalism, it was rare that someone of her size remained unfazed by his. He was the largest Alpha known in the Eastern Lands, and while it was a petty reaction for him to have, he found it bothered something innate within him. “This is my investigation, you will be working directly with me.”
The woman’s head rose slowly, confusion in her eyes. “Working… with you? Oh… I-I thought—”
Drocco looked her over as she cast around for something to say. Her dark brown eyes swept the room, avoiding him, and her curly copper-brown hair seemed to sway on its own with hardly any encouragement. Her features were pleasing—petite and well portioned—in fact, she was extremely attractive, even though no one thing about her stood out as being remarkable.
“I assumed you would be too busy to actually conduct the investigation yourself, your Imperial Majesty,” she said, finally.
“You think there is anything more important right now than finding out what has happened to all the Omegas?” Drocco asked, almost mockingly. Everyone knew of the phenomenon and no one could explain it.
“I don’t presume to know what is important to you,” the Beta woman commented, somewhat dryly. “I’m just here to do a job.”
Drocco’s nostrils flared. “What?”
The woman’s eyes widened and she lowered her head again. “I cannot assume what is important to you, your Imperial Majesty. I was only sent here to confirm and order your research.”
Drocco stared at her. She had most certainly spoken out of turn. And yet, when asked to clarify her statement, she had simply repeated it. Choosing to let it slide, for now, he gestured to the piles of books and stacks of parchment. “Is there a reason for this mess? Have you found something?”
“Many of your records are out of order, your Imperial Majesty. I’m trying to sort them so that they make sense chronologically.”
“That isn’t much progress. I could get an administrator in here to do that.”
“Yes, you could have,” the woman said, in a low voice. “It would have made things easier for me.”
Drocco’s eyes narrowed, though with her head bowed, she couldn’t see his face. “What is your name?” he asked.
“Miss Cailyn Lefroy.”
She was unbonded. A satisfaction mellowed in him at the thought. Drocco frowned at the feeling and cast it aside. Why the hell did that matter? “Did you find that your rude and disrespectful attitude earned you favors in Vamore?”
The woman rose her head again, her eyes wide. “No… I apologize if I have displayed such an attitude, your Imperial Majesty. I’m known for m
y honesty and sometimes it can come across as being… I thought you would appreciate honesty.”
Drocco said nothing. In truth, he would prefer honesty in all situations, but only wanted boldness from his warriors. Everyone else should be submissive to him and it was his right to expect that. “Honesty and rudeness are not mutually exclusive. Find the balance.”
She frowned, and an urge to grab her neck came over him, but then her brows smoothed and her head dropped again. “I offer my apologies, your Imperial—”
“Emperor,” he interrupted, annoyed with the long and awkward address. “Call me Emperor.”
“Emperor,” she whispered.
A slither of pleasure shuddered through him at the sound of her voice so quiet and intimate. He stilled, unfamiliar with the feeling. Something about her voice affected him. He watched her closely, looking at her stance and manner. She was a normal Beta, a little too bold, but nothing remarkable. He fucked plenty of Beta women but none of them had caused any kind of desire without more provocation than a tone of voice. Maybe he was due to get under one—it had been at least a week since he last had a woman in his bed.
He gazed at the historian for a moment longer and then moved away, back into the center of the room. “Tell me what you know.”
The Beta lifted her head. “It has been at least one hundred and eleven years since Omegas began disappearing. First, all the adult Omegas in this city, Ashens, and then all surrounding cities and territories. The Western Lands reported the same about half a year after. The last publicly known siting of an Omega was on the White Ocean, and it is said she drowned.
“Then female children began disappearing—young children under the age of twelve before their dynamic could be discovered. Currently, female children are still disappearing soon after birth. It is assumed that all missing females are Omegas who have not yet been declared as such. Although many precautions are taken, it’s impossible to predict which child may be targeted since their dynamic is not known.”