by K Loraine
Twisted Slumber
Twisted Ever Alpha
K. Loraine
Copyright © 2020 by K. Loraine
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Epilogue
Meet the Blackthorne Vampires
Blood Captive
Chapter 1
Also by K. Loraine
About the Author
1
Aurora
Staring down at the thick black envelope in my hands, I frown at the delicate calligraphy written in gold ink.
Miss Aurora Westin
I run my fingers over the letters, the intricate swirls catching the light and shimmering. “Who are you from?” I ask.
“Aurora!” my father bellows from down the hall. He’s in his study. Always in his study.
I tuck the envelope into the waistband of my pants and pull my sweater down over it to hide the mysterious piece of mail. Dad can’t get his hands on it.
“Aurora!” He shouts my name again, and I rush down the long hallway.
“Coming, Dad.”
As soon as I reach the door, I know today is one of his bad days. He’s still in his robe, steel gray hair a mess, the shadow of a beard on his jaw. He looks like he might have been up all night long.
“Daddy, what’s happened in here?” There are papers and pictures strewn about the floor. Publicity shots of my mother, photos from the scene of her accident, their wedding pictures too.
“The curse. The curse needs to be stopped,” he mumbles to himself, gathering photos into a small pile.
Here we go again. “It’s not a curse, Dad. Mom had an accident and fell into a coma.”
His eyes blaze as they lock on mine. “The coma is the curse.”
I want to cry. I thought he was better. I thought therapy was working. “If it was a curse, then why didn’t true love’s kiss break it?”
Hurt flashes over him. “You think I didn’t try? Every day until she died.” He drags his hand over his jaw. “I wasn’t her true love. I was her second choice. The safe choice.”
My heart breaks for him again. She’s been gone nearly sixteen years now. Half of my life.
“You did everything you could to save her. You have to stop this obsession with a curse. There is no curse.”
He slams his hands on the desk, rattling cups and pens and who knows what else. “There is! And you’re next.”
“Dad, do you realize how insane this sounds? There are no such things as curses. They’re for fairy tales and bedtime stories.”
He strides around the desk and makes his way to me, eyes serious and trained on mine. “You look just like her. Always have.” He cups my cheek. “Promise me you’ll be careful. No matter where you are.”
I nod. “I’m always careful, Dad.”
He offers a small weak smile and immediately returns to his bizarre form of research. Finding a way he can break the curse has been his focus since Mom had her accident. I walk to him and drop a gentle kiss on his cheek, whispering, “Love you, Dad.”
I don’t tell him I’m leaving for the day; it won’t register anyway. Instead, I head out of the study and down the hall, only stopping once I reach the foyer. I grab my coat and handbag, pull the envelope from my waistband, and slip it inside my open purse. My phone buzzes incessantly from my coat pocket.
Sighing, I remove the vibrating device and check my messages. Merri. Of course. I’m late for champagne brunch.
I ignore her message and get into the town car that’s been waiting outside my family home. Home isn’t really the right word. Estate, maybe? The house I grew up in—still live in—is a palatial monument to my mother. Raised smack dab in the middle of the Hollywood Hills, I knew fame simply because of my parents. Now I’m a Hollywood socialite, nothing more than tabloid fodder and the target of best and worst dressed lists on the daily. I’m over it. All of it.
Sliding my large black sunglasses over my eyes, I open the car door and slip inside. “Chateau Marmont,” I tell my driver.
He nods and pulls out of the driveway. I sigh as I watch the landscape shift and change on the way to my destination. Was this all my life was meant to be filled with? A father driven insane by grief and days spent being scrutinized for every move I make?
Worry gnawing at me, I send a text to Dad’s psychiatrist. The only person I’m really able to talk openly with about his struggle.
Dad is having an episode. I think he’s spiraling. Can you put him under observation before he becomes a risk to himself?
Guilt worms its way into my heart, but he’d gone down this spiral once before and it had ended with him attempting to sacrifice himself to bring my mom back. He’d spent ninety days in a facility before he was finally cleared for release. That was a year ago.
My phone buzzes and I look down to see a message from Dr. Huntington.
Prepping a room for him now. Will pick him up today.
We arrive, and as the driver holds open my door, I hear the click of cameras and school my expression before I get out. One of the reasons my friends and I frequent the Chateau is because of the strict no camera policy, but that doesn’t stop the photogs from staking out the place. The staff will run this guy off, but the damage has been done. He saw me.
Merri is waiting for me at a patio table, our friends Fleur and Aspen already enjoying their champagne.
“You’re late,” Merri says, hand on her hip. She looks like a little pixie in her flowing blue maxi dress.
I offer each of them air kisses and take a seat. “I’m sorry, Dad’s having an episode. I don’t think he slept all night.”
“He’s stopped seeing his therapist, then?” Aspen asks.
“I think so. It’s the anniversary of Mom’s accident next week.”
“Once the anniversary passes, I bet he’ll let go of the curse. That’s the deadline he believes in, right? Sixteen years after she died?” Fleur tips her glass to her lips and watches me consider her words.
“I guess so. He’ll probably just end up finding something else to obsess over though. Dr. Huntington is coming to take him in for observation.”
It’s unusual, yes, but when you have enough money, almost anything is possible. Specialty mental health care included.
“How long will it be?” Merri asks.
“I’m sure at least a week. Maybe more. He’ll tell me when I can take him home.”
“Well, at least you don’t have to worry about him hurting himself. And he’ll spend the anniversary under a doctor’s care.”
I nod. That’s good. It’s the right choice.
Our waiter arrives with a smile on his face and a bottle of champagne in hand along with a glass, presumably for me.
“Mademoiselle, from the gentleman.” He glances over his shoulder and I follow his gaze.
A handsome man sits alone at a table in the corner. He’s all chiseled jawline, dark hair, tanned skin, perfect cheekbones. I know exactly who he is.
“Oh. My. God.” Merri’s words are no higher than a whisper. “Is that—“
“Phillip,” I say. “Prince Phillip of Ashea.” I haven’t seen him since we were kids. Me rushing headlong into puberty, him on the ver
ge of manhood. I’d had the worst crush on him.
Phillip smiles at me and lifts his coffee cup. I do the same after realizing my champagne flute is full and sitting right next to me.
He stands, eyes still trained on me. The man saunters—because there’s no other word for the way he walks—up to our table. “Ladies, I do hope you’ll forgive the intrusion.” He grins at me. “But when I saw Princess Aurora Westin sitting at the table mere feet from me, I had to take the opportunity to introduce myself.”
“I’m not a princess.”
“You’re as close to a princess as America gets, my lady. Beautiful, kind, and the daughter of the King and Queen of the silver screen.”
My cheeks heat. “But you are a real prince. Even if it is of a country smaller than the state of California.”
His lips quirk at my dig. “Still feisty too, I see. Tell me, Aurora, did you receive my invitation?”
“Invitation?” My thoughts go to the black envelope in my bag.
“Yes, it was delivered via courier this morning. My family hosts a week long retreat in the Ashean mountains every year. There’s a ball, archery, horseback riding, even a vineyard and winery on the estate grounds. There should be plenty to…occupy you.”
The girls are practically vibrating with excitement. “So that’s what the mystery note was?”
He offers a sheepish smile. “It was. I’m afraid I was too eager to extend a personal invitation to await your response.”
I grin, glancing at the three friends I’ve spent most of my life with. They remember the summer I spent falling in love with the dashing Prince Phillip when I was twelve. “Can I bring my entourage?”
Phillip smiles widely, his perfect, white teeth gleaming, “Of course. I wouldn’t dream of separating you from your friends.”
I can’t keep my eyes off him as he stares at me. His brown irises are the color of toffee in the sunlight.
Then, he takes my hand and presses a kiss between my knuckles. “Until we meet again, Aurora.” His lips send tingles straight between my legs.
“I’m looking forward to it, Phillip.”
He rises to his full height and offers us a regal bow. I somehow manage to hold onto my composure until he leaves the Chateau, but then, I lose it. Giggling like a schoolgirl, I slump in my chair and let out a happy sigh.
“What just happened?” I ask.
“I think you just got us invited to a royal ball with a handsome prince.” Fleur is near swooning. “He’s even more handsome in person than I remembered. Did you see the way he was looking at Aurora? I think he wants to do a lot more than dance with her at the ball.”
“What are you waiting for? Open the envelope.”
Aspen holds out her hand. “Open it, or I will.”
I snatch the envelope away from her grasp and break the wax seal. “Ah, ah, ah, that’s mine. Hands off.”
The paper inside is thick black card stock, textured and vaguely smelling of…woodsmoke? Embossed on the card is my name, yet again, and a simple statement of “Your presence is requested” followed by a date and the address of the estate. It’s signed by Prince Phillip himself. I run my fingers over the sharp slashes of metallic ink that make up his signature.
“So, we’re going, right?” Fleur asks.
In all honesty, a little time away is what I need too. My father will be in safe hands. I need to take care of myself as well. “Oh, yes. We’re definitely going.” I have to see Phillip again. After he went to so much trouble to get me this invitation, after that kiss on my knuckles, after the look in his eyes. There is no way in Hell I’ll turn down another chance to see him.
The estate is sprawling, cut into the side of a mountain, and more like a castle than I expected. I’ve seen huge homes, mansions with twenty-seven rooms, but this…God, this. It is like…Hogwarts. There are turrets, a drawbridge, a damn moat.
“All we need now is a dragon,” Merri mutters as the driver gets out of the car and comes around to open the door for us.
“And some sexy knights.” Aspen surveys the surroundings, clearly looking for exactly that. Knights in shining armor are her weakness.
“I’m afraid you’ll find no knights here, Merri. The drawbridge stays open as well. Ashea is a peaceful country with no need for extreme castle defense.” Phillip stands at the open castle door, a grin on his lips. “Welcome to my home,” he says, bowing.
“I thought you said this was an estate. This is a castle if I’ve ever seen one.” I take his offered hand, loving the heat in his grip.
“In comparison to the real castle, this is exactly what I said it was.”
“And you live here full time?”
“I do.”
“In the mountains.”
“I enjoy the wilderness. You never know what you’ll see in the woods.”
“Perhaps a fair maiden?”
“I already see one of those.”
“You’re a real smooth talker.”
His perfect lips quirk up into a smile. “They train us in our prince lessons.”
I laugh, picturing him as a boy being taught to charm everyone around him. He was charming when I met him at eighteen. “You’re teasing me.”
“I’d never. I’m deadly serious.”
He releases my hand and glances behind him to where two women stand dressed in gray. “Hilda, Prudence, please show Miss Westin and her ladies to their respective rooms.”
Disappointment settles in my chest. He asked me to come here, why wouldn’t he be the one to show me my room…maybe my bed too?
We start up the stairs, and Phillip calls my name. Turning, I smile at him, eager to see that spark in his eyes again.
“Sit by me tonight at dinner. The rest of our guests will arrive shortly, and I’d feel better if you were close to my side. A few of them can be…overly friendly.”
Merri snorts. “That sounds like exactly what I need. Send them our way.”
He chuckles, but his gaze doesn’t leave mine. “Enjoy my home, Aurora.”
Merri loops her hand through the crook of my arm and tugs me up the stairs, following in the wake of the two women charged with the task of taking us to our rooms.
Phillip
She is exactly as I imagined she would be, even after all these years. My Aurora, my princess, the woman I am destined to save. Of course, she doesn’t know what ties us together, and I won’t tell her. Not until I have no other choice. It won’t do to have her running from me just as I get her within my grasp.
“Is that her?” Ice rolls down my spine at the sound of Malachi’s voice, his accent so different from mine. All his years spent outside of Ashea doing God knows what have colored his speech, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he was from Dublin rather than our small country.
“You’re not welcome here, Mal.”
“I wondered about that. I thought, surely my invitation was lost in the mail. My own brother wouldn’t neglect to invite me to such an important gathering.”
I scoff. “Stepbrother. You know as well as I do, your mother is the only reason you’re allowed in this family at all.”
He drags a hand through his dark hair, black as night, contrasting with his sinister green irises. We couldn’t be more different.
“The way I see it, this castle has been given to both of us to use as we deem necessary. I deem my stay during your little ruse of a charity event necessary.”
Fire burns in my chest, anger threatening to burst forward and let loose my dragon. “It’s not a ruse.”
A dark chuckle escapes him. “Oh, that’s the worst lie yet. You, my dear brother, aren’t made to deceive and manipulate. You should leave that to me.”
“Mal, stay out of this.”
He claps me on the shoulder, his palm warm enough I’m worried about his own control. “I promise I won’t interfere with the seduction of your little princess. But if she were to come to me of her own interest….well, there’s nothing to be done about that.”
I grit m
y teeth, fighting the growl building in my throat.
“I’ll stay in the south wing, I think. I’ve always enjoyed those rooms, especially the tower.”
I won’t be rid of him and I can’t throw him out. He’s right, we are both entitled to this castle. Striding away from me, he laughs and stops a maid in the hall. “Be a love and set another place at dinner. Next to Aurora, I think.”
She looks to me, then back at him, and gives a short, fearful nod followed by a curtsey.
Fury rages inside me at the helplessness I feel. He can’t be trusted in the presence of Aurora. He’s dangerous. My stepbrother is loyal to only one person, himself. He always has been.
Mal is an obstacle I hadn’t planned on. I may have to act sooner rather than later with her. I had hoped to woo her properly before making her mine, but with Mal here, time is of the essence. He can’t get his claws on her before I do what needs to be done.
My chest squeezes as the unused fire in me begins to beg for release. I won’t make it out of this week without having to escape and let loose.
“Your Highness,” my footman, Gerrard, says from behind me. “Is everything…under control?”
He understands me. He’s been with me for a long time now, and the man can judge my mood before I’m even aware of it at this point.
“Keep an eye on Miss Westin, Gerry. If Mal makes a play to get her alone, do everything in your power to stop him.”
Gerry’s eyes widen. “I’ll do my best, sir. But I’m no match for your brother.”
He’s right. If he tried to go against Mal in his worst form, he’d fail and possibly die. “Do what you can.”
He nods and offers me a bow. “The sun is setting. Shall we prepare for the remainder of your guests to arrive?”