by T. S. Ryder
The Empress inclined her head. "This is true. You have always proven your loyalty."
"Has my brother done the same? When we warred against the Shifters and they were at your gates, was he the one to abandon his own lands to defend his mother?"
Alexandru's hands clenched. Those events had happened when he had just been given his first lands. At the time of the siege, he had been a captive, unable to even help himself. It was decades ago and he had proven himself many times since then!
"He will argue that he has shown his loyalty since," Vlad continued, almost as if he could read Alexandru's thoughts. "But he was the one who, when facing the Matriarch of the Bears, not only allowed her to live after he defeated her, despite all the Vampire lives she has taken, but returned lands to her that he had rightfully won! Why would a general who has been clear on his desire to be Emperor do that? Unless he intends to raise an army of Shifters against you, Mother. I say Alexandru cannot be trusted."
Alexandru growled deep in his chest, but the Empress flashed a warning look at him and he fell silent again.
"And as for the human girl…" Vlad turned and stared at Found. Alexandru wanted to gouge out his eyes for daring to lay eyes on her. "Well. There I must admit I am at fault. I was weak, Mother. I meant no disrespect, but I could not smell a mark on her and she is so beautiful."
What was he saying? Found moved to Alexandru's side, shivering. He put an arm around her.
"I drank her blood while my brother was making his treaty with the Shifters," Vlad declared.
It was only Found's warmth against him that stopped Alexandru from lunging at his brother. "Lies!"
"I drank from her," Vlad repeated.
"He's lying!" Found shouted. "He didn't drink from me."
"My claim was laid before my brother's. This girl and her child both are mine." Vlad stood straight and looked the Empress in the eye. "Mother, she is mine."
***
It couldn't be true. Found shook as she wrapped her arms around Alexandru. Vlad hadn't drunk her blood. Except… except when she fell down the stairs, she had lost consciousness. What if his fangs had pierced her and she simply could not remember? The thought made her sick to her stomach. She wished she could just wrap herself in Alexandru’s arms and disappear from this cold, stone palace.
The Empress's terrible gaze flickered to her briefly before she folded her hands in her lap. "I do not believe that you drank this girl's blood. You have always been a silver-tongued liar and I thought I might have a use for you. But you do not take responsibility for your mistakes, Vlad. And I grow tired of this vendetta you have against my son, my general."
A brief, beaming smile shone on Alexandru, but he tensed further, if that was possible. Found glanced at his face to see a look of understanding on his face, but his mouth tightened, his eyes growing grim.
"As such, I will give you one last chance to redeem yourself, Vlad. You shall face Alexandru in a fight to the death. Should you win, all of his lands will be yours. The human and the child will be yours."
Found gasped. Alexandru's hold tightened on her.
"And if Alexandru wins… well. If he wins, then I will make public what I have already decided in my heart. He has proven himself kind and able to live harmoniously with humans. He is wise when it comes to the Shifters, willing and able to stop this silly feud between us. All he must do now is prove himself willing to do what is necessary with his brothers."
Found couldn't stop herself from gawking. Her husband–the next Vampire Emperor? She knew that it was his plan, but somehow hearing it from the Empress herself made it seem all the more real. It was more than that, though… if Alexandru was Emperor, she would be Empress. Her head spun.
More pressing was this fight to the death. Alexandru looked grim and determined, but not afraid. Vlad, however, was ashen, eyes wide as though his neck was already on the chopping block. He didn't expect to live. For all his bluster, for all his laughing at Alexandru's threats, he was afraid of him.
"I request the fight take place at once," Alexandru said. "Let us get this unpleasant business over with."
Vlad turned to glare at him, but the fury and hatred landed on Found. "I should have killed you. If I have the chance, I will yet kill you."
Alexandru turned his back on his brother, cupping Found's face in his hands. His eyes were soft as he kissed her.
"He will not touch you," he said under his breath. "You will be seated by the Empress for the fight. Please, during the fight, close your eyes. I don't want you to see me like that."
Found nodded numbly. Her husband kissed her once more and stepped back, letting Wava take his place. The other woman shivered, but she didn't look any more fearful than her brother.
"Alexandru has never killed another Vampire," Wava whispered. "He has made many threats, but has never had to follow them through. Now he must. No-one will mourn Vlad, but Sandru will not find this easy to do."
***
Found was seated beside the Empress at the sidelines of a large arena. It reminded her of the gladiator pits she had read about and shuddered. That was exactly was this was.
The stands were soon crowded by Vampires and from the snatches of conversation she heard, Found realized they were betting on the outcome.
"Can't you resolve this another way?" Found twisted her hands, glancing up at the Empress, whose expression was cold.
"Alexandru defeated the Shifter Matriarch, but not in the agreed upon way. He was meant to face ten heroes. He only faced one. Some take it that he backed down from the challenge. This is to prove he will do what is necessary. If he cannot protect you from the likes of Vlad, then he cannot be my heir."
Found stared in horror at the woman. How could anybody be so cold? Was she always like this, or had her unnaturally long life turned her heart to stone?
A cheer from the crowd drew Found's attention back to the arena. Alexandru and Vlad, both wearing only pants, had strutted to the center. Vlad, though tall with well-defined muscles, was tiny compared to Alexandru.
Found knew that the smaller Vampire had no chance to win. Alexandru's gaze sought her out and as promised, she closed her eyes.
The fight took longer than she expected. There were cheers and gasps from the crowd. Grunts of pain echoed in her ears and though she longed to open her eyes and see what was happening for herself, she clenched her hands and kept them closed. An earth-shaking cheer suddenly went up.
"You can look now," the Empress patted her hand.
Found's eyes snapped open. Alexandru stood alone, holding the limp, lifeless body of his brother.
"My sons, here is your future Emperor. Alexandru, my heir," the Empress called out.
The Vampires cheered. But even as the crowd chanted his name, Found could only feel sorrow at the slump of Alexandru's shoulders and the gentle way he laid Vlad's body on the ground.
Chapter Ten
Six months after the fight that had promoted him to the Empress's heir, Alexandru sat on the edge of his bed, watching his wife nurse their newborn child. It wasn't yet dawn, but the baby's crying had woken them both. He could not believe that he was so lucky to be blessed with this family.
"The stars were watching out for me," he said, smiling at Found.
She gave him a distracted smile. "What do you mean, love?"
"When I chose you to be my wife, the stars were watching over me. There is no way I could be so lucky to find you if they were not."
Her eyes sparkled. He loved looking at her like this. He would never get enough.
"They were watching over me, too," she said. "All I wanted was to escape that place, but instead, I found myself. I have a husband who loves me and now a child. I never knew before how hollow I felt."
The baby finished nursing and Found lifted her to her shoulder to burp her. Alexandru felt his smile widen and he was certain he was a goofy sight. His little daughter was beautiful. She was human like her mother and perfect in every way. He would teach her to hunt, fish and
fight. He would buy her the best silks and laces for her dresses and if anybody broke her heart, he would destroy them.
"We need to decide on a name," Found sighed.
They had not been able to agree on a name. Or rather, Found had not liked any of Alexandru's suggestions, but had been unable to tell him what sort of name she was looking for. It must be difficult, to have no name but one that was given to you not out of love but a necessity.
He reached for her hand. "Darling, she's perfect just the way she is. We'll find a name, I promise." He leaned forward, kissing her, gently at first, then more passionately.
Found's eyes became sultry. "The doctor said I have to either drink three quarts of your blood or wait three months before we can make love again."
Her words made him tighten and he groaned. "Don't speak like that. It makes me want you."
"I know it does. I figure if I must be tortured with desire, so must you."
"How can you even be thinking that way after giving birth just three days ago?" Alexandru shook his head, laughing. "Even without the pain—"
"It doesn't hurt much anymore. I've already drunk… what, one and a half quarts? I think I'm probably healed up already."
The baby let out a burp that seemed too loud for such a small body and they laughed. Found nestled their daughter in her arms, stroking the small red cheeks and fuzzy black hair. It was a surprise, but the baby looked more like her Aunt Wava than either Alexandru or Found. Wava had been thrilled and had made enough clothes that it would be next to impossible for the little baby to wear them all.
"I heard you speaking with the Empress," Found said, a smile crossing her face as she gazed at her husband. "She seems to be very pleased with your work with the Shifters."
Alexandru felt himself swell with pride, remembering his most recent conversation with the Empress. "She is. Negotiations with my brothers are going well and there haven't been any major skirmishes since the Bear Matriarch submitted to me. Even the others–Wolves, Lions, Tigers–they all respect my authority."
"The Emperor of Vampires and the King of Shifters. Is it everything you hoped?"
"More. I have you."
He bent and kissed his wife's mouth, teasing her lips open. With a moan, she pressed herself closer, careful not to jostle the baby. Alexandru chuckled as he withdrew.
The baby's face wrinkled and Alexandru scented a smell, not unlike sour cheese. He held out his arms for the baby. "Little miss needs a diaper change."
***
"You made a stinky, yes you did."
Found had to fight back laughter at her huge, imposing vampire husband talking baby talk to their daughter as he changed her diaper. It made her love him all the more. Every time she thought her heart would burst if she was any happier, he did something that made it swell even further and somehow make more room.
Alexandru's giant fingers deftly fastened the tiny snaps on the baby's sleepers.
Found climbed out of bed. Her body felt a little tender if she walked or sat for too long, but other than that, she was healing faster than she expected. Being a Vampire's bride definitely had its perks. Alexandru drinking from her was off the table for as long as sex was. Having a transfusion of his blood just after giving birth and then drinking a little at every meal afterwards was really helping her get back to her normal self.
She stepped onto their balcony. The sky was beginning to lighten in the east, heralding a new day.
Alexandru came over to her and shifted the baby to one arm so he could bring Found against his chest, kissing her soundly. Found wrapped her arms around him.
"I think I have it," she said suddenly. Her eyes lit up.
"Have what?"
"Her name."
Alexandru nodded, grinning eagerly.
"Dawn."
"Dawn," Alexandru repeated. His smile widened. "You're right. That's perfect. Hello, Dawn."
Found slipped a finger into her daughter's hand, smiled at her husband and watched the rising sun announce the first day of the rest of her life.
*****
THE END
The Werewolf Boss's Baby
Description
A curvy gal climbing the corporate ladder PLUS her disturbingly sexy shifting boss PLUS an enemy lurking in the shadows…
Clara Maddison has fought her way towards the top of the corporate ladder every day since she was hired to work for Snyder Inc. She has no desire to let anything get in the way of her path. She is strong, independent and determined to one day become the CEO of the company.
That is, of course, until she meets Mr. Snyder himself...
Nathaniel (Nate) Snyder is everything that Clara has ever pictured her dream man to be. Dominant, witty and mysterious, there is something about Nate that drives her wild...
But she finds out that there’s more to Nate than meets the eye after accepting an invitation to join him for drinks after work. Clara is thrown into a world of shapeshifters and power struggles even more intense than those in the corporate world.
On top of it all, Clara can’t shake the feeling that someone or something is following her, watching her from the shadows and waiting to strike...
Will Clara be able to accept what Nate really is? Can she shake off her stalker? Will Nate protect her? Find out now in this steamy billionaire romance...
Chapter One
This job was going to be the death of her.
Clara Maddison’s cerulean eyes narrowed in on the stack of papers on her desk that seemed to be growing instead of shrinking as the day went on. All she was supposed to do was go over the accounts from the past quarter and put them into the system, and yet, as the day wore on, her coworkers continued to show up with files they had found buried in their desk.
It looked like it was going to be another late night for her.
Clara had been working for Snyder Inc. for over two years as a project manager. Her job was to develop and manage the construction of new restaurants, clubhouses and stores under Snyder’s growing veil of influence. It was not to work on files that should have been processed the previous quarter.
Unfortunately for her, the woman who was supposed to have done the work she was completing now had been fired two weeks before, and she was left cleaning up the mess that was left behind. Her direct supervisor had insisted that it be her that completed the project because she was the most likely to get it right.
She should be flattered, she told herself, but she wasn’t. She was just irritated that her plans for the night had to be canceled so that she could work well into the night.
Groaning softly as she sat back in her chair, Clara reached back and pulled her shoulder-length, chestnut brown hair free from the tail it had been constructed in since earlier that morning. She was a powerful woman in the company, working her way up the ladder quickly, and soon she was hoping she could work her way onto the board of directors. She always believed that her strong, curvy body looked better in pantsuits than it did in street clothes, and if she had her way she would be running the corporation before she turned twenty-eight at the end of the year.
That did, unfortunately, mean she had to do a lot of extra work around the company.
The last of her fellow employees had left over an hour ago, the groups chattering about their after-work plans. She had been invited to join several of them, but of course, she needed to stay behind and finish her project or risk the wrath of her supervisor, Mr. Snyder’s personal assistant Jeremy.
She wasn’t sure why, but she was pretty sure that Jeremy hated her. The man seemed to make it his personal goal to keep her at work late or ruin her weekend plans. On top of it, she had caught him staring at her out of the corner of her eye on multiple occasions. It was never in a friendly or even flirtatious way, either. It always seemed to be threatening and angry.
It took all she had to convince herself that she was just crazy.
Jeremy was the least of her worries at that point. If she wanted to get out of work before midnight she had q
uite a bit to get done. Her plan was just to keep working until the files were all digitalized, but unfortunately, she hadn’t eaten all day and her stomach was starting to sound like a war zone.
Grimacing as her stomach rumbled, Clara let out a grumble and pushed back her chair. She could at least go around the corner and find herself something to eat. Snagging her purse where it was hidden away under her desk, she quickly exited the workspace and headed for the elevator.
It was getting dark by the time that she exited the building, the sun dropping down behind the buildings. Waving at the security guard and explaining that she would be right back, she rushed to the nearest fast food restaurant she could find before making her way back.
The moon had risen completely behind her, and a cool breeze moved through the street, making Clara wish she had thought to bring her coat. Grimacing, Clara made her way up to the front doors, only to hesitate when she thought she could make out a shape trotting through the halls inside.
Moving closer, she felt her eyes go wide when she saw the shape disappearing down another hall. It looked like a dog of some sort, probably a stray, but how had it gotten past the fences and into the building?
“What in the world?” she whispered, slowly pressing open the doors. Holding her bags close to her chest, she moved into the deserted building once more. “Hello?” she called, making her way down the hall where she had seen the dog disappear.
Maybe she was just seeing things. After all, if there was a dog in the building that would mean that someone would have had to let it in. Otherwise, there was no way that it could manage to not only sneak past the guard but also pull open the doors and move inside without anyone noticing.
Maybe it was somebody’s pet that they snuck into the building, but somehow got loose? She doubted it, though. The only time she’d ever seen an animal brought into the building was a kitten that had been too small to be left at home alone. The woman who had brought it in had even gotten special permission to keep the kitten at her desk.