by Honor James
“Like we’d let you in the place if it wasn’t impenetrable,” Kris said with a snort. “As if, woman. But you’ll have to ask Volker, he knows all the ways in and out of pretty much every place of power in the realms. He even knows where all the really good liquor is stored.”
“Damn straight I do. Which is why I always have an excellent supply.” Her Vhampire grinned.
Luna just laughed. “Well that’s a good thing. My father kept some amazing liquor in the palace. He only pulled it out for holidays and he and mother and the other dads would share a drink. I remember when Alphonse was born.” She began to think of that time and frowned. “The bottle broke when he uncorked it to toast the birth of a son. One of the dads at that moment said that wasn’t a good sign but everyone brushed him off. I guess he was right.”
“That’s damned bad luck,” Kristjan muttered. “Especially among your people, love. Which makes it odd that your other fathers would brush the comment away like that. They would have known as well as anyone just what it meant.”
“Or they could have just thought it was a poorly made bottle. It happens. It’s rare, but it does happen,” Volker said. He pulled over in front of the safe house and parked. “All right, everyone out and inside.”
She didn’t want to think about then. She didn’t want to think that what if her fathers had known. She wanted instead to simply forget about everything for the night and just be Luna alone with her mates.
Chapter Sixteen
Day five beyond the Veil, Realm of the Spiryte’s
Volker stopped moving, his senses on high. He was back inside the Palace and looking for more dirt on Alphonse. Tomas and Edwin were waiting for him just beyond the village but they would have to wait a little longer. Tonight’s insertion was too important to waste. While he had a lot of information he needed more.
And he was going to leave a little something for the psycho Prince as well. A message of sorts to, hopefully, prompt Domnik and Alphonse into closer collaboration.
Two guards walked past, looking around but not really seeing. Gods but they were fools. He was standing within striking distance of them both and they didn’t even sense the danger. Something else that would be changing when Luna took up her rightful place. No way was he trusting idiots like that with his mate’s safety.
Shaking his head he slipped across the hall as they passed him by. Slipping into the Prince’s office he eased the door shut and went to the desk. Popping the lock on the bottom one—the idiot actually thought a little lock like that could keep someone out—he pulled out all the files.
Jackpot!
Grimly he began to scan the pages and photos, one by one. He was very aware of the time, he had to be, especially since the Prince was out of the castle with the bulk of his security for the evening. But they would be returning all too soon.
Unfortunately he couldn’t rush the scans, he needed everything to be crystal clear so that there were no mistakes. Volker didn’t bother to read anything he found, his attention fully on his surroundings and the heartbeats of the people inside the Palace.
Just as he was finishing the last folder he caught a different rhythm. Slower, much too relaxed and getting closer. Vhampire.
“Shit,” he mouthed, knowing better than to speak aloud. Placing the heartbeat about twenty yards away and closing he finished the file and put everything back, exactly as he found it.
Checking to ensure nothing in the room was just as he’d found it he set his little message to the Prince on the desk blotter. Then, just as the heartbeat reached the door he vanished from the room and reappeared under the windows, in the garden. Looking up he watched as the light was turned on.
Smiling he knew his message would be found and it would not be well received. Nice try, brother, but you really should have paid more attention during our lessons. Snorting internally at his thoughts he focused on the village and where the Black brothers were waiting. And vanished once more.
* * * *
Day six beyond the Veil, Realm of the Spirytes - night of the Ball
Tomas, Edwin and himself were standing on a hill looking down toward the valley that held the Palace. While most would say it was a defensive nightmare, at first glance, soon realized that whomever had built the Palace had known just what the fuck they were doing.
At least if there wasn’t a Vhampire on the team planning to overthrow the place who’d been inside it and knew it as well as Volker did.
“In and out,” Tomas said quietly.
Shooting him an annoyed look he made sure the man saw him roll his eyes. “I do know what I’m doing. Hell, I’ve been doing it a lot longer than either of you have been alive I should point out.”
“He does have a point,” Edwin said. “Of course that makes him a cradle robber since he’s with our baby sister. Dirty old man.” He clicked his tongue.
Recognizing that Edwin was trying to ease the tension Volker popped him lightly on his shoulder. “I will mention that to your sister,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll have an earful of her thoughts on the matter for you.”
Edwin flinched and shook his head. “Please, Gods, no. I seriously don’t need to know what her thoughts are on the matter. Some things that come from my sister’s mind and mouth really shouldn’t ever be heard beyond her mates.”
Chuckling, he shrugged. Luna spoke her mind and didn’t care what popped out at the time. Later she usually did but that was neither here nor there.
“Carriages are beginning to arrive,” Tomas reported. He was peering toward the entry of the Palace through high-powered binoculars.
Looking that way Volker focused and allowed his superior sight to let him see what Tomas was. “I see them,” he said softly. “I’d better get inside before there’s too much of a crowd to stop me from getting where I need to be. You two stay put. Hopefully this will only take a half hour to get them into enough of a fit to get our shot.”
Tomas nodded and turned to look at him. “Our man is on the inside,” he said. Thankfully the Palace staff had been beefed up with some villagers, one of which was the man who would be taking the picture and passing it off to Volker before he got them both out of the Palace.
“Good, I’ll find him when this is all done and ensure he’s safely away.”
“When you bring him back we’ll let him know where we’ve stashed his family,” Edwin said quietly. It had been agreed the family had to be moved, so they couldn’t be used to make the man talk should he be captured. If he didn’t know where they were then Domnik and Alphonse couldn’t either. They were safe and couldn’t be used to gain anything from the man during torture.
But it wouldn’t come to that. Volker would get him out, one way or another.
Checking his phone he nodded. “All right, I’m going in. Start the clock,” he told them both. “Oh, and if I’m running a little late, try not to panic, ladies. This isn’t my first ball after all,” he grinned and disappeared before they could retort.
Reaching the garden he looked up and let out a breath. Next jump, flash, teleport, whatever people wanted to call it, would be inside a room. A hopefully still empty room. It had been yesterday when he’d done his recon and, from what the man inside had said, it still was as of three hours ago.
“Here goes nothing,” he muttered. Ensuring he was shielding his breathing, heart rate and thoughts, he let his body disintegrate and reappear in the room. Empty. Letting out a breath he checked the time. Going to the window he held his phone up to the glass and hit the screen on and then off quickly. Watching he saw the same from the hill. Just a small, brief flash of light.
The brothers knew he was in and would be moving to their secondary position. They also had a third, fourth and fifth one picked out. Hopefully they wouldn’t be necessary because he wouldn’t know if they’d moved until he arrived at spot number two.
Lifting the hood on his leather jacket up to shield his face he went to the door. Focusing on the hallway beyond he picked nothing up so he slowly, care
fully expanded his search for breathing, heartbeats and general energy that a body put out. Nothing on the floor within forty yards.
Slipping from the room he began his task of working his way down to the main floor and the ballroom. For the moment he was dressed to preserve his identity should he come face to face with anyone. But once he was in the ballroom he would have to shed the outer protection and make the night a living nightmare for the Prince.
“Ready or not, here I come,” he murmured under his breath.
* * * *
On edge he stared at the guests. He knew something was coming, hell, they’d practically been warned with that menacing note left for the Prince. Alphonse, the idiot, had wanted to cancel the ball. Not a horrible idea given the mooches that were hanging around for a glimpse of the Prince. They could then say to all their friends they’d been there, seen him and been in his presence. Blah, blah, blah.
On the other hand, Domnik had a damned good idea who’d left the note. His pesky brother and bane of his existence, Volker. The brother that should have told him about the Council coming after him to kill him. Instead he’d had to hear about it from one of those he paid money to keep him informed.
His own blood was betraying him by keeping his mouth shut. Unacceptable.
What Volker didn’t know was that Domnik was ready for him and whatever ploy he was going to go with. He had dozens of other Vhampire’s in the Palace, all ready to do whatever was necessary to capture his brother. Then, oh then, he’d have the pleasure of watching Volker’s face as he tore out his heart and he died.
Smiling slightly he shivered, the idea of his pathetic brothers blood flowing over his hand and to the floor was…Damn, practically orgasmic.
“Domnik, I say, old boy, I didn’t realize Volker was going to be attending as well. You should have let us know,” an old man, a lord or some shit, commented to him. What the hell was the guy’s name? Did it really matter? No.
“I didn’t think he’d be able to make it, my lord,” he said, playing to the man’s ego and giving him a bit of servitude the bastard didn’t deserve. Looking around he couldn’t see his brother anywhere. “By chance, my lord, do you happen to know where that rascal might be?”
“He was—” The old man turned to point and stopped speaking abruptly. “Well, he was right there. He and the Prince were chatting, he even got the Prince a drink and they were having a gay old time.”
Domnik snapped his gaze to Alphonse who was just taking a sip from a half empty glass. Son of a bitch, bold and not what he’d have expected. “Well, excuse me then, my lord. I shall go and inquire with the Prince where my dear brother might be now.”
Tipping his head to the fattened swine of a man he quickly moved to the Prince. Grabbing his wrist, the one that led to the glass, he glared at him. “I think you may have been poisoned.”
Alphonse let the glass go, but Domnik’s reflexes saved the glass and, more importantly, kept others from paying them notice. “What?”
“The one who gave you the glass was my brother, you idiot,” he snapped under his breath. “We need to get you an antidote, now.”
“That was Volker?” Alphonse snarled out, his eyes turning this way and that as he began to sweat.
“Yes, let’s go,” Domnik ordered. Turning the Prince, he smiled to a few people as he pretty much bum rushed the fucking moron out of the ballroom.
* * * *
Smiling, Volker shook his head. His brother was too damned predictable. Domnik had, rationally of course, assumed that Volker had poisoned the Prince. Much too easy since the Prince seemed to view himself as invincible.
Oh, there had been something in the drink, but not a poison. Merely some very special tracking dye the AEDA had concocted. Once ingested the body would take about four weeks to push it all out. Untraceable and only able to be tracked with their systems. So now he’d know just where the Prince was at all times.
Finishing his glass of champagne off he went to finish dealing with the Vhampires his brother had actually thought could stop him. Wouldn’t he be in for a surprise when he went to look for them and found them all trussed up.
Gods he wished he could stick around to see that. But that would be pushing it, a little.
Ten minutes later he had the last Vhampire bound. Stepping back he hummed under his breath softly as he took a few pictures. Luna would either get a kick out of them or smack him for doing it. Either way he knew Kris would add them to the photo album he had going.
Tucking his phone away he oriented himself and then flashed to find his contact. The man nearly came off the floor when he appeared. “Ready?” he asked.
The man, panting, a hand to his chest, nodded. “By the Gods you scared me,” he muttered. “Here, I took as many as I dared but I have both their faces as well as several of the surgeons on staff that all will know. It should give you what you need.”
Taking the camera unit Volker tucked it safely away and took the man’s arm. “I’d close my eyes if I were you,” he said.
Just as the man’s eyes shut, Volker flashed them out of the room and to the secondary meeting site. Nearly a week’s worth of work, all culminating into perfection. Now to knock the pretty little Prince off his pedestal and to bury him under the dungeon.
Chapter Seventeen
Eight days after she’d last seen her mate she finally heard the words she needed so desperately to hear. “Honey, I’m home,” Volker called out. The sound of the door shutting and locking behind him gave proof that he was actually there.
Luna looked up from the book she was reading and jumped over the couch, the book hitting the ground after her feet did. She raced to the front door and threw herself into Volker’s waiting arms. She didn’t hesitate for one single moment, simply jumped at him knowing that he would catch her. He would always catch her. “I’ve missed you.” Understatement of the century there! She had missed him like mad and he very damn well knew it.
His arms wrapped around her and held her to him in a nearly crushing embrace. “Gods, I’ve missed you too,” he said. Then he kissed her. Opening to him she was rewarded by his tongue thrusting in to duel with hers. One of his hands slid down her back to cup her ass, holding her against his very obvious erection.
Luna kissed Volker back with the same need and desire that he was giving her. She was desperate for him and it showed as she began to strip him as quickly as she could. “I need you. Right now. Against the wall for all I care but I need you inside of me now.” She had been going crazy without him and, even though Kris had more than kept her company, she still couldn’t substitute one for the other. “Please.”
He was staring down at her, his gaze heated and full of need. He must have seen whatever he needed to because he set her on her feet and started to pull at her clothes. At some point they switched and got rid of their own and then she was back in his arms. Spinning Volker put her back to the front door and slammed his cock deep inside of her. “Mine,” he growled softly before capturing her mouth once more.
She couldn’t and wouldn’t argue with that ever. Not when she had him inside of her. She pulled back from the kiss to arch her neck, leaving it open for him to nibble and bite her. Her nails raked along his shoulders and she moaned. “And you are mine, Volker, always and forever more,” she vowed. “So close. Please.” She couldn’t last long with this first loving, not with him having been gone for more than a week and they both knew it.
He put his mouth on her neck, so hot, so needed. She could feel his teeth already extended, the sharp tips just touching her flesh. He was still thrusting his cock into her wet pussy over and over, harder with each thrust. Then he punctured her flesh, the jolt welcome and she grabbed for a tighter hold as he began to suck in long, deep pulls.
The pure wash of pleasure that flooded Luna was astounding and had her gasping for air, and him. Her hold on him increased, her nails drew blood but she wouldn’t have stopped, couldn’t have stopped if she had tried. Her scream echoed in the foyer and dema
nded his climax with hers.
He growled at her as he kept sucking at her throat and thrusting his cock into her pussy. When she came a second time he was right there with her, his seed filling her to the brim and beyond. Volker’s entire body shook as he filled her over and over.
Luna was gasping for air and when Volker released her neck with a swirl of his tongue to close the wounds there she could only smile. Head on his shoulder she stroked him lovingly. “Gods I have missed you so very much.” It was an understatement to be sure.
“Ditto,” he said softly. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and stroked her hair. He was still hard inside of her, obviously once wasn’t going to be enough. “What did you do with Kristjan?” he asked, his tone curious.
“He’s likely hiding from me.” Luna wiggled just a bit and grinned. “I think that you should walk us over to the couch and do this all over again.” Once wasn’t going to be enough for her either. Kissing the side of his neck Luna breathed him in and whispered, “Did you get everything done you had set out to do?”
“Yup,” he said. He pushed them away from the wall and walked them over to the couch. “We got the evidence needed and I have them all super paranoid. They will be closing ranks big time. And I left my brother a message as well. One that he is likely still freaking out about.” Bracing a hand on the back of the sofa he eased them down so she was sitting astride him.
“Well he should be just about shitting himself knowing that you are going to come for him.” Luna shifted slightly in his lap and moved on him. “Damn that feels good.” With her knees on each side of his thighs she began to ride him, moving on him slowly to tease them both. “It would make me all kinds of happy to have you coming for me, but he should be worried. He should be downright terrified that you are coming for him because it won’t be with love and need that you will come for him with.” So her words didn’t make a hell of a lot of sense, he knew just what she meant by it. Besides, he was hard and inside of her and that was enough to make any girl’s brain go mushy.