Ruin: A Reverse Harem Dark Fantasy Vampire Romance (Fire & Blood Book 1)

by Alexa B. James

  “She doesn’t trust us,” Death rumbled. “She thinks we’re capable of killing her.”

  Ruin leaned out and arched his neck to look me full in the face. “You really think I could kill you?”

  “Maybe at first.” I sighed. “Not anymore. And, I might not have turned people over, but I’ve been clear with you all from the beginning that I want the humans under the city to survive and have decent lives. I told Death why I was coming today, at least the part that concerned you guys.”

  “Everything about this concerns us. What else is going on, Kori?” Ash demanded. “You’re confessing all your sins. You might as well get it all out here and now.”

  “Fine,” I said on an exhale. “Duchess Dread was going to kill us, and that was why I originally asked you to make me your consort. I wanted your protection until I could escape and return to the rebels. But they didn’t want me back. The rebels wanted me to stay and spy. I told them I wouldn’t, but it was clear that I couldn’t return, and so I stayed. I haven’t spied for them. I’m not a plant. What I am is a battle strategist… a failed battle strategist. That’s how this whole thing started, but then I started to want to be with you three, all of you. I guess I started to have feelings for you three. But that doesn’t mean that I’ll ever be okay with a system where humans do backbreaking work while vampires amass wealth and party constantly. We won’t go back to a world where humans can be killed indiscriminately.”

  “That’s not the kingdom we’re trying to build here,” Ash growled.

  “I believe you. But the rebels aren’t going to. First of all, they’re getting all of their information from the Sorcerer. Second, that is the only system that’s ever existed in the domes under vampire rule. And, third, right now humans are starving under the city and Duchess Dread is throwing an excessive and wasteful orgy party every night.”

  Ruin squeezed my hand. “She’s right.”

  “Fuck,” Ash whispered. “There’s no way that the rebels will believe that we want to change the way things are run if everything looks the same. We’ve been trying to get messages through to the rebel leaders with no luck.”

  “The only reports they’re getting are from the Sorcerer.” I shook my head. “He’s put himself in a very valuable position.” Blowing out a slow breath, I looked between the men. “That’s all my sins… well, all the ones I can think of. Do you not want me as your consort anymore?”

  Ash stared directly into my eyes. “Which one of us?”

  “Any of you.”

  “Kori, none of us will turn our backs on you because you didn’t think you could trust us,” Ruin said as he pivoted and pulled me, so my back was against his front. He wrapped his arms around me, cocooning me in his warmth. “We all want to protect you.”

  “Do you want to be with us Kori or do you want to go back to the rebels?” Ash asked, straight out.

  I closed my eyes and leaned back against Ruin’s chest. There was only one answer. “I want to be with you, but I want to have more of a voice in the government.”

  “Which one of us?” Ash asked.

  “She doesn’t have to decide until she’s ready,” Ruin said as he held me tighter against him.

  “Yes, she does,” Ash said. “Kori, you have to make your choice between us here and now. You owe your life and the lives of your siblings to King Ravage. You stole something from him personally. He had the right to kill you right then and there. He spared your life. Under vampire law, he owns you.”

  “He said something like that, but then he let me go,” I breathed.

  Ash worked his jaw back and forth. “Did he let you go, or did he absolve you of your life debt?”

  “Oh no.” Sudden, hot panic surged up in my chest. Ash was right, under vampire law, I belonged to King Ravage.

  Ash tilted his head. “He’s ancient and notoriously brutal. He could just take you, and every vampire noble would side with him.”

  “Damn it.” Death squeezed my hand. “That was my first prophecy.”

  Ash nodded. “But, if you’re in the process of bonding with one of us, he can’t claim you. A mating bond supersedes a life debt. You said you wanted us, Kori. Which one of us do you pick?”

  I glanced between the men. Ruin was sweet and sexy and funny. I’d never felt so easy and comfortable with someone, like I could just be myself and curl up in his affection. Losing him would be too much. I’d have to pick him.

  Then I looked at Death. I had only just started to get to know him, but the thought of choosing someone else was painful. He was reserved, thoughtful, pensive, and tormented, but at the same time, he was dominant and sexual. Just thinking about the way he touched me last night made a tingling sensation pulse through my clit. I wanted him to pull me into the darkness within him and possess me.

  But then there was Ash. He was snarky and angry and hot-tempered. He unnerved me and had me saying things that went against all of my training as a courtesan. He battled me and teased me unlike any other. I wanted him to conquer my body and mind, and I wanted to defeat his.

  It wasn’t just about not alienating the other partners now. I didn’t want to lose them in my life.

  “I can’t decide between you. I want to be with all of you.”

  “We can’t make the decision, Kori.” Ruin squeezed me. “You wouldn’t lose me if you pick either of them.”

  “What if you didn’t pick,” Death said.

  All of us looked over to the fair-haired vampire. Death’s thumb brushed over the back of my palm. “We have a bond between us, too. It’s not the same as a mate bond, but it’s strong and forever. I’ve never had any issue with you all being together, and I’m the most possessive one here.”

  Ash ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I guess I haven’t had a problem with it either.”

  “I like it,” Ruin said. “It’s fucking hot, and when you’re all happy, I am too.”

  Both Ash and Death looked to me with their dark brows lifted.

  The idea felt too good to be possible. I’d been preparing for a situation where I’d eventually have to share one of these men with other women, not that I’d get to be with all three of them. “Is that fair to any of you?”

  “Kori, it’s what we’ve wanted from the day you came to us in that hotel room,” Ruin said. “None of us were ever planning on having a long-term mate—it could interfere with our bond. Then, you came in, and we all wanted to be with you.”

  Ash lifted his hand up to the crown on his head and pulled it off. He held out the golden circlet to me. Sitting centrally on his crown was the purple teardrop shaped alexandrite I gave them. When I looked at Ruin and Death’s crowns, I found the ovular musgravite and the circular red beryl.

  “You never sold them?” I asked, amazed. They had been so poor, destitute.

  “No fucking way,” Ash said.

  I pressed back against Ruin, squeezed Death’s hand, and ran my fingers up to Ash’s shoulder. “If you three don’t want me to choose, nothing in the world can make me.” Releasing both men, I reached back and pulled the silk string that held my straps together, and my dress slipped down my body, pooling at my feet. I stepped out of my dress and stood between the men naked.

  We were back where we were when we started.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  KORI

  Ruin’s lips traced over my shoulder, and I reached back and pressed my fingers into the waistline of his pants and pulled the hook open. He took over, so I reached toward Death’s belt, but he was already undoing his. I fumbled at Ash’s buttons and his hands went to his pants. We undressed in a rush, all three men stripping down until their muscular bodies were bare. Their cocks were hard and ready. I’d had both Ash and Ruin’s long thick shafts in me before, but Death’s was the largest of the group.

  The men pressed in against me on three sides, and Ash’s hands went to my cheeks. His lips closed over mine and tongue slipped in my mouth.

  Three hard cocks pressed against me. Fingers pinched my nippl
es, and a hand caressed over my front and between my legs. I wasn’t sure whose was whose, but wetness was spilling down my legs.

  Panting, I broke off my kiss with Ash and slid down to my knees, kneeling on the tile floor. First, I ran my tongue up the length of Ash’s cock, making him suck in a breath. Then I leaned in and did the same for Death and Ruin. My hands ran up their lengths while my mouth closed over each head in turn.

  Soon, they were breathing hard, and their fingers rubbed through my hair.

  “Let’s move to the bed,” Ash growled as he reached for me. He scooped me up, and then all four of us were climbing onto the mattress. Ash set me down on the pillows at the end of the bed and positioned himself between my legs as Death and Ruin stretched out to either side of me. Reaching down, I wrapped my hand over both Death and Ruin’s slick shafts. Their skin was soft and their cocks rock hard. I started to slide my hands up and down. Ruin shuddered and kissed my shoulder, but Death’s hands closed over mine.

  “I want to save it all for when I’m inside of you,” he whispered before his mouth took mine. His hand caressed over my hipbone to my center, and a thumb rolled over my clit. Pleasure surged through my center just as I felt the head of Ash’s cock push against my entrance.

  I moaned into Death’s mouth. “Yes.”

  Ash’s hands scooped under my hips and lifted my ass off the bed, and then his hard cock pushed into my entrance. I gasped as he filled me, and Death sucked my lower lip between his. Ash propped one of his hands up on the wall above me and used the other to cradle my ass. He moved slowly, watching me beneath him. I kept the same rhythm on Ruin’s cock as I stroked him up and down.

  Ruin shuddered at my side, whispering onto my skin. “Goddess, my goddess.”

  He sounded like he was saying a prayer, and I felt as if they were worshiping me from the outside in. The thought made pleasure crash into me all the harder, and my muscles gripped Ash’s throbbing cock.

  Ash leaned down and joined Death and my kiss. All three of our lips and tongues slipped over each other’s as Ash started to speed his pace. Tingling pleasure built with his every thrust. Ash’s lips slipped over my cheek to my ear. “Are you ready for me to mark you?”

  I pulled back from Death and breathed, “Yes.”

  Ash’s lips traced down, and his mouth closed over the crook of my neck. Slowly, two sharp fangs pierced into the juncture. The pain hit just as pleasure exploded through me, and the sensations mingled together. My vision grew bleary as Ash plunged in long measured strokes. He slid all the way in and spilled deep inside me as his incisors continued to drive into my skin.

  I shuddered as my muscles gripped his shaft again and again. Ash pulled his fangs out slowly, and I could feel every centimeter.

  “Are you okay?” he asked through labored breaths as he ran a hand over my hair.

  I pulled my lips from Death’s and leaned up toward Ash’s mouth. “I’m okay,” I whispered as I kissed him. “I am definitely okay.”

  “Fuck, I’ve wanted this for so long,” he said onto my lips.

  “Does this mean you trust me?”

  His fingers ran over my cheek and threaded behind the back of my neck. “I think we’re both getting there, aren’t we?”

  “I hope,” I whispered.

  He grinned. “I’m getting up before Ruin comes all over me.”

  He pulled out of me, set me down on the bed, and climbed up from between my legs, only to fall down on the other side of Ruin. My sweet dark-haired Ruin had his eyes halfway open and lips parted in ecstasy. Releasing Death, I rolled over onto Ruin and straddled him. His hands went to my hips, and he whispered, “Please.”

  I positioned Ruin at my slick entrance and pushed down on his cock. He moaned my name as I pulled up his length and glided back down.

  His fingers dug into my hips, and he thrust up into me. I gasped as new waves of pleasure pulsed through me. A hand rubbed down my back again, and then Ash’s mouth was at my ear. “I want to be inside of you at the same time he is.”

  His words sent a thrum of excitement through me, and Ruin gasped as my center squeezed around his cock.

  “Yes,” I said.

  Ash’s fingers slipped up into my wetness, and then he slowly inserted one finger into my ass. Ruin continued to drive into me from below as Ash slipped a second finger in. It felt like almost too much, but I wanted more, and when Ash climbed up behind me and slid out his fingers, I begged, “Now, Ash.”

  Ash ran his cock between my thighs, soaking it in my wetness as Ruin pumped into me, then Ash positioned himself at the pucker of my anus.

  The head of Ash’s cock pushed into me, and my whole body stiffened. Ash slid deeper as Ruin plunged up into me, and a shock of awareness ran through my center. Then, a new all-consuming sensation pulled me under, and all I could do was grip onto Ruin’s shoulders and moan as the men thrust into me in tandem. Ash glided out and whispered into my ear, “This moment is for you two.”

  Ruin’s hand wrapped around my shoulder, and he tugged me down. “I want to mark you as mine, Goddess.”

  “Yes,” I moaned.

  His fangs buried in my neck, and his cock slammed home, filling me with his cum.

  I felt boneless as I lay there on Ruin’s sweaty chest with Ash lying halfway over me. Aftershocks of pleasure pulsed through me, while Ruin’s fingers threaded through my hair, massaging my scalp.

  The bed shuddered beneath us, and I remembered we were on a train. Not only were we on a train, but we were also on one leading down into Nightendale.

  Ash climbed off me once more, and I rolled off Ruin, letting him get up. Both men leaned in for a kiss before they climbed off the bed. Ruin pulled on his suit as Ash headed into the bathroom. A second later, I heard the hiss of the shower.

  I rolled to look at Death, who was watching me. His cock was still thick and erect.

  I licked my tender lips and looked up to his dark eyes. “What do you want to do?”

  He propped his head up on a fist, and his blond hair cascaded down his chest. “Are you sore or tired?”

  My body felt languid and relaxed, but I definitely didn’t want to stop. I ached for him like I was addicted, even though we’d never had sex before. “I’m not too tired. We might run out of time.”

  “They can meet the king without me. This is more important. Kori…” He paused to reach between us. Gently, he grabbed one of my wrists and lifted my hand over my head, and then he did the other one. His fingers ran over my forehead. “Close your eyes,” he said.

  My breaths quickened as I obeyed.

  “Try to keep your eyes closed and your hands over your head.”

  I felt the bed shift and then buckle down a few seconds later. The smell of soap filled my nose, and Death whispered, “I’m going to clean you.”

  He paused a moment, maybe waiting to see if I objected, and then a warm cloth pressed up against my sex. He wiped down my pussy and between my thighs.

  I felt him climb off the bed again, and then it buckled down once more. His breath warmed my ear, and he whispered, “Is there anywhere I can’t lick or touch you?”

  “No,” I said as I leaned closer to him.

  “What about fuck?”

  A thrill ran up my spine at his word and the dirty way he said it, and arousal flared low in my belly.

  “You can fuck me anywhere.”

  “All right then. You tell me if you change your mind.” He chuckled before his soft lips pressed into mine. His kiss was slow but deep and demanding. His hand cupped my chin, and his tongue tangled with mine. He was barely touching me, but already my body was humming with desire.

  His mouth pulled away, and he whispered over my lips, “You didn’t move your hands or open your eyes. I think that deserves a reward, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” I whispered, aching for him to touch me.

  Anticipation raced through me as I lay there with my hands over my head. His first lick was on my nipple. It came out of nowhere. His tongue ran over th
e bud, and the unexpected pleasure made my breath catch.

  His tongue traced a line down my stomach, tickling over my skin, and then he curled his hands around my thighs and gently spread me open. I gasped, wanting to open my eyes so much, but I didn’t dare, in case he’d stop.

  His hands pushed under my ass, scooping me up off the bed, and then he held me there, suspended and panting, not knowing what was going to happen. When his mouth finally closed over my clit, I was so wound up that I almost climaxed right there. He licked my clit like he kissed, with deep, unrelenting pressure. I cried out as pleasure exploded through my whole body. He didn’t let up as I immediately tipped over the edge and wetness spilled out of me.

  His hands pulled away from my legs and wrapped around my hip. “I’m flipping you over.”

  Death waited again, probably seeing if I would object, and then he gently tugged me over onto my stomach. “I want to go as deeply as possible into you, so I’m positioning you how I want you. Okay?”

  “Okay,” I panted.

  His hands wrapped around my hips, and he lifted my ass into the air. The head of his cock pressed against my entrance and then pulled back.

  My breath hitched as I waited for him to enter me. Without warning, he slid all the way inside. He filled me, pressing his pelvis into my thighs.

  I moaned as I felt every glorious inch of his cock. His hand wrapped around my front, and he pushed his palm into my clit as he started deep thrusts, and pleasure surged through me.

  “You’re mine,” he said as he pushed all the way deep inside me. “Forever mine.”

  “Yes,” I moaned. Knowing what he wanted me to say, I told him, “And, you’re mine.”

  He moaned and sped up his pace, and even though it should have been impossible, another orgasm started to build. His powerful thrusts took us down to the bed, and then suddenly, he was surrounding me, his weight pressed down on mine, pinning me under him.

  I should have been overwhelmed or afraid under his massive weight, but I felt safer and more protected than I ever had in my life. He was surrounding me and so careful with how much pressure he was putting down.