by Annie Buff
Lachlan reached down to say hello, “Aye Mak, good to meet ye, just be warned me son will think you’re a dog and go nuts. And a word to the wise, doona call her Princess or bow if ye wanna keep your jewels, she hates that. I have no idea how T is able to get her not to kick him every time someone bows.”
Mak internally laughed, the visual of the Princess kicking Vlad the IV was fairly funny. He followed Lachlan in and just as expected Michael was yelling.
“Dog! Dog!” he was all over Mak, and the best part was Mak didn’t seem to mind at all. He just lay next to Michael looking like he was actually enjoying the attention.
Mehmet however had different feelings on an animal in his home. “What the fuck is that! Why is there a wolf in my house?”
“Aye me angel has herself a personal security detail, Nico and your Alpha here wanted her to be safe. This is Mak.”
Mehmet grumbled before speaking, “I certainly hope it doesn’t shed!” Mak bared his teeth, a slight snarl escaping his mouth, and then Mehmet hissed, showing fangs. Mak stood, starting across the room towards the vampire when Annalese stepped in between.
“Damn it you two! Knock it off! Mehmet, stop being such an asshole and you wolf boy, don’t push me or I’ll put you on a leash! “
Both Mak and Mehmet stopped cold; it must have been the look on her face. “I will have no bullshit from either of you; I’m already so stressed out, so please stop!”
Mak padded up to her, putting his head in her hands, basically submitting. Annalese reached down to pat his head, “It’s fine just please can you two call a truce... for me? I need to lie down a bit, try to calm down.”
She left Mehmet and Lachlan staring at each other, neither man knowing exactly what they should do. Mehmet had never witnessed Annalese lose it and Lachlan only once so both men were completely dumbfounded. An unfamiliar voice brought them out of their trance.
“I will go apologize to the Princess, now that I am properly clothed, my things just arrived.” Mak was buttoning his shirt, his jeans Already on as he made his way up the stairs barefoot.
“Aye he’s brave one isn’t he?” Lachlan half laughed knowing his redheaded beauty could be quite the firecracker. Mehmet wholeheartedly agreed he was either very brave, or incredibly stupid.
Mak let his nose locate his charge, finding her room at the top of the stairs. He knocked lightly in case she had already fallen asleep.
“Hi, it’s Makhi. Can I come in?” He heard her answer so he opened the door, stepping over the threshold into the Princess’ suite. Mak knelt next to the bed, with his head down, “I truly apologize for my behavior earlier, if you want to call Zhor and have me replaced,” that’s all he was able to get out. Annalese had her hand over his mouth, successfully silencing him.
“Come sit with me, let’s talk a bit.” Mak reluctantly sat on the far edge of the bed looking overly nervous.
"I am not sure this is proper, you are - and please do not be angry, but you are a Princess and a mated one at that, this is very odd.” Annalese gave him a look, shaking her head. Mak had no idea just how odd things were to an outsider.
“Mak, get used to it. I hate the entire Princess crap. This is just us talking, getting to know each other right? So you can take the proper and shove it.” The part that shocked him the most was that she said it all with a smile. Her candor was completely refreshing.
“Ok, fair enough but I do apologize for my behavior, and I have no excuse but I will try to rein it in. How is it you’re mated and he is not here trying to gut me for being in your bed chambers? This is extremely unconventional.” Mak was right; it was unconventional, but then so was having two mates.
“Trust me Mak, everything about me is unconventional, let me tell you a story.” So Annalese told Mak about meeting Lachlan, coming to Romania, everything that had happened and falling in love with Vlad.
“We were so close already; he would tell me things he had never spoken to anyone else about. It was a very slow process and then it was like one day I just knew. Vlad had told me many times of his feelings for me but I didn’t realize my own until much later. I have no idea what I would do without him, either of them. Yes before you ask, we know how crazy it is but it works. Each man is completely different and maybe that’s why it works. So tell me do you have a girl Mak?
He had no one, not even a pack now. All he had was her and this assignment. “No Miss Annalese I have not been lucky enough to find my mate yet but when I do I hope she’s like you. You’re beautiful and kind and damn scary when you’re mad. That’s what I want, one like that. Who knows what the future will bring, being Beta is a full time job and I do not have much time for socializing.”
Annalese was really beginning to like Mak; he was honest, sweet and very dedicated. That quality would be the one her Vlad appreciated most. With Vlad, loyalty and dedication was the most important thing.
“Ok Mak I’m going to go lie in the tub a while, the room next door is for you, put your things in and get comfortable ok, now shoo!” They both laughed and Mak excused himself to check on Michael, dawn was nearing and everyone would be bedding down soon. He made one more trip downstairs to apologize to Lachlan and Mehmet.
“Sir, your mate is calm now and I truly apologize for my behavior, it will not happen again. I asked Miss Annalese if I should remove myself but I believe she told me to shove it up my ass.” Lachlan spit out his scotch laughing followed by Mehmet and his roaring laughter.
“Aye, sounds just like me angel. Trust me, if she told ye to shove it up yer arse she likes ye. Doona screw that up, she’s hard headed and feisty but she loves with all her heart and if she calls you friend, she loves ye.” Mak understood Lachlan, he had never met someone quite like the Princess and he wanted the friendship he knew Lachlan was talking about.
“I believe I met feisty and hard headed upstairs,” he told the vampires with a slight chuckle. She was most definitely one of a kind. “I will be shifting soon to patrol the house and grounds, Miss Annalese gave me a room but I am not sure where I will sleep. It may be outside your chamber door, she is my charge.” Mak excused himself and went to his room to disrobe and shift. He had work to do, a Princess to protect, an unborn baby girl, and a hybrid to keep safe. Zhor had entrusted him with this and Mak wouldn’t fail him, he couldn’t, failure was not an option.
ROMANIA
The sun was setting over the Carpathian Mountains as Vlad was waking from his day’s sleep, well from what little sleep he got. He was missing Annalese something fierce, it had been just over forty-eight hours and Vlad was on the verge of losing it. He needed this done and over with, needed his woman home. Without her here it wasn’t home, just a place he lived. Vlad was dying to hold her, to rub her belly, to kiss her and take her in his arms and love her.
He made his way to the shower and then as his normal fashion, dressed in all black. Vlad had started to tie his hair back when he had a flash of memory of Annalese taking his hair down in the garden. Damn he wanted her home, he needed her home.
“Fuck this!” he yelled, putting his fist through the glass of the shower door. Less than a minute later a knock came at his door.
“Hey Vlad, you good?” Nico was his favorite pain in the ass, but over the years he had grown on the Dark Prince. He was a very good ally to have.
“Yes Nicodemus, just letting out a bit of frustration, I will be down shortly, go ahead, Marcus has already started cooking.” Vlad left his hair to flow, the way his love likes it best, and made his way downstairs to meet Nico.
“I am about half a breath away from saying fuck it and telling you to go get her. I miss Annalese something fierce, honestly it’s killing me not having her here.”
Nico understood in a way, he knew if he was in Vlad’s position he would feel the same way. The difference was Nico wouldn’t have given any warning; he would have stalked his prey and taken them out in the most grizzly of manners.
“Then let’s do it, we’ve got the sanctions, let me go get her. Sh
e’d never see me coming, trust me Vlad, I’m that good. Come on, you know you want it over, let’s end it. Well at least the threats to my doll, I’d hate to end play time too soon. That bitch needs to suffer.” On that Vlad concurred and with the twisted, sadistic look on Nico’s face Vlad almost said yes.
“We cannot, not like that. Annalese will feel her in the castle, feel her pain and I cannot have that. She is already stressed just from being away and I do not want my daughter born too soon due to all this mess that Sophia has caused.” Nico stood thinking, he understood the stress and the pregnancy thing, but then he got an idea and the evil grin spread wide.
“Ok but what if she wasn’t here? I also have a playroom; you are not the only supe that enjoys a little torture with his morning coffee.” Damn if he didn’t have a point, Vlad never thought of using Nico’s cellar and it was the perfect place. Sophia would be dealt with and his love could come home and not feel the pain in her home.
“Well fuck me Nico, do it, but before you handle it please let our new friend out for breakfast. I want to know the moment she is secure.” Nico did as Vlad asked, leaving in search of his prey.
“As you can see I have no intentions of causing you harm, by nightfall tomorrow I expect to release you. I do however expect you to be available should I need to call on you, are we clear? Vlad asked Spike as he sipped on his first cup of the evening. He knew just by the look on Spike’s face he was very clear. Spike was more than happy to agree to just about anything, considering whose home he had broken into. Vlad had even offered him a place to live, a small one bedroom cottage on the backside of the estate and Spike had graciously accepted. Spike wanted to live and he was even put on payroll to run errands for the staff and the Prince himself, so he would never need to stoop so low again.
TURKEY
Sundown found Annalese curled up in Lachlan’s arms kissing and touching for over an hour. Things had been so crazy that it made finding time for each other difficult. The house was silent and they were taking advantage of it.
“Angel, damn if haven’t missed this.” Lachlan continued kissing her face, neck and down to her breasts where his tongue found her hardened peaks, his fangs scraping her swollen mounds. His hand dipped down between her legs pushing them apart and Annalese moaned with every touch. His gentle circular motion on her clit had her responding to him in every way. She twitched with every touch, biting his neck. Lachlan moved up to give her better access, he loved being bitten and she knew it, biting hard enough to draw blood. As she fed from him his fingers found her core, penetrating deep, using slow and steady rhythm until he could feel her body start to quiver, he knew she wanted more.
“Lach please, I need to feel you inside me.” He gave her what she was so desperate for, turning her over and sliding himself in from behind. This was her favorite and being so far into the pregnancy, the most comfortable for her. Lachlan set the pace and she stayed right with him.
“God angel ye feel so damn good, so damn tight.” She loved how he felt, all the whimpers he made. There was nothing sexier to Annalese than hearing the moans coming from her men. Lachlan was becoming more vocal and she loved it. They moved together in perfect unison as he kissed a pathway up her spine to her neck and shoulder. He thrust himself into the deepest depths of her. She knew he needed to feed and as their bodies were slamming together his fangs pierced her shoulder. He fed, taking what his body so desperately needed, her life force. He drank as they came together over and over again, each lost in the other.
Annalese was on fire, every nerve burning with a pleasurable sting, when her body began to shake neither could hold off any longer and the orgasms crashed through, causing wave after wave of ecstasy. When they finally caught their breath, he rolled, taking her under his arm and holding her tight.
“Aye Angel, gods I’ve missed me private time with ye. I doona mind us all together but I do love getting ye all to meself, it’s fucking amazing.” He had hands on her belly, rubbing so gentle, so lovingly. “Are ye sure we canna do this again for a while, I can get ye as many nannies as ye need, I love the children, so does T.”
Annalese laughed and shook her head; they loved the extra curves she acquired during pregnancy. Vlad had told her once he didn’t understand why men were so attracted to curves until he held her in his arms for the first time. From then on he was hooked on how it felt, how she looked and how much he loved running his hands over her.
“You men just like the fact that my boobs are even bigger than normal.” Lachlan smiled knowing he’d been caught but it really didn’t make any difference, he loved her anyway.
“That I do, but we canna stay in bed all night, your security has been pacing the halls for twenty minutes already. Let’s shower and get ye some food.” They showered and headed downstairs with Mak trailing behind, Michael on his shoulders.
Lachlan had gone off to call Vlad, hoping things would be over soon, Annalese missed her home. This was only the second time she had slept away from the castle since coming to Romania and she really hated it. She had fixed a plate of food and sat nibbling at the fruit while Mak stood sentry in the corner eating his own breakfast.
“Mak come sit, you’re making me more nervous than I already am.” She knew by the look on his face he had no plans to sit, Mak felt it was derelict in his duties if he relaxed at all. To Annalese that was unacceptable so she got up and took his plate to the table issuing her orders.
“You. Will. Go. Sit. Now! I can’t do this Mak. I’m a wreck, I miss Vlad so much and he’s shut down. He’s afraid I’ll feel what he’s doing and I really don’t want to know, I just need to know he’s ok. Once he’s got everything handled and I can go home.”
Mak understood that, the Prince was protecting his woman like any good man would. He could tell she wasn’t her spunky self and figured she was feeling the effects of being so far into her pregnancy.
“Would you like to go upstairs and maybe lie down a while?” Mak offered, “I could join you, maybe we could talk some more?”
Mak escorted Annalese to her suite, situating her in bed so she was sitting up and comfortable. As he watched her he figured it out.
“You are having labor pains, what can I do? I should go find Master Lachlan and have him call the doctor.”
“Thank you Mak, how did you know?” He was extremely observant; it was obviously in her behavior among other things. He put his hand on her belly.
“She is not moving like she did yesterday and I saw you wince, please can you call your mate? It will be faster.”
She nodded and use the Bond “Hey Lachlan, can you come to our suite and call the doctor please?”
It took all of two seconds for him to respond. “Holy shite angel, Imma on me way.”
Lachlan made it in record time, Calling the doctor and pacing, trying to stay calm. Mak just stood watch over his charge.
“Aye Mak how can ye be so calm, tis not even me daughter and Imma wreck.”
Mak continued leaning against the far wall, cool as could be. The Princess didn’t need any more stress than she already had. “My assignment is to protect and care for the Princess, if I freak out it does absolutely no good. She has enough on her plate and I do not want to add more. So I will stay as I am unless someone tries to harm her. At that point, I can say with absolute certainty I will not be calm.” Lachlan continued to pace, he knew he needed to call Vlad.
Annalese let the doctor check her, all the while staying as calm as she could. When he finished his exam and gave her a shot to stop her labor, he told her absolutely no more stress. She closed her eyes, reaching for Vlad.
“Baby, are you there? I need you.”
His reply was instantaneous “Annalese, what’s wrong my love? I feel it; I know something is not right with you.” He always knew; they were so closely connected Vlad always knew when something wasn’t right with her.
“Yes, I started laboring, baby it’s not time yet, she’s not quite ready and I don’t want her born without you here w
ith me. I want to come home, I hate being away from you. Lachlan is trying but you’re Lyla's father. Damn it Vlad, I need this over!”
He knew she did. So did he. He had no intention of telling her about his meltdown and the damage to the master bath, it would be fixed before sun up, and Sophia would be chained to the wall of Nico’s play room. That too he had no intention of telling her, she knew what he had to do, but telling her the bloody details was not on Vlad’s to do list. “I am working on it as fast as I can my love. Please Annalese, stay as calm as possible. I love you so fucking much. Do this for me and I I’ll spend eternity making it up to you.”
She told him she would, breaking the connection so she could rest. Annalese let the men know she was ok and just needed to take a nap. Lachlan and the doctor left, Mak however stayed.
“Mak, I’m fine, just sleepy. I’m not going anywhere, I just need to close my eyes for a while.” Mak gave her a nod, leaving for just minutes before returning with a book. He had no intentions of leaving his post, plus he liked her; liked her honesty and her compassion.
“You are my charge and I would be derelict in my duties if I abandon you. I will sit and read while you sleep, and when you awake I’ll be here to take care of you so get used to it.” Mak finally cracked a smile, he was so much like the vampires but she didn’t dare tell him, wolves were very proud creatures. Mak was proving no different. Annalese nodded, curling on her side and was sleep in minutes. Mak settled himself into the chair by the bedside and opened his book.
NICO
Nico had shifted with the moon high in the night sky. He was running through the woods, leaping over fallen logs and thick foliage feeling the raw soil under his paws. He crushed grass and leaves as he pounded the ground. Stopped to drink from a small stream, he noticed a doe on the other side sipping from the same waters. Nico had no intention of harming such a beautiful, helpless creature and the doe knew it. There was another beauty he had every intention of harming and he would do it slowly, precisely and with the utmost pleasure.