“I didn’t hit you that hard.” He snickered. “You’ll be healed in a minute or two. Don’t be a sore loser.”
Lord Belshazzar sighed and dropped his bag on the bed below the smug lord’s. “My balls are off limits, fucker. Touch them again, and I’ll rip yours off.”
Lord Xenon laughed and rolled onto his back. “Guess it’s not just your secret brother you’ve lost against.” His gaze caught mine, and then rose back to the ceiling. He closed his eyes in satisfaction. “You must be more tired than you thought, my lord.”
The enigmatic Overlord was smart.
My father waggled a finger at Lord Pippin and me. “One of you is sleeping with me. I don’t trust you two together. There will be no flames rekindled.”
I lifted my eyes heavenward. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Exactly. It won’t be.” His brown eyes narrowed, and his waggling finger stopped on Lord Pippin. “You’re with me. Where I can watch your bastard ass.”
Lord Pippin snorted. “I hog the blanket.”
“It’s true. He does.” I walked to grab my bags. “And that’s why I agree with my father. You’re sleeping with him.”
Lord Pippin ran his fingers through his dark red hair. “That’s probably for the best, anyway.”
“Agreed. I might kill you while you sleep if you steal my blanket one more time. And that would upset all of our fans.” I dropped my bags next to my designated bed where a certain sexy Overlord was already resting. I lifted a black eyebrow. “Lord Belshazzar, you don’t hog the blanket, do you?”
Intimidating blue eyes stared—no emotion showed in their depths. He placed his hands behind his head and stretched his large body out. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had an overnight guest in my bed. So I couldn’t really tell you.”
“Let’s hope you don’t,” I grumbled.
The man knew he didn’t. I always had plenty of blanket with him. Both of us continued to play our parts, neither of us wanting the other lords to know about our sexual relationship.
I unzipped one of my bags and grabbed pajamas out, a few others doing the same. I walked on quick feet to the bathroom, making sure I was the first one to use it. I did not want to enter the bathroom after one of them took a crap. The highest echelon of our society or not, their shit still stank like anyone else’s. I grinned in victory as I shut the door on Lord Otto’s face, once again beating him to a restroom.
By the time I’d exited, they’d all changed into their pajamas. I chuckled as Lord Otto rushed past me in a blur, cutting off Lord Xenon’s attempts to enter the bathroom next.
I shook my head and flopped down onto my shared bed, and muttered, “I call first dibs on the shower in the morning.”
Who knew if Master Niallan had magical pipes. The water would turn cold fast if he didn’t. No amount of vampire speed would help with six royals who liked to look good and carried more beauty products than a human sorority. I’d noticed the lords’ open luggage. They were just as anal about their perfect hair as I was.
Lord Belshazzar tilted his head on his pillow and stared at the side of my face. “Dibs won’t work with them—which you saw earlier. You have to take what you want.”
I sighed. “Master Niallan is an asshole.”
“Yes, he is.” Lord Belshazzar lifted on one arm, leaning on his elbow and peeked through the slats on the bed. He eyed the closed bathroom door. “I really have to piss. He better not be in there forever.”
I tipped my chin to the front door. “You’re a man. Go outside.” The castle was beautiful and amazing—and just as large as ours. “I think there was an exit to a courtyard a few floors down.”
His lips twitched. He still stared at the bathroom. “I was being polite, your majesty.”
I grinned, unable to hold it back. “There’s air freshener in there. Top shelf. I dug through the cabinets.” I was so, so happy I went in there first. “Thank fuck that bathroom seems to be soundproof.”
The Overlord’s lips slowly lifted into a smile. “You took a shit in there, didn’t you?”
My twinkling eyes caught his. “I deny everything, my lord.” Lord Otto hadn’t known what he’d rushed in to.
Lord Belshazzar snickered quietly. “Then you must have stunk the bathroom up bad. That poor man.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “He deserved it.”
Lord Belshazzar grunted. His gaze returned to the bathroom door. But he said, “See that portrait over there? Above the desk.”
My attention snapped to the lovely hand-painted picture of a stunning druid woman dressed in a white, flowing robe. “What about it?”
“Watch her eyes.”
“Okay.” I stared, waiting good-naturedly.
Thirty seconds later, the woman blinked.
Her lavender eyes disappeared, then reappeared.
My lips pressed into a thin line. “That’s disturbing. And a violation of privacy.”
“As you said, Master Niallan is an asshole.” With his eyes still on his prize, he tipped his head to the painting. “That’s a painting of his deceased mother. He put it in here just for me.”
The room turned silent.
The other lords’ attention snapped in our direction.
My jaw hung open. “He’s the Original druid. How the fuck does he have a mother?”
Lord Belshazzar snorted. “How the fuck do you think he was born?”
“Magic.”
The Overlord shook his head, and his black hair brushed my face. His blue eyes narrowed on the bathroom door, apparently getting impatient for his turn. “Master Niallan is an egotistical shithead, who only cares about himself. Everything you know about him is a lie. He created his own story. Years passed. It became our societies’ truth.”
I blinked. “You’re saying the druid and vampire histories aren’t true? That he’s not the Original druid? That he didn’t kill the Original vampire—and obtain his vampire power that way? Those are bold statements to make, my lord.”
His attention swung down, peering into my eyes. “He killed his friend and obtained the additional power that way. That much is true. The rest is fiction.”
My nose scrunched. “How would you know this?”
“Because I was there. I arrived too late to change the consequences of their actions. But I was there.”
I couldn’t even breathe. I couldn’t even move.
The rest of the room’s occupants didn’t make a sound either—the Overlords stunned into silence like I was.
Lord Belshazzar lifted a black brow. “Scared?”
I swallowed hard and sucked in a large breath. “The amount of shit that I’ve learned in the past few days is scary. But I’m persuaded to believe you, like before.” I would never ask him his age again. This vampire was old-as-dirt. “How do you know that’s his mother?”
“Because I killed her.” Simple, cold words. “No one else had that shade of lavender in their eyes. She was breathtakingly beautiful.”
I shook my head. “No wonder he hates you.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I owed my brother a debt. I paid it with her death.”
I blinked. “I’m thinking Master Niallan probably is going to starve us while we’re here.”
His plump lips lifted into an entertained smile. The lord laughed softly and shook his head. “I tell you all of that and all you do is worry about food, your majesty?”
“My lord, your words will change our history books, but they don’t change our present. Everything is still the same now, even with our history based on lies.” I pointed at my belly with a sharp finger. “And I’m hungry. His abhorrence of you may keep him from being cordial. It already has with this room and the lack of food given when we arrived at his castle.”
The smile slipped off his face. He stared at my stomach. His plump lips turned down at the corners. “I’ll make sure the prick feeds us tomorrow morning.”
I eyed the front door. “I was thinking about going to get something now.”
Lord Cato stepped right into my line of sight. He shook his head. “Your majesty, in light of…this new information…you should refrain from sneaking around Master Niallan’s home in the middle of the night.”
My lower lip was definitely sticking out. “I’m fucking hungry. The last time I ate was at breakfast. I was sleeping on the plane when you all ate dinner.”
My father shook his head. “I don’t believe Master Niallan wishes to harm you. His motives are the vampire crown. He wouldn’t do anything himself to put that in jeopardy. But if Ysander and Devin know this story too, I wouldn’t put it past them to take revenge on the only female in our group. We’re currently at their mercy. You need to be careful.”
I instantly fiddled with the chain on my necklace, the jewel hidden underneath my silk pajama top. My eyebrows puckered in frustration, but I nodded in agreement. I didn’t look back to the lord lying next to me.
Lord Belshazzar always had a plan.
Including telling everyone his past.
His words had hit its intended audience.
Now I would be watched more closely by the other lords, protected by them. Like the protective necklace around my throat. The Overlord was keeping me very safe and telling me more about himself, allowing me glimpses into his private life.
Lord Belshazzar turned his attention from the bathroom door. The large lord started crawling over my body, careful not to touch me in front of them—or the watching portrait. He stood to his full height and rubbed at his stomach, griping, “Lord Otto’s taking his sweet ass time in there. I might as well get her majesty some food while I wait. Anyone else want something from their kitchen?”
Lord Pippin grumbled, “Yes. I’m starving. I’ll come with you.”
Lord Xenon pushed off the wall where he’d taken residence next to the bathroom. “I’ll come too.”
Lord Cato flopped down onto his bed. “I’ll stay here. I’m not hungry.”
“We’ll be back soon then.” Lord Belshazzar’s frigid blue gaze snapped to mine. “Do as Lord Cato said, your majesty. Don’t wander during the night in this place when others aren’t around to track your whereabouts.”
I licked my bottom lip, utterly shocked by his kindness. The man was venturing out to get me something to eat. “Thank you, my lord.”
In reply, Lord Belshazzar grunted.
The front door shut softly behind them.
Lord Otto walked out of the bathroom in the next second. His blue eyes searched the semi-empty room. He muttered, “What the hell did I miss? I wasn’t in there that long.”
“Jesus fuck.” My laughter filled the room.
* * *
I cracked my eyes open, unsure what had awoken me. A gentle hand instantly covered my mouth in the darkness. I blinked as Lord Belshazzar’s soft hair raked over my face, his head leaning over mine and his alert eyes scanning our room with a narrowed gaze.
Crack, crack. Crack, scrape.
Both of our attention snapped to the portrait.
It was coming from the painting.
Crack, crack. Crack, scrape.
A gun suddenly aimed at the painting—from the full-sized bed next to ours. Lord Cato lifted onto one of his elbows, with his weapon raised, rumbling, “What the fuck is that?”
“I’m not sure,” Lord Xenon answered from above us. “But it sounds like something’s trying to crawl through the picture.”
I lifted my left hand from under our blanket and delicately removed Lord Belshazzar’s hand from my mouth. I pulled my other arm out from under my pillow, my gun already in hand. I aimed it at the portrait too.
A sizzle of druid energy blasted the room, blowing my and the Overlord’s hair back from our faces. The world spun as I was shoved in a toppled mess against the wall, banging against it loudly, and Lord Belshazzar was on his feet with two guns in his hands and pointing them at the portrait.
Master Niallan’s mother walked out of the painting. Her brown hair floated in the air around her, as if she were underwater, and her white robe swooshed back and forth in a non-existent breeze. The beautiful woman’s lavender eyes glowed sharply in the darkness.
She was a ghost, her form not corporeal. The wall behind her was fully visible through her lithe body.
Lord Belshazzar hissed and lowered his weapons. “That motherfucking asshole.” He stalked forward and waved one of his guns through her legs where she stood on top of the desk. His hand went right through her. “Fucking parlor tricks to ruin our rest.”
Lord Pippin whispered, “That’s some freaky shit. Is she going to do anything?”
I pushed up on my elbows and brushed my black hair out of my face. “Better question. Where did my gun go?”
Lord Cato waggled his weapon at the ground. “It went airborne when Lord Belshazzar went ape-shit.”
I sighed and crawled out of bed then grabbed my gun off the floor where it had landed. “Lord Belshazzar, get back in bed. The bitch is only annoying. She isn’t doing anything.”
Master Niallan’s mother took that moment to float down off the desk, contradicting my words. She started twirling around and around the room, dancing and throwing her head back in silent laughter. Her body even floated through our beds—and the Overlords lying there in shock.
I blinked. “All right, that’s fucked up.”
“He’s fucked up,” Lord Belshazzar retorted. Then he pointed at our bed with one of his guns, irritated and grumpy. “You’re sleeping against the wall, your majesty. Get your ass in first.”
“I guess you asking is better than being thrown into the wall.” I sighed and traipsed to our bed. “I hit my damn head, my lord.”
He scowled. “My apologies.”
I fixed our twisted cover and stiffened as the mother-bitch floated right through me in her insane, looping dance. Round and round she went. It didn’t feel like anything—nothing at all—when she drifted through me. But it was creepy as hell.
And if a vampire thought something was creepy, it was probably true. It was best to stay away from shit that sent chills up a blood-thirsty killer’s back.
Like a dead, spying mother dancing in your room.
I crawled back into bed and pulled the cover up over my shoulders. I waited until Lord Belshazzar slid in beside me, and then I asked, “My lord, do you think he’ll let us switch rooms?”
He rolled to face me and stuffed his hands underneath his pillow. His blue eyes held mine—and I tried to ignore the ghost pirouetting behind him. He explained, “Master Niallan’s having too much fun. If we moved rooms, he’d just make it worse. That’s how he is.”
I closed my eyes. “Bastard.”
“I agree.” One of his legs touched mine under the covers. “Now, quit talking. I’m tired as hell.”
I kept my eyes shut so I couldn’t see her. My eyebrows pinched as my thoughts wandered. “If that bitch starts singing, I’ll open fire on her. I don’t give a shit if she’s a ghost. It’ll make me feel better.”
He snorted, and then growled, “She’s a parlor trick, not a ghost. And unless you want me this ill-tempered tomorrow, then shut the hell up, your majesty. I need my sleep.”
Not. An. Easy. Lover.
I opened my mouth just to spite him. “Good night, my lord. I hope you have sweet, sweet dreams. Of women that you’ve killed and skeleton druids lurking in corners.”
“Fucking hell. Now that’s fucked up.” Then…he laughed, deep and quiet. “Ysander and Devin were ugly, weren’t they?”
I teased, “Shh. Remember? Some of us need our beauty sleep.”
Lord Otto barked, “Shut the hell up!”
My lips twitched. I knew full well the other Overlord could hear me when I whispered, “Guess you’re not the only one who’s grumpy, my lord.”
I fell back asleep inside the haunted room.
Chapter Nineteen
~ Gwynnore ~
The mattress jarred underneath me, shaking my entire body. I snapped my eyes open, but I couldn’t see anything. My face was
smashed against a heated body, a muscular physique that curled around mine. My arms and legs intertwined with that person’s limbs too, both of us holding each other close. I wiggled my nose and sniffed.
Mint.
I was wrapped around Lord Belshazzar.
He raised his head from his pillow and tilted away to look down at the woman in his arms. His blue eyes blinked and his face crinkled in confusion. In a sleep-roughened voice, he muttered, “Did you just kick me?”
“No.” I slithered my right hand between our bodies and rubbed at my eyes with my fist. “I don’t know what that was.”
“They’re finally awake!” Lord Otto sang loud and clear. “It’s about damn time.”
I stiffened inside the Overlord’s embrace.
Fuck. Me.
We weren’t alone inside his bedchamber.
Lord Belshazzar stared for a heartbeat before he pulled away from me and rolled onto his back. He raised his arms above his head and stretched. Only after that did he turn to face the room. He growled, “Which one of you kicked me?”
All of the other Overlords were awake inside our bedroom—in the druid castle, not Lord Belshazzar’s private quarters in our own stronghold. And they were fucking showered and dressed already, casually sitting on chairs inside the room, all with their phones out and using them.
Lord Cato turned his eyes in our direction, his regard flicking between the two of us. His tone was measured. “I did. Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for you two to wake up?”
My blue eyes shot to the windows, and my lips tipped down into a frown. “I’m guessing a while.” The sun appeared to be high in the sky. “Were you tip-toeing around us? Why didn’t you wake us?”
Lord Otto snorted. His eyes ran over the screen on his phone, reading at lightning speed. He stated absently, “Honestly? You two were snoring so hard that we left you alone.” Lord Otto paused, still reading on his phone. “We left you so alone that there’s no way you would have woken at Lord Xenon dropping his luggage next to your bed or Lord Pippin shaking the foot of your bed or Lord Cato cursing at you or me throwing shit at you.”
King of Gods (Vampire Crown Book 2) Page 22