Tied to the Barbarian Warrior

by Abella Ward

  "It'll be fine, Papa," she said. "I'll call you. I love you."

  "I love—"

  The door slammed behind them. Aria shivered. Their neighbors watched through windows, a few of them standing in doorways. She tried to wave cheerfully at them. They'd be talking about this for weeks. From two doors down, she saw a blonde rush from her home, dressed in a flimsy nightdress, her hair in two braids.

  "Aria!" the blonde cried. "What's happening?"

  "It's fine, Sonya," she called back. She dug her heels in to earn a few more moments to reassure her best friend. "I'll call. I promise."

  The vampire picked her up, making her yelp, and carried her to the shiny black limousine that sat on the road. He stuffed her in and slammed the door after her. Aria grimaced as she straightened herself. The limo had two bench seats facing each other. She had been put on the forward-facing one, while Gavin sat opposite to her. Their knees brushed each other.

  Aria fastened her seatbelt, determinedly ignoring the king. The least he could have done was give her an hour to dress. Now here she was, her bulky PJs making her plus-sized body look like a box stuffed with sausage. She was braless, which meant her boobs were flopping around with every bump they went over – not even wearing underwear. At least she had decided to actually wear PJs that night. Usually, she slept buck naked. But it had been cold lately, and she needed the extra warmth.

  "Your name is Aria," Gavin said. "And you're in university?"

  "Your name is Gavin and you're the freaking vampire king."

  Gavin's mouth twitched. Whether he was amused or angry, she couldn't tell. "What were you in university for?"

  "Marketing. Business management. Accounting." Aria slumped in her seat, folding her arms over her chest. "So I can open my own business."

  He didn't reply to that, and Aria was grateful. She still hadn't figured out what kind of business she wanted. The streetlights passed one by one as they drove away from the neighborhood she had lived in since she was five years old. She and her father had moved here a year after her mother died. She knew everybody here and they knew her.

  Her lip began wobbling, and she bit it hard to stop. She was not going to cry. Yeah, the situation wasn't ideal, but she had made her choice and she wasn't going to back down.

  What made this worse was the many times she had fantasized about meeting a handsome, rich vampire that would sweep her off her feet and take her to his mansion to marry her. Now she was being taken to a palace by the king – and she hated it.

  The thing she hated most was how attractive the bloodsucker was, though. What right did he have to be so handsome and yet so cruel?

  "I'm going to drink your blood now."

  Aria jumped. She pressed herself back on the supple leather seat, her heart hammering. "You're going to drink my blood?"

  "Yes." Gavin stared back at her, completely calm. "I need to verify your blood type. And if this arrangement is going to work, I have to know you're willing to give me blood whenever I need it. Don't worry, all I need is a mouthful every so often. You can be my living donor and still give blood to clinics once a year."

  He grinned, flashing his fangs at her. Aria swallowed hard, trying to convince herself that the twisting in her stomach was just because this was new and frightening. Not because she found the idea of him biting her exciting in any way… This was a business arrangement. No, it wasn't even that. This was her desperate attempt to keep her father out of jail. Nothing more.

  Gavin slid onto the bench beside her. He reached for the first button on her top, but Arai shoved her wrist into his face. Mustering her dirtiest glare, she shook her head.

  "You don't need to undress me to have a taste of my blood. You can drink from my wrist. I've seen it done on TV all the time."

  Gavin scowled. "I prefer neck blood."

  "You can have my neck after all the details of this arrangement are hashed out."

  Gavin continued to frown for a moment, then shrugged. He grasped her wrist. Aria opened her mouth to ask if it would hurt just as he bit into her flesh. A sharp jolt of pain made her yelp, but with the first pull, she forgot all about it. A fire was lit low in her belly, shooting tingles up her spine and down her legs. Her skin tingled where his lips clamped on in. Something swelled inside of her core. With the second pull, her head fell back and she moaned, desire pooling. What had she been thinking when she said he couldn’t drink from her neck? Suddenly all she wanted was for his mouth to be on her neck.

  The rush of pleasure stopped, leaving her dazed and confused. Gavin wrapped a piece of gauze around her wrist and put it onto her lap.

  "You are AB negative," he said, licking his lips. "I think this will work out just fine."

  Aria nodded silently as he moved to the opposite side of the limo. Her heart continued to pound. What have I gotten myself into?

  Chapter Two – Gavin

  It was seven o'clock AM and he needed blood.

  The king didn't bother knocking on the door to the apartment he'd given Aria in his palace. He expected to find her in the little breakfast nook, with a cup of coffee in hand. Maybe making breakfast on the hotplate he had installed, or rooting around the mini-fridge for some of the fruit he'd stocked it with. But she wasn't in the main room. The door to the bathroom was open. It was empty.

  Maybe she was dressing? It was a little late for that, but given that it was her first day here and the interrupted sleep she had the previous night, he could overlook it.

  He knocked on the door. No answer. Frowning, he knocked again. A moan came from the other side. A deep, throaty moan. The kind that women made when a man was between their legs. Hot, irrational anger filled his chest. She was his! Any vampire who dared come into her chambers and into her bed had to be punished swiftly.

  Gavin kicked down the door. He charged in, searching for the vampire who dared take what was his. Aria was on the bed, alone. She gasped and flailed, head jerking up from the pillow. In a tangle of limbs and blankets, she fell off the bed. She hit the floor hard and stared up at him, mouth agape.

  "What the heck, man?" She yawned and rubbed her eyes before glaring at him. "I was sleeping!"

  She wasn't with anybody. Gavin took a step back. It wasn't often that he was wrong. But he had kicked open her door… How was he going to explain that? "I told you to meet me this morning."

  "It is morning. The sun's barely up."

  "You mean the sun is already up."

  Aria got to her feet. "It's morning until noon, and I'll get up when I damn well please."

  He wasn't used to people talking back to him. Mostly they simpered and agreed with whatever he said. And in the rare case that they disagreed, they bowed and apologized and assured him that his will was what was most important. And yet here was this human with her hair all over the place, sleep sand in the corners of her eyes, wearing faded pajamas, telling him exactly what she thought.

  Gavin wasn't sure if it was refreshing or annoying. "You are here to work for me. That means you keep the hours that I assign you."

  "Be clearer, then. You can't just say 'morning' and expect me to know what you mean..." She checked the clock and groaned. "It's seven. I'm not a morning person."

  Gavin cocked his head to one side. He had intended on giving her a stringent introductory course to what her life at the palace would be like from now on, but perhaps she needed a little more time. Besides, he wasn't a cruel man. He could be lenient in this case.

  "Fine. You can go back to bed, but I need some blood first. I have several important meetings today, and I need my full strength."

  Aria tensed but nodded. She walked past him, into the main room. Gavin followed her, admiring her full ass. It would be delightful to see her form out of these baggy clothes. Everything she wore from here on out would be perfectly tailored for all her curves. And perhaps soon he'd be able to see her without clothes at all.

  The human offered her wrist to him, but Gavin shook his head. "I need something fresher. By the time blood has got
ten to your extremities, it's already used some of its energy. I need something closer to the heart."

  His gaze dropped to her neck. She swallowed, but when he reached for her she didn't resist him at all. Good. She was already warming up to him. He undid her top two buttons and moved her top off her shoulder, exposing her skin to him.

  "Ready?" he asked, glancing up.

  Aria's eyes were bright. She chewed on her lip as she nodded. Gavin put an arm around her and drew her closer. He frowned at how tense she was. But this would be the first time he took a proper drink from her. She was probably just nervous. He kissed her neck gently. Aria shivered and burrowed herself closer to him.

  So she was receptive. She just needed a little encouragement. With a grin, he placed his fangs against her pulse and bit down.

  The woman jumped, then let out a throaty moan that surprised him. He felt her vibrate as he sucked, pulling in the sweet, sweet taste of blood. Everything tightened inside of him. It tightened, even more, when Aria grabbed his hand around her waist and tugged it upwards. She pressed him against her breast, her body undulating beneath him.

  Gavin groaned, pulling her even closer. Who cared if he had meetings to attend to? He was the king, his time belonged to no one except for himself. If he wanted to stay here with this beautiful woman, he could.

  He dropped his hand from her breast to her waist, pushing it under her elastic waistband. Aria moaned again, lifting her hips to his touch. He grinned as he felt she wasn't wearing any underwear, and slid it down between her thighs.

  Aria shuddered. She slammed her hand against his chest, making him jerk away from her.

  "No," she gasped. "No. I'm a virgin, and if you want to be the first man who takes me, you have to forgive my father's debt first."

  The king's hand was still on her hip. Her blood dripped from his lips. At first, only one word jumped out of that. Virgin. Fires stirred inside of him. It was his opinion that virginity was overrated. Give him a woman who knew what she was doing over a nervous, inexperienced girl any day. But the thought of teaching Aria all the pleasures of the body…

  Then the rest of what she said hit him. He drew back, his brows furrowing. "What?"

  She clutched her top closed, though blood dripped from her neck to stain it. "You heard me. If I'm going to be your personal prostitute, that's my price. My father's debt wiped out."

  Prostitute. He hated that word. He hated it as much as what Aria was saying. He drew back. "So that was what you were hoping for? Why you let me – no, encouraged me – to touch you? I don't need sex. You're a beautiful woman, but I have hundreds of beautiful women who want to please me. I'll pay for your blood. That's all. I'm not paying for your body. No matter how much you tempt me."

  "I tempt you?" Aria got to her feet and backed away from him. "I'm not the one who started pumping you full of aphrodisiacs. You could have at least warned me that having my blood drunk would be like foreplay! I bet it didn't even cross your mind, did it? You thought that I was agreeing to be your sex toy as well as your juice box. Well, I'm not!"

  Aria's face was flushed, her hands clenched, eyes narrowed. She really believed what she was saying. She hadn't known about the side-effects of drinking.

  Gavin got to his feet. "You're the one who suggested our arrangement. I thought that you already knew what it would entail."

  "Well. I guess I know now. And I mean it. You don't get this body unless you wipe out my father's debt."

  "Fine." His own hands clenched. For a wild moment he wanted to forbid her from being with any man other than him while she lived in the palace, but given her temperament, she'd probably go out and sleep with every man she could find just to spite him. "Like I said, I don't need sex from you. Now get cleaned up and dressed. I expect you downstairs in half an hour."

  "But you said—"

  "I changed my mind. I'm going to be meeting with a human police representative. Apparently, there have been an unusual amount of kidnappings this year. You will be there in case something happens and I need some fresh blood. In fact, you are to be with me at all times except for night. Now go get ready. You have clothes in the wardrobe."

  Aria bared her teeth at him but didn't say another word as she spun on her heel and marched back into her bedroom. Gavin turned away, carding his fingers through his hair. What was it about this woman that drove him so crazy?

  Chapter Three – Aria

  The rayon fabric clung to her curves with a breezy, airy feel that Aria loved. She never thought that she'd be a flashy dresser, but when she had a wardrobe of silk, satin, and diamonds, she couldn't help it. The bright yellow color went so well with her complexion. She'd paired it with a matching clutch and a simple crystal necklace for her lunch with Sonya.

  Her friend eyed her skeptically when they sat down at the outdoor café they often had lunch at. Several vampires hovered around the edges of the place, but Aria ignored them.

  "So two weeks at a palace and you come back dressed like that?" Sonya asked.

  Aria shrugged. "Life is different there. Actually, this is rather modest compared to most of the clothes Gavin gave me."

  "Are you happy? I've been reading the news. It seems like you're hardly ever from his side."

  Aria thought a moment. How could she confirm that without worrying her friend? Sonya was always the more compassionate of the two of them. She cared so deeply, and it was easy for other people to take advantage of her. Aria didn't want her any more worried than she already was.

  "I am, most of the time. I'm with him so much mostly so I can learn more about what vampire culture is like, but Gavin also needs to drink regularly."

  Sonya's gaze fell on the two visible marks on Aria's neck.

  "It doesn't hurt," the brunette was quick to say. "And he doesn't treat me badly. Actually, it's kind of exciting when we get into arguments. He gets this stunned look on his face like he never expects me to talk back to him. There are other perks, too. I'm not just working off Papa's debt. Gavin gives me bonuses as well. It's nice being able to actually see what—"

  "And what about sex?" Sonya interrupted. She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "I've been reading up on it. They say that getting your blood drunk by a vampire has a… drug-like effect. You lose control. Has the king taken advantage of you?"

  "No."

  "Good."

  Aria sighed. Having Gavin's fangs pierce her skin might as well be sex at times. She'd experimented with self-pleasuring at times, but she hadn't ever been able to make herself feel what Gavin did with just his mouth on her neck. It was unsettling, exciting, and confusing. And she wanted more. She looked forward to when he needed her blood, and dreamt of taking it further at night when she thought about the sensations he evoked inside her.

  Sonya put her hand over Aria's, biting her lip. "You can tell me whatever you're thinking."

  "Do you remember how I once told you that I wanted to have sex and didn't care who I had it with?"

  Sonya flinched and nodded.

  "Well… that feeling never fully went away. I mean, it's never been that I wanted to give my virginity to some random stranger. But Gavin..."

  "I remember you drooling over pictures of him on the TV."

  Aria grinned. "He's even hotter in person, and it's not like I have other prospects. When he drinks my blood, it's intense. And it does make me lose my mind sometimes, but he doesn't ever touch me more than necessary."

  Relief crossed Sonya's face. She sat back and smiled, apparently satisfied with that. Aria wasn't done, though. There was more she wanted to say. She just didn't know how to say it.

  "If we had come together under different circumstances, I would have slept with him already. And I'm not ruling it out in the future, even if it is just a one-time thing. I just… I just don't want to feel like he's buying me, you know?" Aria sighed unhappily, resting her elbows on the table. "But anyway. That's enough about me. How are you doing? How's Papa? He looked tired when I saw him earlier."

  "He's wor
ried about you. We all are."

  "You don't have to be. I'm good. It's only been two weeks, but I'm already pretty well adjusted."

  "Good."

  Aria kept the conversations on safer subjects for the rest of their meal. By the time she was meant to return to the palace she wasn't ready to go, but her head was clearer for having talked to Sonya. She sighed as her vampire escort reminded her that the king would be waiting for her return. Gavin. He was as infuriating as he was attractive. It was a good thing she wasn't hoping for anything more with him, otherwise, she'd go crazy.

  "I suppose I have to go," she said as she hugged Sonya. "Take care of yourself."

  "You, too."

  Aria turned to go, but before they reached the sleek Jaguar she'd driven there, a familiar limo pulled up to the curb. Gavin rolled down the window and gestured her over to him. Aria narrowed her eyes as she marched to the limo. She still had some time before she was meant to be back. Why was he following her out here? It was inexcusable.

  "Get in," he said as soon as she was within earshot. "We're going to Paris."

  Paris? Aria's eyes widened. She stared, dumbfounded, before shaking herself and climbing into the limo. Paris. She didn't even know any French! "What are we going to Paris for?"

  "I have some business with Queen Monique." Gavin peered out the window, frowning in Sonya's direction as Aria settled in. "So you and that woman. You're close, aren't you? She looks very concerned."

  "She's my best friend." Aria waved to Sonya as their driver pulled away from the curb. "We also used to date a couple years ago."

  She glanced at Gavin for his reaction. The king looked slightly surprised, but not as much as she had expected. The surprise quickly smoothed off his face and he nodded. "Well, that explains it."

  "Explains what?"

  "Why you don't want to sleep with me."

  Aria bit back a surge of annoyance. She crossed her arms. "Um, no. It doesn't. I'm not a lesbian. I'm bisexual. That means that I'm attracted to both men and women. I just don't think that being an arrogant, self-centered jerk is attractive."