Fangs with a Heart

by Tempeste O'Riley

  Before he reached Vlad’s rooms, Tatiana stepped into the wide hall, a wicked smile on her beatific face. “Ah, good, you’re alone.”

  “I am for now. What do you need? I’m on my way to deal with the loudmouthed viper down the hall.”

  “Two things. First to congratulate you on finding your heart. Your little kitty truly is a handsome male, you lucky, lucky boy. Though….”

  “Though what, Tatiana?” Get to the point, female!

  “He needs to loosen up a bit. I thought he was going to challenge me for you. Your uncle’s insanity is bad enough, but your fated heart ought to know better.”

  “It’s a long story, but if he were to challenge you, that would actually be a good thing. As long as it wasn’t a formal challenge.” Another series of bellows came from Vlad’s suite, causing them both to wince. “What was the other issue?”

  “I wish to ask….” She looked around before she snagged the edge of his suit sleeve and pulled him close. “I wished to ask if I could stay with your coven after he leaves. I know you have no need of a wife—you’re gay, even if he can’t seem to grasp that—but I can’t return to my home. I will explain it all later, if you wish, but please consider allowing me to stay.”

  Sasha stared at Tatiana, dumbfounded. “You’re asking me for asylum?”

  “Effectively, yes.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  A LOUD crash reverberated down the hall, drawing Sasha’s stunned gaze from Tatiana. “I need to go deal with Vlad. We will speak later, but you have to know I will help you however I can.” With that he hurried down the corridor, leaving Tatiana behind. He couldn’t help wondering what was so bad that she wished to hide with him, but he forced his attention away from her and those questions, knowing he had to keep his mind focused—especially with his uncle and the threat to Trace and the tribe.

  Sasha didn’t bother knocking as he usually would; he merely threw open the door and entered, just in time to catch a young male vampire before he hit the wall. “Stop!” he thundered, going to that still, deadly calm place inside that no one wanted him to go.

  Everyone froze, the boy in his arms curled against his chest barely breathing even as he continued to cry, his tears hot as they soaked through Sasha’s dress shirt. Vlad slowly rose to his full height and glared down his multiply broken nose at Sasha—while it didn’t show, Sasha had broken it more than once himself when he lost patience with the abusive, narcissistic asshat. “That boy is my property. Release him now.”

  “I will do no such thing. You may get away with such behavior other places, but you know the rules and laws here, Uncle. You will either live within them or I will have you arrested and you can find out how accommodating the dungeon is.”

  “I’m not interested in your perversions, boy.”

  “Summer!” A moment later Summer stepped through the still-open doorway. “Please have the boy checked over, as I have no idea how long he’s been abused.”

  “Abused?” Vlad sputtered, but Sasha ignored him. No one else in the room moved. They watched as Sasha gently handed over the battered youth, smoothed his hands down his jacket, straightened his cuffs, and then walked to where Vlad still stood in a slow, measured step, hoping that would help him not kill the monster in front of him when he got there.

  “Yes, abused. I have never understood how you and my mother could be related. You are nothing alike. Now, I invited you here to hear your side of things, as you have been accused of some very serious crimes. I would suggest you shut the hell up, sit your ass down, and answer all questions posed to you—correctly—if you wish to survive this visit.”

  “I’m here to deal with you and your lack of marriage and offspring, not some stupid nonsense about lies from your pets.”

  “I would suggest—” Sasha lashed out, inflicting more power and chill into his voice as he wrapped one hand around Vlad’s throat faster than the male could raise his arms to block. “—that you watch what you say about my fated heart and his tribe, dear uncle, and that you learn to listen instead of subjecting us to your diarrhea of the mouth so much.”

  As he spoke he tightened his hold until there was no way for his uncle to respond with more than a squeak, which he did, along with struggling. One thing his uncle never seemed to remember was that Sasha’s small stature—especially in comparison to many of the other princes, who were bigger and more powerfully built—was no limitation on the power he held within. He also had more control than many others he knew—it was one of the reasons none of the other covens would raise fang to him or his. Early on a few had tried. All had failed. A young upstart tried every few decades to challenge him. Most died in the process, and a few were now loyal to him. But all underestimated him at the beginning because of his attitude, his dress, his size, and his love for humans and his “odd interest” in shifters.

  Sasha walked forward, forcing Vlad to back up until he was slammed down into one of the chairs by the fireplace. He leaned over him, squeezed harder for a moment, then released his hold and stepped back and took the other chair. “Now can you behave, or do we need to do this with you in chains?” He waved one hand negligently. “I don’t really care which.”

  “How dare you treat me this way,” Vlad croaked.

  Sasha turned to one of the servants closer to him and smiled. “He doesn’t really deserve it, hon, but if I have to hear him, I’d really rather not have to put up with that nasty grating sound. Would you be a dear and get him something to soothe his throat? He seems to have done something to it.”

  “Ye-yes, milord. Right away.” The young female curtsied, then scurried away. That seemed to break the charm on the others, and everyone began scurrying around, setting things to rights quickly, wide-eyed glances thrown their way, but only for a moment as each person hurried about their tasks.

  “They are not yours to command. Those are my servants.”

  “I did not command anyone; I merely made a request. One that will benefit you.” He flicked a piece of imaginary lint off his trousers and sighed. “If you would rather have this discussion without anything to drink, that can be arranged.” Sasha waited, brows raised.

  “No.”

  “Then shut it and drink your tea.”

  It didn’t take long before said tea was served. Jalin returned with the girl, whose name was Leanne, and they served them tea—Sasha from a separate pot, as he would not share with someone he did not respect.

  Sasha crossed one leg over the other as he blew steam from the surface of his chamomile and lavender tea, annoyed this entire situation was happening. He wanted to be in his chambers with Trace, not in his uncle’s chambers dealing with his abusive nonsense and possible threats. “So would you like to restart this entire meeting, Uncle? I believe it would be in your best interest to do so.”

  Vlad took a large gulp of his tea and rubbed at his neck, which had a rather impressive bruise already that matched Sasha’s hand perfectly. A fact that gave him an odd sort of satisfaction. “I would like to know what nonsense you have in your head that made you attack me and spout off about accusations against me. Yes. And how dare you threaten me with your dungeon? I’m a prince!”

  “You are not the ruling prince of any coven. The coven you were born to wants nothing to do with you because of the very behavior I walked in on. You are linked to this coven through the bond of your sister, my mother, but I want nothing to do with you, so you travel from coven to coven, plying your abuse where you can, currying favors and building political power when you can. But you have no power here, and you know it.”

  The venomous look Vlad gave reminded Sasha of a viper more than a vampire, though both had fangs—the idea actually made him smile slightly, though Vlad frowned in response.

  “I want to know what accusations, boy. Now.”

  “You know, demanding things like that isn’t your best move, especially not when here in my covenstead. My people are loyal to me, and many do not like you. I would remember that, were I you.”

/>   “Fine.” Vlad took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “What are the accusations against me? I only came here at your invitation after I had written you, again, about your betrothal to Princess Tatiana. I am here at your request, not as part of some attack or infiltration.”

  “True, though there will be no betrothal to Tatiana or any other. As I said when you arrived, I have found my fated heart. We haven’t had the formal ceremony”—an oversight he hoped to fix soon, as soon as Trace would allow them to be a real couple. The coven would begin to demand it soon, and the other covens would wonder why it wasn’t announced and no invitations went out…. Focus!—“but he is bound to me in all other ways, so it is done.”

  Vlad’s lips twisted down, his nose crinkled, and he leaned back in his chair until he couldn’t go any farther. “How could you bond that creature to you? It’s a filthy animal! Not fit to be one of us. You can’t turn him!”

  “No one said a thing about turning him.” Sasha put both feet on the floor and sat forward, his tone as lethal as his fangs. “He stays as is. He will be a forever lynx shifter, my consort, and it’s done. Not you, nor anyone else, has a say.”

  “But… but… but he can’t give you heirs!”

  “True,” he said as he returned to his lighter, bordering on bored pose and voice. “But that can be dealt with via a surrogate when we’re ready. It’s how it’s been done since before recorded time. Now as to the accusations—”

  “But it’s an animal!”

  “No, he is a lynx shifter. Just as my sister took the Chosen of Baast, Alpha Orin Green, as her fated heart, I have Trace Wilson as mine. The Fates and Gods are determined that there be a link between us, and I, for one, am honored to have Trace as my heart. Now to the issue that brought you here….”

  “Fine, what are these idiotic allegations?”

  “Two vampires, one male, one female, attacked Trace, nearly killing him.” Sasha steepled his fingers, his elbows resting on the arms of the chair. “They claimed it was under your orders, that you wanted him out of the way so that I would marry Tatiana, and that it would also break the pact I have with the shifters at the same time or some such. It wouldn’t have, but they didn’t seem to know that. They also claimed that you were their father.”

  “Wait, my children?”

  “Mmm, yes.”

  “But… even if I were to do something so foolish—and trying to cause a rift between your coven and that particular tribe of cats would be suicidal, as history has proven—why would I send my own blood to do it? You don’t keep prisoners. Ever.”

  “See, that’s what I wondered as well. Dimka and Summer don’t think it was you, but rather someone trying to get me to kill you while trying to start a war between my coven and the tribe at the same time. Me, I’m not so sure. Any idea who might want a war and you dead all at the same time?”

  “I….” The question seemed to stump Vlad, as he paused, his forehead crinkling as he stared down at his empty cup. “Someone who wants to take over your coven? They might think I’m in line for your throne since I’m your uncle and you have no heirs,” he finally replied, the last sounding more like a question than it ought.

  “Seems like an awfully roundabout way to start a takeover. And you would never be in line for my coven.”

  “I know that! I was trying to think of reasons. Wait, you said something about Tatiana too.”

  “Yes, you wanted Trace gone so I would marry Tatiana and have heirs like a good little boy. I didn’t hear it, and Trace can’t give us everything that was said word for word, as he was bitten and nearly bled to death during the rant.” Sasha had to take a moment to calm down, as even relaying the events had his blood pounding and his vision tinting red. His breathing ramped up and his fangs dropped without thought. Trace is fine and in our rooms. Trace is fine and in our rooms. He chanted it in his head until he returned to normal, though when he opened his eyes, his uncle stared at him with wide, blown eyes.

  “Wha-what just happened?”

  “Even talking about what happened to Trace is hard for me. I was forcibly drawn to him during the attack and found him just as the one bit into him. It was a savage bite meant to rip and cause him to bleed out, not one for nourishment.”

  “You were drawn and you saw?” What color Vlad had to his pale Slavic skin washed out suddenly. “He really is your fated heart, then?”

  “That is what I said, yes?”

  Vlad nodded and swallowed hard enough his throat made an odd clicking sound. “It…. I… um….”

  “You were supposed to be concentrating on who would do this, not on my fated heart, Uncle.”

  “R-right, um, well…. Tatiana’s brother was rather eager to have you betrothed to her. The younger brother, Yuri, not the one set to inherit, Karl.”

  “I always did think it was too bad she was second born. She’s the only one of the three with a heart and a brain.”

  “And beauty to match,” Vlad added.

  “That too. Still, I can’t believe that Yuri would try this. He has to know he would lose. The boy doesn’t have anywhere near the political or physical power needed to try anything against me.”

  “There might be one of the old families back in Russia or one of the other old countries that might see you as a possible weak point to take over to move on. You’re a goluboi.”

  Sasha stared at Vlad for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts and find the right words. “You think that because I’m an openly gay prince—and seriously, who uses the word goluboi like that anymore?—that some idiot wannabe sees me as prey? That’s insane.”

  “No, that’s reality. You think it’s only humans and shifters who have an issue with your kind? Think again.”

  “Oh, I know how you feel about gay men, though you don’t have the same issue with bi and lesbian women. But your ignorance isn’t my problem; this wannabe’s is. Unless you’re backing this idiot.” Sasha leaned forward. “Are you?”

  “No! Of course not.” Vlad shifted in his seat and looked down. “I’m not stupid, nor would I dishonor my sister that way. You’re her son, so like how you do things or not, I would never go against you.”

  “Just try to forcibly marry me off, knowing I have no interest in women.”

  “You have a duty to produce at least two heirs!”

  “Children. When I have children, they will be raised as Nadia and I were, with love, not merely as tools and as heirs.”

  “Your mother spoiled you and indulged you too much.”

  “My mother and father took the time to always be there for the both of us, no matter what was going on in the coven or the world, right up until they couldn’t because they weren’t here any longer. I would warn you not to ever speak ill of either of them in my presence again.”

  “I was not—”

  “Stick to the topic, as my very limited patience is wearing thin, Uncle. Don’t make me forget who you are to me and treat you as I ought. Who else? Why else? Any other ideas? I already have people looking for answers, but I’m giving you a chance. Oh, and I would remember your manners when dealing with Trace. He is my royal consort, which puts him above you. Dimka and Summer will not tolerate any actions against Trace any more than I will. Nor will any others here. My coven is happy for me, even the ones who are confused.” Not 100 percent honest, as some of Sasha’s exes were less than thrilled, and one or two who had set their sights on him recently were unhappy at his status of permanently off the market, especially to a nonvampire. But for the most part, it was true, so…. “He also has a guard of either vampire or shifters, depending on where he is, so don’t think of depriving me of my fated heart to further your political agendas.”

  “I wouldn’t,” Vlad snapped, head raised, eyes narrowed. “I don’t approve, but I would never knowingly come between a true heart bond. That’s blasphemous!”

  So is abusing your servants and killing your human meals, but you seem to think that’s just fine. “We aren’t here to debate your beliefs, but to
deal with this threat to my heart and his tribe. Any who wants the pact destroyed obviously wants harm to come to the tribe, though I’m not sure why yet. This tribe has lived in harmony with us since Father and his men avenged Nadia and Orin. Before then, really. We just didn’t have a formal pact until five and half years ago or so.”

  Vlad sat back, drumming his fingers on the arm of the chair. “Hmm…. That does seem odd. Have they had any other threats? Has he?”

  “No. I’m close to the alpha’s mate and am on the tribe lands regularly, so I would hear anything like that.” The only odd thing there is Sean… but only Dimka, Summer, and I know about Sean. Well, and the doctor, as far as vampires. No outsiders. And the timing isn’t right.

  “You thought of something?”

  “No, I was trying to, but I can’t. I could have Trace join us, but I’m not sure I want to subject him to you and your brand of politeness.”

  He puffed up his chest and huffed, “No need to be rude.”

  “That’s funny. For now I’m going to do a little more digging. I will assume you are telling the truth and not the one behind things. You had better hope your children aren’t. A parent should never outlive their children.” With that Sasha stood, turned, and exited the room.

  Chapter Eighteen

  TRACE PACED the sitting room, not taking in anything. He’d done this in his human form, but it hadn’t helped, and he liked the fact he was in his weaker skin even less than he liked the yelling he’d heard before the doors shut out the sounds from the rest of the royal wing. He still had trouble wrapping his head around that. “Royal wing.” Unreal.

  Now, however, he paced and prowled in his lynx form, enjoying the pad of his paws better than the slap of his shoes. He also preferred his claws and fangs to his blunt nails and teeth. How long did it take to settle in the princess and the uncle? Surely Sasha would wait on the inquisition until they had time to settle in and rest up a bit at least. Right?