by Katie May
He brushes his lips to mine once, twice, three times, before resting his forehead against my own. His eyes close briefly, obscuring my view, before he reopens them.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through all of that. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to protect you.” The despondency and self-loathing in his voice breaks my heart. It rubs at something already bleeding in my chest. I hate that he feels this way.
“It’s not your fault,” I say earnestly, punctuating each word with a kiss to his face. His cheeks, his jawline, and then finally his lips. “Alyssa’s dead. She won’t hurt us anymore.” I pause, gathering my thoughts. “The only thing I regret is that the Compound is still out there, still hurting people. We cut off one head, but how many more are still alive and well? Still experimenting on innocent kids?”
“That’s not our problem,” Kai insists, grabbing my shoulders. When I go to protest, he tightens his grip. “Nina, it’s not. We did what we could, but we’re not the heroes in this story. At least, I’m not. I’m the villain, and I refuse to lose you again to the fucking Compound.”
“Alyssa said she was my mother,” I choke out.
“We don’t know that,” Kai counters immediately, but I’m already shaking my head.
“What reason did she have to lie?” The muscles in my stomach clench. “I killed her. I ripped her heart out of her chest.” The familiar tendrils of panic and hysteria grip me. “I’m afraid... I’m afraid something inside of me died when she did. I’m afraid that I lost a piece of myself that I can never get back.”
“Oh, Baby,” Kai sighs, pulling me once more into his arms. I rest my head on his chest and fall apart, tear by tear. “If I could, I would trade places with you in a heartbeat. I can’t stand to see you so...broken. I’ll hold you forever if that’s what you need.”
“But you can’t,” I choke out. “You can’t fix me, Kai. What if I’m too broken? What if killing Alyssa made me into a monster?”
His arms tighten almost imperceptibly around me. A reassurance and a promise.
“Then you’ll be my monster.” His breath wafts across my lips eliciting full-body shivers. “When I lost you, I felt like a piece of myself went missing as well. I didn’t think I’d ever be whole again. Seeing you now, I realize I love you more than anything. More than the sun or moon, the stars or clouds. I’ll be content to remain in this fucking hole for the rest of my life if it meant you were with me.” He pauses, brushing at my loose curls tenderly. “Nina, will you be my mate?” There’s so much hesitancy and trepidation in his voice. All I can do is close the distance between us and press my lips to his, promising him without words that he’ll always own a piece of my heart.
“Yes, Kai. A thousand times yes.”
When he speaks next, he sounds breathless, ecstatic, as if I had offered him the world instead of just myself. Maybe, to him, that is the world.
“You’re fucking perfect.”
His hand shakes slightly as he brushes my hair away from my neck, baring my skin to him. I pull out of his head, choosing instead to focus on the intimacy of his touch. It’s been months since he last held me in his arms, last kissed me, last nuzzled my neck. It sends tingles of pleasure racing through my body.
When his teeth close around my skin, drawing blood, I can’t stop the moan of pleasure that escapes me. Blistering hot liquid pleasure surges through my veins. It’s a beautiful, empowering feeling. All the pain from my time at the Compound, all the guilt concerning Alyssa’s death, all of my conflicting emotions about my relationship with the guys fade away. It’s me. It’s Kai. It’s us. Everywhere we touch, we dissolve into each other. An aura of completeness settles around me.
When he finally pulls away, I know I have been irrevocably changed.
“You were the first man I ever loved,” I whisper, wiping my thumb across his plush bottom lip. He captures it in his hand, pressing tingling kisses across the flesh.
“I love you so damn much, Babygirl,” Kai says. “You’re everything to me.” He intertwines our fingers, his touch electric, and leads me out of his cave.
I don’t ask where we’re going as we travel down the Labyrinth’s winding hallways. When we finally stop, I ask the questions on the tip of my tongue.
“Where are we going? Where are the others?” I don’t care that I sound whiny. The last few months have been a proverbial hell. I have all these powers I don’t know how to control, and I haven’t touched my guys in two agonizing months. Seventy-eight days, to be exact.
“Are you in my head?” Kai inquires. Unlike Alyssa, the guys can’t sense when I mind hop unless I announce my presence. Slowly but surely, I’ve been working on strengthening my powers. We’re hoping in time I’ll be able to control body movements as well. Maybe even read minds.
That thought terrifies and exhilarates me. As a girl who never had anything, having this power at the tips of my fingers is surreal. It’s like I’m hearing a story about a different girl, a stronger girl, instead of one about me.
“I am now,” I answer with a benign smile on my face.
We’re directly in front of the throne room, though I’m not surprised. It’s where we usually congregate all together.
Kai pushes open the door and leads me inside, his hand on the small of my back.
Candles, their flames dancing, line the perimeter of the room. Rose petals create an aperture toward the golden throne raised on a dais at the heart of it.
My men converge on me before I even step fully inside.
They all look painfully handsome in their tuxedos and ties. Sexy, even. Bronson catches me first, eyes burning amber, and buries me in his arms. A contented hum rumbles through his body. He repeats my name over and over again as he rocks us side to side.
“My turn, Dog Breath.” When Bronson doesn’t release me, Rion holds me from behind, inhaling my scent. “Fuck, I missed you, Buttercup. Do you know how awful it was to be separated from you? I felt like I was dying. And no, I’m not being dramatic.” Tears spring to my eyes as I kiss first my wolf and then my shifter. My mates.
“Cuddle party!” Abel practically jumps on me from the side, pulling me away from the two possessive men. Bronson growls threateningly but doesn’t make a move to grab me back.
Cain appears beside his brother. “Hey, Trouble. I heard you got into a teeny tiny bit of trouble.” His voice dances with amusement.
“Just a murder,” I say noncommittally, and Abel throws his head back in laughter.
“Fuck, Bambi.” He kisses the shell of my ear, lowering his voice to a breathy whisper. “Did you know that I’m the only one of us you haven’t slept with yet?” His teeth graze my lobe, and I shiver in pleasure.
“We should change that,” I agree breathlessly. The thought of Abel inside of me...
Heat cascades through my veins.
“I like the way you think.” He laughs jubilantly. “It’ll be your welcome back present.”
The twins step away, leaving me with one last reunion. Through Kai’s eyes, I see Damien standing a little bit away. His eyes slowly travel across my body, assessing me for injuries, before they lift to my face. A softness crosses his handsome features, melting away the ice.
“Damien.” I hold my arms out to him—an offering and a promise. He needs to know that he can always come to me, and I’ll always be there to catch him.
With quick strides, he crosses the distance between us and sweeps me off my feet. I wrap my legs around his waist as he holds my butt.
He brushes his lips against mine, and that one kiss promises me the world.
“I love you,” I say softly, knowing he needs to hear it.
“You’re my everything,” he declares, reluctantly dropping me back onto my feet. His hands stay on my waist, though, warmth migrating from that menial touch.
“What is all this?” I ask, gesturing toward the elaborate setup. Abel begins to grin, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“Can I tell her? Can I? Can I?” He raises his hand in th
e air like a schoolboy begging to be called upon by his teacher.
“We decided something when you were away,” Kai cuts in. The guys begin to walk toward the throne, pulling me along after them. Up close, it’s even more elegant than I had initially suspected. I wonder how Kai managed to create it. It’s a combination of golden and silver filigree melded together. A single red cushion is placed on the seat, and the high back is lined with similar red trim.
“What did you decide?” I ask quizzically as Damien leads me to the chair. My confusion grows when Rion helps me sit on the surprisingly comfortable cushion. “What...?”
As one, the men, minus Kai, drop to their knees before me. My dragon continues to stand beside me, being my eyes.
“I was terrified of the way you made me feel. From the first moment I met you, I knew you would change my life. I don’t even know when I fell in love with you, only that I did,” Cain says, a tender smile softening his features.
“I don’t want to be a king if you’re not my queen,” Rion adds.
“You’re my entire world. My queen,” Abel says solemnly. “Our queen.”
“Our world,” Bronson grunts in agreement.
“We’ll serve you,” adds Damien.
Kai slowly moves from his spot beside me to kneel with the others.
My heart leaps to my throat at the display. These proud, beautiful men kneeling before me.
“You don’t have to do this,” I whisper.
“Be our queen,” pleads Abel. “Be our wife.”
I begin to cry silently, my tears cascading down my cheeks and wetting my lips. I’ve been broken and beaten. Bruised and discarded. Imprisoned.
Yet, I’m still breathing. I’m still alive. I hurt and I love. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been, my skin made of steel, but my heart made of glass. Only these men are capable of holding my heart in their hands and protecting it from shattering.
“Yes,” I say, sobbing. “Yes.”
As they surround me, touching me and loving me, I feel that final, unnamable puzzle piece click into place.
I may have been blindly indicted, but I’ve never felt freer.
Afterword
Wow! Writing Nina’s journey took me on a crazy ride. I hope you enjoy reading her story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’re interesting in me writing more of Nina and her men, let me know! You can either join my group, message me on Facebook, or email me here, [email protected].
Supernatural Prison Series
Siren Condemned by C.R. Jane and Mila Young
Delinquent Demons by K. Webster
Conveniently Convicted by Raven Kennedy and Ivy Asher
Noir Reformatory by Lexi C. Foss and Jennifer Thorn
Blindly Indicted by Katie May
Stolen Song by Autumn Reed and Ripley Proserpina
Prison Princess by CoraLee June and Rebecca Royce
Succubus Chained by Heather Long
Wraith Captive by Lacey Carter Anderson
Acknowledgments
As always, there’s a whole team of people I would like to thank.
First, thank you to my parents and sister for supporting me unconditionally. I love you all so much!
I would also like to thank the other amazing, incredible authors who partook in this prison series with me. Rebecca, Ivy, Raven, CoraLee, C.R., Lacey, Mila, Autumn, Ripley, K, Heather, Jen, and Lexi.
Thank you to my incredible alphas—Kelly, Ash, and Ellen—for helping me make this book what it is today. I wouldn’t have been able to write this without your help.
And thank you to all my author friends! You know who you are, and I’m so incredibly grateful for all your support.
About the Author
Katie May is a reverse harem author with numerous books and series under her belt. She writes everything from contemporary to horror to fantasy. When not writing, she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee and a good book. Join her group Katie’s Gang - a Katie May Reader’s Group to stay updated on all her new releases as well as access exclusive content.
Also by Katie May
SERIES
Together We Fall (Apocalyptic Reverse Harem, COMPLETED)
1. The Darkness We Crave
2. The Light We Seek
3. The Storm We Face
4. The Monsters We Hunt
Beyond the Shadows (Horror Paranormal Reverse Harem, COMPLETED)
1. Gangs and Ghosts
2. Guns and Graveyards
3. Gallows and Ghouls
The Damning (Fantasy Paranormal Reverse Harem)
1. Greed
2. Envy
3. Gluttony (Coming Spring 2020)
Prodigium Academy (Horror Comedy Academy Reverse Harem)
1. Monsters
2. Roaring (Coming Spring 2020)
Tory’s School for the Trouble (Bully Horror Academy Reverse Harem)
1. Between
2. Untitled (Coming Summer 2020)
CO-WRITES
Afterworld Academy with Loxley Savage (Academy Fantasy Reverse Harem)
1. Dearly Departed
2. Untitled (Coming May 2020)
Her Immortal Legacy with Elena Lawson (Time Travel Paranormal Reverse Harem)
1. Chasing Time
2. Finding Time (Coming April 31, 2020)
STAND-ALONES
Toxicity (Contemporary Reverse Harem)
Blindly Indicted (Prison Reverse Harem)
Not All Heroes Wear Capes (Just Dresses) (Short Comedic Reverse Harem)
ANTHOLOGIES
Merry Elfin Christmas (Featuring Addie and her harem from Together We Fall)
Monsters - Chapter One
I just barely dodge the onslaught of bullets.
Heart hammering, I duck behind a rusty, old pick-up truck and chance a peek over the hood.
There, in the shadows, my target stands, back silhouetted.
The town is quiet, almost unnaturally so. The peaceful air belies the tension ratcheting up a notch.
Because some asshole is trying to kill me. Again. How did this become my life?
I am a good girl. Promise. I haven’t killed anyone in over two years, and I always clean up after I eat.
So why try to kill me?
I duck down once more as another round of bullets fire in rapid procession. Wooden. Of fucking course.
Another glance over the hood confirms what I suspect. Etched into the side of the literal smoking gun is a golden crest.
The Van Helsings.
Fuck me in the asshole.
Hands clenching, I slowly pull myself upwards, hands denting the poor car. I’ll have to leave a check for the owner later.
I can feel the telltale sign of my fangs elongating, scraping against my bottom lip.
With a speed that defies logic, I race toward my attacker.
And promptly trip over an orange construction cone in the street.
Here’s the thing about my speed: you can’t fucking control it. You don’t have any extra senses or shit like that as the movies display. You can’t know where each and every obstacle is.
Running through a forest? Damn near impossible. You can bet your sweet ass I’ll run face first into at least one tree.
So, yeah.
There's that.
Lying face first on the ground, I groan, using my arms to push myself up.
"Freaking tit," I curse, brushing dirt and pebbles off my clothes. My knee stings from where rocks are embedded into the pasty skin my skirt reveals.
Another urban legend. Vampires do get hurt. Quite easily in fact, especially if you're like me.
"I'm going to get you!" I call to the Van Helsing who is...nowhere to be seen.
I spin in a wide circle, arms raised to fend off any attack. There could've been tumbleweeds bouncing about with how still the town is. All of the shops have their lights off, shutters drawn.
But haven't you heard? It's night, and the monsters love to come out and play.
I finally drop my
hands just as a body tackles me from the side. I squeal, landing once more in the asphalt. Yes, in. As in, my mouth swallows a good handful and a few loose pebbles get in my eye. I really should put a claim to this spot of land. My face is getting well acquainted with it.
"Get off of me, you Van Helsing scum. I. Will. Crush. You.” And then I growl, the sound ominously loud and sending unpleasant goosebumps down my spine.
The body above me freezes before pushing off.
I blame it on the growl. What person would respect a monster that sounds like a bat giving anal?
Note to self: don't ever fucking growl. Actually, don't even speak. Speaking and growling are off limits. From now on, I am a nun...of silence.
That's right, bitches.
"What the fuck was that? Were you trying to growl? " a familiar voice says, jumping gracefully to his feet and looming over me.
Oh, fuck.
I think I prefer the man trying to kill me.
"Hey, Dad," I say, still awkwardly sprawled on the ground like the badass I know I am. I scramble to a sitting position and brush out my blonde locks, trying to give the impression that I totally meant to be on the ground.
Dracula is a scary son of a gun. Movies and shows fail to depict my domineering father. Towering at over seven feet, he is the epitome of classy monster. Bedecked in a business suit with his hair slicked back, you almost fail to notice the blood dripping from his mouth. A few feet behind him is the Van Helsing dipshit who dared try to hurt me.
I glare at his dismembered body.
"Take that, bitch," I say snottily, as if I had any hand in his death. When Dad glares at me, I remember my new life motto.
No. Fucking. Speaking.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Dad reluctantly offers me a hand. I take it, pulling myself up, when he promptly releases me, and I land on my ass. Hard.