When he turned to walk away, she said, “Are you excited for your ball tonight, Your Highness?”
He paused at the base of the stairs, the grip he had on the railing tightening as he seemed to gather himself before turning to her. “Why should I be excited to go to a party that is merely designed to force me to choose a mate? All the women there will be spoiled, vain, and childlike compared to the human women I have dated.” He seemed to catch himself then, and he glowered at her as though she were responsible for his oversharing. “I’m sure I will be excited once the festivities start.”
“Of course, Your Highness,” she said, dipping her head.
When she heard the stairs creak as he made his way back up to the rest of the house, she allowed herself a moment to take in his fine form, the way his shoulders were squared and his back straight, and the way his butt moved under those jeans. Men like him should be illegal.
“What are you just standing around for?” Chef’s voice rang out behind her.
Her heart leapt into her throat. “Nothing, Chef,” she said, spinning around to face her boss before remembering Silas’s message. She relayed the request as quickly as she could, leaving out the part where she had spoken to the man like he was her equal instead of far above her as everyone around her thought.
While the chef had a meltdown at the request from Silas, a plan slowly began to form in her mind. She would go to the ball, no one would recognize her, and for one night, she would have a taste of her old life before her family tried to sell her off like a piece of furniture. Surely it would have been long enough by now that she could risk letting her disguise slide for one night, right?
Chapter 2
Charlotte had finally finished her day’s work, and the music from the party upstairs was just getting started. That was one thing about living and working with vampires—they kept strange hours. She had spent her whole life being sheltered, protected under the watchful eyes of her family, as any female mage would be, as rare as they were, but when she and her brother, Victor, had run away, they had left it all behind, and she had finally experienced the world for the first time. Staying up late, getting up early, living among humans, and now vampires, it all would have horrified her family.
Balls were a common occurrence with mages. Her people liked to celebrate whenever possible and didn’t spare any expense when throwing a party. It was one of her favorite things growing up, getting all the pretty dresses and trinkets she could possibly want. Now, she kept that part of her life hidden away deep within herself, and the items she had bothered to take with her from her family were stored in a trunk under the few work clothes she had.
Most of the staff lived offsite but in the same general neighborhood. Only her and two other women lived in the house who weren’t part of the family. Each of them thankfully had their own room. It was only big enough to house the twin bed and her small trunk, but it was plenty for her considering before this, she had been living on the streets.
When Charlotte returned from her shower, she slid the door shut and sat on the edge of her bed, gently easing the small chest open. She pulled out the ragged, stained clothing that she wore to clean the house and looked at the three gowns buried underneath. Gold, silver, and blue. Each one had been custom made for her. It had been one of her demands before she was supposed to be married. She shuddered at that thought and pushed everything about her previous life out of her head.
All she wanted for the rest of the night was to watch the beautiful people upstairs dance and eat, and maybe dance and eat a little herself. She unclipped the amulet from around her neck, and for the first time in over two years, her flame-red hair fell down her shoulders in thick, damp waves.
The signet ring that she withdrew from her sparse belongings and slipped onto her finger was a blood mage heirloom, one that was passed down from mother to daughter when the daughter was considered a woman by their standards. She pressed the center of the carved metal flower on one side of the ring, and a needle shot out from the other side. A tension in her eased now that she knew the ring still worked. For some reason, one of her greatest fears about her mage heritage was losing it because she could no longer use it.
With a prick of her finger and a small incantation, she had her hair up and styled and makeup done. Some soft waves of hair fell down her back while part of it wrapped around itself in a braid before tucking the ends in. Her makeup was a soft shimmery-gold eyeshadow, and she lined her eyes with first black and then gold. Some mascara, a little lipstick, and blush, and all that remained was actually getting dressed.
The midnight-blue dress she slipped into was the last of the dresses her family had given her before her supposed wedding. Beads, sequins, and a little magic made the bodice shimmer like the night sky. A deep V-neck was cut on the front that went almost to her belly button, with the back being equally low, although the V shape was much wider. A full navy-blue skirt blossomed from the waistband and made her look much curvier than she was.
She stepped into the shoes that went with the dress and pricked her finger once more. Being a blood mage could destroy her fingertips if she let it, but the fact that this was the first active magic she’d used in years, with the exception of recharging the amulet, meant that she had forgotten how much it could sting. She popped her finger in her mouth and smeared the blood on the inside of her lip before speaking a short incantation that would only give her a few minutes to get up to the ballroom without anyone noticing her. When she was done, she sucked her finger until the metallic tang of blood faded.
When she felt the magic snap into place around her, she exited her small room and made her way upstairs, carefully avoiding the comings and goings of other people until she was at the entrance to the ballroom. She had never spent much time above stairs, as that wasn’t her job, but now that she could see a few of the different rooms of the house, she wondered how exactly it existed in a city like Chicago. The place was massive in general, but the ballroom itself was much bigger than she’d expected. For a moment, she just stood at the top of the stairs, completely overwhelmed by what was in front of her.
Her eyes took in the room. Each table had a lamp that looked like a moon or a star in the center, while great swaths of navy fabric hung on the walls. Large, realistic-looking moons hung from the ceiling, which had been covered in dark fabric and was interspersed with twinkle lights. She couldn’t have matched the décor more perfectly if she’d tried, a thought that made her want to giggle, but there were too many eyes on them for that.
Throngs of people were clustered around the edges of the room, while couples danced in the middle of the room. She had barely even scanned the whole room other than the decorations when she found the brothers. Silas, Owen, and Julian. Tonight was for Silas, and as such, he was positioned in the center with one of his brothers on each side and his parents settled at a table off to the right.
Harriet and Edmund Clarke were two of the most beautiful people she had ever seen. After meeting them for the first time, she understood where the brothers got their good looks from. Harriet’s hair was like spun gold, while Edmund had a strong, masculine build and a jawline that could cut glass. They were the reigning queen and king of North America for the vampires, and it showed in their body language and how they spoke to others. They weren’t stuck-up royals, but down to earth and caring. That didn’t mean they weren’t the epitome of grace. They truly seemed to want to make the best life they could for their subjects.
As she descended to the main ballroom and dance floor, a hushed whisper ran through the crowd, and before she was even on the last step, she could feel eyes on her. When she glanced up, she found all three brothers watching her. Silas was on his feet in one moment, and in front of her the next. Damn vampire speed. She’d never been the target of it before, and it was more than a little unsettling.
“Good evening, my lady.” His voice came out low and husky.
“Good evening,” she responded, barely catching herself before callin
g him “Prince Silas” as she was supposed to during the day, but no one present would address him as such. Tonight, he would only be addressed as a crown prince should be. Quickly, she cleared her throat and corrected herself. “Good evening, Your Royal Highness.”
“Thank you for joining us on such a wonderful occasion. I’m Silas, and tonight is going to be very special; at least, now that you’re here.”
She blushed profusely, her cheeks heating as he spoke. “It’s my pleasure.”
“Would you care to dance?” he asked, holding out a hand to her and bowing ever so slightly.
She beamed at him. When the hair brained idea of attending the ball had first come to her, she hadn’t ever expected to dance, much less with Silas. As she slipped her hand in his, she could feel the eyes of all those around them watching with bated breath. Would this stranger really dance with the prince? Why, yes. Yes, she would.
As their hands remained connected, a slow buzzing began in her body, pulling her close to him. She had always found him more than a little attractive, but the current flowing between them was almost too much.
Her eyes drank in the sight of him. His blond hair was artfully tousled and was paired with the perfect amount of caramel-colored stubble. The rich-black material that made up his tuxedo was dark enough that she wanted to run her fingers down it, especially where the edge of his lapels was shiny. When it was paired with the stark white of his shirt and the rich navy color of his bowtie, it all worked together to make the gray eyes that were now so carefully watching her look even more enticing.
“May I ask your name?” His voice came out low and sent shivers down her spine.
“Charlotte.” She couldn’t give him her last name even if she wanted to. That was just too much of a risk.
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. How does my family know you? I don’t think I’ve seen you before. I would surely recognize you if I had.” He smiled at her, and her body responded as though he were a match and she the flame.
“I, uh, do some work for your family,” she hedged, and quickly changed the subject. “Are you excited about finding a mate?”
“I have to admit, I’m more than a little nervous. How am I supposed to pick someone after only spending a few nights with them?”
“A daunting task, indeed,” she said, giggling as he spun her around before dipping her.
“You have amazing eyes.”
“My mother always called me her Yule baby or her Christmas present because of the red and green.”
He laughed at that, and she couldn’t help but laugh along with him. The smile that lit up his face was enough to send her body into overdrive. She had never spent so much time close to him before, and suddenly all she could think about was him. The rest of the guests, the ball, being his maid, it all just slipped away until it was just the two of them on the dance floor.
“Maybe you can be my birthday present . . .” he growled into her ear, his lips brushing the delicate skin.
“Maybe.” Her voice came out much huskier than she had intended.
“Our birthday is next week, which is why the balls are being held. My parents were supposed to step down last year, but they can’t release the throne to us until we are mated.”
“Happy early birthday,” she whispered, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you,” he said as he returned the kiss.
“How will you and your brothers rule if there are three of you?” she asked, having wondered since she had realized who she was working for, but never being able to ask before.
“Most likely the territory will be divided into three, each of us getting a section. The details can only be finalized once we are mated.”
“It sounds like it must be hard on your parents.”
He spun her out again, her navy dress twirling and floating around her as she came back to him. Once she was tightly pressed against him once more, he said, “It is. They won’t admit it because they love us all equally, but deciding to have triplets was about the worst thing they could have done. It’s beyond rare for a vampire to conceive, but to have triplets? Most of our kind took it as a sign from the gods that my parents were the rightful rulers of all vampire kind, which is why the populations surged within North America.”
“I had no idea.”
“Most don’t.” He smiled down at her as the song ended.
When she went to pull away, his hand tugged on hers. “Walk with me?”
“As you wish,” she said, smiling as she dipped her head.
“Only if you want to,” he said quietly. “I won’t force you to.”
“I would very much like to walk with you, Your Royal Highness.” Charlotte smiled shyly at him. Part of her wished she could tell him exactly who she was, thank him once again for saving her life when he took her in off the streets.
Quietly, they made their way off the dance floor, and he escorted her out onto the balcony. The stony patio area looked out over the grounds that surrounded the house. She could see some of the Chicago skyline in the distance, and even hear some of the waves as they splashed against the shore.
“This is beautiful,” Charlotte said as she looked around. The gardens were immaculate and designed almost like a garden at Versailles, with all the intricate pathways going through the grass.
“My mother is very passionate about gardening and taking care of the earth in general.”
“It shows,” she said as she leaned over the balcony and looked directly below them. She was never allowed out in the back-garden area because that was where the mistress of the household, the queen of the North American vampires, liked to spend her time, and since she was the lowest of the low, her presence could not be allowed around the queen.
“Charlotte,” Silas breathed behind her. She turned, and he trailed the backs of his fingers down her cheek, making her feel like the most precious thing in the whole world. “You are so beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she said, her eyes flicking down to his lips and back up, only to find his doing the same.
For a second, they just breathed the same air before he said, “May I kiss you?” His voice was so quiet that if they hadn’t been so close, she never would have heard him.
In response, she pushed up onto her tiptoes, and her lips met his. After all, it wasn’t every day she got propositioned by a vampire prince. Hell, she hadn’t even been kissed since she ran away from home, and before that, it was about as rare as a blood moon, and who knew when she would get an opportunity like that again. She wasn’t exactly a virgin, and wouldn’t turn down a night full of pleasure, so long as she was able to leave in time to get back to her room and change, amulet and all.
As soon as she kissed him, it was like the stars exploded all over the sky. Her body became a flame that his kiss was feeding. What had started as a simple brush of lips became a hard, demanding kiss, and as soon as she parted her lips, his tongue swept in, devouring her mouth.
His hands gripped her hard around the waist, pinning her to him. One hand slid up and tangled in her blood-red hair, gently pulling her head to the side so he could better plunder her mouth. Soft mewling noises began to escape her while he held her to him.
“Brother?” a low voice called out.
The two of them jumped apart like guilty schoolchildren as Julian came out onto the balcony.
“Julian, may I introduce you to Charlotte?” Silas said as he cleared his throat.
Of the two brothers, Julian was taller and broader. His muscular build made Silas look lean in contrast, which was not what she had been thinking a moment ago.
“It’s a pleasure,” Julian said as he took her hand and gently placed a kiss on her knuckles, his soft lips brushing against her skin for almost a moment longer than was appropriate. Part of her wondered if he was scenting her, but vampires weren’t exactly known for their enhanced senses like shifters were, so she wasn’t too worried.
Chapter 3
Some kind of charge flooded Charlotte
’s system, and she knew he felt it too from the way he snapped up and dropped her hand like it was a hot potato. His shaggy sandy-brown hair was slicked back so it just covered the tips of his ears, while he had more than just a five o’clock shadow going on, yet it wasn’t quite a beard, either, and his pale-blue eyes studied her intently. The man was serious and intense—always had been whenever she’d seen him. Something in her screamed at her to go to him, to draw whatever pain it was out of his eyes and see him smile for once, but she couldn’t do that.
“The pleasure is all mine,” she finally croaked out, her need for each of the brothers making her knees weak. Quickly, she sat down on the bench next to her so that her knees didn’t give out on her and leave her sprawled across the stone pavers, which would not be attractive at all. She had never been so close to Julian, and had yet to come into proximity to Owen, but if she reacted the same way, then she had no idea what she was going to do.
The devil on her shoulder spoke loudly in her ear. She knew exactly what she wanted to do. She just needed to admit it to herself. She sighed. For once, the naughty side of her subconscious was right—she wanted both of them and wasn’t opposed to sleeping with both of them, either. After all, as she had thought moments before, it wasn’t like she’d get a chance like this again.
“My brother is expected back in the ballroom for a while. We must keep up appearances. I am happy to keep you company out here, though, if you would like? I often find the balls and parties that my parents throw a little overwhelming.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.” She smiled at Julian, grateful for the chance to get to know the brother outside of the kind of breakfast he liked.
Silas glowered at his brother before turning to her. “Don’t let him steal you away from me. I plan to return shortly, and we can continue our . . . discussion.”
Charlotte giggled. She couldn’t help it. “I’d like that very much.”
Holidays Bite: A Limited Edition Collection of Winter Holiday Vampire Tales Page 46