Rivaled Warrior
Page 6
“Watch oot,” Prince Bhric called out as he pushed past her, Gerrick hot on his heels. “What the hell’s going on?” Bhric demanded.
Both Cade and Cael growled at the vampire then simultaneously spewed their explanations, but neither could be understood. Gerrick grabbed Tristan by the collar and yanked him out of the way.
“Shut the fuck up, idiots,” Gerrick snarled. “My mate is about to have our baby, and I was pulled from her side to deal with this bullshit?”
“Och. One of you tell me why you’re destroying Cael’s room,” Bhric ordered when the room fell silent.
Brianne shuddered when two sets of eyes landed on her. She was a hurricane of emotion as her gaze darted from Cade to Cael.
“Look, I’m only here because Brianne asked me to help,” Tristan confessed with his hands in the air. “For once, I didn’t do anything.”
“Fui yo,” Brianne interjected right before the brothers exploded into speech again, reciting the events of the past twenty-four hours.
“Whoa. That’s fucked up. Good luck,” Gerrick announced and clapped Cade and Cael on the shoulder before he turned and headed back down the hall.
Bhric’s head swiveled between the three of them, and he muttered, “This hasna ever happened. I doona know what the fuck to say,” he stated with a shake of his head. “Follow me, and doona say another word. You first,” the prince instructed Brianne.
She had a feeling they were being led to the Vampire King, and sweat beaded her brow. She wanted to tell the prince to fuck off and leave the ordeal behind, but the stupid connection to the twins kept her there.
Whatever was drawing her to the brothers was pissing her off. Perhaps Brianne would go to Black Moon Sabbat and buy a potion to eliminate the driving need because she was over the drama. They could all kiss her ass.
Yeah, right. Just try and walk away, her inner voice challenged.
6
“How the hell does this shite even happen?” Bhric barked as he walked next to Cael.
Cael heard the words, but his mind refused to think about anything except Brianne as she walked beside Cade in front of him. Black began to bleed into his vision, and he stumbled when a steel grip yanked him backward.
“Doona fucking think it,” Bhric snarled. “I have a date with my Alex later, and if my beautiful face is marred by either of you two galoots, she will fuss. Got it?”
Brianne glanced over her shoulder when Bhric’s words echoed through the corridor. The concern in her gaze warmed Cael to his toes. She cared about him and was worried he’d be hurt. She was his, and he was going to claim her. Fuck his brother. He didn’t care what that meant for Cade. Brianne was his Fated Mate, and he wasn’t letting her go.
“I can’t help it. You should understand,” Cael told the Vampire Prince.
“Nay. I doona understand this at all. Sure, I will rip apart any other male that looks at my Alex, but she was never given to anyone except me. This hasna happened before,” Bhric replied, slicing Cael’s heart in half while sending him into a rage.
“I belong to no one,” Brianne muttered. “Maldita sea. This is a messed-up situation, and all I want is to go home. I don’t understand why I can’t leave. I have already taken a blood oath never to reveal your location.”
“Aye, but this situation is far more complicated now,” Bhric informed Brianne.
Cael watched as her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed. Her beautiful wings fluttered in the next second, and he knew she was pissed. He held his breath wondering how much Bhric was going to tell her. Cael didn’t think his mate would react well to the news that she now held the key to keeping him and his brother alive.
As realization dawned, Cael’s heart skipped a beat and his chest constricted. His brother would die if Cael refused to give up Brianne. But he couldn’t step aside, and he certainly wouldn’t share his mate. He didn’t think he could with the possessive streak running rampant throughout his body, insisting that he eliminate the enemy.
‘I don’t care how complicated this is. I refuse to be a part of this any longer. It is past time I go home,” Brianne declared.
Cade grabbed her hand, and a feral growl left Cael’s throat. Steel bands wrapped around his arms as he lunged forward.
“You damn well better care, Harpy,” Bhric snarled as he immobilized Cael. “This situation is now a matter of life and death. And, since you created this mess, you willna be leaving until it’s resolved.”
Brianne glared daggers at the group of males but allowed Cade to pull her the rest of the way down the stairs while Bhric held Cael in place. Cael fought against his hold, needing to be near his mate.
“Calm the fuck down, and we will continue to the war room,” Bhric ordered. “I doona understand what is going on, but Zander is waiting and will hopefully have answers.”
“What is going on is that I found my mate,” Cael calmly replied, and Bhric released his tight grip.
They continued their trek and Cael willed his anger away. It was pertinent he kept his control. The last thing he wanted was Zander to order him to stay away from his mate. That would allow Cade opportunity to try and steal her away.
“I’d say you and your brother are twinsies in every way,” Tristan joked as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Fuck you, dick. Watch it before I kick your ass,” Cael warned as they entered the crowded war room. The large wooden desk sat in the middle of the room with most of the warriors and their mates seated around it.
“Promises, promises. I can take you, vamp,” Tristan countered with his usual bravado.
The young male had talent and was a formidable fighter, but he was inexperienced and hotheaded, and that would get him into trouble if he didn’t watch it.
“You don’t need to be here. You’re not a Dark Warrior,” Cael said with a sneer in Tristan’s direction.
“Whatever. Good luck, Brianne. Thanks for fucking me for the past few weeks. I’ll be around if you ever want to hook up again,” Tristan called out to Brianne.
Cade and Cael both shot into action at the same time and leaped for the young warlock. Cael’s fist shot out and connected with Tristan’s face. His head jerked to the side, and his body went flying as Cade tackled him. Chaos erupted as everyone started yelling and hands reached to separate the brawl.
Through the chaos, Cael heard Brianne mutter, “Dios dame pacienca con estos cabrones. I’m surrounded by idiots!”
He dodged left and ducked, barreling into Tristan’s midsection. Fingernails dug into Cael’s neck, making him yell and grab hold of a leg. Cael went down in a tangle with Cade and Tristan. Before he could land another blow, he felt his body rise then sailed through the air. When Cael smacked into the wall, he jumped up with his fangs bared only to stop short.
Zander was standing over him standing, eyes black as midnight. “Cool your arse, or I will drag you to the dungeon by your balls. I doona know why you are behaving like fucking bairns, but we will sit here like civilized beings, and discuss this. Are we clear?” Zander barked, putting the force of his mantle behind his words.
The power of the Vampire King wrapped around Cael, and he had no choice but to submit. He immediately bowed his head and lowered his eyes. The energy Zander emitted was demanding and abrasive. The King was pissed and ready to tear into them.
Zander’s biggest pet peeve was fighting where his daughter played. They kept Izzy away from the training room where too many times testosterone ran rampant and expected the warriors to keep their shit under control in every other area of the home.
“Liege,” Cael murmured. “I am trying, but I need him,” he said, pointing to Tristan, “to get out of my fucking face,” and him, he pointed to his brother, “to stay away from my mate. He has no claim on her!”
Zander’s intense blue eyes traveled from Cael, Cade, Tristan, then to Brianne, who shrugged her shoulders. “Tristan. Get your arse back to Anthru. Doona argue, or I will have Nate prepare a room in the dungeon,” Zander ordered.
“Sounds like there’s a lot to discuss,” Elsie said. “Let’s take this back into the war room.”
Everyone filed back into the spacious room with Cael bringing up the rear. Brianne hesitated when Cade tried to urge her to follow him. It gave Cael hope that he could win her heart. When she stretched her hand toward him, a smile bloomed. He probably looked goofy as fuck, but he didn’t care. His mate was reaching for his hand.
A growl left his throat when her other hand reached back for Cade’s at the same time.
“Well this just gets better and better,” Mack quipped with a smirk from her position across the room.
Cael liked Kyran’s mate. She was one of the best warriors in the compound and most of the time he appreciated her sarcastic comments. Not so much today.
“Someone had better explain the shite storm you guys brought downstairs, right fucking now,” Zander ordered.
The king sat in his customary chair at the head of the table which should have diminished Zander’s dominance, but Cael was suffocating from the royal power buffeting his body.
“Cael is trying to steal my Fated Mate,” Cade barked, and Cael’s fury skyrocketed again.
“The fuck I am. You came into my room and fucked my Fated Mate. She doesn’t belong to you,” Cael yelled at Cade.
Brianne pushed her arms out to the sides, and her palm landed on Cael’s chest, settling the rage building within. He forced his gaze away from his brother. If she was doing the same for Cade, Cael would lose his shit and end up in a cell next to Tristan.
“Escúchame bien, and understand. I belong to no one,” she declared.
“Let me see if I understand this correctly. You slept with Brianne and discovered she was your Fated Mate?” Zander asked.
“Yes. We ran into each other as Brianne was leaving Zeum. She spent the night in my bed and then I got a text from Rhys asking if I could take Gerrick’s place on patrol. While I was gone, Cade snuck into my room and fucked her,” he shouted and curled his hands into fists as he lunged toward his brother with the return of his anger.
“She’s my Fated Mate,” Cade countered. “My mate mark appeared when we had sex. You can’t deny this brand.” Cade spat and shoved down his pants, exposing the brand.
Without hesitation, Cael dropped his jeans and pulled up the hem of his boxers, as well.
“Holy shit,” Jace whispered. “I’ll check the Mystik Grimoire for information. Maybe this has happened before.”
Cael hadn’t considered the mysterious tome. He had no idea if information like that would be recorded in the book. From what he understood, it focused on magic, demons, and spells to eliminate their enemies.
“Obviously, the marks are identical,” Zander said while his eyes remained glued to their thighs. “The question is if this is due to your identical DNA. I havena heard of this happening before. In fact, this situation makes me wonder if the reason is due to the lack of opportunity.”
“What do you mean?” Elsie asked.
“No one would willingly have sex with their brathair’s mate. That betrayal is never forgotten and the highest taboo in the Tehrex realm. Which makes me wonder how the fuck this happened,” Zander replied.
“That’s precisely what I would like to know,” Cael growled.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Cade yelled. “I only went to your fucking room because you called me, motherfucker. When you were gone, but she was there instead I figured what the hell? I mean, look at her. She’s fucking perfect. Her allure was irresistible. She crooked her finger, and I couldn’t say no.”
That was one fact Cael couldn’t argue with his brother. Brianne was perfect and irresistible.
“I called you because I wanted to share my good fortune, assface. Not give you permission to fuck my mate,” Cael roared.
“Sweet baby, Jesus,” Mack whistled and shook her spiky black hair. “Let me get this straight. You were here to have sex with Tristan and help him through his transition then end up sleeping with Cael and Cade? And, now you are mated to twins, and they’re ready to kill each other for you? Damn, girl, you must have a magically delicious vajay-jay!”
“Shut the fuck up,” Cael snarled at the same time Cade yelled, “Fuck off.”
“Seriously,” Mack said on a laugh. “You have two hunky vampires ready to kill for you. That totally deserves a t-shirt.”
“Ooo, a shirt? Can you make it red?” Brianne asked with a smirk on her lips.
“Red glitter, bitch,” Mack retorted with a wink.
“I’ll get the heat press,” Nate interjected as he shook his head and left the room mumbling something about the Goddess losing her mind. Cael agreed with that sentiment, as well.
“Enough with the nonsense,” Zander barked and redirected the conversation. “We need to get to the bottom of this, and I need you to stay here until we have some answers.”
Brianne shook her head. “Not going to happen, your Highness. All due respect, I must get home. I haven’t chosen to mate anyone. Look, I like you both and understand that this is a shitty situation, but you will both move on and find another female to mate, I’m sure. I mean this situation is different, right?”
Bile filled Cael’s throat, making him want to hurl before he tore the mansion apart brick by brick. “There will never be anyone for me, but you,” he vowed.
“I will never look at another female in my life,” Cade promised.
“Och, don’t start the bullshite again. “Tis clear the Goddess has given you both Brianne as your Fated Mate. Allow me to dispel your ignorance, Brianne,” Zander stated.
The situation was stressful for the king, as well. His hair was a disheveled mess from the number of times Zander raked a hand through it.
“Make no mistake, these two males are tied to you for the rest of their lives. Those of us that are the Goddess’s creation are born with part of their soul in the care and keeping of their mate. And, like it or not, you have a piece of Cade and Cael inside you,” the king explained.
Brianne opened her mouth to speak, but Zander lifted his hand, halting her words. “That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Cade and Cael are vampires which means, if you leave, they will die.”
Brianne gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. “I don’t understand. Why will they die if I leave? They’re immortal.”
“Aye, they are immortal, but they canna survive without your blood,” Zander replied.
Brianne looked to Cade, and then her beautiful dark eyes landed on Cael. His skin warmed and for the first time in his life he wondered if that was what it felt like when the sun bathed your skin. Every cell heated, and ignited him like nothing before. The room went silent, and Cael could hear his heart hammering in his chest as he waited for her reaction.
“I don’t know that staying is such a good idea,” Brianne began. “Look at the chaos my presence has already created. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“Admittedly, this is a difficult situation,” Zander murmured.
“I need you,” Cade told Brianne, laying his heart on his sleeve. “Please stay. I promise you won’t regret a moment you spend here with me.”
“She’s my mate. I need her here,” Cael gritted through clenched teeth.
“Both of you need to shut the fuck up,” Zander ordered, adding the weight of his mantle behind his command. “Please stay, Brianne. You will have a private room. I am no’ asking you to be with either Cade or Cael until we learn more. There might be a way to dissolve a shared mating.”
Cael’s heart plummeted to his feet while Cade burst into action, trying to get at Zander. Every fiber of his being objected to the mere thought of dissolving the connection he already felt with Brianne.
“I’d like more information, but let’s not be hasty,” Brianne replied and laid her hand on Cade’s forearm. “Thank
you for offering a separate space. But, how will we handle feedings? I refuse to be the reason two brothers destroy each other, especially as close as they are.”
“Were,” Cade countered.
Cael couldn’t stand to see the stress and worry line her face. His piece of shit brother had caused this, and it was hurting his mate. The rage returned along with sadness as a part of him realized Cade was suffering from the same emotions as him.
“I will take blood from her and dispense it to each of you,” Jace offered as he wrapped his arm around his mate. Not that long ago, Cade got into a fight with Jace when he challenged his neglect of Cailyn. Cael hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now he had to wonder if his brother fabricated this double-mate situation.
“How do we even know his mark is real?” Cael blurted as Jace was informing Brianne of how often they would need blood.
“Fuck you, dick. It appeared as soon as I came inside my mate,” Cade spat, puffing his chest in the process. “Doesn’t get more real than that,” he added.
Cael lunged at his brother but didn’t make it two steps before his body was thrown against the wall. “Enough!” roared Zander. “I am done with your tantrums. There is no’ a way to fabricate a mating brand, Cael. That much we discovered when we were researching Shae and the reincarnation of her immortal soul.”
Gerrick stepped inside the room, drawing everyone’s attention. “I need you, Jace. I think the baby is coming this time.”
Jace and Cailyn jumped up and ran from the room, following Gerrick. The excitement of another birth buzzed through the room.
“We have a baby to welcome. I expect the two of you to stay the fuck away from each other. Doona pester Brianne. She is here to provide you with blood while we discover what can be done. She will make her decision without either of you trying to coerce her. Do I make myself clear?” Zander asked as he stood to his six-six frame.