Xavier paused as he leaned forward to open the door to the SUV. His nostrils flared right before his whole body tightened. By now she knew vampires well enough to know that he could scent Zane on her. He would know that they had recently had sex even though she had showered before leaving.

The big vampire shook his head slowly as he opened the door.

Tanya slid in praying that she wouldn’t have to explain herself to Brant’s head guard. To Brant’s brother. It was bad enough that she’d soon have to face Brant. She was so screwed. She buckled up, letting her face fall into her hands as they pulled away. Another vampire sat in the seat next to Xavier. There were two vehicles ahead of them and another three behind them.

“You do know that I’ve been assigned to your wellbeing?” Xavier kept his eyes on the dirt track as he negotiated the trail.

“Yes,” she paused trying not to sigh. “I know.”

“You’re making it difficult to keep you safe. You do realize that don’t you?” his eyes never left the road as he spoke.

“How is it my fault that the elves and the wolves are after me?” What a complete jerk.

Xavier gave a humourless chuckle. “It’s not the other species that I’m afraid of.”

They turned up a sharp, twisting incline. Xavier handled the vehicle with practiced ease. Tanya waited for a few beats once the track straightened but much to her frustration, Xavier didn’t elaborate further.

“Is there another enemy I’m not aware of?”

Another humourless chuckle. “You have no idea. Really?” He hauled the vehicle sharply to the left, more sharply than what was required. The seatbelt tightened across her chest and she was yanked to the side.

“You rutted with my brother’s birth enemy.”

Tanya cringed. To make matters worse Xavier sniffed at the air. “From the scent of your essence I would say he drank from you too.”

She gasped. “You can tell all that from the way I smell.”

“What? Had you hoped to keep it a secret?”

“No.” Her cheeks heated. “I would never lie about something as important as that. Brant will understand. He would never hurt me.”

Xavier sighed heavily. “I’ve never seen my brother besotted before. He talked about you the entire time you were gone. He missed you damn it.” Xavier hit the wheel. The manor house loomed ahead. “He has started work on your little store. Upgrades to the book section and a whole coffee shop. I realize that Zane invoked Mate’s Lore, but I had hoped you would’ve had some sense of loyalty.”

She gasped using her hand to stifle the sound. What had she done? Brant had trusted her. A mere twenty-four hours away from him and she’d fucked another man. Not just any other man, but his enemy.

“Brant wouldn’t hurt me,” she repeated because what Xavier was implying was too crazy for words. He might never forgive her but he would never hurt her. No way.

“Not on purpose but when he gets a nose full of Zane,” Xavier shook his head. “You reek of him.” They pulled up to the manor house and Xavier shut off the engine, his gaze still facing ahead. “He might just lose his mind. He won’t know what he’s doing. I will do my best to keep you safe.” He turned dark eyes on her and she shivered. Just when she was sure he must hate her, his eyes softened. “I know it’s not really your fault. I’m thankful I haven’t had the urge to mate. I’ll never go down that road if I can help it.”

 

****

 

Brant could scent Tanya on his birth enemy. It made him want to gouge Zane’s eyes from his skull. Made him want to tear off his arms and beat him with them but that would only worsen the situation. Zane was here to discuss their female’s safety. His female’s safety. Just because he scented Tanya didn’t mean they had…he mentally shook his head. It wasn’t the right time for that train of thought and with Tanya on the way he would soon have his answers. It wasn’t fair of him to expect her fidelity. At least she was safe, that was what was most important.

Brant paced across the Persian rug at the foot of his desk. His office was spacious with dark mahogany. A space he always enjoyed. Most likely because it was his and his alone. A sanctuary he could go to if he needed to think, work, plan. It irked him that Zane was in his space but it was the best place for a private conversation. “You’re sure the two species are working together.” He glanced at Zane who stood with his arms folded across his chest.

“My men saw the elf king astride the alpha. They have had more than one opportunity to kill the female…”

Brant couldn’t help it, he snarled at the thought of losing Tanya and snarled at the vampire that would’ve been responsible for her death.

Zane unclasped his arms, his hands falling into tight fists. It wasn’t lost on Brant how the vampire king had widened his stance. “I am here because I want to keep her safe. The female’s wellbeing is of just as much importance to me as it is to you.”

“You want heirs.”

“As do you.”

“I want more than just offspring. I want to share my life. I want her to be happy.” Brant felt frustration rise within. Zane was not capable of any type of emotion let alone love. He would never be able to give Tanya what she needed, what she deserved.

“Write a god damned love song. We’re here to discuss her safety or there will be no heirs for either of us.”

Brant grit his teeth to try and stop himself from retorting. The other vampire was right, but he didn’t have to like it.

“The alpha still needs a mate. I think that he plans on taking her for himself.”

Brant took in a deep breath letting it out slowly. The thought of a beast laying a single claw on Tanya made his blood sizzle, his veins burn. His skin grew tight. “Destroy our people and take our queen? He can’t fucking have her.”

“I feel the same. We are very much on the back foot. Neither of us can mate with her until the new moon. Nine whole days. The alpha doesn’t have that problem.”

“Why did you invoke Mate’s Lore in the first place?” Brant fisted Zane’s shirt grinding his teeth so hard he was sure they would crack.

“Get your hands off me,” a low growl.

Brant held on for a second longer. “If it weren’t for Tanya, I’d take your head.”

“You would try.”

That’s where Zane was wrong, it wouldn’t be easy but he would win in the end. Brant had a reputation of being the ‘just’ king, the ‘honorable’ leader, he was also greatly underestimated which suited him just fine. “You should have left us alone. Tanya and I would’ve been mated. The future of our people guaranteed.”

“What? Your little coven against two species? I think not.”

Zane was right. The elves and the wolves would’ve attacked regardless of whether Tanya had mated one of them or not. They saw an opportunity and had taken it. He would do anything to ensure that Tanya did not become collateral damage.

“Just for the record, I wanted the female from the start.” Zane locked his jaw for a second, looking to the left of Brant. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. Zane turned his gaze back on Brant.

He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Zane had to say.

“I didn’t want a repeat of what happened to our fathers. I knew you had your sights set on the female so I chose another.”

His heart stopped beating for a second even though blood rushed in his ears. Zane had wanted Tanya from the start.

“It’s why I chose the way I did. I wanted to avoid another war.” Zane’s eyes narrowed.

“Bull fucking shit.”

“Listen up asshole, I didn’t have to explain this to you but you asked why I invoked Mate’s Lore and so I’m telling you. I wanted the human from the start. I should have fought you for her then.”

“The only reason you invoked the lore is because you killed your human.”

Zane took a step towards Brant, his whole body had tightened like a coiled spring. Brant secretly hoped Zane would come at him. The longer he spent in the same room as the bastard, the more he wanted to feel his bones crack beneath his fists.

“Someone is spreading untruths about me. The human took her own life. It had nothing to do with anything I did or didn’t do.”

“It seems human females are in a habit of offing themselves on your side of the fence. Can’t say I blame them.”

It was a low blow with the expected results except Zane moved quicker than he anticipated and managed to plant him straight in the jaw. Thankfully the blow wasn’t direct as he was moving away, so although it hurt like a bitch, his jaw remained intact. Brant kneed his enemy in the stomach enjoying the grunt Zane made and the way he hunched over for a split second.

 

****

 

Tanya took in the familiar decadent décor. Her mind going at a thousand miles a minutes. So much for not letting her out of his sight ever again. After they had fucked, Zane took her back to his tower. After a light supper she had fallen asleep, exhausted from the day’s events only to have woken alone in his bed. She hated the disappointment. Hated that she felt it in the first place. Zane hadn’t so much as said goodbye to her when she’d left. Tanya had pretty much thrown away her future with Brant and for what, a roll in the hay with one times dickhead.

“Are you okay?” Stephany smiled at her, concern in her eyes. They had said their hellos. Tanya had noticed how the blond vamp’s nostrils had flared just before they embraced. Everyone in this whole damned coven would know her and Zane had slept together.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Stephany asked as they made their way into the living room. “I take it you got along well with Zane?” The blonde gave her a mischievous smile. Tanya realized that she’d missed her easy companionship.

“Don’t joke, Brant is going to go nuts when he finds out. Where is he anyway?”

“It’s Mate’s Lore, he may not like it but he will need to deal. He’s just in a meeting, he’ll be out…”

Confusion set in. What did Mate’s Lore have to do with her indiscretion?  There was a crash as something toppled over followed by a loud grunt. A heavy bashing noise and another muffled crash.

“Nothing to be concerned with.” Stephany had plastered a fake smile onto her face.

“Who’s Brant meeting with?” Panic rose in her. Zane hadn’t been there to say good bye and Brant wasn’t there to greet her. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know where the kings were and that they weren’t getting along.

“Stay out of it human.” Xavier tried to take a hold of her arm, but Stephany swatted his hand out of the way.

“Leave her alone. They need to sort this out and like it or not she’s involved.”

“I have been assigned to keep her in one piece. Getting between the kings is no place for a puny human.”

“Go.” Stephany blocked Xavier. Tanya rushed in the direction of the noises. The grunts and thuds growing louder as she made her way to a large oval door. She pushed down the wrought iron handle and opened it. Brant and Zane had each other in a lock. Brant pushed Zane and his back collided with the wall. A picture frame crashed as it hit the ground.

“Stop!” She knew she should be afraid, but watching the two of them kill each other was not how this was going to end. She moved in as close as she dared.

“You shouldn’t be around humans,” Brant growled as Zane pushed back until the back of Brant’s legs connected with a large desk in the center of the room.

“Like it or not. She’s just as much mine as she is yours.” Zane snarled, he head butted Brant with a sickening crunch.

“No!” She screamed not giving a damn if they hurt her. She inserted herself between them, her back against Brant. “Stop this.” Zane had a bloody gash in his forehead.

The room reeked of blood, sweat and testosterone. Heavy breathing turned to loud sniffing. “You fucked him.”

Her eyes were locked with Zane’s, whose irises turned dark and stormy.

“Oh shit,” said Zane.

“You rutted with my female.” Brant’s body turned to stone behind her. He lunged for Zane knocking Tanya to the side as he did. She fell to her knees landing hard. Thankfully she was wearing jeans or her knees would be a mess. She scrambled further out of the way as Brant took a second swing at Zane’s head. Brant had lost his mind and it was all her fault. Why couldn’t she have kept her panties on?

Zane tackled Brant knocking him to the ground and flat on his back. “It’s Mate’s Lore.” He punched Brant twice using his arms and body to hold him down. “We are required to rut. You know that.”

“I know,” Brant growled. “Don’t have to like it though. I can’t stand your scent on her. It’s making me…” He snarled, his eyes were glowing. “I can’t take it.”

“Calm down. You need to put your own scent on her.”

It seemed that Brant was allowing himself to be restrained by Zane. He had to be since they were pretty evenly matched, or they had been when she had first walked in the room.

Zane looked her way. “Take your clothes off.”

“What? No—”

“He needs to rut with you, needs his scent on you to calm down.” Zane swallowed hard. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his biceps bulged with the exertion of keeping Brant restrained.

Brant bucked underneath him managing to pull an arm free. He fisted Zane’s shirt pulling him almost nose to nose. “Get the fuck out.”

“Like hell.” Zane shoved Brant back down. “You might hurt her.”

“I would never—”

“Do you think I want to watch you fuck her?” His face was contorted in rage. “I will stay. Female”—Zane kept his eyes on Brant’s—“take your clothes off right now.”

Shit. This wasn’t happening.

“Do it,” Brant’s voice was tense.

Shit. This was happening. Had everyone in the room lost their minds?

“I can’t possibly. You can’t expect me to…”

Xavier burst in through the partially opened door followed by Stephany and Lance.

“Get out,” Zane growled.

“You heard him,” Brant’s voice held that same level of authority.

“But—” Xavier started to argue.

“Out!” Both kings said simultaneously. Xavier stopped mid-sentence. Lance dropped his eyes and nodded tersely. Stephany had the audacity to smile. She freaking looked at each of the kings and then at Tanya, a wide grin appearing on her face. The bitch. Lance put a hand to her back as he ushered her out of the room. Was it her imagination or did Stephany stiffen under his touch? There was no time to think on it because both kings turned to look at her as the door closed.

“I’m so sorry, Tanya. Please understand.” Brant panted like it was difficult for him to speak normally. “I need you to take your clothes off and you need to do it right now.” Brant was apologizing to her when she was the one that had caused all of this in the first place. She shook her head preparing to argue.

“He would never forgive himself if he accidentally hurt you. He’s not in full control and needs to get his own scent on you so that he can calm down enough to think rationally.” As if in answer, Brant growled low and deep. Not the kind of growl that aroused, but rather the kind that caused fear to spike inside her. “Please, sweetness. I’ll talk you through it. Neither of us wants to see you hurt.” Zane kept his eyes on her.

“I’m sorry, Cenwein…” Brant said between clenched teeth. “Zane’s right. You need to do as he says.”

“I’m right…where is a recorder when you need one?”

“Fuck you.” Brant broke a hand free and punched Zane, who laughed. Brant’s fist connected with Zane’s nose in a spray of blood that quickly subsided.

“Blood. I like the look on you.” Brant pulled his fist back to punch Zane again but the other vamp was too quick and blocked the blow pushing Brant back down with a hand to the chest.

“Try to stay calm. I won’t bait you again.”

“My need to kill you is beginning to override my need to remove your scent from my female.” Brant spat the words at Zane, his big body growing tenser by the second.

“Wait. Please don’t kill each other. Stop!” The thought of the two warriors coming to blows and possibly injuring each other, or worse, had her forgetting all about her modesty. She pulled off her shoes and unzipped her jeans, which she shoved down her hips. After a moment’s hesitation, this wasn’t happening, she pulled down her panties. The ones that she’d painstakingly dried the day before. Her cheeks heated as both vampires stared her way.

“Okay, maybe rutting is a better idea.” Brant gave a low growl this time laced with arousal. Normally the sound would leave her wet and aching but not with two sets of eyes staring at her. God this was so embarrassing. Brant’s eyes were hooded with arousal, they turned hard and terrifying. “Your scent on her is stronger now that she’s naked.” He turned hard eyes on Zane.

“Sweetness, get your delectable ass over here.”

Brant snarled.

“I’m going to sit behind him, I’ll hold his arms. You straddle him as soon as I’m off. The sooner his cock is inside you the better.”

“I can’t believe you just said that to me. This is so fucked up.” She went down on her haunches next to them.

“Don’t over think this, sweetness.” Zane cupped her cheek for a second.

“Take your hands off her,” Brant growled. “I’ll make it up to you, Cenwein.” He sounded pained.

“Ready?” Zane winked at her. “You can do this.”

She nodded once, not trusting her voice. As soon as Zane moved, she took his place. The moment her pussy touched Brant’s clothed cock, he went from semi to fully erect.

“I need you, Tanya,” Brant whispered. “You know I would never hurt you.” A complete contradiction since Zane held both of Brant’s arms to the ground above his head.

“Take him, sweetness,” Zane coaxed.

Tanya licked her lips, fumbling with the catches on Brant’s suit pants.  Brant hissed as his cock sprang free. She positioned herself over him, his big head at her entrance. She struggled to get even the tip of him inside her.

A thumb brushed up against her clit. “Close your eyes.” It was Zane. He held Brant’s arms with one hand. Brant was clearly allowing himself to be restrained at this point.

Brant snarled, his eyes were glowing so bright that she was sure they’d be able to light up a dark room. “Get your filthy hands off her.”

“She’s not ready for you. You do want her to have pleasure too. You don’t want to hurt her. I don’t trust you enough to let you go.”

Brant cursed. “Do it.” He locked his jaw as Zane’s thumb moved over her clit in a lazy circle before dipping into her once. She tried not to react, not when both men were watching her so intently.

“Close your eyes,” Zane’s deep, husky voice had her pulse quickening. She did as he said. It might be easier if she didn’t have to see them. Zane’s finger was slipping and sliding over her clit. Her pussy clenched, against all odds, she could feel herself growing wet. He pushed two fingers inside her. She groaned, unable to stop the building need that clawed at her. Brant growled. A vibrating rumble of arousal. Zane removed his fingers only to start back on her tight nub. So soft, she rolled her pelvis to try and grind up against him. Needing more. Instead of fingers, her clit met with hard cock. Tanya ground herself against Brant. Ground herself against his velvet clad steel.

“That’s it, sweetness,” Zane’s voice was tight. Was he just as aroused? She kept her eyes shut. Didn’t want to break the moment. She burned with the need to come, she rubbed herself harder against Brant’s shaft. He groaned.

“Take him, sweetness.”

She positioned him at her entrance and this time he slipped in easily. Tanya eased down on his hard length panting as he slowly filled her. Loving how she stretched to accommodate him.  

Brant pushed up from below. She cried out with the pure ecstasy as he fully sheathed himself in her. She swallowed hard rocking her hips, keeping him deep. Loving how he felt against her.

Tanya eased up and pushed back down. Brant groaned.

“That’s it, sweetness,” Zane’s deep voice rolled over her.

Up and down, she leaned forward ever so slightly until she found that angle that hit her just right. She whimpered as she slid back down on him.

“Faster,” Brant urged her. “You feel so good.”

Tanya opened her eyes looking down at Brant. His lashes were at half-mast. She did as he asked upping the tempo while still ensuring that she kept him deep and hard. She mewled each time she slid back onto him. Brant thrust from below keeping the rhythm she had set.

“So good.” His eyes were still glowing. “Wish I could flip you over and fuck you hard.”

She gasped at both his crude words and because he had chosen that moment to thrust into her with added ferocity. Tanya was appalled to find she enjoyed the dirty talk. Brant tensed underneath her, fighting to free his hands. He managed to break one free, which he used to yank her sweater tearing it half way up her front.

Zane chuckled as he secured Brant’s hands once again. Although she wasn’t moving, Brant continued to thrust into her, the deep friction seemed to catch all her nerve endings. She moaned.

“Looks like someone wants a look at those stunning tits. Can’t say I blame him.”

“Watch your filthy mouth.” Brant grit out through clenched teeth while keeping up his assault from below.

Tanya lifted her gaze, catching Zane’s heated look. What difference did it make? She pulled her sweater over her head and unhooked her bra. Zane’s eyes almost bugged out of his skull and Brant made the sound a wounded animal would make.

“Gods how I want to touch you.” Brant was no longer moving. Both vampires stared like they’d never seen a naked woman before.

“So god damned sexy.” Zane’s eyes narrowed on hers then moved between her chest and her face.

“Close your fucking eyes!” Brant sounded pissed. He looked even angrier.

“Shut it. You’re the one who gets to fuck her. Any more lip and I’ll knock you out and finish this myself.”

Brant fought against the restraint. Tanya needed a diversion so she sat back more firmly onto his cock. Up…down…up…down. Harder and faster with every bounce. She concentrated on her own pleasure, needing an orgasm more than her next breath. The incredible slip and slide of his cock taking her closer and closer with every sweet thrust.

“That’s it, sweetness. Just a little more.”

Brant made a noise of agreement. She cried out as a finger brushed against her clit. Zane was holding Brant with one hand while he leaned forward and stroked her clit with the other. His face was taut with desire.

Brant growled something between pleasure and a warning.

“Oh yes,” she cried. Her orgasm building as his finger picked up momentum over her tightening nub. When Zane pinched her clit between two fingers while Brant fucked her harder from below, it was as if she had died and gone to heaven. Just the thought of both men touching her, bringing her to completion, was enough to keep her screaming as waves of pleasure rushed through her. She barely registered Brant jerking beneath her as he found his own release. 

Warm arms bracketed her, hot kisses were planted on her cheeks and mouth. Tanya opened her eyes to Brant’s warm, dark chocolate stare. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

“It’s okay.” How the hell did she confess that although afraid at first, it had been the most erotic moment of her life? How even now she wanted a redo. This time she could sit on Zane’s cock while Brant squeezed and tweaked her nipples.

Zane.

She looked over Brant’s shoulder. The big vampire stood behind them. Shit, he looked angry. Eyes dark, body tense, brooding expression. His gaze softened as she caught his eye.

“That was…fun. Left me with one hell of a hard on…but fun none the less.”

Brant growled. “You sick bastard.”

Zane sort of smiled. “You would have one too if our roles were reversed and you can’t tell me you’ve never shared before.”

“Tanya is different and you know it.”

Shit, she should’ve known that vampires would be into this sort of ménage shit. All that free, natural mumbo jumbo. In the end she’d loved what had just gone down just as much as they had, but the thought of sharing these men in return made her green-eyed-bug-monster pop out.

“As much as I would love to fist my cock during round number two, better yet, I could…”

“Don’t say it.” Brant held up his hand.

Zane folded his arms. “You’re right because, my hard-on aside, I believe we have a conversation to finish.”

Brant lifted her off him. Her blood heated as Zane let his eyes slid down the entire length of her stopping in all the naughty places. His leather pants bulged at his crotch. Part of her wanted to giggle while the other part wanted to embrace her feminine side. No contest, she thrust her chest out loving how his lashes practically fused. His chest expanded with a deep breath. Zane shook his head in disbelief. “You surprise me female. You would love to ride my cock right now wouldn’t you?”

She gasped. “I so would not.” There wasn’t much venom in her voice and his answering grin said it all. Tanya tugged on her panties, feeling her cheeks heat under his gaze. She concentrated on dressing while ignoring the vampires.

It scared her how Zane seemed to be able to read her like a book. How could she deny it with any credibility when he spoke the truth? Tanya pulled her jeans over her hips and did up the zip and button. Her bra went on next, she adjusted the twins into the cups. Zane groaned and repositioned himself in his pants. When she looked up, both men were staring at her.

“Have you never seen a woman dress before?”

“I’ve never been turned on so much by the act before. Then again I’d have normally taken care of this by now.” Zane grabbed his hard crotch.

Brant growled. “You sound like a caveman.”

“What can I say? This female brings out the animal in me.” Zane threw her a half smile. He was such a jerk. Even knowing this, why did she want him so damned much?

“She is mine. If you so much as lay a finger on her I will—”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Zane held up his hand. “In less than twenty three hours though, she will belong to me again. Know that I will rut with her...”

Brant snarled and took an aggressive step towards Zane. This was quickly turning into another brawl. So far it seemed that Zane had a handle where Brant was liable to lose it at any moment. Tanya put on her sweater, wincing as she took in the damage. It was her expensive cashmere sweater. Becky had bought it for her birthday.  Tanya didn’t own very many nice things and would never be able to replace it.

Brant took another small step towards Zane. His hands were fisted at his sides. She had to do something. Tanya put a tentative hand on Brant’s broad back. He jerked at her touch. It was possible, even after he had taken her, that he didn’t really want her anymore. Not as someone to share his life with at any rate.

Zane choked out a humourless laugh. “It’s best you come to terms with it. Expect it after my next time with her. We will rut. The female will enjoy my touch. We are highly compatible.”

Brant growled a low menacing sound.

“Calm down. From what I have seen, she enjoys your touch also. Right now we need to decide how best to protect her and since she is both of ours for the next nine days, we need to decide what is best together.”