Zane exited the vehicle. The elves were already there. Neutral ground. Wide open space for miles. An ambush of any sort would not be easy. Especially considering that the elves favored the bow as their weapon of choice. He felt out of sorts not having Lance at his side. Another few days and the warrior should be back on his feet. He had taken over fifty arrows to the chest and back. Four of those had been direct to the heart. It was a miracle that he had even survived. Zane had to suppress a growl. It was the elves that had nearly put him in his grave. He’d bet big money that this whole plan had been Katar’s. The wolves were too dumb to have come up with it on their own.

The elven king called a welcome in his native tongue as they approached. His long robes flowed to the ground, they swayed as he stood. Zane was shocked to see the grey at his temples and how he hunched slightly. The big male at his flank was the spitting image of his father. Katar must have looked just like this male when he was in his prime. Tall, plenty of lean muscle, hair that shone like pure spun gold. The male wore a silk robe, as was customary with the eleven species. Thank fuck he hadn’t been born a pussy. On occasions like this, he much preferred leather and the measure of protection it afforded.

The king must’ve caught him staring. “This is my son Keto and my daughter Esral.”

Zane felt himself relax as he turned to face the female. If Katar had brought his daughter, then he did not mean to fight. The elven princess was a tiny thing although he could see that she was a mature female. Her hair was so long that it touched her thighs. Her eyes were wide and shone a beautiful blue. Like the sky on a clear winter’s day. Although she was highly attractive, he found that she did nothing for him, unlike his little Ysnaar. His human was lush, sexy…he snapped himself out of it realizing that the princess held out her hand. He took it, trying to be gentle as she felt like she might break under his touch. Shivering, she lowered her eyes.

“Can we offer refreshments?” Katar asked. A smaller male appeared carrying a tray of golden goblets.

“No, thank you.”

“Your men perhaps?” The old male raised an eyebrow.

“No. Why have you called me?” Enough with the bullshit. He wanted answers and needed to see the old king on his knee before accepting a truce.

“My mate has been gone six months now.” His blue eyes filled with unshed tears. “I am a fool.”

“Father,” Keto’s eyes had narrowed.

“Be still. I allowed myself to be swayed. An old fool.” The last he muttered more to himself. Katar shook his head. He seemed to be trying to pull himself together. Some of the elven guard shuffled in the background. “My mate was everything to me. Aside from her many attributes, she was also my most loyal and trusted advisor.” He smiled for a few beats. Managing to look the picture of sorrow. Zane found himself feeling sorry for the old king.

“Esme was wise. She understood my people and the different species like nobody’s business. Never once gave me bad advice. I know that it is probably unwise to admit this, but under the current circumstance I feel I can be honest” He swallowed motioning to the male with the tray of goblets. Once he had taken a drink, he continued. “I am lost without my Esme. We should never have listened to those beasts. I would like to offer my apologies and if it’s not too late, my allegiance to the vampire species.”

Zane noticed how the younger male’s lips had pulled into a thin white line. How his hands had fisted at his sides. His eyes were narrowed shooting poison tipped arrows his way. It was clear that Keto did not feel the same way as his father.

The old man’s eyes shone with sincerity and for now Katar was the leader of the elves. The elven king lowered his gaze as a sign of submission. “As a peace offering, I would like to offer you my most valued possession.”

“Father, please.” For the first time, Keto turned his head towards his father.

“Be still. You have done enough.” He added, “This is my will.”

The younger elf turned his eyes back on Zane, his jaw clenched so tight that Zane was sure he might crack some teeth.

“Please accept as a token of peace my beloved daughter.”

Griffin made a choking sound and many of the guard, on both sides, shuffled nervously.

“She is a virgin and fully mature. She will make a good mate.”

How the fuck did he respond? To outright refuse would be seen as denial of the elven allegiance. It would be taken as an insult. 

“Thank you, Katar. I will graciously accept, but know that it is unnecessary and if you wish to reconsider…” Zane hoped that he had not offended the king.

The old man smiled. “I insist—”

“Father, the vampire said it is unnecessary.”

Vampire. Who the fuck was this young buck’s vampire? Surely the bastard wasn’t referring to him? Zane bristled at the younger male’s attitude. His hands itched, wanting so badly to turn to fists. He wanted to punch some respect into the insolent little prick.

“Be still. It is the last time I will ask this of you.”

This time Zane heard how the male ground his teeth together. Keto nodded once before staring at the floor. His knuckles turned white at his sides.

The female said nothing. Her little hands were clasped in front of her, her eyes to the ground.

“I would like for you to have Esral. The ultimate token of peace, of a species united.”

Fuck.

The covens were much stronger united. They would win a war against the elves, but at what cost? The last thing Zane wanted was another war. Why had the old man chosen such a public place to make the offer? He could’ve talked some sense into him in private. Those around them grew restless. The old man’s eyes hardened. Even the princess lifted her big orbs, they pleaded with him.

“Thank you,” he managed to choke out. “We are honored.” Already his mind rushed at finding a way out of this.

“I insist that she mate with royalty. She is a princess and should be treated as such. You would slight me if you were to give her to a commoner.”

This was the king’s way of locking him in. Double cluster fuck. Tanya was going to have his nuts. There was no way he was going to mate with this female. No freaking way. Aside from not needing another female, he happened to like his nuts right where they were. He would find a way out of this. Zane would call a meeting in a few days and discuss it with the elven king in private.

The king smiled. “Esral will make a good mate, she is stronger than what she looks…”

For the first time the female showed some real emotion by gasping. “Father, please.”

“Now that it is settled.” The old man moved to kneel. He held his hip as he bent.

“Wait.” It was Zane’s turn to narrow his eyes. “Your son will kneel on your behalf.”

“Yes, but…” The elven king looked worried. He glanced from Zane to Keto and back.

“I insist,” Zane growled softly. “I require your allegiance, but also that of your heir. You have given me your daughter. He can kneel.” Zane gestured in the direction of Keto, but didn’t take his eyes off the king. He could feel the animosity rolling off the elf prince.

“Do as he says.” Keto didn’t move. “Do it,” Katar added raising himself higher and pulling his shoulders back.

Keto dropped to his knee while inclining his head, in less than a second he was back on his feet. The youngster could not school his emotion well. A mask of anger contorted his features.

As was customary, Zane and Katar shook hands at the wrists. The old man’s skin felt like paper beneath his grip. Katar smiled. “And so it is done.”

“It is done,” Zane repeated holding to tradition. All gathered from both sides and repeated the phrase. Zane noticed that the elven prince didn’t utter a word. An insult, but for the good of both species he would let it slide.

After a short goodbye, which was mainly for the benefit of the princess, Esral picked up a silk tie bag. It was small considering that it held all of her belongings. Zane took it from her. The bag weighed nothing. They climbed into one of the waiting SUVs, Esral beside him. Zane had been tempted to put the princess into one of the other vehicles but that would potentially have hurt her feelings. She seemed nice enough. They pulled off in the direction of his castle.

“When are you going to mate me?” She pulled her golden hair behind a pointed ear.

He was shocked by the question as she seemed like a shy little thing. “I haven’t had much time to think on it.”

“What’s to think about?” Her blue eyes shone.

“Well”—he paused—“shouldn’t we get to know each other a bit first?”

Her brow knitted. “What purpose would that serve?”

For the love of blood, his little human had turned him into a pussy. Zane had to suppress a smile. Just thinking of his female had his cock filling. “You are a virgin. We shouldn’t rush into anything.” He needed to tell her that he had no intention of ever mating her, but this didn’t seem like the right time or place. Zane also found that he again didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

“I think that right now would be a good time. Tell your men to stop the car. We can go into the wooded area.” She gestured to the forests to the right of the moving vehicle.

“It would be best if we waited. Your”—he swallowed hard—“first time should be in a bed. It should be special.” Fuck he really sounded like a class-A pussy. The thought of bedding her left him cold though. Zane had to buy time. Once he managed to talk to the king in private, he was sure he would understand.

Esral smiled, flashing him her teeth which all had sharp little points. He had to suppress the urge to clutch his dick. Thank the gods his female was human. “It is customary for our people to mate under the open sky on the earth as nature intended. I am ready for you.” Esral lifted her robe. Unfortunately, he reacted instinctually and looked just as she parted her thighs slightly. Even though she had a pleasant floral scent with earthy undertones, her hairless pussy held no appeal. He had grown to love Tanya’s strip of fuzz. The way it looked, it’s silky feel. It seemed that no other female came even close anymore. Esral must’ve sensed his indifference because she pulled a sleeve of her robe from her shoulder until a surprisingly full pink tipped breast sprang free. Griffin let out a choking sound, his eyes glued to the rear view mirror.

Zane leaned forward and carefully pulled up the silken fabric until she was properly covered.

Her eyes filled with tears. “I was told that I am fair. That males would not be able to resist me. That I would find a mate easily and that he would not be able to resist if…” A tear tracked down her cheek.

“You are beautiful.”

“Well then…” She reached to open her robe.

“Stop.”

Once again her eyes filled. “It is important that I am accepted and that we mate soon, or my people will think that I’m defective. If you send me back, I will be ridiculed. Destined to live a life of solitude.”

Zane rubbed his eyes and then scrubbed his hand over the stubble on his head. “I am to be mated to another in a few days.”

She nodded. “Okay, well then our information was incorrect. It was understood that you had lost your future mate. We have the wrong king. Then I will mate with Brant. Please take me to him.”

Zane shook his head. He needed to put an end to this right now. “Brant and I are to mate with the same female.”

Her chest rose and fell at an alarming rate and her eyes filled with horror.

“I will explain this to your father in private. He will understand.”

“No,” she sounded shrill. “You can’t take me back.” Her eyes filled with tears. This time she covered her face with her hands and cried softly.

He had little experience in dealing with hysterical females. Zane pulled out his cell phone and dialled Brant.

“Yeah.”

“We have a little situation,” Zane said.

“Did they refuse to swear allegiance?”

“No, they went a little overboard. Katar has given us his daughter.”

“What? Why?” A low growl.

“As a mate. He wants to secure the partnership between the species.” A pause.

“You told him we are to be mated?”

“We are not mated yet. There is one female and the two of us. Katar would never have understood.”

“Fuck,” Brant snarled. “You’re right. If you had refused, he would’ve seen it as an insult. Get your ass here, we’ll discuss it then.” Brant sighed. “We’re in so much shit.”

Zane had to chuckle. “Tanya will not be happy.”

Brant made a sound of agreement.

“Inform her before I arrive with the princess. We’ll meet in the dining hall in ten.”

“You want me to tell Tanya? You were the one that fucked up,” Brant whispered.

“You would’ve done the same,” he growled.

“Fine.” Brant ended the call. The princess continued to weep softly.

 

****

 

They’d had a fantastic day together. Brant had taken her back to his tower and had worshipped her body. First with his mouth and hands and then by making slow, sweet love to her.

They’d gone for a picnic on the grounds and had talked for hours. He’d had to take a call at one point and then everything seemed to fall apart. He’d insisted Zane was fine while they packed up and headed back to the castle. Zane had called a meeting so they made their way to the dining hall.

Brant had paced for a few minutes before finally telling her what had happened.

“The elven king did what?”

Brant took a deep breath, cleared his throat and spoke louder this time. “Katar gave his daughter to Zane as a token of his allegiance.”

“Why would he give…” Then the reason hit her, “…oh.”

“Didn’t he explain that he’s already…taken?” Tanya asked.

Brant shook his head. “The king is old school. All he knows is that there are two kings and only one chosen, so therefore he has given his daughter. If Zane had refused, it would’ve been seen as a major insult.”

“I thought Zane couldn’t mate unless with a chosen female.”

“He can mate, he just can’t have heirs.” Brant ran a hand through his hair and then jammed his hands into his jean pockets. “He is not going to mate her so don’t worry.”

This was wrong on so many levels. Just then the door opened and a tiny woman walked in, Zane followed close behind. She had to be at least one and a half heads shorter than Tanya and at least four dress sizes smaller. The princess had big, blue red rimmed eyes. Such a pretty little thing.

“This is Esral,” Zane said avoiding eye contact with her.

“Why has she been crying?”

“I told her that I am not going to mate her.” Zane turned his gaze on Tanya.

The elf female hiccupped rubbing a tear away with the back of her hand.

“Of all the insensitive brutish things.” Tanya put her hands on her hips. The princess cried harder. Damn these non-human men. “You are a bunch of boorish”—she walked to the princess and put an arm around her shoulders—“bullish, insensitive…”

Zane’s brow furrowed. “Do you want me to mate her?”

Really?

Tanya couldn’t help it when her finger pointed at the big vampire. “You did not just say that, Zane.” She wagged her finger at him and he had the good grace to look sheepish. “No, you will not bloody well mate with her. Unless you want to that is.” Her eyes narrowed and her heart raced.

“I said I did not. You are all I need.”

She felt herself both soften to Zane’s words and anger as the princess’ shoulders shook beneath her arm. “You are all a bunch of barbarians and should be ashamed of yourselves.”

“This isn’t our fault.” Brant moved in next to Zane.

“Not your fault?” She paused clenching her teeth. “You vampires don’t hold a little ceremony every century or so where you force young women from their homes, their families, to mate with and raise your heirs?”

Brant shuffled. Zane’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s barbaric and wrong. The elven king gave you his freaking daughter. You have to see that as wrong on some level as well. Females are not possessions to be shuffled from one to the other, here to scratch an itch and raise your children. We have feelings.”

“We know that,” Brant said.

“Our females are prized. The mating thing is to secure our partnership…” Zane stopped when she narrowed her eyes on him. “You are right. We will relook over the rules of the choosing ceremony.”

“I want one of you to mate me. I can’t go back. I told you I will be seen as defective to my people,” Esral sniffed.

“Who brainwashed you into believing that load of bull?” Tanya shook her head. “You are a beautiful and intelligent woman. You don’t need to mate with either of these males. You don’t have to mate with anyone. You are free to choose.”

“No, she isn’t,” Zane spoke softly. “She has to mate vampire royalty or her father will see it as an insult and declare war.”

“You can talk some sense into him,” she paused. “Better yet, let me meet him and I’ll talk some sense into him.”

“Sense…” Brant looked flustered. “Cenwein, you can’t talk sense into him. He won’t get it. Age old beliefs and traditions will not fall away because you say so. I hear you and I agree, but he’s not—”

“Call him, set something up…” Hang on just a minute, she thought. “Unless you want to mate her, Brant.”

He pulled in a breath, his eyes wide. “No, that’s not what I meant. I thought I made myself clear earlier when I said that you were the one for me…us,” he quickly added.

She held up a hand to stop him and ushered the elf female to a chair. “Sit.” The princess sank into the soft fabric looking defeated. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Esral shook her head.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Tanya said to herself. The freshly squeezed orange juice looked so good. There was condensation on the glass jug. Rivulets of water ran down the sides. Tanya poured a glass and downed the contents.

“I’m not calling him,” Brant said.

“Please don’t,” Esral pleaded.

“You don’t need a man to complete you. You can stay here as long as you please. Until you meet someone you want to be with that is.”

“You’d allow me to stay?” Her voice was filled with awe. Her eyes held hope.

“Yes, Esral. For as long as you need. We can be your new people.”

“Cenwein, it would still mean war. Unless the princess mates with royalty…wait a minute.” Brant laughed. “I have the solution. Why didn’t I think of it sooner? Xavier is royalty.”

The male stood by the door. “No freaking way,” he said as he shook his head.

“You must. You are a prince and royalty so technically if you were to mate the princess…”

Xavier shook his head, his grey eyes darkened. “I’ve always been happy that I wasn’t born as heir, because I wouldn’t have to be saddled with all the bullshit. I have other plans and they don’t involve a mate.”

“You are royalty and will do what is best for the people.” Brant’s even voice brought chills to Tanya’s spine.

Xavier’s mouth pulled into a thin white line.

“You may be royalty but you are not a king. Katar says that she is stronger than she looks. Although not as fertile as humans, the princess should get you young.” Zane said.

“Did you not hear a word I just said?” Tanya narrowed her eyes at Zane. She turned to the princess. “Esral, it is your choice. You don’t have to mate him or any other.” She swallowed, her mouth feeling dry. “You don’t have to have…young. You can decide.”

“No, she can’t.” Brant looked frustrated. “If she is not mated by vampire royalty it will be considered an insult. According to Esral, the mating will need to take place soon. No pressure.” He added looking at Xavier who had turned a lighter shade of ghost.

Esral shook her head. “I have to say that since hearing your female talk of having a choice, I like the idea of being able to choose my own mate. The male doesn’t even want me.” Esral looked at Xavier. Her lip wobbled. “I need time to think about it.”

“That’s not what you said to me when you were disrobing in the vehicle.”

“Disrobing?” Both Tanya and Xavier said together.

Zane threw up his hands. “I didn’t ask her to. I told her to stop.”

“I’m sure you did,” Tanya narrowed her eyes at Zane.

“I’m done talking. You mate her ASAP.” Zane pointed at Xavier and Esral in turn. He strode towards Tanya picking her up in one easy move. Her breasts flattened against his chest. “I may have to keep telling you over and over while we rut, you are the only female for me.” The way his eyes heated told her his words were true, except at that moment her eyes were pulled to the pulse at the base of his neck.

Her mouth felt dry.

So thirsty.

She licked her lips, feeling sharp little fangs instead of canines. Holy shit. Still carrying her, Zane moved towards the door in determined steps.

“You’d better come with us.” Tanya met Brant’s eyes. “I need to tell you something important.”