The Alpha's Mate and the Vampire King
The Alpha’s Mate and the Vampire King Chapter 19

The sun was setting. The ocean below had turned to wondrously bright shades of orange and pink, courtesy of the fading light. Viktor was sitting in his usual chair on the balcony, with Eden in his lap.

To their right was the chair he’d had made for her. It was a cushioned lounger and far more comfortable than his own. Eden glanced at it, thinking Viktor should have sat in it instead of his iron one with no padding.

She’d yet to sit in hers for longer than a few minutes. Each time they came out to the balcony, Viktor would grow impatient with mere handholding. He’d scoop her up and drop in his chair, sighing contentedly as they watched the waves crash into the shore.

When Eden suggested a larger chair, built for two, he’d gotten a novel idea. He told her he’d have an outdoor bed made and they could make love on the balcony.

Eden’s eyes twinkled when she’d replied, We don’t need a bed for that.

That was the first time he’d taken her against the wall, right there on the balcony. He informed her he was still going to have the bed made because it was good to have options.

Eden smiled thinking back to his jest from two evenings ago, having very much enjoyed the cold stone at her back and the hot vampire at her front. He was turning her into a lustful creature.

She’d considered offering to go into his feeding room. Each time, however, she couldn’t bring herself to be in a place where he’d had so many others.

Judging by the apparatuses in that room, she knew he must have enjoyed acts she had long thought taboo. Being intimate with him so many times now, she no longer thought the contraptions distasteful.

A sort of morbid curiosity had been niggling at her more and more. Eden wanted to fulfill those needs for him. She need only be brave enough to voice it.

Eden also wanted to tell him how she felt. He’d stolen her heart and she’d gladly relinquished it. Viktor had never professed his love, but she could feel the connection to his soul and knew he cared for her deeply.

Several days had passed since their trip to see Eden’s sisters. After they’d returned, Viktor had been even more attentive than before.

When she’d asked him if he needed to be somewhere else or preparing for the hunt, he’d told her he was where he needed to be. Soon he would be meeting Kellan at the border to start tracking and he wanted to spend every second he could with Eden before he left.

They hadn’t been apart since the day they’d met and Eden found she didn’t want to be apart from him, either. She didn’t think it was normal to crave someone in the way she craved Viktor, and not just sexually.

She loved waking up with his large body wrapped around hers. He was overly affectionate, especially when they were alone, like now while they were sitting on the balcony. He made her feel safe and adored.

They hadn’t been around the other Prajna since that day at court. At dinner tonight, Eden asked Viktor if they would be returning to the throne room anytime soon. He responded that he wasn’t ready to share his time with anyone else besides his sieva. Eden worried he was sacrificing important duties in order to be with her.

She also had a hunch he believed himself to be protecting her. He’d been disturbed by the news of two possible suspects from his kingdom.

Not wanting her own anxieties to push through their bond, she concentrated on how much she enjoyed the past couple of days.

Viktor had started taking her on walks in the surf, telling her about Prajna. He promised he would take her around to his favorite places once he was sure the danger had passed.

It was the one blight on her happiness. Eden was beyond content here in Prajna. She missed her family, but she wouldn’t give up Viktor for anything, not even for some sinister group who may very well be trying to kill her solely because she was his mate.

Her muscles must have tightened because Viktor shifted to get a better look at her face.

What is it? he demanded.

Nothing.

“Your entire body is stiff as a board, mala vestica.”

Nothing, I just was thinking.

Now it was his turn to go rigid. About?

Sephtis Kenelm.

He growled. Do not waste your precious thoughts on such things. I will take care of it.

She nuzzled his jaw.

I know. I’m not exactly worried. I feel better now that Nora has some ability to protect herself. I just want it to be over, so everyone can go on with their lives. Also … she paused.

Also?

As much as I love being alone with you, it would be nice to feel safe enough to walk around by myself. Or to see something outside of your chambers.

“Our chambers,” he corrected.

She laughed. Yes, I meant our chambers.

Viktor slid his lower l*p across his upper teeth. It was something he often did when thinking through a problem. Eden didn’t think it was very kingly, but she liked how it made him seem more approachable and less intimidating.

You’re right. You shouldn’t be cooped up in here. He stood with her still in his arms.

I shouldn’t? I thought it was too dangerous for me to explore.

It is, but I think I know something you’ll like and it’s not a place where anyone lives or would likely be visiting.

He ported them away and Eden closed her eyes. It always made her so dizzy she worried she’d get sick.

A little warning, next time, she gasped.

Ah, yes, I apologize. Sometimes I forget.

Viktor set Eden on her feet and cupped her head with both hands, waiting for her to feel steady. His thumbs caressed her cheeks and she exhaled softly.

That’s nice.

My touch?

The way you ground me. After ungrounding me, she smirked as her eyes opened.

I like ungrounding you.

He kissed her languidly, drawing a g***n from her mouth. She pushed against him, trying to press close. Viktor broke the k**s and gently nudged her back a few inches. Her lips puckered in a full pout and he chuckled.

My apologies, Sieva. You drive me to distraction. I should know better than to start something I cannot finish here.

Eden glanced around at her new surroundings. She’d been so engrossed in his k**s she’d forgotten he’d ported them off the balcony. He was the master of distraction.

Where are we?

He grabbed her shoulders and turned her body to face away from his. Without letting go, he pulled her back to rest against him and his arms went down to her waist.

I’ve brought you to our southern coast. To the lagoons. We call this area the Emerald Isle.

She expected to see shades of green, with such a name. However, the ocean looked much the same as it did from Castra Nocte. The water glimmered with the same shades of orange and pink, reflecting the fading sun.

The noticeable difference was the terrain. Castra Nocte was built high on the cliffs. The sounds of the ocean crashing into the rocks was a constant background.

A little further south of the castle was a stretch of beach where they could walk. The sand was dark, similar to the rocks of the cliffs. The shoreline was a large arc and the beach was narrow. At high tide, it was barely a sliver of land between the dunes and the water.

Here, the sand was a light tan. The shoreline snaked in and out, with shallow, elongated bodies of water abutting one another up and down the beach.

My mother used to bring me here as a child. It was my favorite place to play and swim. Away from court, away from … well, just away. She always knew when I needed a moment, Viktor said wistfully.

It’s beautiful.

It is.

I’m surprised no one lives here.

The ground here is not conducive to building any sort of dwelling.

That’s unfortunate. The view is stunning. Do others come here just to sight see? Or get away, as you did?

No. Most Prajna are old enough to have been here many times over. It was once a rite of passage, being brought here by a parent to witness its splendor at nightfall. There are no longer any children to whom we can teach our geography or history. I haven’t seen another here in a decade. I think it is too much of a reminder of what is now missing.

Eden spun in his arms. She lifted her hands to hold his handsome face, a doleful smile lifted her lips when he had to bend for her to reach him.

“We will bring our children here, Viktor.”

Her words hit him square in his chest. A painful longing spread through his body, deep into his very soul. His hands shook as they rose to mimic hers, pressing his palms softly to the sides of her face.

Viktor looked back and forth into each of her eyes, memorizing every facet, every subtle change in the waning light. The sun was almost down, reminding him he was running out of time.

The next b***d moon was only days away. The wedding two weeks after. Theron’s warning plagued his conscience. He thought of little else aside from killing off the Sephtis Kenelm.

He’d been turning it over and over in his head. This morning, he decided to tell Eden the full truth when he returned from his hunt. He could not do it prior and then leave it to fester while he was with Kellan and Eden was alone in her anguish, or worse, her hatred.

His sieva could be logical and rational, but no male would make the mistake of assuming his mate could accept a marriage to another. It only added insult to injury that this marriage would put the other woman on the throne of Prajna.

It wouldn’t matter that Viktor had no intention of living his life as Bianca’s husband or to ever taking her to bed again.

Eden’s smile dropped. She felt his troubled emotions radiating through their bond.

What is it? she asked.

I was just looking at your eyes, at the differences in them.

It wasn’t a lie. He was studying her raptly, committing her to memory, terrified she would never look upon him with the same regard once he confessed.

Oh, yes, my sisters and I all share this trait. Our eyes don’t match. We’re … strange in this way.

“Unique,” he corrected.

Unique, hmm?

Nora has one blue eye. Have you noticed it’s the same shade as her husband’s?

Eden nodded.

And what of this one, Eden? his thumb brushed under her right eye, the emerald green one.

Eden inhaled. Neither had ever acknowledged it, but it was obvious.

It’s yours. I mean, it’s the same color as yours.

It is. It marks you as mine. As does this, he pulled her right hand up to his lips and kissed her cicatrice.

And even this.

Viktor placed his palm over Eden’s heart. He could feel the steady beat increase slightly.

You feel it, don’t you? he whispered.

Feel what?

The soul-bond. The connection. Your soul tethered to mine and mine to yours. We are united forever, Eden. There is nothing that will change it, there is no one that can replace it or break it. No matter what happens, we are bound to one another for life. Tell me you know this, that you feel it.

I feel it, Viktor.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her so she was eye-level with him.

Good. Promise me you’ll remember. If … when things become complicated or I do something you don’t understand, promise me you’ll remember I am just as bound to you as you are to me.

Eden’s thoughts filled with worry. He was going hunting for the traitors very soon. He would probably be the one to kill the Prajna involved. She understood.

Do you think I do not understand your duties? All they involve?

Eden—

I love you. No matter what comes, my heart is yours. Nothing can change that.

Her words, like the sharp blade of a knife, tore across his heart, leaving behind a jagged rift. Viktor did not deserve them, yet he craved them. No one, aside from his mother, had ever professed love for him. It was too much. He felt unworthy.

Eden, I … his voice cracked, overcome by the storm of sentiments battering his undeserving soul.

“Shh, do not say it back. It is enough for me to know our souls are joined. I can feel you, through the bond. I know how you feel about me. It’s more than enough.”

Viktor opened his mouth to speak and Eden quieted him with a slow, simmering k**s. She put as much love and feeling into it as she could, showing him he shouldn’t worry over how she felt.

He returned her ardor, holding her tight, swaying back and forth, dancing without music. In this moment, with just the two of them and no one for miles around, his life was perfect.

On and on they went, neither rushing or making any move to stop. Viktor was basking in the love of his mate. It was the sweetest, most precious moment of his life, living inside that k**s.

He slid his hand to the back of her neck and buried his fingers in her hair. After one more k**s, he tenderly tugged her head backwards.

The sun had dropped below the horizon and night had crawled across the shore. Her one emerald iris blazed in the dark, as he knew both his were likely doing.

Viktor hated to break the spell, but he would need to take her back soon. First, he wanted her to see why he’d brought them here.

“Look, mala vestica,” he motioned with his head.

Eden turned and gasped. No matter what age a person was, this was the reaction the first time someone saw the Emerald Isle at night. It was the same for him when he was a boy.

The lagoons were covered in tiny green lights, floating on the surface. They undulated slightly in the water, emitting a stark emerald luminescence so brilliant she could easily see her environment in the dark.

What is all of this? she asked.

Viktor set her on her feet. His hand clutched hers and he pulled her towards the closest lagoon.

It’s algae that glows at night.

Eden tried to stop but Viktor continued tugging.

It’s perfectly safe, Eden. I’ve walked in it my entire life.

She didn’t reply, but she did allow him to guide her to the lagoon. Viktor dropped to his knees and removed her boots and stockings, then he did the same to himself.

The lagoons are shallow, but we’ll stay close to the edges in case there are any predators in them.

What predators?!

Viktor laughed. I’m joking, Eden. There’s nothing in there scarier than I am.

Really?

Truly. You think I’d go to all this trouble just to throw you to some hungry beast?

No. I think you like having me around too much to let me get eaten.

Indeed, he replied, guiding her to the edge of the water.

Hand-in-hand, they traversed in and out of the shallows of the lagoons. Viktor watched happily as his mate giggled and splashed with her feet. It was a wondrous sight, and not just because of the glowing algae.

Eden was content, joyous even, despite the dangers she knew were looming over their lives. She was a miracle to a male such as he. It suddenly struck Viktor he was a danger to his mate’s happiness.

A plan began to form, one he’d readily dismissed shortly after he’d found Eden. The one which played at the edges of his mind constantly. The flickering flame he’d allowed to burn. His last resort.

Viktor had never really believed he could go through with it. Seeing his mate blissfully enjoying the life he so wanted to give her changed something inside him. It did not matter if Luka was ill-mannered, ill-suited, and ill-prepared. Viktor’s life was worth nothing without Eden’s contentment.

His path was suddenly very clear to him.

When he returned from the hunt, he would offer Bianca a bribe. If she didn’t take it, he would enact his plan. Goddess willing, the female would be reasonable for once and he wouldn’t need to upend Luka’s world.

Eden’s loving gaze fell upon him and he knew he’d made the right decision. He grabbed her and ported directly to the side of their bed, uncaring he’d left behind their boots.

Undress for me, his hoarse voice demanded.

Eden slowly removed her dress, lifting it over her head and throwing it aside. She stood in her lace undergarments, taking his breath away.

Eden sparked a carnal desire in him he could scarcely control. It was more than l**t. He wanted to claim her, to own her. He would spend every waking moment buried inside her if he could, if only to feel her need for him through the bond.

Viktor’s eyes raked over his mate. He would need to have more underthings made for her. He liked unwrapping her like a present, but his impatience typically resulted in him destroying the delicate garments. Tonight he would be patient.

Remove them, Eden.

Eden reached behind her to unhook her bustier. She let it drop. Her nipples pebbled when the cool air touched them. Goosebumps broke out across her heated skin.

Hooking her thumbs in her panties, she slowly pushed them down. Viktor especially loved her underwear so she kept a sluggish pace getting them off, teasing him. Stepping out of the lace, she straightened and waited for his command.

“Come here, moj vestica.”

Eden stepped up to his body, the silky fabric of his shirt rubbing against her chest. She licked her lips.

Remove my shirt.

Eden lifted her hands between them and untucked his shirt. She unbuttoned efficiently, growing needy the longer she stood close to him. Viktor shrugged out of the sleeves and the shirt slipped to the floor.

Now the rest.

Keeping her eyes locked on his, she grazed the front of his trousers reaching for the button. Viktor inhaled sharply. His mate was growing more confident in their bed play.

Eden used one hand to unfasten the top while the other lowered the zipper. His hot exhale skimmed across her face.

Eden pushed his pants down over his h**s until they hit the floor. She was kneeling at his feet, a position she had yet to replace herself.

Viktor often brought her pleasure with his mouth. Not once had he asked her for the same. Feeling bold, Eden reached for his shaft.

His hardened length flexed as Eden’s hand wrapped around it. A shiver rippled down his abdominal wall. He’d not broached this act before.

Few had ever been allowed to put their mouth on him. Viktor never trusted the sharp teeth of an ambitious female Prajna who might accidentally trigger a mating bond by drawing his b***d.

With Eden, it was different. He’d considered directing her to this a number of times, yet every time he stripped her bare, he could hardly think beyond his need to be inside her.

If Eden was curious, he would only encourage her. Viktor was dying to feel her hot mouth around him. He caressed the side of her face, rubbing a thumb over her bottom l*p and opening her mouth.

Eden tentatively licked at the crown. The salty taste made her mouth water. She licked it again, this time with more enthusiasm.

Take me into your mouth, Eden.

She closed her mouth around him and Viktor slid his hand into her hair to hold her still. She may have him in hand, but Viktor was the one in control.

Go slowly until I say otherwise.

Eden was gazing up at him, her eyes blazing with desire. Her look alone was going to unman him.

She slid her mouth up and down his length, stroking with her small hand. Viktor shuddered violently. It thrilled her and she picked up her pace. This time he allowed it.

Goddess, you undo me, Eden, he gritted.

She m****d around his flesh. Viktor could feel her little pink tongue pressing against the pulse of his c**k. On the verge, he used her hair as leverage as he thrust into her mouth, careful not to go too deep.

You’re going to take me down your throat, little mate. You’ll swallow it all, won’t you?

Eden hummed in agreement, agonized in her arousal. Pleasing him was intoxicating. She felt drunk on feminine power.

Swallow, he grunted.

His h**s rocked forward and his essence exploded across her tongue. She swallowed around him, feeling his pulsating release. He tasted like the ocean.

His grunts eased and his thrusts slowed. Once Viktor was spent, he reached down for his mate and threw her on the bed. She giggled in delight as she bounced. Viktor prowled towards her, the predator inside consumed with need to be inside his sieva.

I promised myself tonight I would be patient. I promised tonight I would go slow and love every inch of your delectable body.

He crawled up onto the bed and loomed over her small frame. Her chest rose and fell, excited to discover whatever he was going to do to her.

Settling in the cradle of her thighs, his blunt head nudged at her entrance. Eden lifted her h**s.

Now …

Now? she prodded.

Now I realize there is no going slow with you, not when I want you so.

I feel the same, Viktor. Her voice was pleading. He was holding himself back, not pushing inside as she wanted.

Good. Are you wet for me, my mate?

Eden nodded as his fingers skimmed her folds.

Ah, you are. My k****s down there will have to wait until later.

With that, Viktor plunged into her tight channel and Eden cried out. He withdrew and did it again. Eden’s nails scored down his back, her heels dug into the back of his thighs.

That’s it, Eden. Mark me. Mark me as I mark you.

She exposed her neck and Viktor sunk his fangs into her throat, causing an immediate o****m to rage through her. He swallowed her lifeblood, feeling it’s powers fuel his body. Another pull on her vein and she peaked again, sobbing this time.

The smell of their joining and the flavor of her b***d overwhelmed his senses. Viktor erupted, his ejaculate filling her womb. She was writhing and scratching at him wildly. He struggled to close the punctures in her neck as he g*****d with his release.

Conflagration. It was the only way to describe what they shared every time they were joined. It was good he could recover quickly because he could never last long in Eden’s arms.

Finally, their combined passion eased. Viktor collapsed over her, careful not to lower his entire weight. He was panting from his exertion. Eden’s arms encircled his back and pulled him closer.

I’ll never let you go, he whispered into her ear.

Good, Eden sighed contentedly. I don’t want to be let go.

Viktor prayed she could say those words again when he confessed his sin tomorrow night. Needing a distraction, he lowered himself down her body and lazily kissed her wherever he wanted.