The Alpha's Mate and the Vampire King
The Alpha’s Mate and the Vampire King Chapter 7

Once they crossed the threshold, Viktor released his hold. Eden wanted it back, having relished the feel of his possessively firm grip. But she wasn’t sure she was ready for what would follow if she invited him to touch her.

It was dim inside the chamber, the overcast from the storm made it feel like it was dusk. There was just enough light to see.

She was curious how the King of Prajna lived, what his quarters were like. Did he replace comfort here? Her eyes flicked to the bed, knowing she would not be the first to comfort the king in this space.

The bitter flavor of jealousy was as unfamiliar as it was unexpected. They’d only met today, yet it didn’t stop Eden from feeling possessive of him.

She slowly explored with her eyes, then moved about, seeking information. Her bedroom was surrounded with things that made her happy and reminded her of those she loved. She wondered which of his possessions held any sentimental value to Viktor.

The King watched as Eden walked around his chamber—their chamber—touching his things, taking in her new surroundings, her new home. He’d never imagined having a female share this room with him.

Even with Bianca, he’d intended for her to live in the Queen’s quarters, having no desire to spend time with her outside of feedings or bedding her. It would be the same arrangement they’d had for decades, only she would hold a title.

Viktor’s cicatrice burned and brought his attention back to his sieva. So easily the mark seared away reflections of another. The powers within would not tolerate any deviation from the path towards joining with his mate’s soul.

He had removed his arm from Eden the second he saw the bed, afraid he would not be able to hold back if he was touching her in any way. He’d never felt as though he wasn’t in control of his actions. The longer he was around her, the more unmanageable his compulsions became.

It was the influence of the cicatrice. It was how the Prajna knew they had found their sieva. It possessed prevailing magic to push mates into coupling, into bonding. The sooner they shared b***d and completed the soul-bond, the sooner he would feel more like himself.

His fangs ached, thinking of taking Eden’s b***d, and of her taking his. If not for the cicatrice on her palm, he would worry what ingesting his b***d would do to an elemental. Destiny would not bring them together if they were not a match in every capacity.

The image of feeding from his mate was interrupted when Eden raised her hands and simultaneously lit all the candles in the room, then ignited the large fireplace behind him. He wondered if she knew vampires were drawn to fire.

With the illumination from the candles around the chamber, Eden could better see her surroundings. The room fit what little she knew of Viktor.

The decor was dark. Red and black tapestries hung on the walls. A black and gold quilt covered the bed. Smatterings of dark wood peaked out from the cushions covering various pieces of furniture. It was very masculine, as well as a little morbid.

What it lacked in femininity, it more than made up for in opulence. Virtually every piece of furniture was oversized and gilded in some manner.

The bed was huge, the top of each of the four posts crowned with the head of a hawk. Her elemental senses told her they were pure gold. The eyes were made of emeralds.

Numerous items secured precious jewels as decoration. Several chairs were adorned with rubies. One of the tapestries was an image of what had to be Viktor’s family crest, the outline of which looked to be lustrous, precious gems. Even the letter opener on the desk was jeweled.

Viktor was certainly living like a king. Her family’s royal dwelling was quaint in comparison. Even their castle near the Gwydion coast drew short in its simplicity.

Eden preferred simplicity.

As she circled back to where he was standing, she noticed a piece of furniture incongruous compared to the rest of his chamber. His hand was resting on the back of the large, plush chair. It was sky blue with a pattern of minute white roses. The ottoman in front of it matched. She couldn’t picture him sitting in it.

Simple and worn. It was her favorite item in the room.

Eden pointed to the chair. This seems a little out of place. A little feminine for your tastes.

He squeezed the soft material under his fingers, thinking back to when the previous owner used to sit in it. Eden was right, it stood out from the others.

It was my mother’s.

Eden swallowed. The Heartless King had a soft spot for his mother.

She didn’t want it anymore?

It was of no use to her in death.

Eden made to raise her hand to his in comfort, then thought better of it. He had warned her about touching him.

I am sorry, Viktor.

No need. It was long ago.

He ran one finger across the arm. I’m not even sure why I dragged it in here.

Eden understood why. It was the same reason she wore her mother’s necklace and rarely took it off.

They stood for a moment, staring at one another. His eyes made her feel unguarded, like he could see so far inside her she no longer had any secrets.

She’d spent her life ensuring the world around her only saw her exterior. Things would be different when it came to Viktor.

Do you have any other family? she inquired, wanting a way out from under his inspection.

My brother, Luka. But he’s … I would prefer it if you kept your distance from him. He can be difficult, and that is putting it mildly.

Eden wasn’t positive, but she perceived a trace of regret in his tone. She couldn’t imagine life without her doting father and loving sisters or what it would be like to be at odds with them, unable to trust a loved one.

In her peripheral, she noticed a door next to the fireplace with an odd metal lock. The paneling was made of oak, but bars of iron were evenly spaced up, down, and across, making small squares atop the natural grain of the wood. It looked like the doors in Gwydion’s jail.

She knew it wasn’t the main door to exit the room. That door was large and arched, similar to the one leading to the balcony.

Where does that lead? she asked, hoping to give him a reprieve from his mother’s memory.

Nowhere, Viktor replied, not bothering to look where she had indicated. He knew very well to what she was referring.

Eden’s mouth had gone dry under the intensity of his scrutiny. Her birthmark pulsed with an erotic heat. Its power circulated throughout her system, warming her from the inside.

It would be so easy to step into Viktor, to touch him and lose herself to his magnetic lure; but his answer bothered her.

You don’t want me to know, she stated.

Viktor ran his tongue across his upper teeth, debating. He wasn’t hiding anything, he simply had other things in mind to do with their time.

Eden would need to acclimate, and quickly. He wasn’t a gentleman. He rarely had consideration for his partners aside from making sure they climaxed. It made females more malleable to his s****l impulses if he allowed them to come.

With Eden, he needed to tread carefully. She was untouched—or, at least, very inexperienced—and would not know what he expected until he taught her. He hardened at the thought.

Viktor had never taken anyone’s innocence. He required experienced females to slake this thirst. For b***d. For s*x. For complete and total domination of their bodies.

He was confident they would be more than compatible in his bed. It was only a matter of training her. He’d also need to acclimate her to being bitten on a regular basis.

Male and female Prajna fed from one another often because they could not live without b***d. They could eat the same foods as other factions, but b***d was what provided the nourishment they needed to live.

Eden did not consume b***d, but he wanted her to enjoy that part of their experience, to crave his as he craved hers. The exchange was an intimate experience between mates.

He’d never let a female feed from him. Sharing b***d during intercourse would start the b***d-bonding between those who were not true mates. He greedily drank from his partners during their interludes, but they were never allowed to take from him.

As long as it was one-sided, there was no risk of an unintentional mating. It was why he never went near Bianca’s teeth. She was ambitious, and he knew better than to allow her to ‘accidentally’ graze him.

Viktor glanced at the door.

Behind it was his feeding room. It was where he took b***d almost daily. The stronger of the species required more feedings. Most Prajna could go a week or so without it. Not Viktor, especially once his cicatrice had awoken. His hunger had grown to an almost insatiable level, pushing him to replace his sieva and subdue his need.

The room was also where he copulated with a plethora of Prajna females. They were never allowed in his bed. He trusted no one to be in his personal domain, especially when he was sleeping. Eden would be the first. She would also be the last.

Viktor walked to the door and scrolled through the lock’s symbols until the combination released the pin. He swung the door open with one arm and held it. It was an open invitation for Eden to enter.

As she stepped in front of him, her arm grazed his stomach. Viktor bent, putting his mouth to her ear.

Careful what you ask for, Sieva, especially when I am inclined to give it to you.