Blood Prince

STORY EXCERPT

“Your highness, there’s a gentleman at the gate asking to see you. He’s come under a flag of truce.”

Prince Zacarius Ivinovav looked up from the book he read to see his manservant, Alfred, standing in the doorway of his study. The man looked nervous, which seemed strange for Alfred. He always looked totally controlled and unaffected by everything.

“Who is it, Alfred?” he asked, shutting his book and setting it down on the small table next to his chair. Zacarius’s eyes widened when Alfred actually shuddered.

“He said his name is Devlin Morgan, sir.”

“Fierce bravery, I’m intrigued,” Zacarius murmured.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Oh, nothing, Alfred,” Zacarius said as he stood to his feet and waved his hand at Alfred. “I was just commenting on his name. Devlin means fierce bravery in Gaelic. Well, let him in, Alfred.”

“Your highness,” Alfred said and shuddered again. “He’s a shifter.”

“You don’t say?” Zacarius asked in surprise. “Well, by all means, show him in. And Alfred, make sure everyone knows he’s here as my guest. No aggression. Is that understood?”

“But sir, he’s a shifter.”

“I’m fully aware of that, Alfred,” Zacarius replied. “But he has come to our gate under a flag of truce, and we must honor that. No one is to make any moves toward him or they will secure my wrath. Is that clearly understood?”

“Yes, of course, your highness,” Alfred replied. “I’ll show him in right away.”

Zacarius nodded. He chuckled to himself as Alfred hurried from the room. The man was a mystery, two hundred years old if he was a day and never a hair out of place. His butler suits always looked pressed and wrinkle-free. And he never ever seemed ruffled by anything.

Having a shifter show up at the front gate, flag of truce or not, seemed to have done just that. Zacarius couldn’t blame Alfred. The long standing animosity between vampires and werewolves went back several centuries.

Zacarius, being just over five hundred years old, could remember the war between the two species from his childhood. By the time he grew into his adulthood, werewolves and vampires were already at each other’s throats.

It would be interesting to discover why a shifter darkened his doorstep now. He couldn’t remember the last time he actually saw a one in person, maybe fifty or sixty years ago.

Zacarius sat in one of the two wing back chairs situated in front of the roaring fire. He slowly sipped hundred year old scotch from a crystal glass and waited for the shifter to be shown to his study. Yes, this would very interesting indeed.

“Come,” Zacarius said a few minutes later when a soft knock sounded at his door. He turned to see Alfred open the door and a rather impressive figure walked in. Zacarius found himself immediately intrigued by the man’s roguish good looks. He didn’t remember shifters looking quite so handsome.

“Devlin Morgan, your highness,” Alfred said.

Zacarius rose to his feet and walked a few steps closer to the shifter. “Thank you, Alfred. That will be all.”

“Very well, sir,” Alfred replied. Zacarius could see that he wanted to protest, but Alfred would never dream of being anything except efficient and obedient, one of the reasons Zacarius retained the man’s services for the past fifty years. “Just ring me if you require anything, your highness.”

Zacarius waited for the door to close then gave into his desire to fully view the man that stood before him. He noted that while he had a self-assured quality about him, small beads of sweat trickled down his temple.

He must be nervous. Zacarius leaned forward just a bit and sniffed the air around him. A tingling in the pit of his stomach came over him as deep, earthy masculine musk assailed his senses. Devlin Morgan smelled glorious.

He didn’t miss the Devlin’s obvious examination and approval either. A slight seductive grin crossed the man’s lips as his sexy copper eyes slid downward. Zacarius knew the moment his gaze landed on the hardness pressed against his own tight black leather pants.

His eyes widened as the thick scent of arousal permeated the room. His eyes moved to Zacarius’s face, his gaze bore into his in silent expectation. Zacarius smirked as he moved over to his liquor cabinet.

“Can I get you something to drink, Mr. Morgan?”

“Devlin, please,” he replied. “And I’ll take a scotch if you have it.”

“Of course,” Zacarius said. “Neat?”

“Of course.” Devlin chuckled.

Zacarius poured him a drink then topped his own drink off. He handed Devlin his glass then sat down in the chair he occupied before. He gestured for Devlin to join him.

“So, what brings you to my gate, Devlin Morgan?”

“You do understand that I am here under a flag of truce?” Devlin asked. “I want no trouble, but my alpha ordered me here.”

“And why would your alpha want you to come visit me?” Zacarius asked. “I doubt I even know the man.”

True enough. Zacarius was positive he didn’t know him. He was, however, very interested in getting to know the man that sat across from him. Devlin Morgan might be a shifter, but a damn good-looking one.

“It concerns your sister, Princess Adrianna.”

Well shit! Zacarius frowned. If Adrianna was involved, it couldn’t be good. The girl started making trouble the moment she left the cradle. Zacarius couldn’t even begin to count the messes he dragged her out of.

“And what kind of trouble has my dear sister gotten herself into this time?”

Devlin looked hesitant. Zacarius detected a change in his scent as if his level of apprehension suddenly increased. Devlin twisted his hands together, dropping his gaze to look down at the fire.

Zacarius was surprised enough by the look of regret on Devlin’s face when he glanced back up that he couldn’t hide his reaction when he continued.

“I’m afraid your sister has been killed.”

 

ADULT EXCERPT

 

Zacarius walked out of his bedroom into the sitting area of his private apartment. He glanced around to insure everything met his satisfaction. Alfred grumbled the entire time he did as Zacarius ordered, but apparently he did it well.

A small intimate table for two sat by the windows overlooking the garden below. A bottle of wine chilled in an ice bucket next to the table. A roaring fire burned in the fireplace. The low lights gave the room a sensuous feel. Alfred had outdone himself.

Now, time to get his guest. Zacarius walked over to the door connecting his suite to the one next door. Originally planned for the princess’s rooms, they often used as a guest room for his special visitors.

He knocked twice then opened the door. He saw no sign of Devlin. For a brief moment, Zacarius felt his heart thunder in his chest as he considered the possibility that Devlin might have fled, until he heard the shower.

Curiosity may have killed the cat but it inspired the vampire. Zacarius walked to the bathroom and eased the door open. Steam filled the room. Lust filled Zacarius’s body.

Devlin stood under the shower spray, his head thrown back, the corded muscles on his neck strained tight. Zacarius muffled his groan by biting into the heel of his hand. Devlin’s hand was wrapped around his cock as he stroked himself.

Zacarius hardened so fast he got dizzy from loss of blood to his brain. It all pooled in his pants. Devlin’s body looked like a work of art, and Zacarius wanted to study him from the top of his head to the bottoms of his perfectly formed feet.

Devlin reminded Zacarius of a Greek statue, all hard muscles and lean lines. The trail of hair going down his abdomen from the dark brown hair across his chest lent a hint to the true nature of the beast.

The muffled grunt from the shower mirrored Zacarius’s. Devlin’s body stiffened then ropes of pearly seed spurted from his cock. Zacarius would have given his entire kingdom to taste that creamy liquid. He licked his lips, just imaging how sweet and tangy the man must taste.

When Devlin finally dropped his hand from his spent cock, his body heaving, Zacarius quickly backed out of the room and closed the door as quietly as he could. He leaned his head against the cool wood, his breathing rapid as he tried to calm his ravenous lust.

He wanted Devlin Morgan, and he didn’t care if the man was a werewolf or not. He just needed to figure out how to make it happen. As interested as Zacarius knew Devlin was, he wasn’t sure the shifter could cross the invisible boundary between them. He’d have to dangle the right incentive in front of the man. Himself.

Zacarius took a hold of himself and tucked his emotions beneath a neutral façade. Taking a deep cleansing breath, he knocked on the bathroom door. “Devlin? Dinner is ready to be served. Please join me in the other room as soon as you’re done.”

 

Love, Always, Promise

STORY EXCERPT

“Would you come home with me?” Ethan asked the tall gorgeous man he held in his arms. Breathtaking didn’t begin to describe the man. He seemed like everything Ethan ever dreamed of in a mate, and he was all Ethan’s.

Standing with his body pressed against his, Ethan could feel every sculpted muscle in Jace’s body. He could even feel the hard cock pressing against his abdomen, letting him know how much Jace wanted him.

Stunned amazement filled Ethan when he spotted Jace sitting in the small bar having a drink. The intoxicating scent of the man, deep woodsy and all masculine, instantly entranced him. In all of his wildest dreams, he never thought his mate would be so sexy.

Jace stood several inches taller than Ethan. The collar length chestnut hair framing his face made the sparkle in his grass green eyes stand out. Ethan didn’t know if he ever saw eyes so beautiful before, so dreamy. He knew he would spend the rest of his life happily drowning in their deep green depths.

“So? Will you come home with me?” Ethan asked again when Jace just continued to stare down at him. His heart skipped a beat when Jace leaned down to kiss him. He heard about kisses like these, ones that would make him forget everything but the person in his arms. He just never experienced one.

As Jace’s lips explored his, Ethan felt an urge to crawl right up his tall, muscular body. He wanted to imprint Jace on his senses until he never left. As Jace finally lifted his head, Ethan gazed up at Jace’s face. Ethan’s chest moved rapidly with each hurried breath.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yeah, sweetness, I’ll go home with you,” Jace drawled in his deep, whiskey-rough voice.

If Jace didn’t have his arms around him, Ethan would have jumped around, dancing for joy. Yes! Jace agreed to go home with him. He couldn’t remember ever being this happy before. He grabbed Jace’s hand and led him out of the bar, fantasizing about the night to come.

He spent the majority of his life knowing he was gay, but he never acted on it. He always wanted to save himself for his mate, and now here he stood. Ethan would finally get to do what everyone always talked about. He could barely wait.

Ethan’s apartment was just a block away from the bar, a fact that thrilled him to no end. It took him less than ten minutes to get Jace home, the door locked, and the buttons undone on Jace’s shirt.

As he led Jace into his bedroom, he couldn’t help feeling a little giddy. His mate looked so handsome, he could have anyone that he wanted, but he belonged to Ethan now. In a few minutes, he would truly be his.

“Jace,” Ethan whispered as he watched Jace strip his clothes off. Jace’s eyes seemed intense, almost hazy, as he gazed back at him. Ethan wanted to believe he looked at him with such fierceness in his eyes because he wanted him.

“Are you going to stand there all day just looking, sweetness? Or do you plan on doing a little touching, too?” Jace asked with a deep chuckle.

Ethan could feel his face heat up as he quickly reached for the buttons of his own clothing. He still couldn’t take his eyes off of Jace. He watched him get undressed, then climb onto the bed and lie back.

 

ADULT EXCERPT

 

Ethan spread his legs as Jace licked and nibbled down his body. His skin ached everywhere Jace touched. He burned. He wanted to be consumed. He wanted Jace to fuck him until he couldn’t walk. Well, at least until he couldn’t walk without feeling it.

Ethan clenched his fingers in Jace’s hair and pulled. Foreplay felt good, but he wanted to get down to the really good stuff. “Jace,” Ethan pleaded, “need you.”

“Gonna get me, sweetness.”

Ethan understood exactly what Jace meant when his hard cock was enveloped in hot moist heat. Ethan bucked against Jace’s mouth. His mind reeled with the sensations shooting through his body, sensations he never felt before.

 His world spiraled out of control when he felt two lubed fingers push into his ass. Between the mouth around his cock and the fingers in his ass, Ethan felt so stimulated he knew he could fly to the moon.

“Jace!” Ethan cried out. “I can’t—I can’t—Aahhh!” Fingers pushed into his body once again and curved inward, touching the hidden button inside. Ethan saw sparks of light flash before his eyes as his seed erupted into Jace’s mouth. Then the world went dark.

* * * *

Jace swallowed all of Ethan’s release then cleaned him up with his tongue. Once done, he slowly licked his way back up Ethan’s body, his fingers still moving inside Ethan’s tight ass. Ethan had come. Now it was his turn.

He pulled his fingers from Ethan’s ass and squirted some more lube on his cock. He wanted to make things as easy as possible for Ethan. No pain, only pleasure. He scooted up between Ethan’s legs and pushed the head of his cock against Ethan’s hole. Then he looked up.

Jace’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Ethan was out cold. For a moment, Jace worried that he hurt Ethan in some way. His heart pounded as he leaned over Ethan and tried to shake him awake, his hard cock forgotten.

“Ethan? Baby?” He said softly. “Ethan? Come on, wake up.”

Ethan’s eyes fluttered.

“That’s it, come on, sweetness, open those beautiful blue eyes for me.”

Ethan’s eyes fluttered again, then opened, a dazed look in them. “What happened?” Ethan asked, looking around as if confused. As he looked down, his face suddenly flooded with color. “Oh lord, I passed out again,” Ethan groaned. “I have got to stop doing that.”

“You’re okay?” Jace asked, still concerned. “I didn’t hurt you?”

If possible, Ethan’s face blushed even more as he shook his head. “No, you didn’t hurt me. If anything you—well, you didn’t hurt me.”

Jace watched Ethan for just a moment then chuckled. “We’re going to have to work on your stamina.”

Assured that Ethan was okay Jace’s body started to notice the sexy man it pinned to the bed. Jace’s cock hardened right back up, wanting its turn. Jace grabbed his cock with his free hands and pushed against Ethan again.

“You ready for me?”

Ethan grinned. That was all the invitation Jace needed. He slowly pushed his way in, watching Ethan’s face for any sign of discomfort. When one didn’t come, Jace thrust the rest of the way in until he was seated to the root.

Oh, he was in heaven. Ethan’s grip around Jace’s aching cock felt better than anything he ever felt. Jace began to slowly move. Each gentle thrust took him higher. He knew they were meant to be together. Ethan’s body fit his perfectly.

Jace grabbed Ethan’s leg with his free hand and lifted it up to place it over his shoulder when Ethan suddenly cried out. It didn’t sound like a cry of pleasure. Jace froze and looked down at his mate.

“What?” he asked quickly. “What is it?”

Ethan’s tear stained eyes looked up to look at Jace. “I can’t—I don’t bend like that anymore.”

“Do you want me to stop?” Jace asked.

Ethan shook his head. “No, but how—” Ethan stopped, his face burning red.

Jace grinned. “Not to worry, sweetness, I have an idea.” He quickly slid out of Ethan’s body and rolled the man onto his side. He patted Ethan’s hand as he cuddled up behind him. Grabbing a pillow, he placed it between Ethan’s legs, then moved in again.

Jace clasped the hand cuffed to him and wrapped it around Ethan’s body, Ethan’s head lying on his arm. He used his free hand to grab Ethan’s hip, then slowly pushed his cock back into Ethan’s hot grasp.

“There are a lot of different ways that we can do this, sweetness,” Jace whispered into Ethan’s ear. “Half the fun will be figuring out which ones work for us.”

Ethan turned his head to look back at Jace. “You’re not mad?”

“Never. This position is just as good as any other, maybe even better,” Jace replied. “This way I have something to hold onto while I fuck you.” To back up his words, Jace reached around and grabbed Ethan’s cock with his free hand. He began pumping it as he thrust into Ethan from behind.

Jace felt Ethan’s hand tighten around his. “Is this okay, Ethan? You’re not hurting?”

“No, I’m good.” He sounded breathless. “I—oh, oh, right there, Jace.”

Jace grinned. He stroked Ethan faster. He thrust faster. Ethan’s little moans of delight sent Jace through the roof. He just knew his cock would explode any moment. The warning tingle began to tickle his spine.

“Ethan, I want to claim you again.”