3#Awakened by the Vampire Prince (Thorn) (2 page)

Gideon
nodded.

Xavier
took one last look at Esral. She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her
pointed ear and licked her raspberry lips. Her beautiful eyes were closed. She
looked stunning with the sun on her face and the wind in her hair.

Then
he turned and headed back to Pulamor.

“Father,”
Esral heard the wonder in her own voice.

“Daughter,”
his voice sounded strong and true. His cheeks held color for the first time
since she had seen him and his eyes twinkled brightly. The smile that graced
his lips made her heart fill with joy.

“You
look amazing.” She walked over to him and took his hand in hers. She couldn’t
believe the change in temperature in his hands, from cold and a little clammy
to warm and healthy. Even his gray hair didn’t look as stringy and lackluster
as it had the day before. The transformation was astounding.

“It
is the good news, my darling Esral.” He smiled warmly at her while squeezing
her hand. “I am so happy that you are finally going to have the life I always
dreamed of for you. That you will soon be mated and taken care of. You need to
know that it does not matter to me that he is not royalty. Only your happiness
matters, my dear Esral.” His smile broadened. “Now… tell me about this York.”

She
smiled back trying hard not to panic. The problem was she didn’t know very much
about him. “He is an elite warrior. One of the very best. He is good and kind. York
cares greatly for me.”

“How
long have you known him?”

“Not
very long, father. Although I’ve seen him around the castle, and he has been my
guard on occasion, I only really got to know him recently.”

“Love
is a strange thing.” Her father winked at her. “You normally know very quickly.
We may try and fool ourselves and deny it. There are those that can be
downright stubborn but we normally know deep down inside don’t we?”

She
nodded, sinking deeper into her chair. It almost felt like he knew about Xavier
but that was impossible.

“I
am glad that both of you have acknowledged your feelings for one another and that
you have not wasted time. You have many years ahead of you to get to know York
and for him to get to know you.” He smiled at her. “It seems as if your tonic
is working. I actually feel like I’m on the mend and look forward to attending
the ceremony.”

“Oh,
father…” She sighed and even though her heart was gladdened, a heavy sorrow
settled deep within.

He
moved, trying to get comfortable and the covers rustled. “I will give your hand
to your chosen even if it kills me, daughter.”

She
gasped. “Don’t say such a thing, father.”

He
chuckled softly. She had missed his smile, his laugh, his wicked sense of
humor.

“There
will be no dying.” She tried to sound stern and even wagged her finger at him.

“I
think I’m going to be okay.” He opened his arms to her and she hugged him
tightly, feeling like a little girl. Esral almost wished she could be a child
again, carefree and with her whole future ahead of her. She had such plans,
hopes and dreams for herself.

****

Esral
walked from her father’s chamber. The shadows grew longer and so much darker as
night fell. Gideon trailed behind her. It wouldn’t be long before another guard
relieved him from his duty. York, as her future mate, was no longer overseeing her
safety. Her brother had said that it wouldn’t be right for her future mate to
act in that capacity.

Her
heart leapt into her throat.

If
it weren’t for the hand clamped tightly over her mouth she would’ve screamed.
Whoever it was that had her trapped between hands of steel, dragged her in
amongst the dark alcove of branches. Her eyes felt wide in her head as she
frantically searched for Gideon. The male would’ve seen that she was taken, and
if he hadn’t then he would surely notice her absence quickly. Would surely hear
her elevated heartbeat and frantic breaths through her nostrils.

“It’s
only me.” A familiar husky voice whispered in her ear just as his delicious
musky scent enveloped her. Xavier slid his hand from her mouth. He pushed his
hard, hot body against her back. “I’ve missed you.”

Turning
her head, she could just make out the profile of his face and his intense
silvery eyes. “I’ve missed you too,” she whispered.

He
turned her in his arms and pulled her towards him. Esral could feel how her
breasts crushed against his chest. She slid her hands up and around his neck,
just as his mouth covered hers in a kiss that had her knees feeling weak and
her breath coming in tiny pants. She couldn’t help the contented sigh that fell
from her lips when he finally released her. By all that was green, she wished
that she had more willpower. Her feelings for this vampire superseded all
logic. They shouldn’t be doing this.

He
must’ve seen the pain reflected in her eyes. His eyes filled with concern and
turned a darker gray. Two crease marks appeared on his forehead. “I’ll find a
way,” he whispered.

“How?”
Last night he looked so self-assured that even though she knew it was
impossible, she had been tempted to believe him. Right now, she saw doubt
reflected in his eyes.

It
felt like someone had ripped open her chest, reached in and pulled out her
still beating heart. Though she had tried hard to convince herself that she did
not believe they had any hope of succeeding, somehow, the emotion had still taken
up residence and blossomed within her.

Xavier
cupped her cheeks, his face only inches from hers. “I told you that I’ll find a
way and I will.”

“How?
I just can’t see a way out of this, Xavier.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a
beat. “I’m scared of having to live the rest of my life without you in it.”

He
clenched his jaw. “I’ll be there for you, princess.” He took a deep breath. “I
don’t know how yet.” His eyes pulled up to the branches just above his head,
before looking back at her. “Are you sure I can’t speak with Keto?”

She
shook her head so hard that it dislodged his hold. “You can’t do that. It won’t
help anyway, he will insist that I mate with York. Like I told you before, it’s
already done.”

Grabbing
ahold of her hands, he stepped right up to her and she had to crane her neck to
keep her eyes locked with his. “If there is a way, I will find it. Of that you
can be sure. You are mine, Esral, and I won’t give you up without a fight.”

“I
know. It scares me but we have to try. I won’t give up on us either.”

“How
is your father doing?” His voice was a low whisper.

She
had to smile, which in turn made him smile back at her. “He is doing so much
better. I can’t believe the change.” A heaviness settled in her chest, it
caused her to bite down on her lip. “I can’t hurt him, Xavier. He’s better
because he isn’t worrying about me, I know it.”

“The
healers have picked up something in his blood. They are working on assessing
exactly what it is. The problem is that they don’t want to keep pricking him
with silver needles to draw more blood to test. The silver weakens him. It
makes him ill.”

“Do
they have any idea what it could be?”

Xavier
shook his head. “I have a feeling it has to do with the silver spikes he keeps
getting but they are being very evasive. I am sure that they know something but
are not saying it. We will have to wait for word. I am so happy to hear that he
is doing better though.”

He
must’ve seen something in her eyes just before she turned her gaze to her feet
because he cupped her chin. “I’m going to fix this. We belong together.” His
voice was husky and full of promise and renewed resolve.

His
eyes dropped to her lips and she couldn’t help but to lick them. Xavier groaned.
“I want you so badly I ache.”

“I
want you too.” She smiled, loving that she had this affect on him.

One
of his hands slid into her hair, burying its way deep into the strands while
the other cupped her ass, pulling her against him. He was hard… everywhere.
Excitement coursed through her veins and her breathing turned choppy.

When
he kissed her, she kissed him back. She even parted her lips to allow his
tongue to caress hers. It felt like she couldn’t get enough of this male.
Clinging onto him for dear life, she dug her fingers into his muscles, even
wound her leg around his calf. And now an all too familiar need awakened inside
her. A hunger that consumed her. One that only Xavier could quell. To her
horror, she found herself arching against him. A little whimper escaped. He
worked his thigh between her legs and she rubbed and arched against it. Her
rosebud throbbed, begging to be licked or fondled. Her nipples were so tight as
they stroked against his chest with each movement. She whimpered again into his
mouth.

Xavier
broke the kiss on a barely audible curse. “Let me ease you.” He whispered, his
breath hot on her lips.

His
hand cupped her mound over her silk robe. Even the warmth of his fingers
through the silk helped ease her growing need, if only just a little. She
sucked in a lungful of air, already nodding in agreement when a low growl
sounded from just outside the canopy. “Someone is coming.”

Xavier
put the fingers of his other hand against her lips. His eyes narrowed and he
gently eased them deeper into the leafy cover, somehow managing to keep the
leaves from rustling and cracking as they brushed against them. Her heart sped
and she had to consciously work to control her breathing. Their elven senses
may not be as developed as the vampires but that didn’t mean they were nonexistent.
Xavier bracketed his strong arms around her and despite the circumstances, she
felt safe.

Light
footfalls became louder. It was definitely an elf. Vampire males wore heavy
army type boots which made way more noise. Gideon greeted whoever the person
was. A female greeted back. Although her voice was familiar, she failed to
place who it was. Esral waited for the footfalls to retreat, instead a soft
giggle sounded. “I’m Glendril and who might you be?”

Glendril
…she
held her breath. A shiver crept up her spine. Although the female had been
nothing but helpful the night before, she couldn’t help but to feel that Glendril
had pressed her a little too hard for information. Like she had an ulterior
motive or something. Esral shook her head,
paranoid much
? She really
needed to get a handle on her wayward emotions.

“I’m
Gideon.” The male’s deep voice punctured through the canopy of branches.

Xavier
pressed a soft kiss to her temple and threw her a half smile. Looking up at him
from under her lashes, she couldn’t help but to reciprocate.

“You
are exactly as Daisy described you.” Another soft giggle. “Your most recent
conquest told me all about you. Are you on guard duty at the moment? I don’t
see the princess anywhere.” There was a pause and a shuffling of boots. Esral
assumed that Glendril was looking around for her. Xavier’s arms tightened
around her as her heart picked up speed at the prospect of Glendril finding
them.

Gideon
didn’t respond.

“Handsome
and mysterious I see. I would like it very much if you came with me now,
Gideon. I have to say that you are looking a little thirsty. My flower has
filled with nectar just looking at you.”

Esral
had to bite her lip to keep from giggling. She had always seen Glendril as
quiet and sweet. Boy was she way off the mark. There was a long silence.
Xavier’s eyes were silvery in the darkness of the canopy. Even though he held her
with infinite care, his big body was poised and ready.

Heavy
boots shuffled and Gideon growled softly. If Esral didn’t know any better she
would say that he sounded aroused.

“I
can see that you like my breasts,” Glendril whispered

“So
plump. Are all elven females built this way?” The male was definitely aroused.

Glendril
made a husky noise of agreement. “Although, I have been even more blessed than
the average female.”

“I
never thought I would say this but maybe you should put them away before
someone comes.” Another low growl. “I am tempted to take you up against this
tree.”

“We
could slip in there…” Glendril gasped just as Xavier tensed against her. Esral
was sure that Glendril was referring to where they were standing.

“Oh
yeah, big boy, your root sure is hard and so very big.” There was a shuffling
of fabric.

Xavier
shook his head and rolled his eyes. Esral bit down on her lip to keep from
laughing. It was so wrong to be listening in on this conversation.

Gideon
groaned. “I am not a boy.”

“That’s
for sure. Not with a dick the size of a tall oak. I don’t think you are a boy,
it is merely a human saying. I like to read books and have picked up a few
things along the way. It is a compliment.”

The
male vampire made a pained noise. “As good as that feels and as much as I would
love to slip behind those branches, I am going to make you scream so it would
be best if you told me where to find your chamber.”

Glendril
had to still be touching him because he groaned even harder. “I will meet you
there when my shift ends in ten minutes. Stop doing that or I will cum in my
pants.”

Xavier’s
mouth twitched. At this point, she had to put a hand over her mouth to keep
herself from truly giggling.