Queen Takes Checkmate (Their Vampire Queen Book 5) Read online

  Groaning roughly, he stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

  Reluctantly, I pulled my fangs out of him, delighting in the way he shuddered and groaned again. “Later. I have business to complete first.”

  He kissed the tip of my nose and then shifted down to his butt to sit against my knees, turning to face the newcomer. :I’ll hold you to that promise.:

  Once upon a time, I might have been embarrassed by the fact that I’d just made one of my Blood come in public, and I’d been damned close to release myself. Even now, it felt like I had two throbbing clits in my mouth, aching for more of his tongue. If I had Daire busy between my thighs, and Ezra torturing my fangs…

  “Fuuuuuck,” Ezra muttered and reached down to adjust himself, already hard again.

  I pushed that image aside and focused on Carys Tylluan.

  She looked nothing like what I’d imagined after reading Gina’s notes. Granted, I had limited exposure to other queens, but everyone I’d met so far had projected elegance and regal beauty. They’d looked young, perhaps in their thirties at most, even though they were several hundred years old.

  Yet here Carys stood before me, dressed in a dowdy men’s tweed jacket, baggy trousers, and muddy boots. A giant equally-scruffy gray owl sat on her shoulder. She was shorter than me and quite stocky. Her hair was cut in a short, no-nonsense pixie. She looked at least forty years old, with fine lines around her eyes and mouth that spoke of experience and laughter and yes, frowns.

  This woman didn’t take shit from anybody.

  So how had she found herself sworn as sibling to House Skye?

  Intrigued, I held out my hand to her. “Thank you for meeting with me, Carys.”

  Her eyes narrowed, but she took my hand and bowed like Guillaume or Llewellyn to kiss my hand, though she didn’t lick my knuckles. The owl flapped its wings and dug in heavy claws to stay in position. Now that Carys was close, I could see deep rips in her jacket from the owl’s talons. And yeah, some white streaks down her shoulder and back that had to be bird crap. “Your Majesty. How can I be of assistance to House Isador?”

  Gina stepped forward. “Her Majesty is offering to make you a sibling to House Isador.”

  Carys glanced at the two Blood on the floor beside me and my alpha at my back. “You’re strong, I’ll give you that. You call good Blood. Interesting Blood. But you’re inexperienced and too fucking young to play with the Triune.”

  My Blood tensed against my knees and Rik felt like solid granite against my back, though none of them said a word. I wasn’t going to argue with her. I was inexperienced. I certainly wanted nothing to do with the Triune. “I’ve had a taste of Triune politics and I want no part of it.”

  She scoffed. “Keisha Skye was not Triune.”

  “I’m not speaking of her.”

  When I didn’t elaborate, Carys arched a brow at me. “Indeed. Then I’m interested in that tale.”

  Even Daire bristled. :She isn’t showing you respect at all.:

  I stroked my fingers through his hair, unconcerned. :I don’t care about politics. I like her.:

  Mehen grunted sourly. :Great. The last thing we need is a grumpy sib.:

  Ezra snorted softly. :Irony’s a bitch, ain’t it, dragon?:

  “I’m assuming you know about Marne Ceresa’s favorite way of communicating with other queens.”

  “She sent you a bloody mirror? I’ll be damned.” Whistling softly beneath her breath, Carys shook her head. “Maybe you can play with the big dogs after all, girl. There’s an empty seat on the Triune. That’s why Keisha came after me.”

  I tried not to bristle at girl, though my welcoming attitude definitely cooled. “What does the Triune seat have to do with House Tylluan?”

  “Absolutely nothing. She didn’t come after my house. She came after me.” Her tone sharpened. Evidently, she liked repeating herself about as much as I enjoyed being called girl. “I have a unique gift that makes me very valuable for a powerful queen with an eye on the Triune. Hell, any strategy, but especially the greatest game of all. We tried to keep it quiet, but some moron blabbed and here came Keisha Skye, demanding we solidify an ancient sibling agreement that no one had cared about for centuries.”

  Intrigued, I tried to think what unique power she might possess. She didn’t feel that strong to me, though I didn’t have much experience on which to base such a judgement. Gina said a queen’s strength was like a weight in the air, but I sensed nothing.

  Carys laughed, shaking her head. “You can’t feel me, right? I don’t feel like I have any power at all, and compared to you, I don’t. But I do have one specific power that can make me extremely valuable to the right person.”

  If she wasn’t strong with power, then she might not be the best sib to hold New York City. I touched Gina’s bond. :I think we need another candidate to hold the city.:

  Gina nodded slightly in agreement and headed for the door.

  I studied Carys a moment, weighing my alternatives. I decided to lay my cards on the table. “I’d intended to ask you to hold New York City in my stead.”

  She recoiled like I’d slapped her in the face and called her a filthy name. “Goddess preserve me, no. Please. I’d rather be burned at the stake or drawn and quartered than ever run a nest this size. I know my limitations. I’d be horrible at running a nest. Absolutely horrible. Any nest, but especially in a city this large.”

  The owl on her shoulder chirped and rustled its feathers, puffing itself up like it was angry. Or excited. I couldn’t tell which.

  Absently, Carys reached up and stroked the owl’s head. It nestled against her neck and started making a whirring sound somewhere between a purr and a dove’s coo. “There, there, Winnie. She doesn’t know. She didn’t mean it.”

  I leaned back against Rik and waited for her to settle herself and the owl, so she could explain what the hell was going on. Rik stroked me, one hand on my arm, the other sliding beneath my arm and up my sweater so he could palm my stomach, spreading his fingers to cover as much of my skin as possible.

  Hunger stirred again, even though I’d just had a taste of Ezra. A taste wasn’t enough, especially after all the shit I’d already done today. I just wanted to go home. Home home, my manor. My nest. I ached for it almost as badly as I ached for Rik to bury himself deep inside me, both fangs and dick.

  An idea sprouted. :Remember how we rode your motorcycles to Kansas City that first time? Do you think we could ride back to Eureka Springs?:

  :If you’d like: Rik nuzzled my throat. :Though I’d rather have you safely in a car.:

  Daire laughed in our bonds. :Better yet, a tank.:

  :No tanks. I want to feel the wind in my face. Surely with all of us together, we’ll be strong enough to make such a short trip.:

  Carys focused on my face, though she was still pale, as if she’d seen a ghost.

  Rik gripped my throat in his teeth a moment, making me moan softly, even though he didn’t puncture my skin. :What about Ra?:

  My face hardened. :I have to face him eventually.:

  “Oh. Oh, my.” Carys stepped closer, drawing a rumbling growl from Ezra and Daire. She jerked to a halt, but then dropped to her knees in front of me. “I’ll swear to House Isador.”

  I leaned forward, searching her eyes, watching for anything suspicious. “Why now?”

  “Whatever you’re planning, I need to be a part of it. You need me.”

  “How do you know?”

  She lifted her hand up to the owl and stroked its head again. “Winnifred tells me things.”

  “Your power is speaking to your owl?”

  Carys snorted and the owl chirped again with a decidedly disgusted tone. “Not at all. She can speak to whomever she chooses. However, she will only speak to people she trusts. Winnie is Blodeuwedd’s avatar and my very good friend.”

  I looked at the owl and inclined by head. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Winnifred.”

  The owl picked up its tail and pooped anot
her stringy white glob on Carys’s shoulder.

  Carys didn’t seem to mind and scratched the bird’s chest. “Oh, she likes you.”

  Daire snickered. :I didn’t know that bird crap indicated friendship. Why haven’t you crapped on anyone, Nevarre?:

  :I’m saving that signal of friendship for our challenge on the green,: Nevarre replied.

  Gina stepped inside, drawing my attention. “Your Majesty, the other candidates are ready for you. How would you like to proceed?”

  Carys scrambled to her feet, the owl flapping her wings and digging in so hard that I winced, though the other queen didn’t seem to mind. “Excellent. Let me show you how my power works, Your Majesty, before we make things official.”

  “How many, Gina?”

  “There are five queens that seem strong enough to make decent sibs, though there are twelve all together still remaining.”

  I looked at Carys again, trying to sense her power and strength, but I still had no idea what she had to offer. “I only want to do this once, so let’s get all the queens in one place.”

  “Even Virginia and Alessandra?” Llewellyn asked, his voice carefully even and without censure.

  “Yes.” My mouth twisted and my stomach tightened with dread. “And the former Furies. I’ll get all the unpleasantness dealt with at once.”

  As I stood, Guillaume came closer and went down on one knee before me. “Your Majesty, your sword waits only for your orders.”

  Llewelyn and Mehen both joined him on either side. I wasn’t surprised by them. But then Daire and Ezra both pushed away from my knees and joined them. And Nevarre.

  Xin still waited behind me, guarding my alpha’s back, who guarded me. :I eagerly await for your orders, my queen.:

  “And I,” Itztli called from the door, unwilling to leave his post.

  Tlacel added, “My brother and I are ready, my queen.”

  Rik took my hand and lifted my fingers to his lips, drawing my gaze. :If you wish me to give the specific orders, I will do so gladly as your alpha. I will see your will done in all things, especially the unpleasant ones.:

  I cupped his cheek, soaking in each of my Blood’s calm, unquestioning loyalty. They would do anything for me. Even something as distasteful as execution.

  “It’s not distasteful,” Guillaume said aloud.

  I turned, searching his face. “You told me Desideria used you to exterminate entire nests before. I won’t be that kind of queen.”

  “You could never be that kind of queen,” he retorted, shaking his head emphatically. “A queen must protect the nest and her House. Sometimes that involves punishment. Sometimes that involves death. As your Blood, it’s our honor and privilege to assist you in any way possible. Use your weapons, my queen, because we revel in your every wish and command. There’s a reason that your goddess gave you the last Templar knight. There’s a reason She gave you the king of the depths. A silent assassin. A deadly shadow. We’re killers. We’re here to protect you, and we’re here to enact your law. My sword is yours to command.”

  “I thirst for retribution,” Llewelyn said.

  “I didn’t kill nearly enough of these assholes yet,” Mehen growled, his voice deepening with a hint of Leviathan’s roar. “They would have seen you hurt. They would have seen Rik tortured to death for that demon child’s amusement. Let me roast them in hellfire and toss their charred bones into the streets of this fucking city as your warning that there’s a new queen in town.”

  My eyes burned, and I swallowed a giant lump in my throat. “My Blood. How I love you all.”

  They pressed closer, each of them touching me. My twins stayed at their post, but in our bond, I felt Itztli’s black dog press a cold nose to my palm, and Tlacel’s feathered tail curled around my back like a shawl. Closing my eyes, I soaked them in a moment. Drawing on their courage and strength.

  When I opened my eyes, I gave them a fierce, hard smile. “Let’s go finish this, so we can go home.”

  5

  Shara

  With my arm tucked around Rik’s bulging biceps, I paused outside an ornate door. My stomach ached with cramps. I was barefoot, with raw spots on my heels and toes from heels that I wasn’t accustomed to wearing and couldn’t even remember where I’d left them. At least my clothes were clean. Mostly.

  I’d gotten a little of Ezra’s blood on my sweater. I might be the queen of House Isador, but I was still learning how to drink blood without dribbling it down my chin.

  :I love it when you wear my blood,: Ezra growled in our bond. :Wear me every day.:

  The rest of my Bloods’ bonds vibrated with their instant agreement.

  I didn’t want to be announced. This was my fucking building now. I didn’t need to shout our house names. Until these former Skye sibs formalized a bond with me, I’d still allow them to leave. Gladly. I didn’t want anyone to stay out of fear.

  I gave a nod to Llewellyn and he pushed the doors open without a word. My Blood entered the room in pairs, taking up positions as they saw fit to protect me. As Rik and I stepped through the door, Llewellyn fell into step on my opposite side. He didn’t reach for my arm, so I looped my arm through his and tugged him closer. I wanted them to know exactly why he was with me. I glanced up—way up—and smiled at him. I still couldn’t get over how tall he was.

  Which lead to some interesting musings as we walked toward the waiting large easy chair my Blood had moved here for me and Rik. If Llewellyn’s dick was as big as he was tall…

  He laughed softly in our new bond. :I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in that regard, my queen.:

  A small group of queens and their Blood waited on my right as we walked in. I didn’t look at them as we passed, but I tried to use my other senses to gauge the power in the room. I still didn’t really feel anything, especially nothing like rocks in the air, as Gina had described another queen’s power. I did feel a bit of soundless vibration humming through the air. Rik sat down and widened his thighs, drawing me into the cradle of his body, and I lost the sense of anything except the feel of his warmth against my back.

  I didn’t say anything, but took my time looking over the people gathered before me. Vega and Keisha’s other former Blood stood on the other side of the room. They stared at the floor, sweat shimmering on their skin. Even ten feet away, I could smell their fear and anxiety. Good. After everything they’d done, they should be afraid of what I would do.

  As Carys walked in, flanked by my twins, a few of the watching queens whispered among themselves. When she came to stand on my left hand side, with Gina on my right, the whispers abruptly silenced.

  “Let’s get the worst over as quickly as possible,” I finally said. “Vega, bring your group to stand before me.”

  The former alpha flinched but gave a sharp jerk of her head to her comrades. The closer she came to me, the more she slunk. Shoulders and head down, she dropped to her knees a few paces away. The rest of Keisha’s Blood followed suit, including the one Blood who’d planned to feed on Daire in the elevator. Though I couldn’t remember her name. Was she a friend of his?

  :Lissa,: My normally cuddly, purring warcat let out a vicious snarl in our bond. :Show her no mercy, my queen, especially not on my account. I didn’t want her fangs. She would have bitten me anyway and stolen what is only yours.:

  “Do any queens present wish to claim some of these former Blood as their own?”

  The other queens shifted nervously, but no one immediately answered. I didn’t have to have a blood bond with any of them to know what they were thinking. If they claimed one of Keisha’s Blood as their own, would they share in that Blood’s fate? I couldn’t make any promises in that regard, but it would definitely tell me which queens were willing to overlook past sins. I was willing to forgive much, but not torture.

  One of the queens stepped forward, taking on the role of spokesperson. “Your Majesty, may we ask a few questions first?”

  I inclined my head. “Who are you?”

  “Ale
ssandra Sito.”

  She was one of the queens that Llewellyn had warned me about. She said her name proudly, as if her house was important. I had no idea of the significance of her name. I started to reach for Guillaume’s bond, hoping my Templar knight would know, but it was Daire’s bond that sparked first.

  :She’s related to Marne Ceresa and is descended from Demeter, the Greek equivalent of Ceres.:

  :He speaks correctly,: Guillaume added. :Well done, young Blood.:

  Daire blushed and purred contentedly. :The relationships between the ancient houses has always interested me.:

  She did resemble the perfect golden goddess image that Marne Ceresa displayed so well. From her designer stilettos to the diamonds around her throat and her perfectly coiffed blonde hair, Alessandra looked like she’d walked off a magazine cover for America’s rich and famous. Even her nails were impeccably painted and glittered with tiny jewels. “Ask your questions.”

  She arched a brow at me, as if she didn’t like my informality or my briskness. “What are your plans for us? For this nest? Because I can certainly take some of these Blood myself to help guard the tower.”

  Her arrogance set my teeth on edge. Even if Llewellyn hadn’t warned me of her, there was no way in hell I’d ask her to be my sib. “You may take any of these Blood that you wish, but none of them, or you, will be guarding so much as an outhouse, let alone my nest.”

  Her chin tipped up, her eyes flashing. “You must not know who I am, because I don’t understand how you could possibly select anyone else to run a nest of this size. Unless you intend to live here, of course.” She let her gaze flick over my jeans and huffed out a derisive laugh. “Which I hardly see as likely, given how you’re dressed. The queen of New York City has a high level of elegance and class to live up to. Skye Tower hosts events all year long, from fashion shows to charity galas.”

  I concentrated on taking a deep, even breath, and another, before saying softly, “Isador Tower. I have no intention of living in New York City, but if I wish to attend any event in this fucking city, I will do so. In whatever attire I wish. Because I am the fucking queen of New York City.”