Page 15 of Siege of Blood and Betrayal

When his hands come around my hips, one slides up my chest to my nipple and the other skims over the front of my silk sleep pants.

“I can send them packing and get someone anonymous for you to feed on. Hell, we run the fucking blood trade. I can make a call and have some sent up. Then we can drink deep and fuck until dawn.”

His warm breath dances across my neck, and I close my eyes. “That’s so fucking tempting.”

“Then do it. Jaxon can take the couple away and you can take a night off from being the spoiled prince they expect and just be Z.” His voice is soft and seductive, but not half as seductive as his teeth and lips teasing the skin of my shoulder.

He’s pushing me to the edge and knows it.

He’s always known what buttons to push with me.

“Oh, that my life was my own to lead.”

He bites my shoulder and lets off a gruff chuckle. “Masochist. I’ll give you a moment to settle and then I’ll send them in. Feed well, my prince.”

I collect myself for a long moment and then stare at myself in the mirror. This won’t last forever. Soon my father will call and tell me to come home where I belong. Then I can give up this stupid game and live and feed like a normal man.

But for tonight…

The darkness of the main suite is broken by a swath of light that spills in from the hallway.

The couple that enters has visited me before. The big male is a vampire and can handle my carnal needs. The other male is human and will satisfy my nutritional needs.

The vampire enjoys sharing his partner. The human enjoys the coming together of so many body parts. I enjoy the no-strings mutual gratification of this arrangement.

I don’t even know their names.

When Huntley arranges an evening with them, we call them ‘that couple’.

“It’s good to see you again, sire.” The vampire presses the knuckles of his curled fists together and bows his head. “Where would you like us?”

“Naked and on the bed.”

The human waggles his brows and the two of them hurry deeper into the suite, peeling off their clothes as quickly as they can.

To the outside world, I appear to be the aimless heir to the Vasari family. In reality, I’m in protective custody. Ever since the Berlin seat of power fell to an upstart usurper, my life has been securely placed behind bulletproof glass.

Earlier this summer, we were called to an emergency meeting of the Fondatori rulers and found out Heinrich Rainier and his entire family were dispatched to their final deaths by a transitioned vampire. Father worried what kind of message that would send rippling into the vampire community and began moving me around from penthouse to condo to mansion in the hills.

I can’t go to my favorite places.

I can’t work on any projects within the businesses.

I can’t even go home to the compound because putting the two Toronto royals under the same roof at the same time is a risk we can’t take.

And while I understand Father’s caution, I don’t like it.

It’s been months and I’m bored with playing a defensive strategy. I want to take a more offensive stance.

Father says when we know more about the local transitioned seethes and their intentions, I can come home. Until then, he wants me to stay safe with my friends.

The two men assigned to my protection, Huntley, and Jaxon, are the friends he’s referring to. In truth, they aren’t really friends or even bodyguards—they’re my jailors.

They watch over me, reporting everything back to my father through his chief of security, Bran McCullough.

Now those two are friends.

My father and Bran have been inseparable for my entire life and share a bond I’ve always coveted—that of a Fondatori King and his Sacred Squire.

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