Princess Ninja Warrior (House of Garner Book 4) Page 21

  “I’m sorry,” I sobbed.

  “Me too,” he cried as he started undressing me. “I’m so sorry we let you get taken.”

  I nodded, trying to form words, but my everything was just too fired and crazy. The next moment I was laid on a picnic table and he was touching me… And he wasn’t the only one. Jaxon leaned in for a kiss, his cheeks wet with tears. Cerdic was kissing my neck and helping Darius. I cried out as I orgasmed, my body completely all over the place, and it was hard to focus.

  “Please, I don’t want to lose me again,” I practically wailed, realizing I felt like when I’d been out of my head from not feeding. I moaned as Darius pushed in me, reaching for him as I sat up and the others moved to circle me. I fumbled about and found Kristof’s hand, not hiding my fear when I locked gazes with him. “I’m losing me.”

  “No, never, we won’t let that happen,” he promised. “We’re here with you, My Princess.”

  I nodded, clinging to Darius and letting him help me through the fire. Jaxon went next, lifting me off the bench and sitting on the ground with me on his lap. I begged him to still love me even if I was a monster now.

  He argued I could never be a monster and no matter how scared of my power I was, he would still think me the most badass princess ever.

  I felt more grounded as he handed me off to my Zen master. Cerdic knew exactly what to say to get through to me, and that I did what I had to because it hadn’t been just me on the line, as everyone—all the way down to little Sammy—relied on me. I nodded, thanking him for loving me and his help.

  “Mate, you need to calm down before I’ll give her to you,” Cerdic said to Kristof.

  I shook my head. “His monster will never hurt me. He loves me too.”

  “He does,” Kristof rasped.

  He pulled me off of Cerdic and plunged into my body before I could even gasp for air. He finished quelling the fire and handled some of his demons at the same time, setting a punishing pace as he fucked me in our favorite position, me wrapped completely around him as he controlled our pleasure.

  I cried out as I climaxed again and again. Finally, he finished and my body lost the last of its energy, slumping against him as he stood and kept me from falling, gently pulling out of my well used body. After a few moments I bit my finger and drew a large heart on his neck.

  “You lost enough blood,” he reminded me, rubbing my back when I whimpered. “You did the right thing, My Princess. I should have chosen my words more carefully.”

  “What did she do?” Darius asked quietly.

  “She used her blood to lure corrupted to our coven, and then pretended to be losing the battle, so Princess Safie of house Darbandi offered her aid while everyone was distracted and could get close enough to her,” Vitor answered, letting me know he was there. “And then she rendered her incapacitated with an electrical charge while drinking her and bleeding her dead.”

  “You never told me that if a princess kills me, she becomes your princess,” I rasped, glancing between Darius and Jaxon. “You said if I die, you die with me, not that someone else could become your wife!”

  “I’d slit my throat before I’d ever let that happen,” Darius choked out, reaching for me. “Inez, we would never be with another princess. Never. I don’t care what the rules of court are. If you die, I die with you!”

  “Agreed,” Jaxon said as he hugged both of us while I was still wrapped around Kristof.

  “Well I’m not being left out of the bloody group hug, you gits,” Cerdic muttered as he joined us. “And no one’s dying. We’re just going to tether you to a really old guy.”

  “She always is,” Vitor drawled. “That’s why it took so long to nab her.”

  “Not helping,” someone snapped, Moon I thought.

  “My apologies, Princess. I never wanted to but I had to obey my princess. I’ve spent weeks conflicted and glad when I couldn’t get you but then punished and knowing I would have to.”

  “Not tonight,” I murmured. “And I’m naked, so piss off.”

  “He’s your noble, my love,” Darius reminded me.

  “No, I can free them, right? They can be like Eddie and part of the coven and not mine?”

  “Why would you ever think to do that?” someone whispered.

  “Because they’re not fucking cars to collect,” I snapped. “Nobles are people, and I don’t just inherit them because I killed the crazy bitch. That’s insane to say that is law or the right thing to do. That’s no better than slavery and I won’t be a part of it. I won’t.”

  “Enough,” Kristof declared firmly. “That’s enough. She said not tonight and to leave.”

  I shook in his arms. “I promised not to take any nobles you didn’t approve of. I won’t just add men I don’t even know. I love my nobles and husbands. I won’t do it.”

  “You don’t have to,” Kristof murmured softly. “You’re the boss, Inez. We’ll explain how to formally release them tomorrow.”

  I nodded. “I want my tree, Kristof. I want to use the rest of this power on our coven tree.”

  “Yes, my love,” he whispered. “Darius, take her there. Tian, Branko, guard them. Jaxon, give orders as her husband to the coven coming in; Sisay and I will back you up. Cerdic, you and Moon inform all the Knights and outposts what has happened and that she is safe. I want a plan by morning to handle this other coven in Canada and end the threats against her.”

  He handed me to Darius and we broke off. Not long later we were at the coven and construction site. He gave me to Branko, as he could leap over subbasements and foundation. I kissed him, not wanting him to feel left out in the reunion.

  “You scared us, don’t do it again, My Princess,” he whispered as he held me tightly.

  Right, like I tried to? Brat.

  He set me on my feet and I knelt at the tree, thanking Aether for the strength and power to have gotten out of there without losing anyone I loved. I swallowed my fears at the power she’d also given me, knowing I never wanted it and wouldn’t use it again, and pushed energy into the tree. It was a fairly large tree, but not as big as the ones at other covens my nobles told me.

  That was fine, it wasn’t size I was going for. No, I could feel the roots reaching out, the land becoming mine and the coven’s. Each time I did this, the diameter of power and reach extended and the circle became bigger. It was why my original dreams and ideas kept seeing the coven as circles.

  I was pretty sure there were some meanings and symbolism there. Simon for one kept teasing me that it was the circle of life. Tears filled my eyes and I lowered my head to the tree.

  “Simon’s really okay?”

  “Yes, he got out and found us quickly,” Branko assured us. “We followed your trail and call down to Mexico, but then her power and the power she’d put into the land of her coven disoriented us and we couldn’t track you. He led the way to get closer, but we could not get through until you killed her and the power charged down.”

  I nodded like it made sense. It sort of did, but it was a hard concept to wrap my mind around.

  Darius tossed over one of the mattresses we kept with our camper for sleeping out and it was the perfect night for it. It got ridiculously hot during the day in June but the nights were nice, especially for laying out under the stars. And it was exactly what I needed.

  I cleaned up with what Darius brought with him and threw on a nightgown. He pulled me to him and we snuggled together. I dozed a bit, exhaustion winning over my racing mind, but I woke when Jaxon joined us. Next it was Cerdic and then finally Kristof.

  Then I could truly sleep.

  I woke with the sun the next morning, my heart heavy with worry and upset. I couldn’t even look at Cerdic and Kristof, and I didn’t say a word but somehow they knew where my head was.

  Kristof grabbed my chin and made me look at him. “Don’t, please don’t even think it.”

  Tears filled my eyes as my lower lip quivered. “People could get you and Cerdic, but they would come for you. I w
ould be trapping you to that hell. Look how they were when they thought they could get your blood but they could get all of you if they kill me. I can’t—”

  He moved his hand over my mouth. “You are upset and understandably so, and I will forgive you for the pain you cause me now because of it. I am not a child, My Princess. I knew this when I told you I wished to give you my oath. I will fight to make sure you live a long, long life and another princess never gets any of us. Fight with us, don’t give up.”

  “Don’t demean our decisions and choices as we would never do that to you,” Cerdic added. “We choose a life with you at you side, knowing the repercussions of that. There are always repercussions. We choose them to be with you. Don’t take that choice from us when it’s what you want. Accept we made that choice to be with you.”

  I nodded, sagging against them. Darius and Jaxon were already trapped, but adding people I loved to the possible hell seemed so selfish. But they were both right. The answer was to fight and not let a princess kill me. It was to remember that everything in life was a risk and they chose this.

  They chose me as much I chose them.

  “The coven did a head count, and none but Safie died,” Jaxon told me, smiling and nodding when I gave him a shocked look. “Injuries only, and all should be fine by today. You saved them as much as you did all of us. You are not a monster.”

  “I don’t even know what I did,” I confessed. “What if I had done it to the vampires there and not the corrupted?”

  “But you didn’t,” he argued. “You’re powerful, and that comes with making unfortunate mistakes but monsters want to hurt and you never do.” He waited until I nodded, cupping my cheek. “What do you wish to do now?”

  “I’m not sure,” I sighed. “A shower. I need a shower and a moment to think. Convene them for breakfast and a meeting. As much as I want to push this back, I don’t think I’ll get that.”

  “No, it would be best to handle it fast, especially with guests from other covens working with us and worries all over the place,” Kristof agreed. He stood, lifting me in his arms. “You can do this. We can.”

  I nodded, hoping he was right.

  I showered and took my time, needing the water to soothe me and my mind. When I finished, I got dressed in something fierce, ready to go into battle that wasn’t going to be a physical fight like last night.

  Tian sighed when he saw me, but I was getting used to Tian always sighing and disapproving. Whatever. He didn’t make shit comments like Kristof used to so I could deal with sighing. It wasn’t like I didn’t have experience with ancient nobles who didn’t like princesses, after all.

  We headed over to Salt Lake and I got my first surprise when the nobles from Hanna’s court were waiting for us… Along with all the visiting nobles of princesses I had deals with.

  “It will help them from doing something stupid out of fear,” Sebastian explained as he gave me a hug. “I am glad you are safe.”

  “Thanks.” I was shocked at the obvious affection, but then again, I think he liked me a lot more after I helped him with Nora. Or when my drunk mouth said too much, but it worked out for him in the end.

  They took up position around the ballroom that was completely stuffed with people, extra chairs brought in and more. I shot a confused glance at Kristof.

  “There are more in the hallways and within hearing range. The coven had thousands and thousands,” he explained. “You only saw and met a fraction of them, the high ranking nobles and families of court.”

  I swallowed a sigh. That was great if they were good or nice people, but if they weren’t… Yeah, fuck.

  I found the three heads of clan that were in charge of Salt Lake City and focused on them first. “I apologize we dumped this all on you and the level of crazy but we weren’t really sure what to do.”

  Glenn dipped his head to me. “Whatever you need, Princess. We’re just glad you’re safe.”

  “Thank you.” I stared out at all the faces, the array of emotions and feelings in their expressions not comforting and distracting. “Your princess is dead and by my hand, so I’m told that means you’re all my coven now. I know you’re scared and worried what that means, but I take issue that a whole coven and certainly sworn nobles can just be passed along like an inheritance.

  “I didn’t go there to conquer and take your land, extend my borders, or try to enslave people. I won’t be party to this insanity that you are all treated as possessions. I did what I had to so I could survive and protect the people I love and have promised to protect. So my first and last act as your princess is to disband your coven.”

  “What? You cannot do that!” someone shouted.

  “I can and just did,” I replied evenly. “I’m so tired of everyone saying I’m princess, I have all the power, I’m the boss, and then giving me these insane lists of what I have to do or cannot do all while most are jealous or hostile towards me for being a princess. Pick. Either I’m powerful and boss, or there are rules someone else is holding me to? And no one is, so this is my coven and my decree.

  “All of you are free, including the nobles. Nothing would upset me more than to know the men I loved were just handed over to the princess if she killed me. That’s disgusting. I release all of you from your obligations to the coven and ridiculous traditions. It’s the fucking apocalypse. We have just a few other problems at the moment. So enough with the insanity.”

  “What if we wish to stay?” someone asked after several long moments of people sitting with that.

  “You will be granted guest status with my coven,” I answered. “For now. No one said you couldn’t join my coven. You can if you want and if we believe you belong with us. It’s your choice though. I’m not forcing anyone to just suddenly be on Team Inez or whatever our team name is this week.”

  “Princess Ninja Warrior,” someone called out, and if I had to guess, it was one of the Begleys as they seemed to like that term best.

  “All of you are free. If you want to go back to your home covens, do it. I have no idea how that all works or if you’d be welcome. If you want to try for a different coven, go, no one will stop you. If you wish to stay as our guests and try to join our coven, the first thing you need to do is understand we are not like other covens. We don’t want to be.

  “We aren’t all about my house or the crazy that seems to be in too many courts. We’re mostly shifters.” I shrugged. “So what? We’re all just people, and if you stay here, you need to understand that. I don’t give a fuck if you’re from this house or that whatever. The only hierarchy is me as princess, Darius and Jaxon as my husbands, Kristof and Cerdic as my fiancés, and then my knights.

  “James Begley and his sister Trisha are my military and tactical advisors. And my knights handle a lot of projects for me. We have treaties and deals with other clans that have outposts all over and we’re working on more. You can stay there but you have to respect that my knight is boss and speaks for me. If you stay here, you have to accept you’re all starting from the same line with me.

  “You don’t just boss around shifters because you’re a noble, or other vampires. That’s what you were born as. To me, you’ve done nothing to earn that privilege or chip on your shoulder.” I nodded over to Moon. “Moon has. He’s super old. Great. You know what I care about? He’s been busting his ass setting up solar farms with what we fix and using his gifts to help us rebuild and save people.

  “So he heads projects for me. He’s earned that status. That’s the way things are here, and if you stay, you agree and accept it. If not, may Aether be with you, and safe travels.” I hardened my eyes and glanced around the room. “But even Aether won’t protect you if you try anything or harm my people.

  “Take your freedom and be smart with it, because if you come back with ill intentions, what I did last night will seem silly compared to what I will do to you and anyone who wishes to harm my people. I’ll give you a chance at a better life, but nothing more, as I am not a forgiving person. So think
seriously and carefully before making a decision, as I may be a wittle baby, but this baby easily took out your princess.”

  17

  Vitor

  From the moment I laid eyes on the one Safie ordered me to abduct, I knew my life would never be the same. She was pure light when the only princesses I knew had been darkness. She was dancing among some shifters, laughing, and playing with them as equals, friends, instead of pets and lesser beings.

  Her beauty was more than skin deep; that was clear, but a beauty she was. Shorter than me by a few inches, no more than five-eight, and with the largest deep green eyes I’d ever seen. Her hair was a palette of browns and shined just as her eyes did.

  I went back to Safie and told her the princess was surrounded, and I could not get her safely without trouble. I tried to report more but she didn’t want to hear it, as I was nothing but the ancient strength and shield she wielded and treated like a dog.

  Just as all her ancestors and disgusting house always had.

  She slapped me for failing her in front of her court and then was rough as she fed, not healing me for hours so the blood dripped out of me. When she went to bed, I had the normal line of women ready to feed and bed me. Safie didn’t care as long as I put her first, and she would never touch me in such a way.

  You don’t fuck your dog, as she loved to say.

  As I fucked the woman whose name I couldn’t even remember, I kept picturing the princess I was sent after. My hips moved faster, my need growing as I saw her instead of the woman who was actually under me. I drank her blood and longed for the princess I had to harm and take away from those she loved.

  Every time I went back, I learned something new about her. Weeks of stalking her under the guise of nabbing her. I answered Safie why I hadn’t, mostly blaming the older nobles from other courts and always accepting my punishment.

  And screwing someone while pretending it was Inez. I started preferring brunettes and those about her size, imagining it was her I made cry in pleasure, her I fed from, and her I would win for myself, not Safie. This young princess had awakened something deep in me. For so long, my life had meant nothing more than my identity as the shield to the coven.