The Vampire's Bride (Atlantis #4)(84)

Alyssa was the only female for him. The one. The forever. No longer could he get hard for anyone else. During his search, many had tried to change that and had failed. A fact he was glad for. He didn't want anyone else, didn't want his body reacting to them. That would be a betrayal to Alyssa and Alyssa was more important to him than breathing.

He just had to find her.

What if she was hurt? What if another man tried to claim her? An unholy fire sprang to life inside him. When mated, a nymph female would desire no other man, but he wasn't sure how vampires handled mating. He didn't know of a nymph who had ever taken a vampire as wife.

Where in Hades was she?

I caused this, he thought darkly. I should be gutted. He had hurt her deeply, and he planned to spend the rest of eternity making up for his behavior. If only he could find her.

There was a sudden bang. A crash. His eyelids popped open. When had he closed them? Shivawn frowned and studied his surroundings. All he could see was nymph warrior after nymph warrior. His frown deepened.

Valerian had the lead and scowled down at him, sword in hand. "Where have you been?"

Better question: where was he now?

His tired gaze moved from the warriors, up, up, to a thatched roof. The scent of hay and horse filled his nose. A rented room, he remembered. He was inside a centaur stable, on the outskirts of the city and as close to the vampire fortress as he could get without actually being inside it.

Just in case she returned. Or her brethren found her.

Damn it. Where was she?

"Shivawn?"

His attention snapped to Valerian, and he eased to a sitting position. Scrubbed the sleep from his face. "Have you seen Alyssa?" he asked without preamble.

"No. Is she missing?"

"Yes. Damn it, yes."

"Where have you been? What have you been doing? You didn't report to me as ordered, and I've been worried."

"I'll tell you." He leveled a pointed glance at the men. They didn't need to hear of his shame. "Once we are alone."

Valerian's jaw clenched and for several seconds he said nothing, did nothing. He loathed being thwarted. That Shivawn knew well, for the king usually killed such offenders.

"Please," Shivawn said.

Finally Valerian nodded and the army pounded from the chamber without hesitation, their boots clomping heavily. "Talk."

They were alone now, but Shivawn suddenly couldn't find the words. He dropped his head into his upraised hands and anchored his elbows on his knees. The sheet covering him slid to his waist and pooled over his flaccid cock. Would he ever be hard again? Alyssa...it twitched.

"Did you learn anything about my soldiers?" Valerian asked, trying to get them started.

"No. They have disappeared, along with two creatures from every other race. No one has seen or heard from those warriors, either. A few even disappeared in front of witnesses, there one moment, gone the next."

"So Poseidon is responsible," Valerian muttered. "Who else could conjure such mischief?"

The gods had ignored them for hundreds of years. But Poseidon, the sea god, had remembered their presence a few months ago and now evidently thought to make up for lost time, subjecting them to all manner of hardships. Bastard. "Do you think they are...dead?"

"If they are, there will be a heavenly war such as even the gods have never seen. But no, I suspect they are being used for something. The sea king's amusement, perhaps."

"Bad things happen when he is bored, I've noticed."

"Yes." Valerian closed his eyes for a moment. "I want to hate the bastard, but I cannot."

"He gave you back your woman," Shivawn said, wishing Poseidon could do the same for him.

The nymph king nodded. He sheathed his sword and strode to the room's only table, a small square wooden mass with low seats that allowed the centaurs to stretch out comfortably. Valerian sat, somehow managing to still appear regal, sprawled out as he now was.

"I will have troops patrol both cities and keep watch."

"Good."

"Now, tell me the rest." Valerian's stare became penetrating.

"The rest?"

"Why you look like - " Valerian's hand waved over him " - death."

"I found my mate," he said. Just like that, Alyssa's image formed in his mind. Silky hair tumbling, face softened in pleasure - face tight with pain - body soft, eager. Body stiff, dejected.

"Ah, that explains it," Valerian said with a chuckle. "You had me worried for naught. The right woman always makes her man suffer, Shivawn. Shaye did the same to me when we first met, as you probably recall. Took me a while, but I finally realized working so hard to attain my prize was a very good thing. Never will I forget how blessed I am to have found and won her. Never will I take her for granted."

If only Shivawn could be assured of a similar outcome for Alyssa and himself. "You worked for Shaye, yes, but she always wanted you. My woman despises me." And gods, she had every right to do so. He had pushed her away time and time again. Year after year. He had hurt her, insulted her, smashed her pride, her femininity. Her heart.

That precious, beautiful heart. A heart he was supposed to protect.

"Talk to her," Valerian advised. "Apologize. Women like that."

"I tried. She ran." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "What am I going to do? I have prayed for a mate forever, it seems. I would watch my friends fall and wish it were me. But I never sensed her, and finally I gave up, only to learn she had been in front of me all along. Now Alyssa has - "