Royally Charmed: A Royal Bad Boy Shifter Romance Read online

  I’ve heard of vampires who can walk in the sun, ones who are centuries old, protected by dark magic, but I’ve never heard of one like that in Sidlow Springs. If he didn’t walk out by himself there’s no other way he could have gotten by me; the airport is too small for an underground car park and there’s a stretch outside before you get the pickup area.

  There is an underground network of caves, tracing through the bedrock of the city and surrounding towns, which run halfway into Blackwater territory. If the vampire knew how to get into those tunnels…

  “You think that’s how the leech gave you the slip?” Trey asks, reading my mind. My psychic shield must be all over the place.

  “I can’t think how else it got away. Have the Pride check the tunnels out, just to be sure.”

  “Vance is on his way there now.”

  “Good. I’m nearly at the lake.” At the end of a dirt road I see Trey’s Jeep. It takes less than three seconds to close the distance between us.

  “Is that you behind me? Careful, you’re coming up fast, brother.”

  “Or not fast enough,” I retort, gunning it even more before I overtake Trey, kicking the bike into the highest gear, racing to where the cab is up ahead. I’ve no idea what Trey has been doing all this time. But at least he found her again, that’s all that matters.

  How the hell did he even lose her?

  In two seconds flat, I slip alongside the town car. Not caring if she sees me. There’s no way this cab is legit. It’s speeding faster than a front-wheel drive should, much too close to the lake. With all the mud and debris on the road, it’s an accident waiting to happen. Whoever is driving is doing a shit job of it.

  I ride in as tight as I can and try to see inside. But the glass is too dark. I can just make out the shape of someone in the back seat.

  Steadying the bike, I get ready to smash the rear window, which is hard to do when you’re riding top speed next to a swerving vehicle. But without me lifting a finger, the window shatters, revealing the witch. Glaring at me through the gap with the spiked heel of her shoe raised.

  If looks could kill I’d be so dead right now.

  Wasting no time, I push up my helmet visor and hold out my hand. “Climb out of the window. I’ll catch you.”

  “Where did you—” she starts. Shoe still raised.

  But my back wheel hits a branch or something, and the jolt sends the bike twisting away from the car. It takes a few seconds to wrestle it back under control. I straighten up and reach out, offering her my hand again.

  “Are you crazy?” she shouts.

  “There’s no time. Just grab my hand.” Wind whips her hair into a frenzy, and she shakes her head at me. Ahead, more trees and branches tear at us as the cab drives through bushes, and then veers off into a gap. Out of the sunny lake view and onto a green lane, lined full of shadows.

  We’re going off-road.

  Fuck.

  I wrangle the wheels over the dirt and get as close to the cab as I can. Trying not to splat myself on the door as it wobbles all over the place. Fear and death spice the air. Her fear, and the decay of whatever is in the driving seat. I can just about see it through the opening. A vampire. Not the one I lost in the airport, though he smells the same.

  He turns and hisses. Reaching back to grab the priestess’s legs as she kicks frantically, throwing her shoes at him. He claws at the bodice of her dress, scratching dangerously at her neck, hissing as stray light on the back seat coming in from the broken rear window burns him. He dodges it, and almost grabs hold of her, trying to drag her towards him. I’m helpless to anything about it, unless...

  Crazy or not, we’re doing this.

  I ride forward and hit the front side window until it breaks. There’s nowhere for him to hide this time as the sunlight streams in and catches him on the side. He bursts into flames, screeching loudly, driving straight for a corpse of trees. My lion doesn’t like where we’re headed and rumbles at me to do something about it.

  I drop back to the rear window and hold out my hand. Again.

  “Trust me!” I shout, hoping she sees something in me to do just that.

  Her grey-green eyes lock on me—wide and wild.

  And then she’s crawling on her hands and knees along the backseat towards me. Her hand takes mine through the opening and I tighten my grip, hauling her out of the broken-edged window until she’s clinging to me like a baby koala. Her long legs wrap around my waist as her strawberry hair flies in my face. I can’t see a damned thing.

  “Hold on. I’m taking you somewhere safe,” I say, one arm clutching her close, before turning the bike on a dime and driving back the way we came. Just as the cab behind us, crashes into the line of trees and catches fire.

  There’s only one place I can take her. It’s not the best idea, given who I am and what she’s here for, but there’s no way in hell I’m taking her to the hotel. Not after what just happened. I need to think and re-group, and I need to keep her safe. Just until I can figure this out.

  I do the one thing my lion approves of wholly.

  I drive us both straight to my place.

  The first thing I do after activating every security system, is carry her to my bedroom. Not for any reason other than she’s covered in blood and the nearest room to the garage with a bathroom, is the main bedroom.

  During the slow ride home, I could feel her grip loosening. It took all I had to keep hold of her tight, ignoring her sweet body pressed against mine and the scent of her skin in my nostrils. Trying to pay little attention to the growing tightness in my jeans and the delicious aroma of fresh blood rousing my lion.

  I’m not sure if I want to eat her or claim her—or both.

  My lion needs an ice-cold bath if he’s suddenly interested in a human female. Even if she’s loaded with all kinds of magic, she’s not a shifter.

  My lion’s smitten though. He’s purring like a cat with the cream, wanting to lick every scratch and bloody scrape on her body until she heals.

  Honestly, the sooner I can tend to her wounds, the non-shifter way, the better.

  I lie her carefully on the bed. Gently easing the torn edges of her clothes and hair away from the wounds. There are quite a few. Most are small scratches, but some are deeper. Those around her ankles where the vampire clawed at her. And a large, but not serious, gash on her thigh. She must have cut it crawling through the window.

  I grab a medical kit from under the sink in the bathroom and search inside, pulling out a small jar of a grey-green gel-like substance. I open the lid and take a whiff, and immediately regret doing so.

  It’s not the most pleasant-smelling substance. It’s not even meant for humans. It’s made specifically for lion shifters, to boost our metabolic rate and promote faster healing. It’s only used in extreme circumstances since it also contains a hell of a lot of our pheromones.

  But, it will get the vampire poison out.

  The one that’s already sending her body into toxic shock.

  I clean her cuts first, then put on some gloves to rub the salve into the scratch-like wounds, before bandaging the worst of them. The gash on her thigh isn’t that deep after cleaning and I consider not adding salve. After a small hesitation, I take a huge dollop and smear it on.

  She’s human. It shouldn't affect her the way it does us lions.

  Afterwards, I wash my hands, twice. Even using gloves, I want to be sure every inch of my skin is salve free. It wouldn’t help to be alone in a room with a beautiful female with a load of lion pheromones on my skin.

  As I hunt for something she can wear that’s not ripped or bloodied, a murmur from the bedroom makes me pause. She’s awake already.

  I’ve no idea why, but I was hoping for a few hours to tidy up. Trey stayed here last night, and the place is like pig sty.

  Holding some shorts and t-shirt like an offering, I step back into the bedroom as she gains conciousness. She blinks. Gorgeous as anything. Her dark eyes on me for a moment, all languid and sleepy. Befo
re bolting upright.

  “Who…what are you?” she asks, her hands clutching my pillow.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. You were out cold.”

  “Who are you? Are you the warlock?”

  “I was the one who pulled you out of the cab,” I say, hoping she’ll be fine with that. I’m not about to tell who I really am. Not yet anyway. But I don’t want to lie to her either.

  “You saved me?” she asks, her forehead furrowing in that cute way I’ve already come to adore.

  I half-smile, as my lion preens. “Yes, I guess I did.”

  She stares at me for a few seconds, the glower on her face lifting, until she smiles back. “Oh, thank you so much. I didn’t think anyone would come in time. You were there so fast after I messaged you. One moment I was trying to get out and the next moment, poof, there you were. You must have flown!”

  “It was nothing.”

  She beams and reaches out her hand. Gesturing me to come closer. Patting the space on the bed beside her. “Come closer. I want to thank my white knight properly,” she says, with a giggle. When I don’t move, she flops back on the bed, eyes glazed but still on me. Her smile hasn’t gone but it’s become more of a sleepy grin. “I said, come here.”

  I’m used to girls throwing themselves at me. Lionesses wanting to be my queen. Human girls flirting and putting their number in my back pocket as we exit the VIP section of an exclusive nightclub.

  I am not used to being told what to do by a female.

  “What?”

  “Come here. Next to me. I can’t see you all the way over there,” she commands again, laughing a little. “Oh wow, this sheet is very silky. What is this? It feels sooo nice.”

  Fuck. She’s off her face. How the fates…

  Just at that moment, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Trey or Kaiser, wanting to know how it went.

  “Hold on, I need to take this.” I turn away from her, grateful for the excuse, pulling my phone out. It’s not my brother or the warlock, although I have several missed calls from each.

  It’s my father.

  Damn.

  There’s a council meeting with him this afternoon, for him to represent my claim to the throne and the accusations against me. I’m supposed to be at the palace. Not babysitting an intoxicated witch in place of Kaiser.

  I don’t answer. Instead, I call Trey. Our psychic link only works when we’re in proximity, and I’ve no idea where he is.

  “Cal, what happened? You were meant to be here a half-hour ago.”

  “Where are you?” I ask.

  “At the hotel, the one that the witch is staying at. You were meant to bring her here?”

  “I know that. Look, there’s been a change of plans,” I say as I turn to check on her.

  “Kaiser’s on his way.”

  “Tell him I’ll bring her tomorrow.” She’s spread-eagled, hair tangled across her face, and fast asleep or so it appears. “She’s in no fit state to speak to him right now.”

  “You know what you’re doing right? The Council don’t yet know you’re gone. When they do… If they find out about the witch…”

  “They won’t unless you tell them.”

  “What is it with you and Kaiser? Why is he doing this for you?”

  “Nothing, he’s doing me a favor. Kai knows I’m innocent and is trying to help. That’s all.”

  “I don’t like it.” He growls at the other end of the line. Latent or not, he’s pushing at boundaries he shouldn’t.

  “You don’t have to. You’re not the one accused of murder here, I am,” I snap and hang up.

  I take a minute to calm my rage, pocketing the phone. Then I turn and walk back over to the bed, placing the clothes on the sheets next to the witch. I don’t know if she’s awake, but her breathing is steady, and she smells… relaxed. I inhale, soothing myself her unique and powerful scent.

  My lion purrs, wanting to get closer—to hold her.

  I should leave and let her sleep. Tell her to lock the door. But I can’t move. I don’t know how or why I feel so strongly towards her, or what hold she has over me. All I know is, this is the first time in a long while that I’ve felt the urge to get close to any female.

  It’s freaking me out.

  “How are you feeling?” I ask her.

  When she says nothing, I take a cautious seat on the side of the bed next to her. Lion healing salve can be powerful, but I didn’t think it would affect humans this strongly. I’m worried she might not wake up.

  “I’ll stay for a while, just to make sure you are okay,” I say, watching as tiny breaths puff out from between her lips and her chest rises and falls in rhythm.

  I must have dozed off, because the next moment I open my eyes she’s awake and turned a little towards me. Watching like a curious cat. Eyes as green as the forest.

  I open my mouth and raise my head to move, to say something, but she shushes me and scoots over, placing her head on my chest and tucking her body close to mine. Exactly like the dream I was just having.

  I hesitate, and then put my arm around her. I know there’s a soft smile on my lips because I can feel it tugging at the corners. I don’t know why I’m so goddam pleased with myself. I take a breath, not really caring and tired all of a sudden, and allow my head to rest back on the headboard.

  I’m not ready for the warm hand slipping beneath the buttons of my shirt.

  I open my eyes wide and see a mischievous pair of emerald ones looking up. Hands exploring everywhere under my shirt.

  “What… are… you… doing?” I say slowly. Blinking my eyes open, stopping her hands in mine. “This isn’t—”

  “This isn’t what?” she asks lightly, dangerously.

  Without warning, she sits up and slides one leg over until she’s straddling my waist, leaning over me, bare legs either side. “Hmmm. I thought this would be a good way to show a fellow warlock my appreciation for saving me.”

  I know my mouth has fallen open because I take a few seconds to close it again. I try to frown or be as stern as I can be with a striking red-head riding atop of me. “I don’t think you want to do this.”

  Me not being a warlock and all.

  “You don’t?” she asks, teasing.

  It must be the salve. It can only be the salve.

  But lion pheromones only work on shifters. Right?

  Tell her who you really are.

  I go to say something, but words fail me as I stare deep into her green eyes, which are darker now more of a jade green, and smell her arousal. It’s heady and inviting. As her hips move against me, my lion purrs. He wants her as much as I do.

  Mine.

  It takes everything to hold back as she lowers herself forward. Her hair falling in soft, crimson waves all around. Hiding us from the rest of the world.

  Then her mouth finds mine.

  My breath catches as she licks and sucks my bottom lip. Teasing me. I kiss her back, drunk on the taste and smell of her, as shivers travel up and down the base of my spine.

  I’m so lost.

  My hands come up and grab her by the waist, pulling her down on to me. I can’t help it. She moans, pressing herself against my swollen crotch. A small growl escapes me as I kiss her throat. Then I flip her over onto her back, taking control. I should be gentle, but I can’t. I should stop, but I can’t. I’m straining against my jeans. I want to rip off her dress, to get to that soft, tight, body underneath.

  She laughs as she tugs at my t-shirt, yanking it over my head. Our limbs and tongues entwine as we kiss again, and her nails trail down my back digging into the taut muscles as she makes needy little noises. I’m drowning in her, reveling in the feel of her writhing beneath me.

  We should stop. I should stop.

  You’re not who she thinks you are.

  But her dress has ridden up, leaving only the sheer pink of her panties between us. Her heat entices me in, as she grinds against my hardened cock with one of her long legs wrapped around my waist. I squee
ze her beautiful breasts and massage them over her dress, and bite my lip to stop myself from snarling, to stop myself from tearing her clothes right off.

  Tell her. Fates dammit, Caleb. You need to tell her you’re not a fucking warlock!

  But I don’t remember why I’m supposed to tell her. I know nothing but the feel of her embracing me. The urge to mate with her now too strong to ignore.

  Mine.

  Between my vision flitting from human to lion, and my canines reaching the point of no return, the part of me that isn’t all beast surfaces. My lion hasn't taken full control yet which is a blessing. If he wanted to I doubt I’d be able to stop him. But he seems content to let me lead. Maybe he understands she’s human and much more fragile than any female of our kind.

  I start to say we should stop or at least slow down, but all I manage is a whisper. “Are you sure?”

  Of course, if she’s high on pheromones she’ll say yes. They’re stronger than any known aphrodisiac or love potion. Even for me it would be hard to say no. I can’t even say no now.

  But shifter pheromones won't affect her if she’s human, so what's the problem?

  “I want you,” she all but purrs.

  Music to my ears.

  Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know this isn’t right. But my lion doesn’t give a flying fuck.

  Without pause, my fingers run up and down the front of her dress, undoing every single clasp. Unwrapping the feast within. Mine. Then I tease and nip, and travel hungry kisses from her neck down to where her bra is fastened. Tasting every part of her.

  A small voice in the back of my head tells she is reacting to the pheromones, despite being human. The same voice that tells me the salve on her wounds has rubbed off on me too. That we’re both out of control.

  This is wrong, Caleb, and you know it.

  With great effort, I manage to pull back from her, breathing fast and hard, fiddling with the hook at the front of her cute, pink bra.

  I want to open it. I want to take each one of her perfect breasts in my mouth and suck her perky nipples, flicking them with my tongue, until she’s crying out. I want to tear her delicate panties off with my teeth, lick and taste her until she’s in ecstasy, and then pound her hard until morning.