Blood Prince [Wolf Creek Pack 4] (13 page)

After five hundred years of being privileged, it was hard to remember that he only had his position because of his birth order. Adrianna could have easily been first born. She was still considered royalty but not leadership.

That always confused Zacarius. Being born first did not make someone a good ruler. Compassion, understanding, and wisdom did, plus a whole lot of experience. He never understood why people thought he would be a good ruler just because he was born first.

Zacarius always believed covens should choose the leader out of the best of them but no one would listen to him. Everyone seemed adamant that the first born ruled, no matter how much he protested. Eventually, he just got used to it.

“So,
prince,
what now?” Devlin asked.

“Now we take you inside and introduce you as my royal consort.”

“Well, that should be cheery.”

Zacarius rolled his eyes. Devlin had a unique sense of humor that Zacarius only recently discovered. The funniest things seemed to amuse him. Zacarius couldn’t remember laughing as much as he did in the last couple of weeks.

He’d done a lot of things in the last two weeks that he never remembered doing before. Devlin seemed to be at the center of it all. The man fascinated Zacarius, the way he thought, the way he looked, and the way Devlin did just about anything.

The sex was out of this world, but it was more than that. Zacarius truly enjoyed the time spent with Devlin. He seemed intelligent, well read, and willing to listen to both sides of an argument. He’d make a good consort.

Zacarius looked forward to having Devlin at his side as they ruled the coven together. Granted, Devlin’s position would be that of royal consort, but when alone, Zacarius would have Devlin as his equal.

“Ready, my darling?”

Devlin shrugged as if he didn’t care but Zacarius detected a twinkle in his eyes that said he was about to say something to totally unsettle Zacarius’s world. He could hardly wait.

“If I’m not, will you take me upstairs and hold me while I find my courage to face your coven?”

Zacarius’s lips twisted as he tried to retain his laughter behind them. Devlin was one of the most courageous men he knew. He didn’t have to find his courage. It was naturally inbred in the werewolf.

“How about a blow job when we’re done instead?” Zacarius asked.

Devlin’s eyebrows shot up but his eyes gleamed with interest. “Me or you?”

“Why not both?” Zacarius winked at Devlin. “Besides, I haven’t eaten since we left Wolf Creek. I’m hungry. We could kill two birds with one bite, so to speak.”

Devlin’s skin flushed. The muscles in his jaw tightened. He looked ready to pounce. “Fuck the damn birds,” Devlin gasped. “You’re going to kill me, and before anyone in your coven has a chance to.”

Zacarius growled. “If anyone touches a hair on your head they’ll have to answer to me.”

Devlin patted Zacarius’s chest. “Calm yourself, my prince. I’m a lot heartier than you think. It would take an awful lot to take me out.”

Zacarius reached up and pushed a stray tendril of brown hair back from Devlin’s cheek. “Be that as it may be, I don’t even like thinking about it, my darling. I’ve waited too many years to find my mate to lose you anytime soon.”

“You’re not going to lose me, my prince.” He reached out, lacing his fingers with Zacarius. “Now, don’t you have a consort to introduce to your coven? ‘Cause I have a blow job coming and I’d like to get to it.”

Seeing the amusement in his eyes, Zacarius laughed. Devlin grinned. Zacarius knew Devlin didn’t understand the captivating picture he made. The sunlight hit his brown hair just right, giving it a soft glow. His face softened with his laughter. His copper eyes sparkled.

This was how Zacarius always wanted to see his mate, happy and carefree. Devlin’s mere presence gave him joy and he promised himself he’d never take it for granted. He’d been given a cherished gift and almost lost it. Zacarius wouldn’t waste this second chance.

Zacarius tugged on Devlin’s hand and pulled him into the mansion. He tried to see the place through Devlin’s eyes and realized that his mate walked into a world he didn’t have any experience with.

Besides the fact that Zacarius lived in a huge fifteen bedroom mansion with several other vampires, the place must seem almost gaudy to Devlin. Priceless works of art hung on the walls. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Vampires in various top of the line designer evening wear strolled here and there, assuming they weren’t lounging on gold gilded furniture that date back centuries.

Devlin wore faded black jeans and a black cotton shirt.

Zacarius glanced down at his own outfit. He wore his usual garb of black leather pants, a white frilly shirt, and a knee-length black overcoat. His boots, made of the finest leather, cost more than most people spent on rent.

Zacarius grimaced. He could admit it. He was just a tad bit spoiled. He liked the finer things in life like fancy custom-made clothing, servants to clean his house and keep it running, and the fawning of his subjects. It was good to be prince.

It also suddenly made him feel useless and lazy. Besides his diplomatic duties and the running of his coven, Zacarius doubted he ever put in a hard day’s work. He could feel the calluses on the hand that gripped his, telling him that Devlin knew nothing but hard work.

Maybe he needed to take his coven into the new world? Maybe the time had come for them to stop depending on their genetics and years of investments and actually start working for a living. It was something to think about at least.

Zacarius wanted his mate to look upon him with pride. He wanted to look his mate in the eyes and know he could do so with self respect and a self-assurance that he earned the things he had.

That didn’t mean he would give up the luxuries that came with being the prince of his coven. There were too many benefits that he wanted to share with his mate, and maybe spoil him a little. Devlin deserved it.

“This place is really big, Zac,” Devlin said as they walked down a long hallway. “It’s going to take me a month just to figure it all out without getting lost.”

“You want me to assign someone to lead you around?”

“You can do that?”

Zacarius grinned, glancing over at his mate. “My darling, there isn’t much I can’t do.”

 
Devlin quickly shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. I’ll sniff my way around if I have to. I don’t relish the idea of being led around.”

“Especially if it’s a bloodsucker doing the leading?”

Devlin’s face flushed.

Zacarius patted his hand. He knew it would take more than a couple of weeks to lessen centuries of animosity between vampires and werewolves. At least Devlin seemed willing to try. Zacarius wasn’t so sure he could say the same about his coven.

Stopping outside the large red double doors that led to the great hall, Zacarius turned to face Devlin. He cupped his mate’s face with both of his hands and leaned up to place a small kiss on Devlin’s lips.

“We’re about to go inside and introduce you to my coven as my consort.”

Devlin’s forehead wrinkled. “I know.”

“I want you to know that the feelings of my coven are not my own.”

Devlin grinned. “Are you trying to tell me the other kids on the playground may not want to play with me?”

“That is a distinct possibility, my darling.”

“I don’t care, Zac,” Devlin replied. “I’m not here for them. I’m here for you. I could really care less what they think of me. It has nothing to do with what is between you and me. I only care what you think.”

Zacarius’s eyes widened just a bit. While it wasn’t a declaration of undying love, it was one of the nicest things anyone ever said to him. It made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It also made him very aroused.

Zacarius frowned, cursing the fact that he needed to take Devlin into the great hall instead of upstairs to their bedroom where he could ravish his mate. A meet and greet party was not what he wanted right then, unless it included just the two of them.

“Let’s get this done so I can take you upstairs and show you how this kid plays on the playground.”

Devlin’s eyes glowed and he growled, sending a shiver of delight up Zacarius’s back. He grinned and turned to open the double doors leading into the great hall, one hand reaching back to take his mate’s hand.

The noise level in the great hall fell nearly silent the moment the doors opened. Zacarius glanced around, noting the presence of most of his coven. There weren’t actually that many of them, maybe a hundred members in the entire coven. They hid their numbers well.

And every member present stared at Devlin with distain and mistrust. Zacarius knew his coven wouldn’t take his news easily, but he hoped it wouldn’t be impossible to integrate his mate into the coven. His mate wasn’t leaving.

Zacarius walked up to the small stage area set off to one side and pulled Devlin up beside him. The waves of hostility aimed at the stage would have staggered a weaker man. Instead, Zacarius drew himself up to his full height and cast a haughty look out over the crowd.

“I’ve asked you here to inform you of a bit of news,” Zacarius said. “I want it noted that I am doing this as a courtesy to you. I am in no way required to inform you. I’m doing this because I care about the wellbeing of my coven.”

Zacarius paused for a moment, his eyes meeting as many of the ones looking back at him as possible.

“However, that being said, this will not be up for debate. Devlin Morgan, formerly of the Wolf Creek Pack, is my mate. As such, he is now my royal consort and will be treated accordingly.”

The gasps, horrified hissing, and outright cries of denial he expected. What Zacarius didn’t expect were the few people that started laughing. He really didn’t think the situation was all that amusing.

“Surely you jest, Prince Zacarius,” someone in the crowd called out. “We can’t allow a shifter into our coven. It’s just not done.”

Zacarius opened his mouth to reply but the arguments from the crowd drowned him out. He felt his anger beginning to build in the tension in his shoulders. Zacarius took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. It wouldn’t do for the prince of the coven to lose his temper.

A small squeeze to his hand brought Zacarius’s attention to his mate. He glanced over at him to see an amused glint in Devlin’s eyes.

“I could always shift and eat them.”

Zacarius bit his lip to keep from laughing. His mate just made the situation humorous for him. “I do not believe that would solve our problems in the long run, my darling, no matter what the immediate benefits are.”

Zacarius turned back to the crowd and held his hand up until silence reigned in the room once more. “As I have said, this is not up for debate. Devlin and I have already mated. It is done. There will be no more discussion about it.”

His lips pressed together at the angry glares his coven gave him. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but he refused to back down. Devlin was his mate and nothing would change that now, even if he wanted it to, which he didn’t.

“I expect Devlin to be treated with all the respect due a royal consort. Any transgression against him will be a transgression against me and will be dealt with appropriately. Is that understood?”

Eventually, everyone nodded, some bowing respectfully but most just nodded. Zacarius knew it would take time for his coven to accept Devlin. No one wanted to be in a place where they had no friends, surrounded by enemies at every turn. He just hoped his mate would stick around long enough for them to get through it all.

Zacarius grabbed Devlin’s hand once again, prepared to pull him off the stage an out of the room when a voice from the back of the room caught his attention. He turned and looked when a thin strawberry blond haired man pushed his way to the front of the crowd.

Zacarius recognized him right away. Stefan looked anxious but as if he wanted to say something and he didn’t quite know how to. His eyes kept moving wildly about the room. “Go ahead, Stefan.”

Stefan cheeks flushed. His eyes fell to the floor for a moment before looking back up at him. Zacarius knew he was horribly shy, but the desperation in his eyes screamed loud and clear.

Zacarius released his mate’s hand and stepped down from the stage to stand in front of Stefan. He rested his hand on Stefan’s shoulder to give the man courage. “It’s okay, Stefan. Say what you want to say.”

“Do you think there might be more mates among the shifters?” Stefan asked as his eyes strayed past Zacarius to land on Devlin then glance around the room again.

Zacarius smirked. “I have no doubt, Stefan.” He gestured over to Devlin. “I found my mate there, didn’t I?”

Stefan’s smiled wavered then grew larger. “Yeah.”

“Maybe I should discuss some sort of get together with the alpha of Wolf Creek Pack to see if we have any other mates among us?” He glanced over his shoulder to Devlin. “What do you think, my darling?”

Devlin crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the blond haired man. He looked intimidating, scary. Zacarius frowned, ready to tell his mate to go easy on Stefan. It took the guy a lot of courage to stand up in front of his entire coven and ask that question.

Then Devlin stepped down from the stage and stood next to Zacarius. His arm settled around Zacarius’s shoulders and a smile crossed his lips as he gazed down at Stefan.

“I believe that is a wonderful idea,” Devlin said. “Thank you for suggesting it, Stefan.”

“Oh, but I didn’t—” Stefan stammered, his face flushing.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Stefan,” Devlin said. “I’m sure that Zacarius appreciates those in his coven that have enough courage to come forward and ask the question everyone is thinking but no one wants to ask. I commend you on your bravery.”

“I’m not brave.”

“Nonsense,” Devlin replied. “I’m sure you’ve never seen a shifter this close, have you, Stefan?”

“N—no.”

“And yet you stepped forward anyway?” Devlin slowly reached over and patted Stefan’s shoulder. “Even in a werewolf pack that would be considered brave.”

Stefan’s faced flushed more, but this time it was accompanied by a large grin at Devlin’s praise. Zacarius felt pride flow through him, both at Stefan’s bravery in the face of his fear and at the way Devlin handled it. His mate would make a great addition to his coven.