Torn between mates

4. A Deal with the devil

A/N: 

~ IMPORTANT: the scene in the 1st Prologue was only an excerpt (from a future chapter). Here Lea is still 17 and she hasn’t met her vampire mate yet. In fact, everyone still thinks that Richard is her one and only mate. 

I'm sorry if you guys got confused. If you have any questions, just write me. :) 

Richard 

Fuck damnit!! A vampire has her! There is nothing I hate more than these bloodsuckers and now I need to make a deal with the Devil to have her back. Making a Deal with King Laius, the actual Devil, would be much easier and less torturing than needing to ask the Vampire King, Alexus, for a favor. 

“We could rather just attack them and get her back,” I growl, my wolf is edgy and on the verge of taking control. 

But I can’t do it. I need to have the full use of my rational side to rescue my mate. I can’t let my beast guide me. My beast wants blood, wants to kill something, everything that is between us and our mate, that is harming her. I can’t have it now, I’ve to think straight. 

“That would take much longer than speaking with King Alexus. I know how much you hate Alexus. He took him away from me too! I also despise King Alexus more than anyone else, but we need to remain level-headed and think about Lea first.” Sarah pleads. 

Her hazel-brown eyes are also glowing, she is very worried, and I can feel that her wolf is on the surface, but she is still in control. Females have much more control of their guttural instincts than us males, especially dominant males. Especially than the f*****g Alpha King, what I am. 

Alphas were not made to be level-headed, we were made to protect our pack, eliminate any and every harm that could come to our packmates. In my case this duty and natural call were much broader, I was made to protect the whole species and all instincts of my almighty beast tell me to do so. 

I know Sarah is right. But I am edgy and feral, as any Alpha would be, especially when it comes to our mates. My wolf only wants to run to her, protect her from any and all harm, have her safe and by our side. He also wants the blood of the ones who dare to hurt what is ours. 

“What if the nasty bloodsucker that took her is working with Alexus? What if Alexus knows about Lea’s abduction and doesn’t care? What if Alexus is doing this to provoke me?” I growl at Sarah, my voice raw and powerful, reverberates through the walls of the Pack Castle and makes the structure vibrate slightly. 

“I doubt he would do it. Lea is the sister of the King of Hell’s mate. He wouldn’t provoke King Laius this way, not even King Alexus is this reckless, Richard.” She reasons.

“Why is she not here yet?” I ask Sarah the millionth time about Cassandra, Sarah’s witch friend who is supposed to come here and portal me to Alexus’ presence. 

 “She will be here at any minute… I know that is a lot to ask, Richard. But please calm down and keep your wolf at bay; if you snap or attack Alexus, it will only escalate things and not help to bring Lea back. That is our best chance to have her back before….”

I cut her off with a loud growl. Just thinking about what that leech could be doing to my mate, drives me and my wolf mad. I am half shifting now; I can feel my canines growing and my hands are getting furry and becoming paws. 

“Just think about Lea. Calm yourself, both man and wolf. Remember, if you don’t keep yourself together, it will only endanger Lea more.” Sarah says as she comes near me and pats my shoulder in reassurance.

We see a burst of light and Cassandra enters the Pack Castle’s Hall. I exhaled sharply. 

“Let’s go, we’ve no time to lose.” She grins Sarah a small smile, nods to me and we go through the Portal that she opens. 

Cassandra is like me, not someone of many words. She just does what she is supposed to. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3rd Person POV

Liv is at the house she shares with her 3 mates, the King of Hell, Laius; the Wizard King, Avalon, and the Elf King, Elric. 

Laius places Liv on top of the kitchen island and starts kissing her passionately. She opens her legs, and he settles himself between her thighs, holding the nape of her neck to deepen the kiss. Liv moans into their kiss, as she feels wetness leaking from between her thighs. After 9 years since they completed their mate bond, her mates still have a huge effect on her, and her body responded to them fervently. She could feel their bond and her desire for them growing with time, especially lately. 

“I call smell your arousal, Sugar. What will we do about it, huh?” Laius asks, flashing his mate a dimpled smirk.

She moves closer to him and mutters against his lips, “Well… you better take care of it, Devilicious since it’s your fault.” 

Laius captures her lips with his again and utters through the mind link of their mate bond “You are such a naughty Kitten.” 

Liv also can feel his lust, need, and longing to have her through their bond. She sends him an image of last night, of them making love in the bathtub, to tease him. 

“Sugar, you are such a teaser, you will be punished for that.” He says, smirking through the bond, without parting their kiss. 

Liv pulls away and places her palm on his chest to avoid that he takes her lips again, her eyes get hazy. He knows that she is mind-linking someone, and since she only has a mental link with her father, Maximus, Laius knows that he is the one linking his female. 

It isn’t the same as the mental connection shared between mates, when mates share words, feelings, or images using their minds, their eyes don’t get hazy or any physical change is there to clue their exchange. 

Mates share a soul, and they are a constant presence in each other’s mind; having mental communication with a mate is just like thinking but directing the thoughts to your mate. 

Liv’s eyes recovered their deep sapphire color and she focuses her attention back on Laius, “My father just mind-linked me, Lea was kidnapped again. Apparently by a vamp.” She sighs deeply. “That is becoming a habit of hers.” 

Liv uses her twitched sense of humor when she is stressed out and now definitely is one of those moments. 

“Richard has already tracked her…” Liv says, her voice laced with concern.

“We will bring her back, Sweets.” Laius tries to reassure his mate as he embraces her in a hug. 

“I am telling Elric and Avalon what happened.” She says and Laius nods in response. “Then we have to join Richard and figure out a way to bring her back fast,” Liv adds. 

 “You can’t go like this.” He says parting their hug and looking intently at her blue eyes.

“Why not?” Liv asks c*****g a brow at him.

“You are aroused, they will be able to smell you. I don’t want anyone else smelling what is mine.” 

Liv sighs in response, her playful mate had such good timing to get all possessive. “Just my mates will be able to smell it, the scent will be too subtle, not perceptible for others.” She matter-of-factly tells him. 

“Wolves will be there, and they can smell anything. Vamps also have a very strong sense of smell.” He states.

“So, what we will do then? We don’t have time, Laius! I need to rescue my sister.” Liv says impatiently. 

From all the times he could choose to go all possessive ‘Alpha Male’ on me, he had to choose that exact freaking moment. Well, my males were quite possessive, protective, and edgy lately anyway. But now the priority is Lea and not their Alpha male issues. They have to get a grip, for the ´Goddess of overbearing mates´ sake! Liv thinks.

“I will be fast. 2 minutes, it’s just the time for Avalon and Elric to arrive here anyway.” He answers, flashing her a mischievous smile. She just wanted to push him away now, it was no time for games.

“What are you planning to do in 2 minutes?” she asks puzzled and a tad irritated. 

“Lick you clean,” Laius replies as he lifts her skirt and rips her panties off.

He goes down, spreading her legs open 

“Seriously….” She finishes her sentence with a moan, as he captures her lower lips in a scorching kiss, sucking and licking her clit, teasing her. 

Laius fulfills his words and after 2 minutes, his mate is already undone in his arms in the high of her climax after-shock. Liv hears her phone ringing and answers the call of a very distressed Cali.

“Liv, Liv…” Cali mutters.

“Cali, what happened? Breathe… breathe slowly.” Liv says.

“It’s your mom, she fainted, and she seems to be in a lot of pain.”

“Damnit, it’s the blood spell. I’ve to get there now.” Liv replies.

“Okay,” Cali says before hanging up the phone, her voice isn’t louder than a whisper.

Elric arrives in a flash and wraps his mate in his arms. 

“Sugar, you should go to Mel. I’m going to rescue Lelea with Avalon and Elric. Don’t worry, we will bring her back home.” Laius utters. 

Liv flashes him a look of hesitancy, she also needs to go to help her sister. Make sure Lea is safe and sound. 

“Yes, love. He is right. Only you can help Mel now, by giving her a droplet of your blood.” Elric adds. 

Taking a drop of a close relative’s blood could mitigate the pain of the one who cast the blood spell; however, Mel would only feel completely better after having Lea safe and reunited with her. 

“You are right… but I have to help Lea too.” Liv replies.

“We can do it, Baby. Go to see Mel, she needs you.” Avalon chimes in, taking Liv’s hands in his, few seconds after he arrived.

“Okay.” She sighs sadly. 

“We will bring her back, Little Mate. Rest assured and try to don’t stress yourself.” Avalon says, before tilting her chin up and pecking her lips. 

“I’ll go help my mom now. But after it, I’ll join you guys and find Lea.” Liv utters with determination. 

Her mates know that it would be hard to convince her otherwise and they were avoiding stressing her out lately. 

Elric shakes his head and sighs; and Avalon exhales sharply, his eyes change from green to grey, as it happens when he is tense. 

“Alright, Sugar,” Laius replies. 

Liv portals to Avalon’s castle, to see Mel.

“We have to bring Lea back home fast before Liv can get there and put herself in danger,” Elric says. Avalon nods his agreement. 

“That’s what I was thinking as well,” Laius adds. 

~ * ~*~ * ~

Richard

We arrive at the border of the Vampire Realm. As I have imagined, there is a spell protecting it against other species, preventing anyone who isn’t a vampire to enter this Realm. A spell too strong for Cassandra to break by herself. I call one of the vampire warriors that I can see from this side of the border. The leech comes in my direction. 

“I am here to talk to your King. It’s an urgent matter and a matter of his interest.” I announce with a growl. I couldn’t control myself or my wolf.  

The blasted leech doesn’t move, only looks at me as if I am speaking a foreign language, he has no clue about. 

“Your King wouldn’t be pleased knowing that important information he needs is being kept from him, due to the incompetence of one of the border warriors,” Cassandra says calmly. The leech nods at her; and his eyes got foggy, he should be mind-linking someone.

“My King has no matter to discuss with you, stay clear of our borders.” Another leech seemly of a higher rank comes using a portal device and says those words formally, coldly.  

I growl, I can feel my fangs go down again. Cassandra places a hand on my shoulder trying to reassure me. She must know how physical touch can affect wolves, calming us down. I breathe deeply, trying to put myself together; I picture Lea’s sweet face and her innocent amber eyes to help me. I have to do it for her. 

“He doesn’t know what it’s about yet. But this matter concerns him. If he doesn’t want to have an issue with the other Kings.” I say staring at the high-ranked bloodsucker. 

He narrows his eyes at me, “You better don’t threaten us in our own territory mutt.” 

I hold back a feral growl. The vampire looks distant, he must be linking someone, soon he nods. “Wait in here, you won’t enter our territory.” He says bitterly as if he didn’t want to say those words. Us wolves and the Blood Suckers have a big and old feud. 

Soon Alexus, the Vampire King, arrives using another of those portal devices. Vampires can’t portal themselves, they don’t have such a magical ability, just like us wolves. But apparently, they are compensating it with many of those devices. 

Alexus's expression is emotionless, as usual; his pale face is frozen as he stares at me. “What do you want?” 

“One of your leeches took my mate. I have the location; they are somewhere inside your Realm. I want your help to get her back.”

“Why would I help you?” He asks without blinking, in a bored tone.

“Otherwise, we will have a War,” I growl at him. I can’t contain my hate and rage towards this monster. 

Just looking at him makes my wolf agitated, out for blood. Out for HIS blood. 

“So, the war shall come to be.” He answers nonchalantly. 

I breathe deeply, it f*cking needs to work. Lea has no time to lose. 

“She isn’t only my mate… she is King Laius' mate’s sister, and he wouldn’t be pleased if any harm comes to her. Besides that, my mate’s sister other 2 mates, the Wizard King, Avalon, and the Elf King, Elric, would also be enraged. You would get yourself in a battle against 4 Kings if you don’t help me to retrieve my mate.” I utter, holding back another growl. 

When I said Laius’ name, I got his attention. I knew Alexus always tries to stay on good terms with the King of Hell and hopefully he wouldn’t risk it or risk a war against 4 Realms just to harm me.

He looks at me intently, as if he is trying to read my face. “Interesting… I am feeling generous today. I will help you, but you will owe me something in return.” Alexus says holding his chin and flashing me a small smirk. “You can enter my Realm, but that witch will remain there.” He adds eyeing Cassandra. 

“Fine, I owe you one,” I reply, without even hesitating. There was nothing my wolf and I wouldn’t do to protect our Lea. 

“We will take a Blood Oath on it. I’ll help you to retrieve your female, but I will get to ask you for something in exchange.” He says. 

I was growing impatient, I had no time to lose, what the hell this dastard wants? 

“What do you want in exchange?” I ask growling, what makes him chuckle. 

“That is the beauty of that oath of ours, I still don’t know what I will ask you for and you’ll just get to know it when pay-day arrives.”

What he wants me to do is to sign a blank check. He would have the power to ask me whatever he wanted whenever he deemed to. I could only try to make it a bit better for my side. “I accept it, just putting some limits. What you ask can’t be related to the life, safety, and well-being of my mate and pack, or my crown.”

“My, my. You are very demanding for a desperate man. Seems like you don’t care for this mate of yours enough. You even let her be taken and become another man’s dinner.” He says with another cold chuckle. 

I know he just wants to taunt me but it is hard to control myself, after hearing him say those words. A wave of rage makes my body tremble and I let out a feral growl, I am on the verge of shifting again. I close my eyes and picture my Lea, trying to keep my wolf at bay, trying to put myself together. 

“Put your tale back between your legs, mutt. Your limits are partially accepted, I don’t want your damn crown or your pack of dogs. About your female, my request can’t be about her life.”

“Add her safety to it,” I growl. 

“Fine, Romeo.” He takes a dagger from his cape and slices his palm in a thin cut. I partially shift, making my nails elongate to claws, I cut my palm and place it on his filthy one to seal the oath. “Now, you King of Werewolves Alpha Richard is allowed to enter the Vampire Realm, by me Alexus Skadislavics, King and Master of all Vampires.” After he pronounces those official words, a magic veil is slightly lifted allowing me to pass through the border protection spell. 

I look back at Cassandra, she simply nods at me and says without wasting any words “I will wait here, I’ve my phone with me.” 

“Let’s find this mate of yours, I’m rather curious to see what kind of Dog the Goddess paired you with.” He taunts me again. 

I growl, gathering all the self-control that was slipping away from me like a thin thread about to break. He laughs in response. This hateable man!

I text Maximus immediately, letting him know that I’m already inside the Vampire Realm and on my way to Lea.

I guide Alexus to the place I know my mate is, it wasn’t far from this border. Soon I can smell her and her blood; it makes my wolf stirs inside me. He is enraged, he wants to take control and run to our mate, kill the foul that dared to shed her blood, to hurt her. We are finally in front of a dark and huge mansion, where she is being kept. 

“Here,” I say.

Alexus looks a bit surprised and amused, this f*cking monster.

“Broderick, humm... I didn’t know he was into bitches, that is fascinating.” He mutters. 

I just want to break Alexus’ neck, take his hateful head off of his body. But I shouldn’t, at least not now. I picture my Lea’s pretty face again to calm me and my wolf down.

~ * ~*~ * ~

Maximus

I was by the north border of the Vampire Realm, waiting for news from Richard. The last time he texted me, he said he was about to find her, and that King Alexus was surprisingly more cooperative than one could expect. A flash of green light shined in front of me, and Elric, Laius, and Avalon arrived. 

“Maximus? Where is Lelea?” Laius asked immediately.

It still shocks me how much he cares about my younger daughter. She is somehow like family to him. Avalon and Elric also had expectant faces, but Elric’s expression was much more serene. However, I knew that my King and closest friend was also very worried about Lea. 

“Richard went inside the Realm to rescue her, he said he was about to reach the place she is at. Liv didn’t come with you?”  

“Of course not! We don’t know how dangerous it can be. We can risk her getting hurt.” Avalon answered.

“We talked her into going to see Mel,” Laius added.

It’s surprising that they managed to convince my stubborn daughter to do something. Probably one mate isn’t enough to convince her, hence the Goddess gave her 3.

“What are we waiting for? We must join Richard.” Avalon chimed in. 

“We can’t invade the Realm. There is a magical barrier preventing us to do so.” I replied, glancing at the border. 

“We could break this barrier,” Avalon said after he got closer to the frontier and stretched his arm towards the borderline to feel the magic of the shield. 

“We have to, now!” Laius affirmed. The King of Hell was agitated, and a tad of smoke was oozing off of his body. 

“We can’t invade the Realm and risk starting a war, violating the peace Treaty, Laius. Especially not now.” Elric reasoned. 

I wanted to do what Laius said, get inside this Realm and bring my daughter back home fast, before anything happens to her. But Elric is right and Richard is about to reach her, we shouldn’t act by impulse; it would only jeopardize the Peace Treaty and maybe even put Lea at further risk. 

“We can invade it and then I talk to Alexus. We are on good terms, as we’ve been for centuries now; it won’t be an issue.” Laius said. 

“It would still be a breach of the Peace Treaty, still shows to the other species that we don’t respect our agreement and forcefully break through borders, like invaders, enemies,” Elric added. 

“It doesn’t matter! Lea is in danger! f**k the Treaty!” Laius hissed. 

“I agree with Laius on this one,” Avalon added. “First we rescue her, then we think about the Treaty.”

“Richard will call me if he needs help, he said he has the situation under control for now,” I told them. 

“We wait for some time and if Richard doesn’t say anything, we break through the border.” Elric settled.  

“Okay.” Laius huffed.