Malicious Prince: A Reverse Harem Romance (Territorial Mates Book 3) Read online

  “It doesn’t even have a fountain.”

  “You are such a snob.”

  Ronin smiles at me in that lazy way that always charms me. “Darling, that’s what you adore about me.”

  I open up a box at my feet to make sure it’s in the correct room. I don’t look forward to going down the stairs again if this is in the wrong spot. “I’m not sure you understand what ‘adore’ means.”

  “I’m not sure you understand what ‘queen’ means. Let me educate you.” He slides the box away from me with his foot and loops my hand around his bicep. He tilts his head in greeting to one of the fae servants who will be helping tend the gardens. “A queen serves her people by enacting fair policies. She, in turn, is served by the people who are grateful for her care. Her enemies are locked away.”

  We take a deep breath together. The fact that both Vera and my father are locked away, far from spreading their hate to the world, brings me solace no throne ever could.

  Ronin kisses my forehead. “A queen is above, and I will not see you compromised after all our hard work to get here.”

  “It’s been a crazy year; I’ll grant you that.”

  “Are you ready for Destino’s coronation next month? It will be your coronation as well. You’ve been our princess for so long, but now you’ll officially be queen.”

  My stomach roils. “Don’t talk like that. I’m already nervous enough.”

  Ronin flicks his wrist, like life is so very easy. “What’s the point of nerves? The worst of it all is behind us, darling. The shifters took to the change so peaceably, I curse myself for not starting with them. The fae are too concerned with image to be considered the brutes who stir up dissention so overtly. They’re falling in line quite nicely these days.”

  “And the vampires? Are you really going to lie to me and say it’s all been smooth sailing? Because I gotta tell you, I don’t even need this truth-seeking ring to spot the hole in that story.”

  Ronin leans in closer with his charming smile that never fully fades these days. “What’s the fun of smooth sailing? I prefer the thrill of adventure when you don’t quite know the outcome.”

  “You’re a real pill, you know that? Drexdenberg hates me. They resent Des for this change, and you know it.”

  “Ah, but you’re forgetting one very important thing.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “I don’t care.” At my epic eye roll, Ronin laughs. “What? I truly don’t. It’s the medicine they need, so they’ll take it and be all the better for it. Ever since I raised the punishments for interspecies attacks, there have been far fewer incidents of vampires stirring up trouble. And it’s not as if you’ll have to see your dissenters all the time.” He motions around with a grin. “Tell me I’m brilliant for suggesting your new castle be built in Neutral Territory. Tell me I’m your king.”

  “Until next month, you’re my king. My eccentric, dangerous, reckless king.” I pause to fasten the ends of his bowtie he always toys with. “Then you’re my court jester.”

  Ronin feigns a mortal wound, clutching his chest. “I’ll always be your something. Your eccentric, dangerous, reckless something.” He touches my nose so cutely, I almost forget how annoying he’s been. “And you’ll always be my adorable someone. I’ll tolerate nothing less.”

  “Mm,” I murmur, my eyes cutting sideways to his grin. “Starting our new regime by building a castle in Neutral Territory wasn’t your worst idea, I’ll grant you that. I love that we don’t have to be apart. The guys are so happy living together.”

  “You’ve designated a room for me when I come to visit you, yes?”

  “Of course. Feel free to decorate that as obnoxiously as you like. What would a castle be without my kings?”

  Ronin frowns at the dark wood-hewn floor. “Calling this place a castle really isn’t accurate. Once I’m retired, I’ll see to making this place truly shine. This wall color should be gold, not bronze. Can’t have my queen slumming it, yes?”

  “Yes, what an impoverished castle this is. You’re ridiculous.”

  Ronin ignores my sarcasm, as he always does. “I’m yours, darling, so take me as I am and enjoy the ride.”

  Des comes into the room and sets down a box. “I really hate it when you talk to my wife like that. I get that she’s your only friend, but it’s creepy. You’re old. And you’re related now.” He jabs a finger in my direction. “My wife, not yours. I’m the one who took her last name, not you.”

  Ronin smirks. “Yes, yes. Brilliant idea of Salem’s, truly. All three of you giving up your last names to take hers was a sweet gesture, though ‘Destino Karamathian Klein’ will take some getting used to.”

  It’s not often Des gets overtly territorial. I move closer to him, eyeing the box of books in his arms. “Are you thinking this should be the study? Because I was kind of hoping the study could be on the same floor as Fiora’s bedroom. I don’t want her going up and down the stairs all the time. It’s bad for her knees.”

  Des shakes his head. “I started setting up a room for her downstairs. This here is down the hall from our bedroom. These are baby books,” he says of the box in his arms. “If we board up the windows, it would be the perfect nursery. Look at how much space the baby will have to crawl and learn to walk.”

  Salem ducks his head in, sniffing the air and scrutinizing the corners. “I’ll set to filing down tha sharp edge over there.” He jerks his chin to the window sill that’s too new to have a speck of dust on it yet.

  I hold up my hands, as I always do when the guys let their imaginations run away with them. “I’m not even pregnant, and I don’t plan on it anytime soon. We don’t need a nursery yet.”

  “Crib in the far corner?” Des asks Salem, as if I hadn’t said a word in protest.

  Salem nods. “Aye. I’ll start building it this week. Don’t want our wee babe to sleep in something I haven’t built. Can’t trust it otherwise.”

  “Baby? Are you pregnant?” Lexi’s voice comes into the room before he does, his countenance matching his excited tone when he bounds in and throws his arms around me, lifting my feet off the ground.

  He’s so cute, I almost feel bad for bursting his bubble. “I’m nothing like pregnant, and you three are nothing like listening.” I kiss Lexi’s smile as it fades. “I told you, not until we’ve settled into our rhythm. There’ve been too many cross-species attacks. I’m not about to bring a baby into this mess.”

  Salem jerks up a box with a grumpy frown, as if I’ve just told him he’s fat or something. “I’ll have Justice and Mammy make another announcement to the people, going over the punishments for assault.”

  “It’s not your people, and you know it.” I try not to eye Ronin. It’s not his fault the vampires are having a harder time adjusting to the change.

  Lexi sets my feet back down. “I’ll see to tightening up security around the castle.”

  Ronin sighs heavily, his hands in his pockets. “I suppose I could post more soldiers in the common areas. Even though I’m nearly ready to hand off the crown, I guess that wouldn’t be too difficult.”

  I tilt my head at him, not holding back an ounce of my sass. “How magnanimous of you to do your job while it’s still your job.”

  His eyes twinkle at me, which bespeaks a mischief I’m never ready for. “Yes, but in a month, this will be my job.” He sweeps me up in a quick-step dance I can barely keep up with, surprising laughter from me, as he always does.

  The guys are not amused.

  Ronin stops our dance after a few beats. “You can finish unpacking without your queen, gentlemen. I’ll return her in a moment. We’ve still much to discuss.” He hooks his arm around my hip and leads me out of the room.

  “What’s on your mind, Ronin?”

  “Only everything. Mostly how to distract you from doing commoner chores.” At my scoff, he concedes, holding up his hand. “Very well. I do have something real that could use your input. I’m not sure how best to integrate more shifters and fa
e into vampire territory. We’re still three separate territories, even though the borders have been torn down.”

  I run my hand along the wall that’s been painted a soft bronze color. It doesn’t take away from the fresh wood cabin-y look, but dresses up the simple structure to make it lavish while still modest. “I suppose we could offer a stipend for cost of living or free lodging for any who wants to move to Drexdenberg. That might encourage people to move outside their comfort zones.”

  “Brilliant. I’ll put through the necessary orders tonight. Let’s offer that to Jacoba, not Faveda. The fae are too delicate for Drexdenberg just yet.”

  We pause at a window, our conversation stopping when the moon greets us. It’s as if the glowing sphere has been waiting to show off only for people who will truly appreciate its magnificence. It’s so huge tonight, and from this angle, it seems to fill half the sky.

  “I think this will be my favorite spot in the house,” I say aloud, unable to tear my eyes from the orb that seems to understand my concerns for the Queendom.

  Queendom. Not three territories, but one Queendom. Never thought I’d see the day.

  “As far as spots go, you could’ve chosen worse. Perhaps we should get you a chair just there, so you can enjoy it as long as you like. Spots like these are important so you don’t lose perspective.”

  “What’s the perspective I’m not supposed to lose?”

  Ronin gazes at the moon by my side, his eyes wistful instead of teasing. “That not everything needs your hand upon it to make it turn. Some things will always be good, no matter how badly we try to sully them with our fighting and hatred. Sometimes it’s hard to find that one good thing, yet you’re barely moved in, and you’ve already found it. But that seems to be your nature—finding the one good thing wherever you go.”

  I straighten his bowtie. “Must be how I found you.”

  His eyes darken. “I am not good, no matter how much you wish it so.”

  “Are you happy like that?”

  He pauses, and I can tell he’s turning my words over, considering them from all angles. “I’m me like that. When you look at me how you are right now, it stirs something strange in me.”

  “Look at you like what?”

  Ronin inhales a long breath, his eyes drinking in the scope of my face like I matter. “Like I’m your moon.” A shadow falls over half his face. That seems to be the way of him—one toe in the shadow and one in the light.

  I straighten his vest, loving the feel of the expensive material. “Why don’t you let other people see this side of you? It’s lovely. You’re lovely.”

  He chuckles, shooting me a shot of his fangs when he grins. “I suppose I don’t think the world is ready for me. But you seem up for any challenge, so I guess I don’t bother questioning if being me will scare you away.”

  He holds my hand and draws it out to the side as his arm wraps around to find the small of my back. He hums a tune I don’t know, his hips brushing mine as he turns me in a slow dance.

  I sway in his arms with a smile that always finds me when he’s near. “So, what are you going to do once you’re not responsible for Drexdenberg any longer? More dancing?”

  “Loads more dancing, yes.” The corner of Ronin’s mouth drags upward. “I think I’ll find something to occupy my time.” Then his eyes soften with genuine emotion—something he doesn’t let most people see. He trusts me with the glimpses of his true self, so I store them in my heart for safekeeping. “Perhaps I’ll get the chance to find out who I am without the crown. I’m not sure I remember that far back.”

  “I’ll be there while you figure it out,” I promise. And I truly mean it. I want to hold onto this friend for as long as life will let me, so neither of us has to weather destiny alone.

  He kisses my forehead—a quick peck meant to be traded only between lifelong friends. “And I’ll be here to remind you who you are when the crown starts to make you forget. Your loves will always find you, sure, but I will never lose you.”

  Des throws up his arms in exasperation as he rounds the corner. “See? That right there. That’s the kind of talk I don’t need to hear. Get your own wife.”

  I snigger up at Ronin, who smirks at our innocent flirtation. I’m fairly certain he mostly does it to get under Des’ skin. Ronin kisses my cheek and then stops the dance, bowing to me while I curtsy, like it’s all some grand moment. Maybe it is, this turning point of the world and its leaders. Maybe in the morning, everything will look different and strange.

  Ronin takes his leave while Des, Lexi and Salem migrate toward me, looking out at the window to see what I’m staring at.

  “What is it? Something prowling around out there?” Salem asks, his hackles perpetually raised.

  Des shakes his head. “We need more guards around here.”

  Lexi eyes the grounds. “The grass is too thin. It’s bothering you. I can feel it. I’ll go fix it now.”

  I touch each of them, shaking my head with a tired smile. I don’t know how I got so lucky that they care so much about all the small things I don’t notice. How can I when the moon is whispering promises to me that I need to hear?

  “Nothing’s wrong,” I promise. “Maybe it won’t last more than a few minutes, but I don’t care. I’ll take it. I’ll treasure all the moments where nothing’s wrong.” I point to the giant sphere, my heart settling with a peace that feels permanent. “Look. It’s our one perfect thing.”

  We stand just like that for several minutes, letting nature calm the disquiet that’s always waiting to be stirred. Salem breaks the stillness first, moving to the opposite wall and sitting down with his back propped against it, motioning for me to join him.

  I lower myself to sit between his knees, shivering from the slight chill emanating from the wood floor. Des and Lexi sit on either side, and for the span of a moment, the four of us gaze out the window up at the moon, believing in the hope that one day, there will be only this, and no chaos that could pull us from it.

  I lean back into Salem’s chest, looping my littlest finger through Des’, while Lexi trills his fingers slowly up and down my forearm. Maybe life isn’t perfect, but now that I’m breathing in the hope-soaked air with the people I love, it feels like this might be all I need.

  Vengeful King, book 4 in the Territorial Mates series, is coming soon. It follows Ronin as he figures out what to do with his life after retirement from the throne.

  He’s plenty sexy in Book 4, and wears a selection of suits that are too beautiful for words.

  You’re welcome.

  Check in at www.maryetwomey.com for updates on the release of Vengeful King.