Hell's Consort

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High Priestess Luna

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Cederic paused and pushed open a door.

The Vampire King sat on his throne as he rested his head on one hand in the armchair, staring blankly at the floor and looking bored.

Apollyon was surrounded by a handful of black and white-sashed attendants.

At the sound of her heels, The Vampire King leaped abruptly to his feet.

For some reason, Luna couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes as she approached Apollyon slowly.

When she finally reached him, Luna dropped into a deep curtsey.

"Your Highness." Turning in the Vampire King's direction, but keeping her eyes lowered, she added, "I'm ready to marry you."

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Vampire King Apollyon

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"I'm ready to marry you."

"Hmmm," The Vampire King said as he gazed at the High Priestess from head to toe with hooded eyes, drinking their fill of her as if it were their sacred right--slowly and leisurely.

As if he had all the time in the world.

Half-globes of the High Priestess' breasts were on full display, overflowing against its brocaded bodice despite the virginal high-neck collar.

Her skin was a translucent white pearl that made her look more fragile, more alluring.

As if the High Priestess had divined his thoughts, she tugged her corset upward, then placed a dainty hand over her cleavage to shield them from his intense gaze.

Her modesty pricked his conscience, stirring his conflicting desires to protect and possess.

Apollyon smirked before his ravenous gaze moved to caress her face. "I thought the display was for me, High Priestess."

The High Priestess' cheeks and chest flushed a blotchy red. "I didn't choose the dress, my King," Luna replied stiffly.

He fought the urge to take her right there in front of his people so he contented himself with drinking his fill of the rare beauty she had possessed.

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High Priestess Luna

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Luna moistened her lips, nearly breathless with his rapt attention.

The Vampire King circled her like a wary raptor, his eyes narrowed to frosty slits.

Apollyon was dressed all in black with the shadow of a new beard darkening his cheeks.

He looked young yet somehow larger and infinitely less manageable.

"Our agreement was 'no consummation' until you renounce yourself as the High Priestess—a vessel of Hecate. I had all the time in the world to wait for you, even for an eternity." Apollyon spoke as his gaze flicked to her taut belly, then back to her eyes. "Be grateful that I was a pureblood vampire, my beloved. Our Heirs can wait until we grow weary of each other's presence. We aren't sure if the blood bond would last for the entire lifetime, perhaps, it will wear off as time goes by."

The Vampire King planned to reduce her—the future queen of the Vampire Realm, a High Priestess and his one and only mate--to a baby-making whore if he grew tired of her?

Luna's confidence as the future queen of the Vampire Realm faltered.

Did he just think she was another cow in an auction just like the females in his Consortium?

She was the High Priestess.

A vampire High Priestess who had the great potential to destroy him singlehandedly.

How dare he spoke to her future bride in that way?

The audacity of this pureblood vampire after all she had done and the trouble she had gone through to break the Blood Beast curse for him--even dealing with Archdemons.

Luna choked back her outrage and managed a sneer of her own. "I hope you grow weary of my presence quickly, dear husband. Who knows I might find other mates who will entertain me for a lifetime better than you?"

At the murderous flare of Apollyon's eyes, Luna feared her sarcasm might cost her head but then if he killed her for that insolence so will the Vampire King.

Each of their life force was tied to each other and Luna must always remember that.

Harming his own mate equated to suicide.

Luna should piss off the Vampire King once in a while to show him who had the real upper hand.

The Vampire King swung away from her, flexing his fingers as if to keep them from curling around her throat in anger.

"I couldn't believe my wife is provoking me to kill in a joyous celebration such as our wedding," Apollyon muttered as he gritted his teeth, then, his blue eyes smoldered dangerously. "Don't try me, High Priestess."

Luna took an involuntary step backward, wondering too late what manner of predator she had engaged.

Apollyon moved after her, closing the distance between them in half a stride.

Tangling his fist in her thick silver hair, he jerked her head back, baring her face to his merciless scrutiny much as he had that long-ago night in the pool gardens.

Fear seized her as he searched her features.

"I apologize if I have offended you, my mate," Luna whispered, hoping that would calm him down.

His silence judgment terrified her more than any bellow of rage.

Unmoved by her entreaty, Apollyon captured her jaw and forced her lips apart.

Luna pushed his chest to make him stop his assault but Apollyon had caught her wrists and forced her arms away from each other.

The Vampire King kissed her until she could not breathe at all.

It was a possessive kiss—more of a prelude to a more exquisite rapture.

She couldn't stand without the bracing support of his arms wrapping around her lower back.

Luna moaned softly, eager for more as her mouth parted to beckon him inside.

His tongue accepted her shy invitation, rewarding her with a fiercer, sweeter press, its rough satin stroking deep to claim her yielding mouth.

Apollyon captured her nape in the cup of his palm, a growl of pained delight rumbling deep in his throat.

Luna had clung to him, swirling her tongue to joust in kind.

Utterly overwhelmed by the hot and fragile desire that had arisen between them, the Vampire King had no choice but to tear away from her with a harsh groan despite his body's arousal.

'Tonight, my lady," He whispered against her brow. Apollyon's lips brushed hers then, as feathery and beguiling as a butterfly's wing. "Let me see if I can persuade you to renounce the Goddess."

"You can't." Luna murmured.

"We should start the ceremony if you were so ready for me, then." His eyes sparkled with pure devilment, shooting her a naughty glance from beneath his dark lashes, "Forever is a long time but I couldn't wait for you to be mine."

With that husky vow, he brushed his lips across the bridge of her nose.

"Don't take that as a challenge, my King." Luna insisted.

Apollyon rubbed the stubble under his chin and mumbled, "We should go outside. The High Priest had prepared the marriage altar at the maypole, insisting that we should stand at that damned living birch tree near his shack for the ceremony."

Apollyon turned to go and strode right past her, making for the door while he left her standing there coldly at the throne--limp, trembling, damp with wanting.

Then, Vampire King swiftly departed through the enormous front entry with the High Priestess trailing behind him.