Page 21 of Love Bites Harder (Mated to the King #3)

twenty-one

CLEMENTINE

Zora was pacing the hall just past the vampires’ security checkpoint while Hale growled at someone on the other side of a phone call when we made it back to Vamp Manor.

I threw my arms around her, but her body was stiff.

“We’ll figure something out,” I said quickly, not entirely believing the words.

“Worst case scenario, she can just mate with someone better, right?” Izzy asked, looking between Porter and Kai. “Would that end the imprinting?”

“I don’t want a mate,” Zora argued, her expression dark and her hair a frizzy mess. She only ran her hands through it when she was truly stressing.

“It may or may not,” Bane said, stepping through security after us with his arms folded over his gigantic chest. There were burns on his shirt, but he didn’t look roasted or bleeding. I wasn’t sure exactly what kind of monster he was, but apparently not one that fire was effective against. “The only guaranteed way to end an imprint is to kill him. Seeing the woman he’s imprinted on with another male can break the connection, but that’s rare.”

“Then we kill him,” Porter said flatly. “Pretty simple. He bonded with her against her will.”

“No,” Kai said, shaking his head. “There are laws.”

“Intense, unbreakable laws, created and upheld with magic. If you kill him because of his imprint, I’m required to kill you,” Bane explained. “Only a male who wants to mate with her himself can do that.”

“So we’ll do it without telling you,” Hale said, ending his phone call and rejoining the conversation.

“You guys haven’t been around as long as us,” Kai said, still shaking his head. “It doesn’t work that way. The power of an imprint is upheld by the wild, ancient magic the monsters carry. None of us can intervene.”

“Then what the fuck do I do?” Zora demanded, her voice cracking a little as she pushed me and Avery away and folded her arms over her abdomen.

“You can stay here, and try to get to know him over the phone to decide whether or not you’re willing to accept him,” Bane said, speaking directly to her now.

“No,” she said firmly.

“If you do take another mate, the laws don’t prevent your mate from killing him over your connection. If you don’t want to do that, the only other option is to move into Monster Manor and sequester yourself with the other females under my protection. When he loses his mind to the point of violence and breaks enough of the Manor’s rules, I can kill him.”

“How long does that take?”

“Years,” he said bluntly.

“So what, I’m just supposed to accept this as fate, and mate with him?” she asked, shoving a hand through her wild hair. “No!”

“You liked him enough to spend the night flirting with him. He’s not a bad guy. He’s one of the few monsters I mostly trust. And he’s my top tech guy, which makes this situation very dangerous for my females,” Bane said, studying her.

“He said he was in security.”

“Tech security.”

Her eyes widened. “So he could break through your system?”

“He created it, Zora. It wouldn’t require much breaking.”

“Obviously, your Manor is out of the question, then. If I stayed there, it could put the female monsters at risk anyway, right?”

“It could,” Bane admitted. “But they do take risks when it means protecting other women in their situation.”

“I’m not putting them through that. I’m the moron who broadcasted what I am at a party with fucking monsters in it.” Zora shoved her hand back through her hair and resumed pacing. “Can he get through Vamp Manor’s security?”

“No,” Hale said. “My guys are just as good as Bane’s. If he wanted to break in, it would take him time to get through. There would be a warning.”

“Then this is the safest place for me right now.”

“Short-term, yes,” Bane agreed. “But I can’t do anything to protect you unless you’re in my wing of the Manor.”

“Then I guess I don’t need your protection. I’ll figure it out. Worst case scenario, I get on a plane to Europe or something, right?”

“An imprint is stronger than a temporary mate bond. There’s nowhere you could go to get away from him,” Bane said.

Zora nodded, biting her lip. “I’m… going for a swim. This problem will still be here in an hour, right?”

“Unfortunately,” the monster king agreed.

“Great. Thanks.” She started down the hallway, and all of my sisters and I immediately headed after her. “I need some space, guys,” she said without looking back.

She never cried around us.

I doubted she ever would.

We exchanged worried looks, but no one stopped Zora as she disappeared around the corner.

“Shit,” Blair whispered.

“Fuck.” Izzy shoved the hood of her little red riding hood costume off, setting her hand on top of her head.

“What do we do?” I asked.

“I think we hope he ends up being someone she can fall in love with,” Avery said quietly.

“I’ll do what I can to try to convince him to give her space,” Bane said. “Try to talk her into texting with him, or calling him. The more they talk, the more stable he’ll be. Give her my phone number, too. In case she changes her mind about staying with my women.”

“Alright,” Hale said, sounding tired.

I think all of us were feeling that.

Bane headed out.

“Some of us need to go back to the party to make sure nothing gets out of hand,” Hale added, when Bane was gone.

“We’ve got it,” Porter said, and Izzy nodded.

“We can go too.” Blair looked at me and Avery. “She’s closest with you guys. You should be there when she gets out of the pool.”

We both nodded.

My sisters and I exchanged tight hugs before parting ways, and Kai caught up to me, taking my hand as we went toward the elevator.

Everything was going to work out.

It had to.

A few hours passed.

Avery was curled up on a lounge chair, staring at the surface of the water.

I was sitting on Kai’s lap, snuggled up against him in a chair of our own.

I glanced at the clock, and realized it was nearly 4 AM.

“Merry Christmas,” I whispered into his ear, earning a small but genuine smile. “Sorry for dragging you out here. This isn’t the most fun of holidays, huh?”

“I have my mate in my arms, and we’re both covered in glitter. How can you imagine this night being any better?”

I laughed softly.

He kissed my cheek. “I spent most of my Christmases alone in bed with a bottle of wine. Believe me, this is a vast improvement.”

“You’re never going to spend another holiday alone.”

“I know, Five. I won’t let you out of my sight that long.”

I rolled my eyes at him, but he just grinned.

A few minutes later, the water finally rippled, and Zora broke the surface.

Her eyes were red, but she looked much more determined than she had before she went underwater.

I sprung to my feet, and Avery met me as we reached her, both of us throwing our arms around her. She hugged us tightly, but there were no other signs of her emotions as we released her.

“You look better,” Avery said, her voice a bit cautious.

“I figured out my next move,” she said.

We waited.

“I didn’t like him,” she admitted, walking over to the lounge chair Avery had occupied and sitting down. “I wanted to experience having a one-night stand. I channeled my inner Clem.” She gestured to me.

I grimaced. “Zora…”

“I know. It was ridiculous. There were a lot of things about his personality that didn’t work for me, but I figured it was just one night. I liked him less the longer we were talking.”

“I could tell,” Avery agreed.

She had been sitting off to the side, and hadn’t looked thrilled with the turn of events.

“I can’t mate with him,” she said bluntly. “But I have to mate with someone, right? The monsters are obviously looking for mates. Sirens must sound good to them. I’m going to ask Bane for a list of the guys he knows who are strong enough to kill Oscar if the imprint doesn’t break, and I’m going to mate with one of them. Whoever I like more. Like you were planning, in the fae realm.” She looked at me.

“I didn’t really like any of them,” I admitted.

“But it worked out for you, right?”

“Clearly. Look at that gorgeous specimen of a man.” I gestured to Kai, and he lifted two fingers in a wave.

Zora’s lips curved upward, just the tiniest bit. “I’ve got to believe it will work out for me. It’s the only option that doesn’t put anyone else in danger.”

I hugged her again. “I’m sure you’ll find someone amazing.”

“At least one of us is sure.”

Avery and I both laughed softly.

“We should try to sleep,” Zora said. “I think our family Christmas party is supposed to start in a few hours.”

“We’ll push it back to dinner time. I’ll talk to Blair and Izzy.”

“Perfect,” I agreed.

With one last round of hugs, we all headed out. Them to their rooms, and me and Kai back to our branch of the Manor.

“I really, really hope her plan works out,” I whispered, as we parted ways with my sisters.

“So do I.” Kai tucked me closer.

The party seemed to be ending, so we didn’t say much as we wove through the crowds. Everyone who recognized us gave us plenty of space, but for once, we kind of blended in.

That was nice.

“Gorgeous specimen of a man, huh?” Kai asked, as we finally stepped into our room.

“I would have to be blind to pretend otherwise.”

He scooped me up into his arms and carried me to the bed, making me smile. “Well, this gorgeous specimen of a man would like to fuck this perfect specimen of a women, Five.” He bounced me a little as he emphasized the second this .

I smiled. “You know I could never resist that.”

“Just making sure.” He captured my lips as he lowered us to the bed and made slow, sweet love to me.

The eclipses were over.

Zora had a plan.

We were all going to be fine.

Yeah, life was messy, and wild, and crazy—but if dealing with the insanity meant I got to keep Kai, I’d face it with a smile for the rest of my life.