The Vampire King's Wife

Fear

Alianna and Marco were sitting by the lake and had read a book together. It had been quiet, peaceful, simple, no guards, no talk of a wedding, or anything like that. Both loved it and fell asleep under an apple cider tree for a while. When they woke up, they went back to the castle only to get an unwelcome surprise. 

Grandfather Macon, Vincent’s father, had come. And no one was practically thrilled to have him there. Something Alianna found strange as she was cleaned up and sent up to the dining room. The somberness of the maids were apparent as they walked slumped over with tears in their eyes. 

Confused as she stopped to comfort a few, Alianna found herself not liking Macon’s character even before meeting him. And the fact her first time hearing his voice, and then seeing his face as he barked at Cassie, put the nail in the casket. 

Rushing over, she jumped in front of her sister immediately, “Excuse me sir, I’m going to have to ask you to back up! Now!” Jerking back as Alianna’s voice overpowered his, Macon fell silent as Alianna then turned her back to him and comforted her sister who trembled as she cried. 

Alianna ushered out, Opal appearing to take her away as Marco came into the room. Seeing Cassie in tears, Marco cursed as he looked at his silent grandfather. “What the hell Macon? You making young women cry now?” Marco sneered feeling disgusted that this man was supposedly his blood. 

Turning red around the neck, the tough grit Italian man boomed, “After months and that is how you great me? Boy I created everything you hope to inherit. Don’t make me regret that.” Marco’s face showed no fear of his grandfather’s threats and he instead rolled his eyes and pulled Alianna to him, “I’m sorry. Don’t worry, he won’t be here long.” 

Alianna let Marco lead her to the table and they sat down with the rest of the family. But something was off, no one was talking, no one was laughing like before. It made her awkward as she suddenly lost her appetite and picked over her food as Marco gulped down more wine. 

Feeling uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the room, Alianna wanted to c***k a stupid joke or make a noise. But as she found Javier’s eyes across the table, she had the inkling it wouldn’t be appreciated with the stern faced man sitting beside Vincent. 

Dinner was stifling, but desert was worse. So much worse. 

By this point, Macon was now drunk and had come out of whatever shock Alianna’s yelling back at him had caused. Looking over his goblet, eyes red and unfocused he hiccupped, “So why are you hear anyway?” He asked groggily to Alianna. 

Alianna honestly didn’t want to speak to Macon. He was drowning in misery and something in him was broken right now. And he wanted to bulldoze everything in his path. Marco looked at his grandfather with a narrowed gaze as he gritted out,  “She’s my betrothed.” Macon couldn’t get his words out in coherent sentences for a moment. 

But even in garbled growls, Alianna had already been offended. It didn’t help when Macon found his thoughts and hissed at Marco, “Are you an i***t boy? Haven’t you learned anything from my mistakes?” Alianna watched Marco’s jaw harden even more as he sneered, “I’m nothing like you old man.  And I don’t have s**t to learn from you.” 

Macon scoffed as he fisted another goblet full of wine, “Oh please. Marry the pretty girl with the doe eyes thinking she’ll fix ya? Whaeere did you think you got that bright idea from?” Pointing to himself, Macon slurred, “You think she’ll love you forever and make everything better? She will leave you.” 

Looking Alianna over like she was nothing, Macon harped, “She is nothing but a distraction that will leave you broken. Save yourself now, and marry smart boy.” Marco was seething as Alianna was unsure if she should pop back at the old man or simply chalk it up to his wine intact. 

“I am nothing like you grandfather, and I won’t make your mistakes.” Marco growled disgusted by his grandfather even speaking that into existence or making the comparison. But with a wine laced mind, Macon thought it was clear as day. 

“You already have.” 

Marco was honestly about to knock his grandfather’s head off his shoulders. But Javier and Alianna stopped him and he had to be led out by them as Elena sat with her eyes fixed to the table. Her hands shaking as Vincent’s jaw worked, “You won’t ruin this for him.” Vincent grunted out without looking at his father. Macon was drunkenly sober now, drunk but sober enough to know he’d disappointed his son. 

Again. 

Which was never a good thing. His son and daughter in law were all ready done with him having to his estranged wife’s side in their…squabble. 

And it left him, Vincent’s father on the outs despite him being the King Father, the legend who’d killed an entire army of Borgin soilders when they’d crossed their borders illegally. It was his golden an era. A time when he’d been admired and his scandals were pushed off as idiotic youth. 

But it was now, with almost three centuries under his belt that his actions haunted people with disgust and left a dim to his name. To their name. 

And as he sat there in silence with his son and daughter in law, Macon knew that if he didn’t get his s**t together, he’d be on the outer islands banished from his home. Something he was sure, he deserved. 

 Alianna was sitting by the indoor pool with her feet in the water. Drinking a bottle of Bourbon, she wasn’t thinking or coherent when someone joined her. Passing the bottle to Marco, Alianna whispered, “Sorry, I nicked your bottle.” Marco chuckled as he took a swig of his favorite Bourbon, “What’s mine is yours remember?” Alianna giggled and it made his heart warm. 

As he took a sip of the liquor, he looked at her for a moment. The skylight beaming down on the pool held the full moon at its peak, and with the pool glowing a light blue, she looked so ethereal. Gently reaching out and tucking a wayward curl out of her face, Marco watched Alianna blush under his fingertips. Sighing, Marco mumbled, “I’m sorry about my grandfather. He didn’t mean to offend you, he was drunk. And it’s no excuse, but he’s not been well for some time.” 

She understood that, he didn’t seem to be doing so great. “What’s wrong with him?” She asked softly. It made Marco wince and Alianna immediately wanted to take it back. She didn’t want to upset him, but Marco wouldn’t dare lie or keep s**t from her. 

And with plenty of mouths in the castle, he knew it wouldn’t be long before someone told her. And he’d rather she hear it from him rather than someone else. 

Taking another swig of Bourbon, Marco passed the bottle as he set the stage, “My grandfather Macon was betrothed to my grandmother Bridgett. She was the princess of Raven and was loved by her people as the future, and he loved her for being his.” 

Swallowing hard, Marco shook his head, “But their life together wasn’t easy. Macon is a man of…a lot of issues and he made things harder than need be on my grandmother.” Alianna held the bottle in her hand as her feet kicked silently in the water. “How?” 

Scoffing as he remembered, Marco’s voice was hard as he recounted, “Multiple women, a new mistress almost every week, and possible bastards popping up every other day. He put her through it, and he never said he was sorry. Just that he was a king, and it was expected of him.” 

Alianna frowned at that since it had been a king’s right to do as he pleased. No one would stop him, but that didn’t mean that he could be a d**k to a woman who loved him. True her father had chosen his wife, but he’d always respected his wife, Athena would have never allowed anything less. 

“And he loved her?” She whispered in disbelief he’d put his wife through so much and claim to love her. But Marco knew the truth. “Yeah. My grandfather told me once that his love for her snuck up on her. Other than lust, he’d never let him go there before. To feel.” 

Marco grinned, “But my grandmother is an amazing woman. She loves with this innocence and open mindness from the jump and she’s never changed. She forgave him for hurting her in the past…once he proved he would honor only her. They spent nearly three complete centuries together.” 

Passing him the bottle, Alianna waited until after he took a swig before asking, “Why did she leave him?” Marco’s jaw ticked with anger, and at first Alianna had thought she’d crossed a line. 

But Marco was never angry with her, but always angry with his grandfather lately. 

“You know…after she forgave him, she didn’t ask him about his past. Everything he done, and who with. A way to just…let it go. The only thing she required, was that if he had other children, to tell her then. She wanted NO surprises later.” 

Alianna understood that. Starting a family was a serious thing in the royal families, and bastards…children born outside the marriage, even in this day in age was taboo. True those children usually ended up in high positions in the court, but never on the throne. 

But a son from another woman could threaten a wife’s child. 

It was a barbaric and horrible rule. But it was how bloodlines and tradition were kept. She knew that. 

But it was another aspect that men never thought about. And as a young woman, steadfastly falling for the young king beside her, Alianna knew what Bridgett couldn’t handle. 

The idea of another woman carrying the man she loves child and having to learn to accept his son. The beauty of a child couldn’t be denied, but the child of a woman your husband preferred over you? A constant reminder of a time he didn’t love you. 

A time he didn’t care about hurting you. 

It was a cruel torment that couldn’t come barreling in at any time during their marriage. On fragile ground already, Bridgett had thought ahead. 

And yet she’d still somehow had gotten hurt. 

“What did he do?” She sipped the Bourbon and passed it back, “As you can see my grandfather’s drinking as gotten worse over the last four years. s**t to be honest he’s drunker now than he was when she was with him and that’s scary.” 

Hell yeah, even for an immortal. 

“She couldn’t get him to get help. He still leaving in the era where it’s not talked about. Where people don’t talk about mental health and trauma. Grandma Bridgett was scared he was driving himself insane, and on the night of my twenty-first birthday, she asked him to stop.” 

Rolling his shoulders as an old pain flashed in his eyes, Alianna watched Marco struggle to admit, “I keep thinking if I hadn’t had a party if it hadn’t been made such a big deal it wouldn’t have happened. But my dad said sometimes when you’re too drunk on a wrong day at the wrong time…a lot of things not meant to be said could be said.” 

Marco took a swig as if to numb his mouth before saying, “My grandmother had tried to take his bottle away, yelling at him for making this about him when it was about me tonight. He got mad, and then he told her…” Marco stopped for a second and then looked at Alianna who’s heart broke as he whispered, “He told her, he cheated on her the night of their wedding. After…he took her innocence.” 

Shaking her head in horror not even wanting to know that pain, Marco continued on thickly, “And if that’s not worse, he told her the truth about her best friend. She had been her lady in waiting, Aly, her name was. She’d been killed one day after she and grandpa had reconciled. And no one ever knew how. I mean it was suspected it was about a lover’s spat. But no one knew who to point the finger at. But as it turns out, they were just too scared to.” 

Alianna’s nose flared as she fought tears, turning to look at the moon, Alianna whispered, “Why would he kill her friend? What did that get him?” 

Marco scoffed, “A chance to cover up another betrayal.” Alianna hadn’t thought it could get worse, but then it did as he told her, “He had been sleeping with her the entire marriage. And when they reconciled, when they wanted to give it a real chance, Macon found out Aly was pregnant. She’d told a maid who told her, and he killed them both. And their unborn child.” 

Feeling her heart beat off rhythm, Alianna concluded, “Which was the final straw.” Nodding, Marco remembered, “My grandmother told me once she fell in love with my grandfather when she least expected to. Their wedding night, because she saw his soul. And she loved it.” 

Taking another swig of liquor, Marco sneered, “And he destroyed that when he told her what he’d done. But it broke her more to know what he did with and to Aly. She admitted to my mother she didn’t know how she’d have acted then. But she’s hurt beyond reconciliation at this point. He pushed her too far all because he wanted his bottle. So she left him with it.” 

And Alianna didn’t blame her not one bit. And if put in the same circumstance, would have done the same. But as she looked over at Marco, she could see the pain in his eyes as he looked at the moon. 

His grandfather's words echoing in her ears, “You think she’ll love you forever and make everything better? She will leave you.” 

And the drunken rave of his ancestor had Marco believing in that. But so far, Marco had been ideal in his courting. He’d not been as aggressive and crude as the first time they’d met. And instead of approaching her like a w***e, he talked to her like a woman. 

He gave her respect, he gave her admiration, and so far…she felt content in their arrangement. And in her gut, she knew she could count on Marco to never hurt her like Macon did Bridgett. 

So as she tipsily leaned forward, she softly whispered his name. When Marco turned to look at Alianna, he didn’t expect her lips to press against his. Or how hot his blood had been heating up and he’d been ignoring it focused on his anger at his grandfather. 

But now, focused on Alianna, blood ladened with Bourbon and body flooded with adrenaline and other lusty combos, Marco was lost in her. Fangs lengthening, Marco shook his head, “I can’t.” Alianna looked at him confused, “Why not?” Marco’s eyes snapped to hers as her sweet little voice purred, “I don’t mind.” Marco started to shake his head, and she grinned at him, little fangs poking from behind her plump lips as she teased, “Fine, I’ll go first.” 

And then Alianna was in his lap. 

Marco had a ten-second appreciation of seeing a grinning Alianna straddling him. And then she was kissing him, her hands in his hair, Marco groaned in need as she playfully nipped his lips. And then he felt the little prick. And as she licked the blood from his lips, he felt the rush in his veins. 

The need conquer him like it had never gone away. “I want you.” He growled into her neck as he breathed in her scent. Alianna bit her bottom lip, “We can’t…yet.” He knew that, and damn did it suck to know that. But he didn’t want to stop touching her. 

He didn’t want to stop kissing her. 

If he could climb in her skin, he would. 

“Then let me touch you.” Alianna hesitated and he saw it, “Unless you want me to stop?” Alianna didn’t, and even if she was nervous, even if she was scared something about her couldn’t compare, she shook her head. Because she didn’t want to stop, not when she was enjoying this immensely. 

And then suddenly she was in the water alone. Dress sticking to her enticingly, Alianna pushed her wet hair out of her face. Confused, it took a second for the water to heat up to a startling degree. Moaning as her head went back, Alianna jumped when she felt him behind her, his hand sliding her neck as he gently whispered, “I’ll stop if you want me to.” Alianna turned to face him, jumping into his arms, her thighs cradled his hips as she admitted, “I don’t want you to.” 

Marco had her up against the side of the pool, kissing her with a seductive twist to the tongue, his hands slid up her thighs making them shake. He grinned against her lips, her breath hitching as he touched her. But Alianna didn’t like the amused glint in his eyes, like he knew he had her aching and going crazy. 

But she knew two could play that game. Undoing the front of her dress for him, Marco got an eyeful of her lushes breast making him drool. But that’s not all. 

Alianna had never done it before, but the sheer need to make him just as crazy had her hand circling around his d**k. And as Marco slid two fingers inside of her, both moaned as they both moved against the other. Hands working each other off. 

Feeling, Alianna’s hot s*x gripping his fingers, Marco felt her soft hand jerking him off underwater. She felt good, inside and against him. Soft breast in his mouth, Marco laved at the dusty pink n****e teasing him. Alianna tossed her head back feeling her stomach tighten as the water steaming around them did nothing to hide her face. And as she came hard on Marco’s fingers, he jerked and grunted as he pumped hard into her hand against her thigh. Alianna looked up at him in time to see his red eyes. 

And then his fangs were in her neck.