Gerome watched the whole event unfold like a bystander, unable to wrap his head around it or even stop it. He’d told his parents about Alex and the baby, and now the king wanted to mate him off. While Gerome had known it would come one day, even had anticipated it, he hadn’t believed it’d be so soon. His hands still shook after his father’s attack and the battle for dominance. For poor Sam it must’ve been a horror to watch as his father tackled him. Vampire fights tended to look much more serious than they actually were, and it’d been years since they fought. He should have realized that he needed some serious practice time in a boxing ring to be able to withstand even one round against the king. His father would never kill him, but the king succeeded in making sure he established the power structure between them, leaving no room for doubts. Then the blackmailing started. Gerome had severely underestimated his father and ignored the signs, for which he now paid the price.
Gerome clenched his teeth to stay silent as the rage burned inside of him. Attacking the king would only get him into more trouble, something he needed to avoid. But sitting there and listening to his father make decisions about his future... it didn’t sit well with him, and it cost him nearly all of his willpower to remain quiet. He’d misjudged his sire, and right now, he couldn’t do anything, except follow through with his father’s wish. Damn him and his iron grip. Right now, the king demanded he meet this man named Luis. As if he’d mate someone his father picked. Although, meeting him wouldn’t hurt, and he could always decline, which he planned to do.
“Yes, no worries. I can meet him,” Gerome said, his voice giving away too much of his emotions. He cursed silently at his lack of calm, but, at least, he didn’t choke on the words.
Breathing deep to stop his hands from shaking, he repeated his mantra: Show your control. Don’t let him intimidate you.
Slowly, he gained his composure back. It worked every time. He’d fought his fair share of power plays with his father, and this one wouldn’t be the last. They’d just never fought for such a high prize.
He swallowed again, secretly trying to clear his throat so that the king wouldn’t hear his weakness. His sire already saw him as weak. Wanting to find love didn’t indicate strength in their world. Power did. Not love. Gerome had a destiny, and he had to abide by the rules. That meant he had to mate and take over the throne. Love didn’t have a place in this equation.
Gerome swallowed again and stealthily wiped his clammy hands on his trousers. He was a prince. The rules of society were older than his bloodline. He’d asked his father for time to find a mate, which he’d been given, but he hadn’t found one. Now, he’d have to follow the path his parents wanted. He’d have to meet this man, but maybe he could stall his father by asking him for a short reprieve to get to know his intended mate. It wasn’t what he’d hoped for, but if he got a few more days to look for a man for himself, after Alex was back home of course, he might come out on the winning side. Maybe, if he went looking as soon as they rescued Alex, he’d meet someone. It wouldn’t change much if he mated a man he met in a bar or the man his father picked, though. He’d mate. Very, very soon. Shit. But first, he’d have to meet this Luis guy. Then he could look for ways to get out of this hole he’d somehow been maneuvered into.
“I don’t want you to meet him. You’re going to mate him.”
“No way!” Gerome shouted, jumping up from his seat. There went his composure. Gone was the relative calm he’d managed to gain back. “I won’t mate a guy I’ve never met!” Fucking shit. He’d anticipated being forced into meeting the guy, not mating him! He wouldn’t mate someone he never met. Abso-fucking-lutely not. Rules of the coven be damned, he wouldn’t do that. He was the crown prince. He wouldn’t do that.
“Then good luck finding Alex.” The king leaned back in his chair, the smug expression still on his face.
“Shit. You wouldn’t do that to me, right?” Gerome hesitated a moment, then sat down, taking in his father’s words, not truly believing what he heard. His father would never do that to him, right? And what role did his father play in the whole kidnapping affair? Nausea rolled in Gerome’s gut, and he had to swallow a few times to fight against the bile rising in his throat before he could speak again. “You don’t have anything to do with Alex’s kidnapping, do you?” he asked, looking at both of his parents. The queen looked away, but her face clearly showed her hurt.
“No, neither I nor the coven are involved. I wanted to introduce you to Luis in any case, and I was hoping you’d mate him. This would have made the whole process easier. I want you to mate Luis, and you will mate him. He’s mostly human, so he shouldn’t give you too much trouble. And don’t think I would have sunk so low to resort to kidnapping to get my will. If I’d found out about this Alex earlier, I simply would’ve gotten rid of him.”
Gerome swallowed again. Get rid of Alex? The man who carried his child? Gerome cast a glance at Alex’s lover Sam, whose expression most likely mirrored his: disbelief, hate. How could his father be so cold? They were talking about his grandchild for fuck’s sake.
Fucking shit. There went his hopes. With Alex’s safety in the equation, he couldn’t get out of the mating. Without his father’s help, he might not find Alex in time, before these damn kidnappers did whatever they planned to do to him and their unborn child. If he accepted the offer, his life would be over, but he couldn’t stomach the thought of Alex or their child getting hurt or killed just because he didn’t obey his parents. He wouldn’t be able to live with the guilt. The baby simply mattered more than his self-concern.
He needed to mate this Luis. It was the easiest way. The only way. “If I agree, do you promise me you’ll not only let Alex and Sam live, but you’ll do everything to help find him? Your men, your money, everything?”
The king smiled with nauseating satisfaction. “Yes. I can promise you this. You know I have never broken my word.”
“Then I’ll do it.” For his baby. And for Alex.
“Gerome, what are you doing? You can’t mate a man you’ve never met,” Sam interrupted. Sweet Sam. He didn’t know anything. The baby and Alex were far more important than his personal happiness.
“You’ll see I can. The most important thing is to find Alex soon, before he goes into labor, before he’s hurt, if he isn’t already. We need to be ready to move as soon as we know what the ransom is.” Gerome turned to his father, hoping against the truth he already knew. “Can we do the ritual tomorrow? I’m very tired, and I believe Sam is as well. I’d like to retire now.” He needed a couple of quiet minutes to sort things out in his head.
“No, we will perform the mating ceremony now. You can manage a couple more hours. It’s only eleven, after all.” The king’s expression said it all. He didn’t trust Gerome. Well, that was nothing new. Considering all the times he and his father had butted heads, he should have learned by now just how shrewd the king was. He’d hoped to win the whole mate-affair, but the king found his weak spot: Alex and the baby.
“You don’t want to give me a chance to back out, right?”
“Right. I know you’ll hold your word, but I want this done. If it pleases you, I’ll give my supervisor instructions and details so they can start looking into things and get ready for the call to come in. You can stay here and listen, so you’ll know I’ve upheld my part of the deal. Afterward, we’ll mate you to Luis.” The king sounded very pleased. He had every reason to be. He’d been after Gerome for years now to find someone.
“All right, then.” Gerome didn’t recognize his own voice. He didn’t want to sound broken, but keeping it in demanded more strength than he could currently muster.
“Sam, why don’t you go to bed? I’ll have someone show you to the guest bedroom in my apartment. It’s safer if you stay there. I’ll discuss things with my father’s supervisor, then get the mating done, and try to get some sleep as well.” Sam didn’t need to witness this any further. He shouldn’t have seen this, and he had enough to worry about with his partner missing. A full show of coven politics would be too much for him. Sam, thankfully, didn’t object.
“Good night, Your Highnesses.” Sam laid his hand on Gerome’s shoulder. A gesture most likely meant to show his support. Gerome appreciated it. At least, someone stood on his side. Already in the doorway, Sam stopped and said, “Thank you for your help.”
Gerome’s parents didn’t even react. His father was already tapping away on his phone, while his mother, who had remained silent during the entire exchange, watched Gerome. Clearly, neither of them saw anything wrong with their demands. Coven politics worked that way.
Sam and Alex had no idea how lucky they were. They were human, and therefore, the laws didn’t apply to them. For him, the deal was done.
“So, let’s look into saving the man you managed to impregnate. I already contacted my security chief. He’ll look into it. You have no idea what issues you’ve dropped on us, do you? How could you manage to get a man pregnant? You should know to be more careful. I’ve watched you do things your way for too long. Claiming you’d find a man you love. You’re living in a fantasy. Mating is something to strengthen your coven’s power, not to find love. But this is over now. You will fulfill your duty.”
“But father—”
“No buts. Your grandfather bought your mother for me, and it worked out well. It’s the way unions have been made for hundreds of years now, and it’s time you stepped up to your responsibility.”
It was nothing new. His father owned his mother, plain and simple. She had to obey him, and while they got along okay for the most part, they didn’t love each other. He’d dreamt of something different. Of love.
Now, it looked like he’d own his mate as well. The man his parents had picked would have to meet his needs. Maybe he should be happy they, at least, picked a man, not a woman. Otherwise, he’d have an even bigger problem. He’d never been with a female, and he doubted he could even function with one. But right now, more important problems loomed. Like his mating. At least, no one had a problem with him being gay or his consort being a man. Homosexuality wasn’t frowned upon, especially since men of the royal bloodlines could impregnate men and continue the families.
The king closed his phone and looked up, interrupting Gerome’s running thoughts. “So, my security chief is on Alex’s track. That was my part of the deal. Now, let’s meet Luis. Mathilda, go on to the sleeping chambers. I don’t need you anymore until later.”
“My king, can I—”
“No, you can’t. Go on or I’ll make you.” The gleam in his father’s eye made it clear that his mother would do what he wanted. Gerome rarely witnessed his father telling her what to do, but she belonged to him, and she had to follow his orders. It’d been this way forever. Maybe he wished for something he simply couldn’t have. Their society simply worked that way and he wouldn’t get out of it. Something he apparently should just accept.
Gerome wanted something else in a partner, though. He wanted someone he could love. Someone who loved him back. Too late now. He’d have someone to spend his life with, just not someone he loved.
He stood and turned to his father. With more strength in his voice than he thought he could come up with, he said, “Let’s get this over with. I want Alex to be safe.”
“Very well. Luis waits in one of the guest bedrooms. I’ll bring you to him.”
The king rose and strode to the door. He’d triumphed on the whole issue. His father’s life wasn’t the one being tied to a person he’d never met. But then, once upon a time, the king had been in the same position Gerome was in now. Knowing this didn’t make it easier for Gerome, but it did make it more understandable. His father just didn’t know any better.
With heavy steps and an aching heart, Gerome followed his father to the guest wing of the palace. He wanted to be tough, like a real prince, but it didn’t stop him from mourning for the love he most likely would never have.
Things worked differently in their world, and he needed to show this to his mate. This Luis guy better not fuck around with him. He had to push the worry about his child and Alex down so he could focus on the task at hand, but he failed miserably. How could he forget for even one second about them?
Trying to push back the tears of frustration, Gerome rubbed a hand over his eyes. He couldn’t show any weakness, not in front of his father, or worse, his mate. Never show your emotions. Never let your enemies see your vulnerability. His father’s words echoed in his mind. How often had he heard them until they were deeply engraved into his mind?
The king walked a step ahead of him, his head held high in victory. Gerome searched for the strength to hate him for the blackmail, but he couldn’t find any. Where his emotions should have been, only emptiness and sorrow ruled, pushing down everything else.
Revenge would carry his name one day, but for now, he couldn’t do anything except comply. They passed a few more doors before arriving in the guest wing of the palace. Like everywhere, the hallways glistened and twinkled with lights and decorations. Gerome’s mother loved to give all the rooms a personal touch, but for once, he couldn’t appreciate it. It highlighted his misery, if anything, even though he didn’t know if that were possible.
He swallowed against the bile rising in his throat. Showtime.