Page 1 of Little Mate

PROLOGUE

THEODORE ASTOR

Vampire King

“My Lord, we have word from Naples.” My head snaps toward the man who spoke, a lowly guard who cowers under my stare while the stench of fear permeates the air around us. It’s strong; the scent coming from him overtakes nature's fragrance as we pause not far from my castle's doors.

“Speak.”

He swallows hard. “The siblings are back on Italian soil.”

“Are you sure?” I ask, my tone hard, and he nods, body visibly flinching—stumbling back. However, the low warning hiss from me makes him freeze and I take a step closer, my now red eyes daring him to move again. “Use your words.”

He’s aware of my every step, yet the need to submit to his king forces his head down. His focus is on the ground near my feet. “Yes, sir. All three of the Moore children have arrived as you predicted.”

“Guards?”

“Three with them at the moment.”

“Hmmm.” Taking my eyes off his pathetic form, I look up toward the early morning sky. The sun’s rising fast, the warm rays blanketing the land and killing the last remnants of a wet, stormy night. Its dominance is admirable, a little volatile in its unforgiving nature as leaves begin to dry and the temperature rises, causing many to seek refuge indoors.

The vampire cowering in my presence whines a bit, and I smirk in amusement.

My children can’t stand the sun’s rays for long.

It depletes their strength before turning them to ash if no cover is found.

They thrive in the shadows. It’s why they hunt at night while I walk amongst the living.

“Good.” I don’t say anything else and turn, heading home for the first time in the last two weeks. The rest of my men have dispersed and gone home, while another battalion awaits my orders, and this man will head back to the post that he watches.

A chain connection where my eyes track those who have caught my attention.

Moreover, I know she’ll come to me. I’ve left enough clues, and if Gabriella is anything like her father, anger will override common sense, and that’s something I’m counting on.

That ire will be her downfall.

Crossing the bridge that leads to my home, I pause and tilt my head to the side. “Something is off.” I can sense it, and my feet carry me toward the large ornate doors while those standing watch immediately remove themselves from my line of sight. There’s a change in me the moment I step inside the castle, an overwhelming hunger that pulls a deep rumble from my chest as an intoxicating scent infiltrates my senses.

It’s sweet—so fucking alluring—and I follow it to my private wing.

Every vampire in the palace has made themselves scarce; I can still hear the whimpers of many as they run from me, the scared sound only fueling the dangerous need rising within my throbbing veins. My warning growls are low, building inside my chest while my lips curl up to expose my elongated fangs still lightly coated in blood from my last meal.

And they are completely right to run.

The volatile emotions rushing through me will blind my senses; jealousy is an unpredictable emotion.

I inhale again, running the tip of my tongue across my teeth, and groan. “Mate.”

Her scent is strong here; I can almost physically feel her in the air around me.

So close. My body thrums with the need to simply touch this stranger. This woman, whose sole existence robs me of rationality while the urge to dig my teeth into her neck and gift her the markings that will adorn her flesh for the rest of our eternal lives, slams into me with the force of a battering ram.

She’s not a vampire. She smells of sin.

My body thrums, pleasure coursing through my limbs as another deep inhale infiltrates my senses. I can almost taste her on my tongue while my mate's scent gives me more satisfaction than every drop of blood I’ve consumed since my birth.

I’m going to enjoy changing her. Feeding on her while she tightens on my cock.

---