The Vampire King Read online

  THE VAMPIRE KING

  Moretti Blood Brothers Series

  Book One

  By Juliette N. Banks

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to the founding members of my Facebook Group (you know who you are!), who have supported and encouraged me (and occasionally hounded me lol) to publish my stories. x

  COPYRIGHT

  Book title copyright © Juliette N. Banks.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author, Juliette N. Banks.

  Reviewers may, as an exception, quote short excerpts no longer than 250 words for a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Written by Juliette N. Banks

  Cover designed by Cat Cover Design

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  CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  COPYRIGHT

  LET’S GET SOCIAL

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  THE VAMPIRE PRINCE

  CHAPTER ONE

  1891 England. 20th Century

  Bram Stoker sat at the end of the bar and lifted his ale to his lips, watching as four large men walked across the room and sat at a table.

  They had a look of aristocracy about them, however, there was something more. Something that made a man keep one eye on them.

  As a writer, he would describe them in one of his novels as menacing-looking fellows, dressed in the high quality tailored black suits of the time, with bodies far too bulky and tall to go unnoticed. Their demeanor was dark, confident, and dangerous.

  The men winked at the barmaids playfully, which did nothing to lessen the dark aura about them, and yet the women were tripping over themselves to serve them.

  Women.

  He gave his head a small shake and returned his attention to his notebook.

  Bram was currently staying in Whitby, on the Yorkshire Coast, to write his novel. His wife and family would join him in six months, and he was determined to have a first draft ready by the time they arrived.

  It was plenty of time. If he knew what he was going to write. The seaside town had a moody feel to it, which was perhaps why he was projecting menacing characters onto the men across the room from him.

  “Another ale, sir?”

  “Thank you, yes,” he replied to the barman.

  “Don’t mind them.” He tipped his chin at the new arrivals. “They’re regulars, and usually no trouble despite their appearance.”

  He glanced behind him again and let out a little laugh. One man had pulled a woman onto his lap and was nuzzling into her neck. Heat flushed through his body as he noticed his hand slip under the woman’s dress and push her legs apart.

  Bram’s pants tightened when she arched in the way women did as they were being penetrated.

  “Good to hear.” He cleared his throat. “A question, if I may. Am I mistaken in my summary of their attire? They appear to be aristocrats.”

  He was now questioning his judgement after his observation.

  “Aye, you’re right. They are. However, I’m not about to complain about their patronage.”

  He took the beer from the barkeep and thanked him. Lifting the glass, he peered over again and noticed one man watching him. There was a warning in his dark eyes, which looked as if they belonged to someone far older, despite his youthful appearance.

  Sloshing his beer on the counter, he looked away.

  A chill ran down his spine, and Bram considered hastily retiring for the evening. He wasn’t a coward, but in his experience, when one ignored their instincts, it was never wise.

  It was late, in any case. He folded his notebook and placed it in his inside pocket, taking a last swig of his drink. He then picked up his hat, nodded farewell to the barkeep, and made his way to the entrance.

  As he reached the nondescript brown door, it came flying at his face, followed by three men. He fell on his ass and caught himself before his head followed.

  “Moretti!” One of the men boomed in a strong Italian accent.

  The table of men snarled and jumped to their feet. Standing with their legs wide, the menace he’d perceived was now on full display.

  “Step back.” The shorter of the men said, holding up a hand in warning.

  “I lay down my challenge. Here and now.”

  All the men froze.

  “Fuck, here we go. Are you jesting, Russo?” one of the cheekier men said, rolling his eyes.

  “Brayden.” The man placed a hand on the others shoulder, quieting him. Then he stepped forward. He had a fatherly vibe despite appearing of similar age. “Roberto Russo. You choose this public place to challenge me?”

  He had a quiet, powerful aura about him as he spoke in a calm, deep voice. Bram noticed it was the same man who had caught his eye across the room.

  “You have increased our taxes yet again, and now my sister has mated with one of your males. It’s the last straw.” the man growled.

  Two of the men sniggered.

  “Hey, you brought Lucinda to the ball. Not our fault.” one of them said.

  “Poor Tom.”

  “No, she’s not an idiot like her brothers.”

  “Quiet.” The powerful man said, not bothering to glance behind him.

  He was obeyed.

  Bram got to his feet and brushed off his pants. The conversation was making no sense whatsoever. What was mating? Aside from the marriage bed act, and if so, it was outrageous these men were discussing it so loudly in public.

  “If you wish to follow through on your challenge, then come to the castle an hour before dawn, and you shall have your opportunity.”

  Did he mean a duel?

  Bram was about to draw to their attention such an act was illegal, but he thought better of it.

  “The throne will be mine, Moretti. Mark my words,”

  “Hello. Am I invisible?”

  “He has two sons, remember.” The cheeky one pointed between himself and the man next to him, grinning. “Princes. Heir to the throne. Do I need to talk slower?”

  “Brayden, for god’s sake.” The man shook his head, frustrated. “Shut. Up.”

  Princes? Son’s?

  They looked nothing like the royal family, and more to the point, all the men looked the same age.

  Bram looked from face to face then landed on the apparent father. He held Bram’s stare for a moment, then slowly looked back at Roberto.

  “Go. Leave now. We will clean up your mess and see you at dawn.”

  The men plowed out the door after throwing out a handful of curses and threats. Bram scrambled on the floor to find his hat, and without looking back, he headed for the door. His hand was an inch from pulling it open when he heard the click.

  Bother.

  He slowly turned and found the supposed father standing directly behind him with a regretful expression.

  “I’m sorry,
my friend, you cannot leave just yet.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “What’s upsetting me is the poor redhead missing out on the best tumble she’s ever had.”

  Brayden snorted as they bumped along in the Moretti carriage, heading back to the castle.

  “You laugh, my friend, but she won’t have had better,” Craig grinned.

  “That depends. Has she been on my dance card?”

  “If she has, she’ll have no toes.”

  “Dance card, my ass. You have a fuck card.” Vincent said, one eyebrow raised cynically.

  “Only to keep track, brother. It’s entirely rude to forget one’s conquests’ names. Unlike you, who only has eyes for one beauty.”

  Vincent sat up straight and glared at him. “I do not.” Vincent said, stiffening and glaring at the other two vampires. “Leave Kate alone, or I’ll behead you.”

  “Neither my hands, nor my cock, are interested in your future mate, brother. And for the record, you can’t order my beheading. Yet.”

  His brother may be heir to the throne, but he didn’t hold the type of power to take his life. Nor would he. Despite the taunting which constantly took place between them, the two were close. As close as two brothers could be.

  Craig may not be a Moretti prince, but he was his best friend and was all but part of the family since he’d invited him to join the royal army as his second in command.

  While Vincent blathered on, denying Kate was his mate, Brayden noticed his father’s serious expression.

  “Father,” Brayden said. “Worry not. You know the Russo’s do not have the strength to defeat you.”

  The King looked up at him. Age and wisdom poured from his eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure how old his sire was. No one was. Of course, the queen, his mother, liked to tease him about all kinds of outrageous numbers.

  They were adorable together and he could only hope to meet such a mate one day.

  Still, it hadn’t been an easy start for the two royals. His mother had shared how traumatic it had been when she gave up her life as a human to be with Roberto.

  Or more to the point, she hadn’t been given a choice. He had simply changed her.

  The thought turned Brayden’s stomach.

  He may not have experienced the love of a mate yet, and while vampires were predators, they still had a conscience. He intended to give his mate a choice if it turned out she was human.

  “No. They do not. Yet another valiant vampire will die tonight at my hands,” he said, glancing at both his sons, immediately shifting the mood in the carriage. “These are my vampires. You all are. Each death is a dent on my soul, despite the vigor and power with which I defeat them.”

  Vincent glanced at him, then back to their father. “Then how shall we stop this anarchy, father?”

  Always with the questions.

  Vincent had, since birth, been trained and primed to one day take over the throne. While vampires were immortal, they could still die. Like any royal family, the line of succession was prepared from birth.

  Well, Brayden wasn’t.

  He’d done the absolute minimum in learning how to be a king, and when his father became angry, the queen would speak up for him.

  “Francis, let the child be a boy,” she would say. “The likelihood of him becoming king is so small, it’s not worth the battle. He’s a little warrior–let’s encourage it.”

  Which is how he ended up as captain of the vampire army.

  “I blame the queen–the human queen,” the king said. “The industrial age has empowered people with money and choices, the likes of which they have never had before. This has just encouraged the rebels.”

  “I’ve heard the Russo’s are calling their anarchy a resistance,” Craig said. “We could just take a team in there and eliminate them all.”

  Craig was the Commander of the royal army with four lieutenant commanders under him. One being Tom, who had recently mated one of the Russo sisters.

  “No!”

  “Sorry, my lord, I just...”

  “That’s not how I manage my kingdom, and you should know better. We do not eliminate every vampire who disagrees with us. If they want to make a challenge, it is within their right, but they will fail. They will all fail.”

  Brayden nodded.

  As the carriage turned and began its ascent to one of their many Moretti castles, Brayden looked out the window and wondered how his father was going to contain this rebellion.

  He didn’t know the answer but agreed some kind of action was required.

  “Vincent, come with me and spar. Brayden, Craig, ensure our security is prepared to greet our guests. I only want a small presence when they arrive. And for gods sakes, do not tell the queen.”

  “Yes, sire.”

  “Yes, father.”

  Brayden walked through the castle with Craig at his side. The two spent a lot of time together for work and play. As single vampires, they had much in common.

  One of which was walking, actually dancing, his way.

  Females.

  “My prince,” she drawled.

  The low cut of her bodice immediately caught his attention. And his cock twitched. Many of the visitors from the ball they’d held over the weekend were still in residence, including this delicious morsel from Spain.

  “Si,” he winked.

  She giggled.

  Craig rolled his eyes.

  “See you in an hour in the lower chambers.”

  “I’ll gather the men, Prince Brayden,” Craig said, then mumbled. “Should have brought the redhead home, dammit.”

  Brayden grinned and waited for him to walk off before offering the lady his arm.

  “Could I interest you in a delicious port in my personal chambers?”

  Cue the blush and wet panties.

  “Are you enjoying your stay?” he asked as he poured the rich, red liquid.

  His room was luxurious, with large cabinets, rich drapery, and furniture in coordinated tones of black, gold, and red.

  “Yes, it’s wonderful,” she purred. She sat on the chaise lounge and reclined seductively, which only hardened his cock further. “It’s so lush and wet in England.”

  Christ.

  He nearly choked at the double entendre. Nearly. Instead, he smirked to himself, then turned to offer her the glass. She didn’t move to take it, so he placed it on the side table and stared down at her.

  “My lord? Is there something I can do for you?”

  Oh, there most certainly was.

  “That depends on what you are offering, Lady Sophia.”

  She lifted her gloved hand and ran it over the bulge in his pants. His cock reacted.

  He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a groan.

  “Yes, I think you would be well placed to attend to my need this evening.”

  Brayden opened his pants, and his cock sprung out. He pulled Sophia to the edge of the sofa and pushed himself into her mouth.

  He wasn’t surprised by the wide eyes, especially the glint of excitement that sparkled in them. She had been watching him for a few nights and he’d been well aware of her in return.

  Brayden pushed her dress off her shoulders, then tugged it down, exposing her large breasts.

  “Gorgeous tits,” he groaned as she sucked and licked him.

  He tweaked a nipple, and she moaned. God, he loved it when they moaned. Especially when his cock was jammed in their mouth.

  “Lift your skirts, but don’t take me out of your mouth.”

  Those big eyes held his as she scooped up her dress and sat back down, rearranging all the fabric as best she could.

  “Spread your legs, Sophia.”

  She did, moaning deeper, and fuck, he was ready to come in her mouth. Her innocent willingness was highly intoxicating.

  Brayden pulled out of her and then ordered her to lie down. He kneeled between her thighs and spread her wider. Pink flesh, sparkling with moisture, lay before him like a buffet.

  “Beautiful.
” He said, licking his lips.

  “I...”

  “Do you wish to pleasure me, Sophia?”

  “Yes, my lord.” She nodded.

  “Or simply be pleasured?”

  He always gave them a choice. As a Moretti Prince he had power and authority he refused to abuse. The brunette bit her bottom lip in decision.

  Taking too long.

  He leaned in and licked at her clit. She groaned and arched into his mouth. He considered it an answer and pushed a finger inside her. Then two.

  Gripping his cock, he lapped at her soft, juicy core. He felt the moment she began clenching her muscles around his fingers as his skilled tongue stimulated her clit.

  Brayden wasn’t completely selfless. He would not let her orgasm alone. Pumping his cock, he wanted in the hot, moist space.

  But he had to be sure.

  “Say yes, Sophia.”

  “Oh yes, yes!”

  He lifted her and planted her on top of his engorged cock.

  God, yes.

  She cried out as he sunk into her deeply, slowly. Wide eyes once again stared back at him as she continued to move up and down his large cock. “Oh yes, please bite me.”

  Lifting her up and down, delighting as her breasts bounced around in front of him, he grunted at the tightness. Leaning down, he took one of her nipples in his mouth and she cried out some more.

  He wouldn’t bite her, but he loved how they begged for it.

  He imagined the rich red blood pouring into his mouth as his cock thrust into a warm pussy. Not with this female, but one day.

  Brayden reached between them and flicked her clit.

  “My prince.” She cried as she began to orgasm.

  She tightened around him beautifully. Fuck, he loved the young vampires. Pressing her hard against him, he came hot and fast, his ejaculation filling her.

  “Fuck, yes. Argh. God.”

  “Mfmphmfh,” Sofia cried as she flopped onto his chest, satisfied.

  Brayden ran his hand over her soft, round bottom and glanced around the room. He could leave her in here, on his bed, or take her back to her chamber.