Feral Darlings

Chapter Five

Corbin stalked toward his office in the castle. He’d had a long day of meetings with the local human government. He had another one tonight with Lord Vilson and the vampire council on behalf of Hegna. The humans were wanting to meet with Hegna regarding funding for better housing, improving elements in their communities while the vampires were probably going to complain about everything and nothing.

Sometimes he preferred to work with the humans than his own kind. Lord Vilson always wanted to voice his opinion about something. Nothing was ever good enough for the councilman. Even when he got what he demanded, he would come back stating Hegna should do more. Corbin wished he could cancel the meeting with the council, but since Hegna had been called away from Black Hollows, he was to act on her behalf.

He glanced down at his schedule on his tablet and grimaced. The next few days would be jammed-packed. He had a couple of hours before his meeting with the council. He could write up his reports from the meeting with the humans and begin working on a plan for them. What they had requested was not out of the ordinary. He was sure Hegna or even Stormey would approve such requests. He had to admit, since Stormey had arrived in Black Hollows, the town had grown by leaps and bounds. The amount of humans relocating there was astronomical.

Corbin headed down the main hallway of the castle. A few female servants scampered past him, whispering. He turned toward them, and they bashfully raced on, giggling.

“Does he know yet?”

They turned down the hall and disappeared from sight. Were they talking about him? He frowned then shook his head and continued on. He was sure they were gossiping about whatever servants talked about.

A secured email came through from Nezera. He tapped on the message and read it briefly. A small smile spread across his face. This was just what they were needing. Apparently, the fierce captain had found a snitch to give her the information they had been searching for. It may not be the location of Rayna Michaels, but it was definitely much-needed information.

The email depicted human towns that were being targeted by the lycans. These towns were remote and led by humans. There was low to no vampire presence in most of them. It would make sense for the lycans to have these areas on their radar. They wouldn’t have vampires to defend the humans and prevent them from claiming the human towns. Word had reached the royal family of lycans turning entire towns. The lycans were in a desperate need to increase their numbers. It didn’t matter that not all humans would survive the change. The lycans didn’t care. It had been under the deranged alpha that their numbers had grown. It would seem her twin sister was continuing her mission.

The moment Hegna returned, there would need to be a meeting. He immediately set up the meeting and sent notifications to Nezera, Bijou, and Hegna. This was of the utmost importance. Hegna would want to act on this immediately. Looking at the information on the list, these towns were spread out between Hegna’s and Velika’s territories. He was sure there were more, but they would discuss it with Hegna before bringing in Velika and her team.

“Corbin.”

He paused outside his office and glanced toward the direction of the voice. Stormey was making her way to him with a wide smile on her face. He hadn’t known her long, but he could immediately tell she had been up to something.

“Stormey.” He gave her a respected nod. She had insisted that he not be formal with her. It was standard for him to at least bow to her, even to Hegna. His friend had threatened to cut his balls off if he ever bowed to her in private. In public, they had to due to tradition, and it was what was expected of them. Vampires thrived off the old ways, and respect and honor were important. “Can I be of assistance, my lady?”

“Actually, no.” She stopped by his side. Excitement filled her face as she took him in. “I’m here to help you.”

He blinked. He wasn’t sure what she could help him with. Maybe she had heard word of his meetings with the humans. He was going to put his reports together so he could present everything to her and Hegna in an organized manner. If she wanted to discuss everything now, then she’d save him some time.

“I was going to wait for Hegna to return, but if you—”

“Your mate is here,” she blurted out.

Corbin felt the color drain from his face. He couldn’t have heard her right. Did she just say his mate was here? He swiped his tablet to close it and held it to his chest. He was stunned speechless. He hadn’t really thought he would be matched with anyone. It had been a few days, and he’d figured that since he hadn’t heard anything, he hadn’t been successful.

Now here Stormey was, telling him his mate was here.

“We’ve gotten him settled. He arrived a few hours ago. I’ve taken liberties to interview some servants to assign him. I figured you would want to have the last say on who would be perfect for him.” Stormey paused. She tilted her head and took him in. She reached out and laid a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

He inhaled sharply and gave a nod. So his match was male. He had been curious about what fate had in store for him and if it would be a woman or a man.

“Is he angry about being here?” Corbin asked.

Some humans didn’t take too kindly to the draft. He remembered hearing about Lethia’s mate and the fight she had put up. Alima had hated his kind at one time. Now she was completely in love with Lethia. The two of them were certainly meant for each other. Would Corbin have to deal with an unhappy human?

“He didn’t seem to be. I think he’s more in shock than anything. He seems nice, and I’d have to say he’s quite handsome.” She gave his arm a rub. Her smile widened. “But now I would say you appear to be in shock. What are you thinking?”

Honestly, he didn’t know. He remembered giving Hegna advice that she needed to not push Stormey away and she deserved happiness. Now here he was, with his mate in the building. What the hell was he to do with a mate?

“Where is the human?” Corbin inquired.

“The human’s name is Voshon Rogers, and we have escorted him to your quarters. If that is not satisfactory for you, we can always assign him his own room.” Stormey’s smile disappeared.

“No, my suite is fine.”

“I reviewed your schedule and saw that you are meeting with Lord Vilson and the council. Why don’t I cover for you so that you may go spend time with your mate?” Stormey entwined her arm with his and led him away from his office.

“I don’t think you will want to meet with Vilson and the council,” he muttered. He could just reschedule the meeting.

“Nonsense. They will meet with me. Matter of fact, I have some things I need to discuss with them.”

Stormey’s tone had changed when she’d spoken, and he had a feeling she had an issue with something the council had put in place. She was very outspoken when it came to her humans, and he actually pitied the council if they had done something wrong. Stormey had a heart of gold, and everyone had taken to her immediately when she had first arrived. But Hegna was starting to rub off on her. The mate of the future queen became quite fierce in her own right when it came to her humans, her mate, or her child.

“Then if you are okay with meeting with them, then thank you,” he said.

They strolled through the first floor of the castle until they came to a stairwell that led to the upper level where his quarters were located.

“Don’t worry about anything. Go to your mate, Corbin. You deserve happiness.” She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Even though Stormey was no longer considered human, she still held on to habits of her former life. He returned the hug, releasing her. He gave her a quick nod then headed up the stairs.

Corbin let himself inside his sleeping quarters. As much as he was needed at the castle, he’d been given his own private area. He owned a small property on the outskirts of town, but he rarely went there. He shut the door and paused. He set his tablet down on the table next to him. The scent of an unfamiliar person in his space greeted him. He inhaled deeply and felt a stirring inside him. His gums burned and stretched as his fangs descended.

It couldn’t be controlled. His gaze swept the open plan of his room. There was a seating area where he could entertain with a large fireplace. The winters in Black Hollows could be treacherous, and the fires the servants built allowed for warmth and comfort. His gaze landed on his sleeping area. He walked over to his oversized bed that was able to sleep at least five adults. He smirked, thinking how he’d actually put it to the test on a few occasions.

An outfit laid out on the bed drew his attention. He stepped over to it and gently ran his finger along the flannel long-sleeved shirt. It was a good size, meaning his mate was not a small man. A pair of jeans and other items were placed next to the shirt. Corbin made a note of contacting the royal tailor where he could obtain items for his mate.

A noise behind him gained his attention. Corbin turned and took in the figure standing in the doorway from the connecting bathing room. His breath was snatched from his throat as his gaze landed on his human.

Voshon.

He had a name.

Corbin froze in place and greedily took in the dark-brown-skinned male who was tall and muscular. It was obvious the male took great care of himself. His head was shaved along the sides in a stylish fashion, his locs growing from the top of his head. His eyes were almond-shaped with a deep bedroom tone to them. He must have been fresh from a shower since he only had a towel wrapped around his waist. Corbin’s eyes dropped to the perfectly sculpted chest, the ridges of his abdomen, and the bulge that was underneath the towel.

An animalistic need raged through Corbin. This was his mate. He fought back his initial reaction of racing across to him and sinking his fangs into his neck. He was sure the human wouldn’t appreciate that.

“You must be Corbin,” Voshon said.

While Corbin had been assessing him, Voshon had done the same. His gaze was currently resting on Corbin’s own erection that strained hard against his slacks. He couldn’t help his body’s reaction.

Without even tasting Voshon’s blood, he knew without a doubt that this man belonged to him.

Voshon’s gaze flicked up and met Corbin’s.

“I am.” Corbin found his voice. The tension in the air was thick and stifling. Corbin had been in many situations that had demanded his undivided attention when it came to vital situations, but at this moment, he would admit he was at a loss for words. How would he get this man to be his? Vampires knew immediately when in the presence of their fated mate. Humans, it didn’t work that way. He was going to have to win Voshon over. Get him to trust him. Get him to fall in love with him.

How the hell did he do that?

There was a hint of doubt in Voshon’s eyes. He was leery of Corbin. He would be if he was in the same situation. Stormey had discussed plenty of times on how they needed to change how humans were brought to their mates. Now he understood completely. His mate was standing here not knowing what was going to happen with him.

“You don’t have anything to fear from me,” Corbin began. The slight tinge of fear had permeated the air. He hated the scent and didn’t want Voshon to be afraid of him. “I’m quite pleased that you are here.”

“Why? Do you need to feed? Is that what I am for? To be your dedicated source of food?” Voshon stepped into the room and slowly made his way over to the bed next to Corbin. His eyes had yet to leave Corbin. He was studying him.

Voshon’s muscles were taut, and again, Corbin didn’t like how his man was guarded.

“Of course vampires feed from their mates, but that is not your only purpose.” Corbin frowned. There was so much more to mating than feeding. It was a vital part of their relationship, because once they completed the bond, then Corbin would never drink from another person again.

Voshon snorted and reached for his clothing. Corbin’s hand shot out and gripped Voshon’s wrist. The muscles underneath Corbin’s hand tightened. He didn’t know why, but he needed to make Voshon understand how mating worked. How a vampire felt. These were all new emotions that he had never experienced. Corbin was used to people falling at his feet. He was a man who was used to getting what he wanted.

What he now wanted—needed—was his mate.

“Mating is more than the drinking of blood,” Corbin murmured.

He shifted closer to Voshon. The scent of his human intensified. He inhaled sharply and memorized the scent of him. The hint of his soap lingered, but beneath it, Corbin took in the warm trails of Voshon’s natural scent.

“A mating is the connection between two people. It is a bond that can never be broken. There is an intense need to protect, to cherish, to fulfill the needs of the one person who means everything. A mate becomes a vampire’s entire world.”

Corbin closed the gap between them. Voshon had yet to look at him. His eyes were cast down toward the bed, his shoulder to Corbin’s chest. Corbin’s gaze landed on the pulse at the base of Voshon’s neck. It was a rapid thread pace. The swishing sounds of his blood racing through his body filled Corbin’s ears. As much as he wanted to sink his fangs into Voshon’s artery and drink, he resisted. There would be much reward for waiting for Voshon to offer his neck.

“How can I be your entire world when you know nothing about me?” Voshon’s voice had dropped a few octaves, but Corbin heard him. He reached up with his free hand and trailed his fingertips down Voshon’s spine. A shiver passed through his human.

Corbin’s cock thickened to an unbearable state. It demanded relief, but he ignored it for now. Voshon was having doubts, which was normal since he was a human. For Corbin, there was no second-guessing, no hesitation—Voshon was his.

“We will spend our entire lives getting to know each other. Whatever you may want or need in life, I will provide,” Corbin rasped.

Voshon chose that moment to turn his head slightly and meet Corbin’s gaze. His heart skipped a beat at the curiosity that now brimmed in Voshon’s honey-brown eyes.

“Anything?” Voshon arched an eyebrow with the question.

He turned to face Corbin. Their bodies were pressed against each other. Corbin bit back a growl at the feeling of Voshon’s erection rubbing his. He needed those clothes gone immediately. There shouldn’t be any barriers between the two of them.

Corbin’s hand dropped down to the edge of the towel. He tugged on the part that was tucked in order to keep it wrapped around Voshon. The offending material fell to the floor, forgotten. Voshon’s long, thick cock sprang free. Corbin growled at the sight of it. His human was girthy and well endowed. Just how Corbin liked them. He gripped Voshon’s cock and stroked him from base to tip. His free hand settled on the base of Voshon’s neck. He brought his head closer to Voshon’s and paused.

“You are mine,” Corbin growled. He swooped down and captured Voshon’s lips in a hard kiss.