Sleepless Beauties: A Rejected Mates Paranormal Romance (The Vampires Vendetta Series Book 1) by A.K. Koonce (best books under 200 pages txt) 📕

“Final resting place,” My Prince mocks in that high-pitched girl voice he likes so much. “As if any of you ever rest. Even after death.” He rolls his bright blue eyes so hard I’d swear he were demonically possessed if he wasn’t already demonic royalty.

“I believe you,” I whisper suddenly and all three of them snap their attention to me. “What? I do.”

“Why?” Prey asks on the quietest voice.

My heart kicks up as I look at him and the cruel disbelieve lining his face.

“Because you’re my mate and I know when you’re lying, Prey,” I say.

His Adam’s apple bobs as he shifts his attention to the ground.

A tension pulls tightly between us and all I want is a hint of decency between us. Mates doesn’t have to be lovers. But I truly want some form of friendship with my sister’s closest friend.

She trusted him.

I want that for us too.

“Being someone’s mate doesn’t mean anything, Pretty Human,” he tosses the rag down at my side and strides away from me.

“You’re afraid,” My Prince speaks loudly and clearly, letting his accusation crawl the walls around us. “You’re afraid she’ll never want you just like everyone else in this fucked up little society. Humans are beneath them but vampire’s assistants, they’re just barely above humans, aren’t they?”

“Wow. Demon man woke up from imprisonment and chose violence,” Aston says under his breath.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Prey level’s his stance in front of the demon and I just know the two of them will end up with more fists thrown if we’re not careful.

“If you’re not afraid,” My Prince tilts his head slowly with a smile carving up his face, “then kiss her.”

“Wwhat? I’m sorry, what?” Aston interjects and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen him stunned.

And I agree.

“Our lives are not a RomCom for you, DP. I’m so sorry.” I fold my arms as I look at the demon but for some reason snickers, actual snickers of laughter, are shaking out of him.

“Did you just call me DP?”

“You won’t tell me your name. I’m just going to have to go with Demon Prince and that feels incredibly weird to say.”

“And you thought DP was the better option,” My Prince says and all three of them are giggling like a lunch line of little girls.

“What is the big damn deal with DP? What?”

“Nothing. No. I love it. Definitely call him DP. It’s just the penetratingly accurate is all.” Aston’s nodding harder and harder.

What?

My eyebrows lower but I still don’t know what their issue is.

“Can you—do us a favor—please ask for DP. Just like in a voice that says you’re parched and maybe a little bit in pain but like a good girl pain, you know?” Aston hangs on my silence as I glare at his weird fucking request.

“You’re such an undead idiot,” I finally say and Prey and DP both nod in agreement.

How did I get sucked into the lives of such strange and messy men?

“It’ll strengthen both of you if the mark is accepted,” Demon Prince says after a moment of casual silence settles in where mocking laughter once was.

Prey’s head snaps up and he looks at the demon for several seconds. He doesn’t believe him.

Or maybe he really is afraid. What if I lower his power instead of increase it?

“She has a vampire’s mark, a wolves mark—”

I cut him off hard. “A wolfs mark?”

He rolls his eyes as he lifts my hair and points to something at the back of my neck.

I touch but feel nothing there.

…I swear if I marked on Vuitton too… Two of them? How could I have marked on two men? Jesus it’s like the fucking apocalypse. They just keep infecting me. And I keep going right back like more dick might be the antidote.

“And now,” DP continues as I’m still rubbing at the back of my neck, “the magic of a demon is in her heart. You’re a fool if you think she’s weaker than you.” My Prince remains impassive in appearance but I know he’s invested in this.

Why?

“You gain power when I gain power.” I arch an eyebrow at him.

His smile broadens. “You’re clever, Miss Vega.”

Prey turns and there’s a question in his searching eyes as he looks at me.

Black smoke blooms all around but then the demon’s closer to Prey than he was before, his face just an inch from the vampire’s.

“Kiss her,” he whispers like a dirty little thought.

Prey steps between my thighs and I let him. Curiosity prickles through the room like a crawling, needy parasite. Prey leans in and I’m drawn to him as much as he seems to be drawn to me. His lashes lower.

My gaze lifts.

And I lock eyes with Aston as Prey grips the back of my neck, and seals my lips to his. Red burns into the whites of Aston’s eyes as he holds my gaze. My tongue slides out to meet Prey’s and I can’t help the moan that shakes through me as Aston licks his lips and Prey kisses me harder.

Sparks burn through my veins.

His mouth lowers and the warmth of his tongue rolls over my throat. Sharp teeth scrape over the mark I know is just beneath his lips.

His mark.

“Lie back,” Prey orders and my hands shake as I lean back against my elbows before lowering my back to the hard lid of my croft. “You smell so fucking good.” His breath fans across my thighs as his head disappears between my legs.

My Prince flicks his sapphire eyes slowly over my body before meeting my gaze.

“What are you thinking?” he asks in a mystified, far off voice.

Fingers lock around my panties and the drag of lace over flesh makes me shift in place.

“Um,” my eyes close but I can’t think as soft lips press lightly over my inner thigh. “Uh… I’m thinking that fate is an asshole to mark me with a man who has so much hate and so little