SALEM WAS HAVING ONE OF THOSE DREAMS AGAIN—the

kind where three drop-dead gorgeous men fucked him silly. He'd

been having them on a reoccurring basis since puberty—a long time for a

vampire as old as he was.

His dreams always featured the same three men, whom Salem lovingly

referred to as Red, Blondie, and Wolf-Eyes, respectively. Red had long,

auburn hair, a matching beard, and passionate, smoldering eyes. Blondie

was nurturing and strong, with cute dimples, a baby face, and short blond

hair that hung in his face. Wolf-Eyes' nickname was self-explanatory, but

the man had a body to drool over and a dirty blond comb-over that stood up

to their naughty dreamlike escapades.

The first time he met them in his dreams, Salem knew in his heart of

hearts these men were his fated mates—and how he pined for them—but

for the vampire king, meeting them was impossible.

Everyone expected Salem to find a lifelong partner. He knew his people

would be happy if he settled down, but two enormous problems stood in his

way.

First, his mates weren't vampires—and as far as Salem knew, royalty

never stepped beyond Bloodborne's scope. If any had previously found

mates outside of the kingdom, they must have done so in secret. Second,

there were three of them. His kingdom wanted him to traverse the

conventional route and find a nice vampire mate. But to do that, Salem

would have to live a lie, and he hated lying.

Salem was brought back into the present moment as Wolf-Eyes kissed

down his navel and teased his cock out of his boxers. He ran his hand up

Salem's chest and pinched one of his nipples. Then he grabbed the shaft of

Salem's member and began to pump his hand in a rhythmic motion. Salem

groaned and squirmed. While Wolf-Eyes occupied Salem's cock, Red took

Salem's mouth with his and deepened the kiss. Their tongues sought one

another out like they'd kissed a million times—and they had, in Salem's

wet dreams.

Blondie crawled up next to the three of them and spooned Salem. His

hand crept down Salem's side, down to his ass, where he squeezed Salem's

butt cheek.

"I like where this is going," Wolf-Eyes growled. "Roll onto your side,

my lord."

Salem did as he asked. Now, Blondie had complete access to Salem's

eager hole. He'd lost count of how many times they had fucked him in the

ass in his dreams.

As Blondie prepared Salem with lube and finger action, Wolf-Eyes

stroked his hardened member. Salem felt the tip of Blondie's cock press into

one of his cheeks and swallowed. He lined the tip up with Salem's hole and

moved forward slowly as it penetrated him.

"You feel amazing," Blondie groaned.

Salem pushed out against Blondie until he bottomed out. Blondie

nibbled on Salem's neck and wrapped a strong arm around him. He ambled,

letting Salem's body adjust, and whispered words of encouragement in his

ear. Red long moved on from Salem's lips and set to work on trailing

hickeys down his chest.

Wolf-Eyes released Salem's cock and sat back, watching as Red took

his place. Salem gasped as Red swallowed his cock in one go.

Wave after wave of pleasure washed over Salem until he was seeing

stars. His head lolled back like a doll, his body being taken for a ride by two

very experienced, sexy men. Wolf-Eyes groaned, attracting Salem's

attention. Wolf-Eyes stroked himself as he watched Red and Blondie have

their way with Salem. The predatory look of longing Wolf-Eyes gave him

was enough to send him over the edge.

Salem thrust as he came, threading his fingers through Red's hair.

Blondie finished inside of him and collapsed against Salem's back. WolfEyes came next, the release not enough to quell the hardness of his cock.

He groaned and stroked himself longer, as if he was savoring the sensation.

"I'm not satisfied yet," he growled. Somehow, Salem's cock twitched back

to life. The three men eyed him like lions before pouncing on him.

As they brought him to the climax, Salem wished the dream would ever end. "ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME you had a baby?"

The last time anyone uttered those words, Salem swore he'd sentence

them to death. An exaggeration, but he couldn't say the thought hadn't

crossed his mind. Valencia, Salem's family's housemaid, wasn't someone

he could off, though, even if her incessant nagging for an heir drove him

crazy. If anything happened to Valencia, Salem was certain his parents'

ghosts would leave the kingdom of the dead to haunt him.

For centuries, Salem avoided his duty to his kingdom by refusing to sire

an heir. Despite having a good reason for it, his decision bore consequences

that crippled the kingdom. Coupled with an ancient curse that rendered

Bloodborne's women infertile—and the near extinction of Blue Bloods like

Salem—the kingdom's population was beyond strained.

The royal bloodlines teetered on the brink, unable to produce heirs who

could assume the throne themselves. The future of Bloodborne rested on

Salem's shoulders and if he didn't act soon, they would perish.

Salem knew what he needed to do—and today, he was ready to set it in

motion.

He sat with Valencia in the estate's dining room. The vampire enjoyed

routine and started each day with a cup of tea and a plateful of delicious

pastries. It was his guilty pleasure, and he hadn't missed it once the past two

centuries. Sunlight poured in from the balcony opposite the dining table and

birds chirped in the trees outside. Salem lifted the cup to his lips, took a sip,

and savored the flavor before dropping a two-word bomb on her.

"It is." He topped off his tea and poured another cup, then dropped a

few cubes of sugar in. Salem added a dollop of honey and stirred. He

looked up to observe her reaction.

"It is?" Valencia repeated, incredulous. She gave him a look and placed

her cup on the table daintily. Valencia was a petite woman with hazel eyes,

long ebony hair and a doll-like face. His housemaid was over three-hundred

years old, but you couldn't guess her age just from looking at her. Salem

made the mistake of trying once, but after incurring her wrath, he'd long

since determined her youthful appearance was the byproduct of black

magic. Whether or not that was true, he had no clue. "What about taking

your secret to the grave?"

"Trust me—I want to keep it that way, but we both know I'm out of

time."

"And what if the people find out?" she countered, parroting one of

Salem's many excuses back at him.

"I'm the only Blue Blood left and thanks to the Sorcerea curse, the royal

families are in ruin. If I do something and they find out, we might perish.

But if I do nothing, we'll definitely perish. That's the decision I've come to,

so I'll need your help with the Summoning Ceremony."

"You will?" Valencia stared at Salem as if he'd grown four Cerberus

heads.

"Who else will do it?" Salem implored. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"I will do it," she stammered, taken aback by his request. "It's an honor.

I'm just surprised. I've asked so many times since your coronation—you've

always said no."

"Until today."

"Until today," Valencia agreed.

Salem nodded. "Now that we're on the same page... We should begin

preparing for the ceremony."

"Are you sure?" Valencia asked.

"Yes." Salem took her hands in his and gazed into her eyes. "Besides,

you've never led me astray and you've helped my father through this

before. I doubt you'd have been as adamant about babies if there wasn't a

plan?"

Valencia's eyes narrowed, but Salem saw a gleam in them that

confirmed his suspicions. "How perceptive, my lord. Please excuse me for a

moment." She snapped her fingers and a small burgundy pouch appeared in

her hand.

"What is that for?"

"The late king instructed me to give this to you when the time was

right." Valencia retrieved an amulet from the bag and pressed it against the

palm of Salem's outstretched hand. Valencia folded his fingers around it and

returned to sipping her tea.

"Father did?" Salem examined the amulet—a small, beautiful piece of

jewelry attached to a silver necklace. Salem admired its delicate frame and

the sparkling, sapphire gem in the center. He gazed at the amulet and

wondered about its origins. "What does it do?"

"Your father said it would bring you success—and to wear it always."

"Success? Unless it can turn me into a normal vampire or wipe

everyone's memory after this is said and done, I don't see how it'll help."

Salem turned it over in his hand, skeptical.

Valencia leaned across the counter and jabbed Salem's chest with her

finger. "Take it from someone who can't have children, Blue Blood,"

Valencia huffed. "Your gift can change this kingdom from the inside out and

has the power to save us all. If you were a normal vampire, you would

uphold the status quo, and that is not what will get us out of this mess."

They sat in silence for several long minutes. Salem stared into his

steaming cup as though it contained the answers to his problems. Then he

looked up and said, "The ceremony will be public this time and you know

Blue Bloods can have up to four mates. If that happens, there's no hiding it.

We need to come up with a plan for what we will do if that happens."

"There's no guarantee you will summon over one, though."

"Maybe, but what if I do?" Salem insisted.

Valencia clicked her tongue and frowned. "This is unlike you. Since

when do you worry this much?"

"It's just...I have a feeling I will summon three mates—and they won't

be vampires," Salem confessed.

"We cross that bridge if it happens," she soothed. "Try not to assume the

worst."

Salem wanted to protest that he wasn't assuming the worst, but then

he'd have to tell her about his naughty dreams. He decided against it.

"But I can't hide my pregnancy—and I can't hide the child until they're

of age, either," Salem said. "They'll know I'm a Blue Blood the moment

the pregnancy shows. If that happens, everyone will be in danger."

Like his father, Salem differed from other vampires. The late king, of all

people, had also been a Blue Blood and passed the genes onto his only son,

Salem.

Once Salem was born, they kept his other biological fathers from the

public eye. They raised Salem in secrecy. His father covered up the truth

and Salem's origins—and for a while, it worked. But you know what they

say about skeletons and closets. One day, the family learned a traitor was in

their midst, but it was too late. The damage was done.

Salem's world turned upside down when Hunters attacked during one of

his family's secret gatherings. He escaped with Valencia, but the rest of his

loved ones perished in the tragedy. They spared the public the truth behind

the attack, which they pinned on assassins. Fortunately, it didn't take much

to convince Bloodborne's mourning vampires, who were none the wiser

when Salem assumed his place on the throne.

"You might walk a different path than your father, but that doesn't mean

it's wrong. You will find your own solution."

"I don't have time to go soul-searching, you know."

"Some decisions require the courage to explore the unknown. I know

it's hard, but try to believe we'll make it through this," Valencia soothed.

"You're right. I have to do this." Salem shook his head. "But I'm afraid

of making the wrong choice."

"The wrong choice is doing nothing." Valencia leaned back and smiled.

"Relax, my lord. I have faith it will work out."

Salem sighed and rolled his eyes. "I wish I shared your optimism. This

whole situation feels like a double-edged sword."

Valencia's expression softened. "Your third father, Ethel, used to say,

'damned if you do, damned if you don't—so you might as well do it,' didn't

he?"

"He did." Salem smiled and remembered his father, Ethel, who was

always using words and expressions he'd picked up from his travels in The

Other World—a place where, Salem learned, mortals live. The vampire had

never met a mortal before, but his father Ethel spoke highly of them. That

his father could travel to The Other World impressed Salem, though he

never learned how such a feat was possible.

"You've made a difficult decision, but no matter what happens, your

kingdom will thank you for it."

Salem turned his gaze toward the windows as the shadow of a bird

passed along the floor. Deep in thought, the vampire king was silent for

several long moments. Then his face darkened, and he said, "if word gets

out about this, an encounter with the Hunters will be inevitable. I don't

think anyone will thank me if I go down the same way father did—

especially if I don't produce an heir to take my place."

"Maybe not, but there's no guarantee your fears will come to pass."

"What about all the lies, then?" Salem groaned. "I don't even know

where to begin with unraveling those."

"I'm afraid I don't know," she sighed. "We will have to wait and see

how this plays out before we decide how to handle the public. But your

father must have foreseen this or he wouldn't have prepared that amulet so

long ago."

Salem acknowledged the gift once more. "How long ago was that?"

"Before you were born."

Salem raked a hand through his hair and gritted his teeth in frustration.

"If he would have been honest with me, I could have prepared for this. I

wouldn't have lived these years afraid of my shadow."

"Perhaps he wanted to instill caution," she mused.

Salem considered her words. "Well, he succeeded. Choosing between

possible and certain death isn't exactly a decision I can make lightly. Either

doorway leads to Bloodborne's demise."

"Use your gifts to open another door." Her suggestion was simple

enough, but easier said than done. Even if he could produce an heir, the

Hunters could sniff him out just as they'd done to his family. She reached

across the table and touched his hand. "I believe in you."

Salem's voice was low and soft when he answered her. "You think I can

change fate?"

He wanted to add, "when I couldn't even protect my family?" but

decided against it.

"You need not change fate—you will create it."

Salem raised an eyebrow. "I see what you're doing here."

Valencia patted his hand and picked her cup back up. "And what's

that?"

"That was a baby innuendo and you know it."

Valencia winked and took a sip of tea. The two of them continued

enjoying their tea and pastries as they talked. Salem licked his fingers and

pushed his empty plate aside. "How long do I have?"

Valencia answered without hesitation. "You must produce an heir by the

next Blood Moon."

"But the next Blood Moon is six months from now!"

Valencia took another sip of tea. "Time waits for no one."

"Fair enough. When do you think preparations will be complete?"

She deliberated for a moment. "One week."

Salem poured a third cup and stirred a generous spoonful of honey into

it. "What you're telling me is I have three weeks to get pregnant, you

know."

"That is correct."

"Three weeks isn't a lot of time to get to know someone before

committing to having a baby," he grumbled.

"You will change your mind once you meet them." Valencia smiled

behind her teacup, eyes twinkling like emeralds. "I've heard the pull of

one's fated mate is strong."

"I'm beginning to think you're enjoying this."

She shifted in her seat and giggled. "Maybe a little."

Salem grinned. "You like babies, don't you?"

"Yes," she squeaked. Salem pretended not to notice. "Forgive me."

"Forgive you? I should thank you." Salem bowed his head, a respectful

gesture among vampires. Long ago, Salem's father turned Valencia, who

lost her fertility when she became a vampire and crossed into Bloodborne's

territory. Valencia may not have felt she had a choice, given the

circumstances, but she'd raised him in his fathers' stead. He would always

be grateful to her for that. "I would be lost without your guidance."

Valencia's eyes bugged out. "Please—raise your head."

Salem wanted to reassure her, so he said, "your sacrifice will not be in

vain. I'll save Bloodborne."

"I believe you," Valencia soothed, eyes wet. "Now get freshened up. We

can discuss this more another time. I'll take care of the mess and then begin

preparations for the ceremony."

"You're the best." Salem left the kitchen and returned to his room. He

paced and ruminated on their conversation.

In less than a month's time, he'd become a mate and a father. Deep

down, Salem knew his life would never be the same. He hoped that this

time around, he could protect them and prevent another tragedy.

His mind buzzed as he retrieved the amulet from his pocket and hung it

around his neck. Please be good for something, he prayed.

In one week, Salem would summon three mates in front of everyone

and reap the consequences. In the storm's eye, the king felt unusually calm —but nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.