Blood of an Alpha Read online

  Blood

  Of An

  Alpha

  Kings of Sterling

  Leeah Taylor

  BLOOD OF AN ALPHA

  Copyright © 2020 Leeah Taylor.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, events, and incident are the product of imagination, or used in a fictionalized manner. Any resemblance to people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Front Cover Image by: Delicious Book Covers

  All rights reserved

  Riley | 1

  Ollie | 2

  Riley | 3

  Ramsey | 4

  Riley | 5

  Ollie | 6

  Riley | 7

  Ollie | 8

  Ramsey | 9

  Ollie | 10

  Riley | 11

  Ramsey | 12

  Riley | 13

  Ollie | 14

  Ramsey | 15

  Ollie | 16

  Riley | 17

  Ramsey | 18

  Riley | 19

  Ollie | 20

  Ramsey | 21

  Riley | 22

  Ollie | 23

  Ollie | 24

  Ramsey | 25

  Riley | 26

  Ollie | 27

  Riley | 28

  Ollie | 29

  Ramsey | 30

  Riley | 31

  Ollie | 32

  Ollie | 33

  Ollie | 34

  Ollie | 35

  Ramsey | 36

  Ollie | 37

  Riley | 38

  Riley | 39

  Ollie | 40

  Ramsey | 41

  Ramsey | 42

  Ollie | 43

  Riley | 44

  Ollie | 45

  Epilogue

  Thank you for reading!

  Love unconditionally.

  Riley | 1

  Riley popped open a beer and set it down on the bar top while getting lost in her own cadence to the beat coming from the stage. A twenty dropped in its place, and a man nodded.

  “Keep it.”

  The crowd swallowed him up before she said thanks. She barely blinked, swiping the bill from the surface and went over to the register. Her fingers punched the buttons, and the drawer opened. She shoved the money in and didn’t bother with the tip. There really wasn’t a point.

  She had a Frost. The credit card and new shiny black truck were standard. A delicious warmth tightened in her belly. It had a big back seat. Hands slipped over her hips and pulled flush into a hard chest.

  “You’re blushing,” heat prickled over her ear and goosebumps spread down her arm. “Can only mean one thing.”

  “Behave Oliver Frost.”

  He gave a low chuckle. “I don’t think I know the word.”

  She turned in his arms, looking into brilliant sapphires. “I’m sure you don’t.”

  It was always intense, and gentle in the way he watched her. He had the power to coax out all the sensitive bits and pieces of people’s souls to soothe and tame. It was there every time Juliette was in utter chaos. When Damien had given every bit of himself to make it better and couldn’t.

  Sometimes she just needed Ollie.

  He was always there to suck her into the little world they shared, to soothe her. Harness the madness when her world was shattering around her. And Riley couldn’t find a reason to hate it because she did the same for Ollie. Soothed and tamed something it seemed Juliette couldn’t even reach.

  “You’re doing the other thing again,” He smirked, pecking her lips.

  “What’s that?”

  “Staring.”

  She pulled away from him, giggling. A blonde a little way down the bar caught her attention and raised her empty glass. Riley nodded, rolling her eyes when she looked away to grab a fresh glass.

  “Did you make the liquor order?” She asked, reaching behind him, and brushing him in all the right places. He arched a brow as she pulled the vodka bottle down.

  “I did, why did we need something else?” He palmed her ass with a squeeze as he pressed his front to her back and rested his lips at her ear. “Is my Sweets needing something?”

  “Nope,” she poured the vodka into the glass with a smirk on her lips. “Just wondering.”

  She pulled out of his reach and went down the bar to set the glass down.

  “Tab?” she asked.

  The woman smiled, eyeing Ollie, and devouring him down the bar. “Please.”

  A pressing warmth filled her fingertips, and Riley fought to keep her claws from darting out. “He’s off the market or did you miss the memo?”

  The woman’s over painted brow went up. “Is he?” she vied for a glimpse at Riley’s left hand. “Doesn’t look like he’s off the market.”

  Ollie wrapped a firm arm around Riley’s waist, pulling her to him. “Candy? Come on. We talked about this.”

  What kind of name is Candy, anyway?

  She puckered her whore red lips and nodded. “We did, and I told you all’s fair until the leash is on display.”

  A sound rumbled softly against Riley’s backside. “Considering you haven’t settled up with me in weeks and drink like the lonely old woman you are, your tab can easily triple, and I’d say you’d be hard up to pay up.”

  All amusement vanished when her mouth fell open. “Didn’t seem to have a problem with this old woman before the stray showed up.”

  Ollie pressed a kiss into Riley’s shoulder. “Yeah, well, pickings weren’t always the best, now were they? Even the Sex King got desperate.”

  Riley was certain Candy’s eyes would pop right out of her head and join her jaw on the floor. She bit back a laugh, but it didn’t stop the smirk from shining through.

  “Let’s make this easy, yeah? Your tab is all settled, honey,” He nodded toward the door. “You can leave and don’t come back.”

  “You can’t be serious? I’ve been coming here,” She looked him up and down. “and servicing you for over a decade.”

  He nodded. “Consider this me releasing you from my service. Move on, Candy. It’s not happening.” He pointed to the door. “Go on, leave or I’ll have you removed.”

  Xavier stood at the end of the bar, hands clasped in front of him, watching with a ghost of a smile on his lips.

  “Easy way or hard way?” he asked.

  She shrieked, huffed, and stomped her foot. It wasn’t a good look. Even less when she stormed out looking like a petulant child.

  Riley snickered. “You know, if I had a dollar for every time you’ve had to do that, I’d be rich.”

  For six months she watched him kick more past lovers out because they acted like Candy or couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. It was entertaining every time, and she loved her vampire more too. She wondered early on if the proclaimed Sterling Sex King could be faithful only to her, but he proved, repeatedly, he was more than capable.

  He sighed. “Sorry, Sweets.”

  She walked away. “I’m not. It gets funnier every time.”

  Ollie caught her at the wrist and tugged her back to collide into his chest. A smirk hovering at her lips. “Does it now?” The smile grew, and it made him even more devious. “Enjoy watching me turn away all my suitors and old lovers?”

  “Yep,” she nodded. “What? Thought I might be jealous?”

  He chuckled. “Oh, my Sweets, you must have missed the part where your talons grew four inches. If it weren’t for me, I’d probably be cleaning up Candy’s gutted innards from the floor.”

  “Sure know how to turn a lady on,” she teased. “Say gutted innards again but real low and husky like.”

  “You’re horrible,” he laughed.

  “Can I get back to work?”

  He pecked her on the lips
. “Yeah, get your butt back to work. Aren’t I paying you or something?”

  She walked away from him backwards with a smile stretched from ear to ear. “With every delicious thrust.”

  A few regulars sitting at the bar chuckled when Ollie shook his head, but he was smiling too.

  Ollie | 2

  People’s faces lit up when he strolled through the crowd. An easy smile on his face while eyes were on him from all directions. Most people squirmed under the sort of attention. But he craved it. Thrived on it. Energy flowed freely through the room. Feeding the itch just scratching under his skin.

  Not quite reaching the deep itch, though. The one scraping and clawing below the surface. It stared down the crowd from his depths and pleaded to have just a taste. What can it hurt? It was barely a whisper. Taunting him. Baiting him. His stomach churned with a pulsing heat, reminding him it had no plans to go anywhere either.

  I need another drink.

  “Oliver Frost.”

  He offered the man at the steps his trademark smile. Ratcheting up the charm without a thought. It came naturally, and Maxwell Curtis wasn’t exactly a stranger. Not quite a friend though either. He lingered somewhere in the more than an acquaintance range. And the man dripped with enough alpha for both of them. Ollie was happy to let him keep it. All to himself.

  He shook his hand lazily. “Maxwell.”

  Taking him in, from head to toe, at one time he’d happily welcomed him to his bed. Black hair, dark eyes, powerful arms, but he never could get Maxwell to join in the fun. He was more interested in Juliette back in the days when they partied, and she eagerly filled his time. A poor substitute for Damien. But joined in the fun or not, Oliver had seen every inch of Maxwell and back then, it only spurred him on.

  Ollie turned to the other man. “Lincoln.”

  Lincoln Travis had as much, if not more, of a reputation as him back in Sienna. The party city. Ollie filled his time deliciously too. Like the playboy billionaire, Lincoln dressed in an all-black designer suit. Light brown hair slicked back.

  Oh Lincoln, about six months too late, man.

  Ollie glanced over his shoulder and caught his favorite cobalt ocean watching him. He gave her a smirk when the pink colored her cheeks. His naughty but timid little switch.

  My entire world.

  Ollie paused with his beer at his lips. “Lucien said you two would stop by.”

  Maxwell grinned. “Been a hell of a lot of years since we could step foot in Sterling.”

  Twenty-five years and the only wolves they worked with after the fallout with Adrian. Lucien only tolerated them because Max gave him a good rate on blood bags, though Ollie always found it odd wolves were dealing in it.

  “Yeah,” Ollie nodded. “Well, you can thank the wolves for that.”

  “Can’t say it ruined my fun,” Maxwell grinned wider. “Jules still came around to play.”

  Ollie glanced above, surprised the banister didn’t splinter under Damien’s grip. Eyes flared into a raging, dark storm.

  “Damien is upstairs,” he said, smirking into his beer.

  Maxwell turned and waved, as if Damien wouldn’t come down and break his neck on principle.

  Ollie chuckled. “You’re a brave man, Maxwell Curtis.”

  He shrugged. “He knows there’s nothing he can do.”

  “The hell I can’t,” Damien mumbled up above but didn’t move either.

  “Hmm, because he knows whatever Jules did before him is off limits.”

  He wasn’t wrong, but Ollie wouldn’t be the one to say it. Damien looked ready to tear off limbs with a low growl and a hard stare across the bar. A glance in the direction and Ollie held back a smirk as Juliette stared at Maxwell. He locked eyes with Lincoln when he turned back, and a spark he recognized flickered back at him. He shook his head with a chuckle. “Sorry Linc won’t be offering that kind of social call either.”

  “Heard you got yourself taken off the market,” Lincoln sneered, and his gaze flitted passed him to the bar. “She’s pretty.”

  Ollie arched a brow. “She’s mine.”

  Lincoln laughed harder. “Oh, is that a little territorial aggression from the otherwise passive charming sex king?”

  Bastard. He scoffed. “Screw off.”

  But it was, and he wasn’t sure if he liked it. Being territorial didn’t come naturally. Didn’t even feel natural. It was awkward, with its tight grip on his chest, and it only riled the lurking beast in his depths. Begging him to give in.

  “So,” Maxwell sighed. “We’re not here just for pleasure. Kinda need a favor.”

  “Oh God,” Ollie huffed. “What?”

  “Need to borrow a few guys. The kind who will keep their mouths shut for the right price.”

  “Our guys don’t talk.”

  “Good, need to borrow those ones.”

  “Why are you talking to me?” The vampire populace wasn’t his responsibility. “Talk to Lucien.”

  Maxwell chuckled. “Lucien is a bit… uptight. We like you better.”

  His big brother was all business in dealing with Maxwell and Lincoln. He kept it simple and about the blood supply.

  He nodded. “Get with Xavier, tell him what you need, and I said to give it to you.”

  Ollie took in the dance floor, but his stare never lingered far from his Sweets. She was in her glory behind the bar. Maybe even more than Juliette was back in her day. Riley was damn good at what she did.

  “Appreciate it,” Maxwell said.

  “Yep, anytime. Well, if you’re here for the night, might as well enjoy all the liquor, ladies, and gents ya want. Steer clear of the witches, though. Don’t need the drama.”

  Lincoln’s jaw ticked. “Really aren’t going to party?”

  “Nope,” Ollie steered toward the bar. “Got a sweet as candy girl right behind the bar just for me. I don’t need to party.”

  She soothed his soul. Tamed the chaos warring with the darkness there. It whispered its desires from the shadows and hoped he’d oblige. He didn’t before and he sure as hell wasn’t now. The raging beast needed to stay locked where it belonged. In its cage, scraping and clawing. Snapping its hungry jaw from below.

  Not today. Not ever.

  And he headed toward the reason it would never happen.

  Riley | 3

  Juliette took a seat at the bar with a content smile resting on her lips. Happy was a good look on her. It lit up her entire face without a hint of the stress Riley had grown used to.

  “Saw Ollie toss another whore out on her ass.” Juliette huffed.

  Sometimes his ex-lovers and suitors didn’t get the message. He was off the market. If they’d keep their hands to themselves, there’d be no need to throw them out.

  Riley shook her head with a smirk and started mixing a mint julep. “Sometimes he looks ashamed by it.”

  Juliette sighed, and tossed a glance over her shoulder at Ollie. He stood across the dance floor with his trademark smile talking to two guys.

  “Notice it’s always the women who cause a scene over him.” Juliette took a sip of her drink and turned back to Riley. “The guys, they just move on.”

  “Except Drew.”

  “Yeah well that was the special case.”

  Riley eyed the two men. A dark-haired man with a sharp jaw and shadowed stubble across his face looked at Ollie like they were old friends. Nothing more. The faintest desire there was carefully hidden.

  “Maxwell Curtis and Lincoln Travis,” Juliette purred.

  Riley lifted her brow. “Got some history there?”

  “I mean,” Juliette twisted around with a lazy shrug. “We had our fun with the Sienna Lords.”

  “Sienna Lords?”

  “Yeah, we have the Kings of Sterling and they are the Lords of Sienna. Though their empire is built on booze, women, and drugs. Not exactly our speed. But Maxwell Curtis was delicious back in the day.”

  The man in the design
er suit caught her watching him and he offered her a nod with a warm smile.

  She nodded back. “Women have good reason to make a fuss, I guess.”

  Juliette laughed. “And you’d know now, wouldn’t you?”

  A blushing heat crept into her cheeks and she hated, no matter how dirty she could be, her fair skin betrayed her.

  “How are things on the witchy side?” Riley asked.

  “Oh, I’ve decided being Regent is the equivalent of being mom and the witches and vampires calling over every little tit for tat is the same as screaming will you stop touching me.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s asinine.”

  “Could be worse.”

  Juliette went to say something but then stopped and thought about it. “True.”

  Jumping from one bad motel to the next with enough money to tame the hunger in their bellies put a lot into perspective.

  Juliette lifted the drink to her lips. “I’ve been fielding angry calls from Louisa over Ramsey.”

  “Mhmm, and?”

  She knew what should be done. Already done.

  “I don’t know how much longer I can stall her. Not to mention I’ve got my—” She cringed. “Brother doing the same thing.”

  “What’s the holdup?”

  Juliette sighed and shrugged. “Damien and Lucien have spent a lot of time with their new little brother. And family always means something.”

  Riley eyed Ollie across the room. “God, he will hate what you’re insinuating.”

  “I know,” Juliette looked over her shoulder at him. “But he’ll come around. Eventually.”

  Riley went back to arranging clean glasses under the bar. “Have you been back to see Ramsey?”

  “Yeah, usually once a week I have dinner with him. We play chess and I try to dig a little deeper into what drives him.

  “Mhmm, and have you had much luck?”