I shouldnt fall in love with my descendant

I shouldnt fall in love when Ive only just found freedom.

I should be in therapy, not making moon eyes at the man who thinks he is my boss.

But hearts never listen to logic.

I only wanted to be part of my great-great-grandchildrens lives. The piece of work who held me captive kept me in line by threatening them. Hes dead now, but I still want to protect them. And know them. Love them.

They are so young to have lost their mother. No wonder their father needs a nanny.

It all seemed like a wonderful idea.

Until it wasnt.

He is handsome and kind. Gentle and respectful.

Everything the men who used me in the harem were not.

Its not surprising Im falling for him.

I can tell myself its fine. He is my in-law. We are not blood related.

We are both lonely.

I can tell myself a lot of things.

But can I tell him Im a vampire? His dead wifes great-grandfather? A former trafficking victim?

Or that I live with a collection of paranormal men in a bizarre but beautiful found family? Bound by the trauma we went through together in a billionaires harem?

The truth is too much, so I need to stay away.

If I can.

He is morally grey, with all the red flags. He isn't human. He conquered Earth and claimed me as his pet.

So why don't I hate him?

Prince Rhydian Y Mabinogi. As beautiful as he is cruel. The man of my dreams, and of my nightmares.

I was just a normal human man. Now I am his pet. He will never see me as his equal, as his partner. I don't even know why I want him to.

I should hate him. I should try to escape. I should loathe the things he does to me every night.

But as I come to know the twisted politics of this cruel and violent fey court he dragged me into. I can't help suspect there is far more to Rhydian than meets the eye.

I think under his icy armour, one thing is true.

He needs me.

My fiancé hates me.

Seven long years we have been engaged.

Ive completely failed to win him over. Despite being as perfect a vessel-to-be as I can manage.

Men of our station do not marry for love. I dont dare to dream of that.

I do wish the man who will take my body, to take my magic, could at least bear to be in my presence.

Count Felford is young, handsome. Progressive. Everything I could hope for in a husband.

If only I could figure out how to be what he desires.

Instead, it seems Im destined for an unhappy marriage.

Imagine how much worse it will be if he discovers my secrets?

The fact I like to wear dresses and lingerie is bad enough, but my other secret?

That one could change our world forever.

Im a broken mess. I cant take care of someone else.

When we were imprisoned, I was the baby of the family. The scared one. The one they all tried to protect.

Now freedom tastes good. I love living with the other boys, my brothers in all but blood.

Im part of this found family even though I mostly hide in my pool.

I didnt mind when a human was brought home to live with us.

Sammy seems sweet. He has been used and abused too. A fellow survivor. So Im not scared of him.

But when he carelessly falls into my pool and I save him from drowning, Im not at all happy about the mate bond it creates.

I have to find a way to undo it.

Im not fit to be anyones mate. Im pathetic, and the thought of intimacy repulses me.

While Sammy is a cheerful, bright ball of sunshine despite everything that has been done to him.

He deserves so much better.

Sammy can never know he is my mate. Ill do my best to look after him while this bond is in place, but thats it.

Ill find a way to fix this, and then we will both be free.

He is a fey prince. A ruler of the race that conquered Earth.

I'm a leader of the Resistance.

There can never be anything between us.

I'm lucky he didn't kill me when he caught me snooping outside the palace, but then again, Prince Mabon Y Mabinogi is unlike anyone I've ever met.

His decisions don't make sense.

He is beautiful.

Demanding.

Loud and dramatic.

He loves sparkly things and pretty things.

And keeping me as his pet.

I'll play along for now. For the sake of the Resistance and the intelligence I can gather.

But as soon as I can escape his bed, I'm gone.

There is no reason to stay.

No reason to take him with me.

Is there?