Vampire Union: Unified.
by Kit Tunstall.
After WWIII, society was in shambles. For thousands of years, vampires had lived in hiding, fearing extinction from humans. They took advantage of the collapse of society to step into the light, seize power, and rule over the human race. The vampire overlords have herded humans into Quarantine Zones in their various provinces, where they are subjected to the vampires' every whim...
Nadya follows her heart and her plan to unite the two men who mean so much to her. Once Jalen and Rem both know the secrets of the past, they find it impossible not to try a truce. Unifying their kingdoms and merging their ideals is difficult, but their love for Nadya binds them together. Somehow, the men might just find a way to make it work, if Jalen's betrothed doesn't manage to kill them all first.
Two vampire lords with vastly different ideals fight over territory, their ways of life, and much more. At the center is one human woman, torn between the two.
Chapter One.
The old military base was in shambles, and the jet hangar Nadya had chosen for their meeting place was cold and dark. She had picked the site from an old map she'd seen hanging on a wall in one of the buildings Rem's soldiers used for practice. It had been the first thing to jump out at her, and when she'd sneaked back later that night to study the map at her leisure, it was still the most notable landmark between Rem and Jalen's territories. The map had labeled it as PFAB, and her arrival at the installation had done nothing to demystify what the anagram stood for. There were no signs posted. Most of the buildings had fallen or been demolished ages ago. Even the hangar where she now hunkered in front of a fire was mostly a skeleton of the structure it must have been once upon a time. She wouldn't have had a clue about the building's purpose if not for the rusted out bones of an old jet similar to one that had been in some of the articles in her grandmother's magazines.
The metal skeleton of the jet would have been utterly fascinating if she wasn't under the compulsion to keep a constant watch for the arrival of Rem or Jalen. She'd sent a messenger to Jalen two days ago, making the man think he bore an official message from Rem as he traveled under a white flag. Almost a day later, she had left another note for Rem before fleeing his stronghold. Nadya hoped she had timed events well, so each man would arrive at roughly the same time -- Rem thinking he was there to trade his life for hers, and Jalen believing he was arriving to reclaim Nadya in exchange for recognition of Rem's territory and lands along their common border.
The plan was solid, but had so many variables that she couldn't muster any level of confidence in its success. If the messenger hadn't reached Jalen, he would never know to come for her. Or, if the messenger arrived and Jalen read the missive, that didn't mean he would come for her. In her heart, she believed he would, and she'd gambled on emotion rather than logic. Nadya knew if Jalen didn't show up, Rem would never understand her actions. He would find it impossible to forgive her, and she would have lost everything.
She'd busied herself upon first arriving by tending to her horse, and then building a fire and making a simple meal. After that, she had washed herself with water she'd brought. Now, she'd run out of things to keep her busy, so there was no distraction from the worries crowding her mind.
The chill in the concrete permeated through the thick bedroll she'd laid on it, and she shivered. The heat from her fire seemed to do nothing to warm her, though she'd found ample fuel lying around to build a nice blaze. She couldn't get warm because of the fears chilling her from the inside out.
Knots had twisted her stomach taut, and she'd have thought it couldn't get any tighter until she heard the sound of horse hooves approaching. She could identify only one animal, and Nadya held her breath as she waited to see which man would arrive first.
Rem came into sight, his body hunched over the neck of his horse, which frothed at the mouth. The animal breathed harshly, its sides heaving, when he drew up next to the mare she had stolen from the stable. The horse had obviously run itself ragged in response to his demands, and she pitied the poor thing.
Her pity transferred to Rem when she saw how haggard he was. His complexion was ashen, and he seemed to have aged a decade overnight. Guilt stabbed her in her knotted stomach, making her gasp. She could only imagine what her lover had gone through the past day, thinking his most hated enemy had kidnapped her.
He dismounted warily, his hand at the sword he'd strapped to his side. Rem looked around with obvious caution as he walked slowly toward her. "Where is he?" he asked, eyes darting around the dilapidated structure and grounds around it. "Where are Jalen and his army?"
She held out her hand. "Come to me, please."
Rem seemed not to have heard her. "I came alone, as he instructed." His stiff posture and tight voice betrayed his fury. "What kind of coward bargains with an innocent woman's life to force his enemy to surrender?"
"Rem, please --" Nadya broke off when the thundering approach of another horse reached her ears. Rem must have heard the approach before her, because he'd already swung in that direction, sword drawn. His stance suggested he was ready to fight to the death, and the way he'd placed himself in front of her revealed he would die protecting her.
She gained her feet and walked to him as Jalen suddenly appeared. He jumped from the horse as it was still running, landing lithely just a few feet from Rem. For a second, she could only stare at him, having forgotten his masculine beauty. Even in the meager light from her fire that did little to ward off the pressing blackness, his blond hair shone brightly. His green eyes were cold, his mouth little more than a slash across his face, and his nimble hand was holding his sword in under a second. Nadya had to blink back tears and barely resisted the urge to throw herself into Jalen's arms. It had been so long since she'd seen him. Almost two months had passed since he'd held her, and she ached to be in his embrace again.
"There you are." Rem's lips skinned back as he growled at Jalen. The firelight made his fangs gleam. "I didn't expect you to be here, coward. I thought you would hide behind your walls and send others to do your killing."
Jalen arched a pale brow. "I wouldn't miss the opportunity to kill you after what you have done. I am going to tear you apart with my bare hands and drain the blood from your heart as it pulses in my hand."
"Enough." Nadya stepped between them, earning shocked looks from each man as their gazes shifted to her. She propped her hands on her hips and alternated a glare between them for a long moment. Only when she was certain she had their full attention did she speak again. "There will be no more fighting. I'm sick of you trying to kill each other."
"Nadya, you must step aside," said Rem in a gentle voice. "This is between the two of us. Jalen engineered your kidnapping to force me to face him. I am surprised he appears to be willing to face me alone, like a man, but this is how it should be."
"No." She shook her head. "You two shouldn't be in this war, fighting one another. You know it isn't right."
Jalen took a step closer. "We've been building to this moment for years, love. You mustn't try to stop this. There is no reasoning with this animal."
"I am no more animal than you, DuMond." Rem lunged forward, sword extended. "I am what your kind made me."
"Stop it." Nadya yelled more harshly than she'd intended, and both men froze. "You two are more alike than either of you want to admit -- especially you, Rem. You say you have nothing in common with the rest of the vampires, but you share traits with him." Before Rem could reply, she angled her body slightly toward Jalen. "It's no surprise, though. After all, your brother is sure to have many of your familial traits, isn't he, Jalen?"
Jalen's wide eyes betrayed his bewilderment and confirmed what Nadya had suspected. He'd had no idea Rem was his brother. Rem knew, but it hadn't kept him from fighting the other man. It was time for both of them to lay down their arms and try a new way. She only hoped she could persuade them both to agree. "It's true." She softened her voice. "He is your brother, Jalen. You have the same father."
Jalen shook his head. "No. My father would never have been so careless with one of his tributes."
"That's true, but Rem's mother, Loretta, wasn't just a tribute. She loved your father, and Lorne loved her."
"That's a lie," said Rem so forcefully that his voice reverberated around the shell of the hangar.
"What is going on here?" For the first time, Jalen looked at Nadya suspiciously. "What has he done to you?"
"Nothing." Nadya struggled to suppress her impatience, reminding herself she'd had lots of time to come to terms with the truth, and to plan this reunion. Rem had known of his parentage all along, but he had no idea she wanted to reconcile him with his brother. Jalen was even more lost. "During my time with Rem, I found out several things. You've both been raised with too many lies and secrets, and it has to stop. The fighting has to stop. You have to reconcile your differences and end this war, or it will destroy us all -- the three of us, our families, all the humans, and every vampire."
She squirmed when both men stared at her intently. At that moment, their expressions were identical, despite Jalen's fair coloring and Rem's darker complexion, and their different facial shapes. If she could get each of them to look at the other in front of a mirror, neither of them could deny the truth. Hesitantly, she reached for both of them, putting a hand on each of their arms. "There are lies to sort out, and the first one is about me. I arranged this meeting. I made you both think the other was holding me as a bargaining chip. I knew I had to get you together, alone, and could think of no other way."
They were tense under her hands, but neither shrugged her off. She pressed on, looking at Rem. "You haven't wanted to hear the truth, so I didn't persist. I wasn't trying to spare you from facing it. I was just frightened of your reaction, and of losing you. Jalen wasn't my captor. He was my lover, and I was with him voluntarily."
Rem shook his head. "I refuse to believe that. No woman would stay with a man who leaves scars on her back."
"Those lines are hardly scars, Rem, and that is complicated." She shied away from further discussion of the dynamics of the relationship she'd shared with Jalen. "Suffice it to say, there are aspects of Jalen's personality that are very different from yours. I need it all."
"I guess he can have you then," said Rem with contempt. He tried to throw off her hand, but she clenched her fingers into the rough cloth of his shirt. "Release me, woman."
"No." She cast a quick glance at Jalen, finding his closed expression did nothing to bolster her confidence. "I don't want just Jalen. I don't want just you. I need both of you."
Jalen snorted. "How do you imagine that will work, Nadya? Will you travel back and forth to us between battles?"
With a deep breath, she said, "No, because I will be with both of you. It's time the two of you worked out your differences and unified your territories."
"I've heard enough." Rem took a step back.
"For once, we agree, brother," said Jalen mockingly. He also stepped away. "Nothing could make such a thing possible."
Heart in her throat, Nadya watched the men stalking back to their horses. It couldn't end like this. She absolutely refused to allow it. "Nothing?" she asked as sultrily as she could manage. When both their gazes focused on her, she stripped off the dress with one smooth motion, standing before them in nothing. The fire warmed her naked skin, and she hoped it gave it a luster that they would find irresistible. She cupped her breasts in her hands, offering one in each direction. "Is there really nothing that can bring the two of you together? There's nothing you want?"
She tossed her head to make her long hair flow down her back, while better revealing her curves. "Don't you want me?" Her voice broke on the last word, and tears clogged her throat. Her temptress facade crumbled as the tears streamed down her face. "Heaven help me, have I lost you both by trying to bring you together?"
Chapter Two.
Silence stretched for a long moment, broken only by her quiet sniffs. Nadya released her breasts to wipe her eyes with the backs of her hands, and when she opened them again, she saw Rem standing near her, uncertainty visible in his posture. Jalen looked similarly lost as he hovered on her other side. They seemed to want to reach out to her, but couldn't. Their hesitation hurt, but she understood it. Somehow, she mustered the courage to extend a hand to each of them once more, knowing if they rejected her this time, there would be no more chances.
Her gaze alternated between the two men as her arms began to shake with the strain of keeping them extended. Another tear rolled down her cheek as she gave up, letting her hands fall.
Before they reached her sides, both men stepped forward and took her hands, their movements eerily synchronized. At that moment, they seemed to move as one. The illusion shattered when each man tugged her in his direction. Impatience tempered her happiness that they had accepted her hands. Reminding herself that it would take time, she dug in her heels and pulled the men toward her. Rem offered resistance for a second longer than Jalen, but they both ended up standing on either side of her.
Nadya breathed deeply, enjoying their pure male scents and the proximity to their solid frames. "I love you," she said.
"I love you, but this..." Rem trailed off, casting a glance at his brother.
Jalen captured her chin, turning her face in his direction. "I never said it, but you must know that I love you, Nadya."
"Yes." She'd known the moment she heard his horse's hooves as he raced to "save" her.
"Why can't that be enough for you?" Jalen shook his head, clearly confused. "You don't need him."
"She doesn't need you." Rem lunged toward Jalen, only stopping when Nadya stepped between them.
"I need both of you, and you need me."
"Don't try to manipulate me," said Jalen softly.
Nadya looked at him, shaking her head. "I'm not. It's the truth. You two have as many differences as you have similarities. I enjoy your domination, but I also need Rem's tenderness."
"But why do we need you?" Jalen's cold expression almost hid the uncertainty and longing in his eyes. "I want you, but why do you think I need you?"
She tried not to let his words hurt. "You need me because you love me, and because you need someone to keep you from turning into your father. I'm the touch of humanity that will keep you humble."
Nadya squeezed Rem's hand, turning back to him. "You already know why you need me. It's the same reason I need you." At Rem's nod of confirmation, she continued, "What I meant, actually, was the two of you need me to bind you together. You need a common element to help you find your other commonalities." With a wry smile, she said, "I'm your insurance. Neither of you will betray the other or go back on your word if you know doing so will cause you to lose me."
"You're awfully confident, love." Rem sounded amused, but also a tad annoyed.
"This is insane," said Jalen. "I can't have a truce with that man. He's completely against our way of life."
"Your ways need to change." Nadya brought his hand to her lips, kissing the back of his fingers. "You are a good man, Jalen, and it's time you allowed yourself to rule the right way, rather than the way of your ancestors. Humans and vampires can coexist without one race being oppressed, or the other forced to live in hiding." Another brush of her lips over his fingers made him tremble just enough to be visible. "I'm proof of that."
Once again, she swung her gaze back to Rem. "So are Rem and his group. Vampires and humans live side by side at his complex, both equal. It can be the same for the N'work province."
Jalen shook his head. "No, it can't. The other families will not accept this."
"They will," countered Rem unexpectedly. "With my army and your bloodlines, they'll have no choice. If we can do this, and make it work, the other families will have to tolerate our changes. Eventually, they'll have to follow suit. It's inevitable."
Nadya's heart warmed, knowing Rem was on board with the idea. His support gave her hope that Jalen would embrace the union.
"I don't know."
"Let's worry about politics later," said Nadya, bringing his hand to her breast. "Right now, let's make love."
She didn't need to guide Rem's hand to her other breast. When both hands were upon her, she looked down, reveling in the visual contrast of their paler hands on her darker skin. Rem's hands were rough and a bit darker than Jalen's. Jalen circled her nipple with his smooth thumb, and Rem did the same. She threw back her head, enjoying their caresses. Their ragged breathing indicated they were equally excited. Blindly, she reached out to stroke each of their chests. Her nails caught in Rem's hair peeking out above his neckline, causing him to wince. She tugged lightly, making him groan. It was Jalen's turn to groan when she raked her nails lightly over one of his nipples through the soft linen shirt he wore.
They stroked her breasts faster, and she trailed her hands lower, finding the hem of Rem's shirt, and the lowest button of Jalen's. In her arousal, the button refused to yield to her one-handed attempts. Impatiently, she tugged, and the button popped off.
"Let me," said Jalen, dropping his hand from her breast to unbutton his shirt. "I need this shirt for the journey home, my love."
Nadya nodded and turned to Rem as Jalen stripped. She peeled the shirt from her other lover and pressed herself against his chest. The fur on his chest tickled her nipples and she squirmed at the sensation. She tugged at his pants, anxious to have Rem as bare as she was. He assisted her with the process by stepping out of his boots. She pushed down his pants, and Rem kicked them aside.
Once he was naked, she started to turn back to Jalen, but he was suddenly behind her, molding his front to her back. His cock pressed into her lower back, telling her how much he wanted her. Rem's cock was just as hard, pressing into her belly. Being pinned between them, their cocks ready and waiting, had her dripping wet with need. She wriggled, and they stepped closer, keeping her from moving. Their combined strength was overwhelming, but she wasn't frightened. Instead, they made her feel secure and protected.
As if by unspoken agreement, the men lifted Nadya -- Jalen taking her arms, and Rem lifting her legs. She surrendered to them, closing her eyes as they carried her to the bedroll and laid her on her back. Once settled, she opened her eyes to the beautiful sight of each of her men kneeling beside her. Nadya reached for them, burying her fingers in each man's hair. She guided Jalen and Rem's mouths to hers, kissing first one and then the other.
Rem's kiss was as gentle and coaxing as ever. When her lips met Jalen's, he demanded entry with his tongue, and she yielded. Her tongue stroked his when he thrust it deeply into her mouth, and she moaned. Rem moved his lips over her cheek and down to her neck. She cried out when he nipped her, and Jalen absorbed the sound with his mouth. She imagined them both feeding from her, and the thought had her arching her hips rapidly, seeking something to fill her pussy. As Jalen's mouth drifted from hers, exploring lower, she said, "Bite me."
"Who?" asked Jalen against her chin, his lips tickling her skin.
"Both of you."
"No." Rem sounded alarmed. "That's too risky, love."
"He's right."
Nadya didn't argue, but the idea hadn't died. She would wait until they were even more aroused before broaching the subject again.
A shiver coursed through her when Jalen and Rem simultaneously reached her nipples, drawing each one into their mouths. Nadya clenched her hands, drawing tighter on their hair. She pulled Jalen and Rem tighter against her. Jalen laved her nipple firmly, applying enough pressure to almost hurt. Occasionally, his fangs raked the skin of her breasts, making her thighs tighten in response. Rem gently licked her nipple, circling his tongue around the taut bud in slow, torturous strokes.
Nadya trembled as Rem strayed lower, licking a damp trail from her breast to her navel. He circled his tongue around her belly button, teasing her with the motions she wanted his tongue to perform, just farther south. "Rem," she said, her voice so thick with passion that it didn't sound like her.
"Easy, love." The soft words, spoken against her mound, had her arching against his face. Rem denied her the pleasure of his tongue as he continued to breathe against her slit.
Jalen moved north, his mouth returning to hers for a long, deep kiss. Nadya had lost her grip on Rem's hair, so she now dug that hand into Jalen's shoulder, continuing to clutch his blond hair with her other hand. She pulled him as close as she could, moaning when he nibbled her lower lip before licking the spot to soothe the tiny sting. He deliberately raked open her lip and lapped up the drops of blood that dribbled from the wound. Nadya recoiled at the pain, even as she ground her mouth against his, finally succeeding in pushing her tongue inside. Jalen chuckled, apparently amused by her aggression. His indulgence didn't last long. Soon enough, he pinned her tongue below his, stroking her.
Nadya gasped when Rem chose that moment to plunge his tongue inside her pussy. He licked her from clit to opening, swirling his tongue around the hole before pressing inside her. She arched against him as moisture flooded her, surely soaking his mouth. He seemed to enjoy her additional arousal and lapped eagerly. She cried out against Jalen's mouth when Rem suckled her clit.
Jalen released her tongue to slide down her again. Nadya let her hands fall at her sides, grasping handfuls of the bedroll to maintain some semblance of control. Jalen seemed intent on devouring her breasts. He pushed them together to pay equal attention to her hardened nipples. He sucked and licked in a motion eerily similar to the pace Rem maintained between her thighs. In the back of her mind, she wondered if they had coordinated the maneuvers through some vampiric communication, or if they were just that much alike.
All thought fled as Rem's mouth brought her to orgasm. Her body shook with the force of release. Automatically her eyes closed, and she cried out, her sound of pleasure echoing in the skeletal remains of the hangar. While waves of climax overwhelmed her, she was vaguely aware of Rem and Jalen whispering, and then they moved her.
Heart pounding, she opened her eyes to assess the new arrangement. She now lay on Rem, her legs over his shoulders. His mouth was too low to line up with her pussy, but when he blew air against her anus, she realized his intent. The idea was startling and delicious at the same time, making her squirm for him to begin.
Rem held off, and she soon realized why. He was waiting for his new partner in crime to assume his position in the tableau. Nadya moaned when Jalen knelt behind Rem, bending her legs so that her thighs were on his shoulders. Her feet almost reached his buttocks when he knelt forward, putting his head between her thighs. "You are going to kill me with this," she managed to say through clenched teeth.