Monsters Freed

By Alexa Piper

After freeing five monsters from a video game prison, Emilia finds herself in the center of a conflict she can hardly begin to understand. She is still busy wrapping her head around the fact that magic is real, and that she is now bonded to a vampire prince, because apparently, fated mates are real as well.

The five monsters Emilia freed unapologetically lay claim to her, especially since she is bonded to one of them already. All five have been lovers since before Emilia came along, and now she has to decide if she wants to give her heart to them. All five are certainly eager to win hers.

While getting used to the new freedom Emilia gave them, Emilia's five know they must put distance between themselves and the warlock Rook, who imprisoned them in the first place. They know Rook wants them back and will take vengeance on Emilia for freeing them.

New alliances shed light on Rook's dark machinations and his twisted predilections. Emilia and her five can choose to run from the warlock or to put a chink in his magical armor, weaken the source of his strength. But Rook loves his illusions, and those illusions are real enough to cost our lovers everything.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Apr 1, 2022

Book preview

Chapter One

The pitter-patter of rain against the window started sometime during the night, and it inevitably pulled Emilia from her uneasy sleep. She kept going back to the dream while she was warm in her soft, soft bed. House-sitting. A mysterious video game. The five men who’d been trapped in there, who had given her fantastic sexual encounters one after the other until…

Lightning struck, and Emilia’s eyes fluttered open once more, catching a room full of unfamiliar shapes and shadows that the lightning drew in sharpened detail. She jerked under the heavy bedding, the disorientation forcing her heart into a race. What the hell?

Ssh, all is well, he said. Before Emilia could recognize the voice, something in her very core reacted to the sound of it, relaxed. Home, safety. Porcelain flowers blooming under the midnight sky. That was what the voice was.

It was also the voice of Radovan, the vampire prince she’d freed from the tower inside a palace inside a video game, which apparently had not been a dream. Oh, shit, she said, pushing the bedding back and sitting up.

Lightning struck again, and she saw Radovan sit down on the bed next to her. The darkness that fell after the flash ebbed was less scary now that the vampire prince was there, which a rational part of Emilia’s mind knew to be odd.

You should sleep more. It’s barely even been two days, he said. He put a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back against the pillows. Her heart screamed for her to relax, do as he said, allow him to care for her.

But her head had a different idea. Two days! Emilia said, brushing his hand aside with her own. I’ve been out for two days? What the fuck happened?

He hissed something under his breath Emilia couldn’t make out. You freed all of us from Rook’s prison. You remember that?

Yes, Emilia said. Although all that was surreal and should have been a fever dream. Uhm, any chance you can turn on a light? Where are we anyway?

Radovan moved, and with a click, a reading lamp somewhere near the head of the bed came to life, blinding Emilia. She blinked, her eyes adjusted to the brightness, then she looked around. The light came from a Tiffany lamp, colorful and heavy-looking, and it cast tinted shadows across the large bed she was lying in, huddled under a duvet and a blanket. To her right, she spotted the handle of her own bag, and to her left, a large window let in the incandescent illumination of a city at night, doused in rain and the bright echoes of a thunderstorm.

Sorry, Radovan said. His hand brushed over Emilia’s shoulder again, and she could sense he wanted to take her into his arms, and she could also tell he resisted the urge. How Emilia knew this, she had no idea. We are at a hotel. We… It seemed safest for now.

Emilia blinked as she looked at Radovan as if that would help her get used to seeing him there. She remembered him, from the cut scene in the video game, from finding him in that tower. He’d been a Victorian prince then, but now he was anything but. He wore a black Henley that fit snugly and emphasized his shoulders and slim waist. She saw neatly fitted charcoal pants before she was drawn to his dark amethyst eyes and the velvet hair that flowed like a new moon black aura around his head and down to his waist. If he’d looked like a Renaissance romantic back in the tower, he looked like a sexy lit and philosophy student now.

Emilia cleared her throat, and Radovan sprang into action at that, poured her a glass of water from a carafe that stood on the bedside table. Thank you, she said and took the glass from him.

You are most welcome.

Emilia finished her water and stared at the vampire prince, who just stared right back at her. Instead of feeling awkward about it, this felt like… it felt nice.

But nice was not what this was supposed to feel like, and Emilia still had enough sense about her to know it. Explain to me what is going on, she said and put the glass back down. Why am I in a hotel bed? And what were you doing in the room with me? Please don’t tell me you were being all sorts of creepy and watched me while I was out? She swallowed, her throat dry again. Are you really still a vampire?

Radovan’s eyebrows flew up, and he gave her a critical look. You should rest more, he said.

Which was not what Emilia had needed to hear. You are not telling me when I need to rest as if I’m some damsel, she said and climbed out of the bed on the opposite side while Radovan just watched, looking like the dictionary definition of befuddled. You were totally watching me sleep, weren’t you? she asked as she got out from under the covers. Her feet stung slightly as she stood, and looking down, she found gauze bandages covered them. Emilia remembered her soles had been cut up in the video game, but for now, she ignored that the injury was just as real in the real world as it had been in the virtual one.

She was only wearing a T-shirt and some soft cotton shorts. The clothing was hers at least, and she dully remembered that one of the others -- Pheus, she thought -- had mentioned they’d dressed her. Dressed her after they’d torn her ruined clothes off, the ridiculous outfit she’d worn in the video game.

I… had to watch over you, Radovan said, his eyes wandering from her face to her legs now in a way that made warmth bubble up inside Emilia. Not that he was leering. He just looked as if he’d never seen anything like a girl sleeping in shorts and at the same time, he looked like he could never see enough of it. I had to make sure you were safe, and I wanted to be here in case you woke. In case you needed anything. He stood, the bed now between them. I apologize if I overstepped, but as I told you before, you are quite safe with me. And with the others.

The others. Right. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms in front of her. So you are a vampire? Really?

He smiled. It changed his face drastically, made him look less like a tragic hero and more like the sweet wizard who could win hearts with half a spell. Which just reminded Emilia that magic seemed to be a thing that existed now.

I am a vampire, he said. And we are bound, which is precisely why you need not fear me.

Emilia ran her hands through her hair. The long, brown strands were free of tangles, as if someone had brushed them out. She looked at Radovan again. The vampire prince hadn’t moved an inch.

Bound. Yes, they had talked about that back in the car when she had been barely conscious, after they had apparently left the fake castle she’d been hired to house-sit by the evil warlock who lived there. And back in that car they had stolen from said warlock, the five of them had also informed her they would keep her, and she’d said something about not minding a set of five hot boyfriends. I really wasn’t one hundred percent then.

"So I didn’t dream any of it? I got sucked into a video game, except it was real, and you and the others were trapped in there, and… Oh, fuck. Fuck. I had sex with a bunch of dudes who were trapped in a magic prison, and then I broke them out, and now I’m in a hotel room -- She looked around, though the reading light didn’t illuminate everything. -- In a fucking nice hotel room with the most non-threatening vampire to ever walk the earth watching me sleep. Fuck."

Radovan gasped. I am not… are you sure you wouldn’t be more comfortable resting? he asked and took a step toward her.

I can’t, she said, herself not sure which part of reality she wasn’t able to deal with at the moment. Emilia turned on her heel, then hissed when sudden pain went through her from her cut-up soles all the way to the base of her skull. Radovan was at her side in an instant, his arm around her waist, steadying her.

You have lacerations on your feet, he said. You told me it happened while you were saving fish. Radovan watched her with obvious concern. He was so close now, and Emilia could smell his flowery scent, something soft yet heady, almost like jasmine, but not quite.

Right. She looked down to her bandaged feet again and wondered who had done that for her. Do you think they’re okay? The fish, I mean. You guys smashed the gaming console, and I was wondering whether that might have hurt them.

Radovan’s eyebrows flew up again. "You broke a warlock’s finest illusion spell, and you are still, after all that you did, worried about his fish?"

She pushed him away, and he let her go while remaining close to her. Well, it’s not like the fish ever did anything, so why should they suffer, and stop being… stop making fun of me for caring about innocent creatures, she said. Before Radovan could say another word or stop her, she was gingerly storming toward the bedroom door opposite the bed.

Emilia pulled the gilded handle open to the well-illuminated sitting room of a large suite, which barely registered, because her eyes immediately fell on the two men in it.

Arden, the hunter, was sitting on one of two couches set one opposite the other with nothing but a soft carpet between them, arms spread out and head back. His knees were opened wide to allow Pheus, who was kneeling in front of Arden, to suck the hunter off. Both men saw her open the door and stop and stare, but neither of them interrupted what they were doing. If anything, Pheus pulled back to allow her to see Arden’s hard, glistening length while Arden adjusted his body to give her the best view.

Arden actually grinned at her, his green eyes sparkling with something playfully dark while his brown hair curled back from his temples. He reached out a hand to run his fingers through Pheus’s golden tresses. The other man -- Arden’s cock once more sheathed all the way in his mouth -- only had a glance to spare for Emilia before fully focusing on working his head back and forth over Arden’s erection.

The noises of suction, friction, and pleasureful groaning were lewd, loud, and hard to look away from. Emilia took in the way Pheus’s lips and tongue slid back and forth over the pink length of Arden’s swollen cock. The sounds teased Emilia, just like Arden’s eyes did, and she remembered how the hunter had brought her down, how he had taken her, hard and urgent. He felt so good, and that was so hot.

She froze while her body warmed. Oh.

And just like that, while Radovan stepped up next to her, Arden groaned and pushed his hips forward, clearly coming in Pheus’s mouth as he shuddered and buried his fingers in Pheus’s long, blond tresses.

Emilia couldn’t tear her eyes away as the hunter’s body arched and writhed in pleasure, as his hands pulled Pheus close, as Pheus swallowed and sucked, and made wet slurping noises that were much more hypnotic than they should have been. A trickle of Arden’s warm seed ran down Pheus’s chin, and Emilia had a sudden urge to lick that up and taste Arden herself.

Well, you remember Pheus and Arden, Radovan said as he walked past Emilia and toward the two men on the couch and floor, respectively. Radovan picked up a pair of jeans and tossed them to Arden, who, despite still being in a sex haze -- if the expression on his face was any indication -- easily caught the garment. At least attempt some decency, Arden, Radovan said.

Arden grinned at the vampire while Pheus pulled off. Pheus blinked at Emilia and licked his puffy lips, wiped that trickle of cum away with a finger.

Oh, Rad, Arden said. You would be less prudish if you had spent just half an hour to learn about even the least raunchy porn of this era.

Radovan growled at Arden while Pheus got to his feet and walked toward Emilia. You look much better, Pheus said, his voice a little rough from taking Arden into his throat.

Emilia forced herself not to look too closely at Pheus’s mouth as he spoke, to not imagine what kissing him would taste like. I feel fine, she said, although seeing them had definitely gotten her horny as hell. Am I remembering right, you are a sandman?

He had changed his outfit, Emilia noted. They all had. Where Pheus had been dressed in a Japanese style robe in the game, he wore pants and a vest and shirt combo now, all in colorful patterns, paisley, pinstripe, and polka dots. Through what Emilia thought was sandman magic, it all worked together while it should have clashed and induced visual overload.

Pheus rolled his eyes while Arden watched the two of them with interest. Baku, Pheus said. A gatherer and sometimes dispenser of nightmares and dreams. Sandman is just what folklore makes of my kind. He gave her a once-over. Let me get you some more clothes.

He walked off and Emilia was left with Arden and Radovan. Arden was still half naked while Radovan was glaring down at him.

Pants, Arden, now, Radovan said again, but Arden looked at Emilia.

You want me to put on pants, Emilia? the hunter asked. It wasn’t that he was flirty. He wanted to get a reaction out of her, and Emilia wasn’t sure why that was.

Radovan hissed, and as Emilia watched, she saw his fangs descend. Real, solid, vampire fangs. All that should have been scary, but instead, Emilia just watched and watched, fascinated. In the end, Arden lazily got to his feet and pulled on his jeans. If he had underwear, he didn’t bother with that now.

You didn’t have any tattoos in the game, Emilia said as she watched Arden button up his shirt and hide black and indigo designs she would have liked to examine closer.

Radovan looked back and forth between them. You didn’t tell me that, he said to Arden. Rook managed to hide your tattoos?

Arden shrugged as he dropped back to the couch. You were too busy watching the human girl, but yes. He hid my ink.

Just then, Pheus walked back in and held out a set of sweats to Emilia. They weren’t hers but looked new and comfortable. "Not what I consider proper wear for any time of day, but from what Isodore says, you’ll be comfortable in athleisure, the sandman said. May all the saints guard what fashion sense still remains in the world."

Yeah, thanks, Emilia said and slid on the pants and shirt over her sleep things. Pheus wrinkled his nose as he examined her,