Covet (Vampire Beloved Book Eight)

By R.E. Butler

Valkyrie Eynd Vespertine has learned a thing or two in the last hundred years of her life, and that’s to expect the unexpected. As one of the few Valkyrie females in the Midwest, she’s had her fair share of suitors and setups by her vampire parents, but what she hasn’t found is her truemate. After a trip away with family, she returns to Cleveland and finds herself in the crosshairs of a new coven enemy—another coven! When she crosses paths with the dangerous coven master, she’s rescued by an unlikely group of heroes—five polar bears who’ve oathed themselves to the bad guy.

Spike Adair is the eldest of five polar bear shifters. Fifty years ago, he and his brothers oathed to a vampire master named Dargan. The magical tattoos are evidence of their allegiance. After they come to Cleveland to take out Mishka and his coven so Dargan can take over, they run into a snag. A female Dargan kidnaps is his and his brother Wraith’s mate. Rescuing her means breaking their oath to their master, but there isn’t anything that Spike and Wraith won’t do for the redheaded Valkyrie.

Breaking their oath to Dargan turns out to be easier said than done. With the Cleveland coven at their side in battle, they have a chance to walk away with their mate and start a new life with her, but a demon from the Cleveland coven’s past has other ideas. Getting Eynd to fall in love with them won’t be the only challenge, but they’re just the males for the job.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.E. Butler
• Release date: Jan 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781005386665

R.E. Butler

A Midwesterner by birth, R.E. spent much of her childhood rewriting her favorite books to include herself as the main character. Later, she graduated on to writing her own books after "retiring" from her day job as a secretary to become a stay-at-home mom.When not playing with her kids, wrestling her dogs out the door, or cooking dinner for her family, you'll find her typing furiously and growling obscenities to the characters on the screen.Her best-selling series Wiccan-Were-Bear, The Necklace Chronicles, Hyena Heat, Wilde Creek, Were-Zoo, Arctic Shifters, Norlanian Brides, Saber Chronicles, and Ashland Pride are available now.

Book preview

Covet

Vampire Beloved

Book Eight

By R. E. Butler

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Excerpt from Yearn

Other Books by R. E. Butler

About the Author

Copyright

Chapter One

Eynd Vespertine unlocked the front door of her riverfront home and tugged her rolling suitcase behind her. She’d been invited to go on a two-week vampire cruise with her parents. She’d been wary of spending two weeks trapped on a boat with her family—even one the size of a floating city—because they were always yammering at her about settling down with a male and starting a family. But then her brother Ahnix had decided it was a great idea and nearly pestered the life out of her.

She loved her family, but she was thankful to be home and without her family in tow. The boat hadn’t been nearly big enough for her to get away from her family when they started needling her about her love life. Or the lack of it. Excuse her for having standards. She didn’t know if her truemate would be a vampire or not, and she didn’t actually care. Sure it would be nice to start a family—as a Valkyrie, she had all the traits of a vampire from speed and strength to a light version of compulsion, but she could walk around in the daytime and eat actual food. She’d have to either be with a vampire male who’d been turned less than ten years—which was how long a male could sire children after being changed—or mate with a Valkyrie male. She’d never met another Valkyrie, male or female, and wasn’t going to hold out hope that it would happen.

If her truemate was a shifter, she could share her immortality with him, and then he’d get to live forever like her. But if her truemate was human, she’d have to have a vampire turn him because that was the one thing she wasn’t able to do that a vampire could.

Home sweet home, she said, kicking the door shut.

She’d bought the cute waterfront home on the Vermilion River in Northern Ohio a few years earlier. It was within driving distance of downtown Cleveland where she worked for Mishka, the master of the vampire coven. She ran his daytime errands and helped out coven members when she could. She’d been offered an apartment in the vampire complex across the street from Fang so she was closer, but she preferred her privacy, and there was something very soothing about living on the water.

Her phone buzzed and she checked the screen.

Trust you made it home safely, her mom texted.

Releasing the handle of the suitcase, she replied, Yes. Thanks for the trip. I had fun.

Really? It seemed like you couldn’t wait to get off the boat.

Well, that was true! But she wouldn’t hurt her mom’s feelings like that. I had a good time, I promise. Did you and Dad enjoy it?

Of course, it was just what we needed. Will you be over for dinner tomorrow?

Her parents hosted a dinner party every Sunday for their friends, and she and Ahnix usually went, but since she’d just spent two weeks locked on a ship with her family, she didn’t think it was a good idea.

Not this week. I’m going to check in with Mishka. Love you!

Love you too, sweetie.

Her parents’ coven was in Jamestown, Pennsylvania, and fairly small with only two dozen members. She’d moved to Ohio a decade ago after leaving her parents’ coven and traveling within the Fae and Medes Realms. She liked working for Mishka. He was a great master, caring of his people and concerned for their welfare and safety. She’d recently become good friends with Aeryn, Merrix’s mate. The female had a baby while Eynd had been away with her family. Eynd was excited to meet her and had picked up a few gifts while she’d been away. Since Aeryn and Merrix’s child was a Valkyrie—albeit a shifter-vampire one, not a human-vampire like Eynd—she still had valuable insight to offer her friend about her swiftly growing baby.

Setting her phone on the kitchen counter, she rolled her bag into the master bedroom she’d done up in muted peach and aqua colors and headed to the sliding door to let in the fresh air. A breeze brought in the scents of the water, and she stepped onto the deck and inhaled with a stretch.

A quick shower to wash off the stench of travel, and she was dressed and out the door a short while later. She pretty much worked when she wanted unless something was time sensitive. She hadn’t taken time off for more than a day trip in ages, and it had been good to get away.

She pulled her black Mustang into a parking space in the garage underneath Fang and turned off the engine. Her phone chimed, and she saw a response to her text to Aeryn.

I’d love for you to meet baby Seraphina. When can you come over?

After I check in with Mishka and Harmony, and actually open my work email to see what I missed.

See you soon.

You bet.

Eynd lifted the large gift sack out of the trunk and carried it into the club. She wove her way around the back to the offices, where Mishka and his inner circle—known as the family—worked. The family lived underneath the club in private chambers. Arissa, sweet, redheaded Wiccan and mate to Brone—one of the oldest vampires in the Northern Hemisphere—sat behind the desk in the reception area. She put up one finger when she saw Eynd, and she stopped dutifully and waited for Arissa to finish the call. She hung up a minute later with a sigh.

Humans.

Eynd snorted. I hear you. Hey, girl!

Arissa came around the desk and gave her a big hug. I missed you so much!

I missed you too.

The phone rang and Arissa groaned. Dang it. I want to hear about your trip! Go meet with Mishka, then we can gossip when you’re done.

Looking forward to it.

She tucked the baby gift next to Arissa’s desk and hurried down the hall to Mishka’s office. It was one of the grandest offices she’d ever seen, like something out of a medieval castle. It had carved wooden double doors that were always guarded by trolls, and the interior was filled with hanging tapestries depicting various battles he’d won in his very long life. The trolls nodded at her as she approached and pulled open the doors.

Mishka sat behind a massive desk while Harmony perched on the arm of his chair. She was a musical muse and used music to affect the emotions of humans and supernatural creatures while she sang. She could dramatically improve a person’s mood and then feed off their happiness to keep her muse nature sated. She’d fed recently—her hair was streaked with bright blue and pink.

Oh, you’re back! Harmony lit off the chair and hurried to give Eynd a hug. Did you have a good time?

I did, thanks. It was fun.

Harmony rejoined Mishka. Have you ever gone on a vampire cruise? Harmony asked Mishka.

He made a face.

Asked and answered, Eynd said with a chuckle.

Indeed, Mishka said.

Eynd sat in one of the high-backed chairs. Is there anything I can do for you today? she asked Mishka.

Although it was night and she typically worked in the daytime, she liked to check in frequently to see what he needed, and since she’d been gone for two weeks, she figured there was work to be done. She might work for the coven as a whole, but she reported directly to Mishka and Harmony.

Mishka looked at his calendar. Harmony got on her phone where she kept her meetings and errands on a digital calendar.

I’ve got a delivery coming in an hour by special courier. I’d like you to run it to the storage facility for me.

Why can’t the delivery go right to Bellamin and Kelly? Harmony asked.

First, because they left right at sunset, Mishka said, and we can’t have it delivered directly to them because the location of the facility isn’t common knowledge, and I don’t want a courier to know about it.

Oh, duh, Harmony said. If you’re going out, can you swing by Gretel’s? She has some stuff for the mates, and her delivery girl quit.

Gretel was the coven’s clothier and designed beautiful clothes. Eynd enjoyed wearing what she provided, the outfits generally sexy for when she was working. Like tonight, when she’d picked a pair of black leather pants and paired them with an off-the-shoulder peasant top and a dark green vest. She felt a little like a swashbuckling pirate, minus the sword.

I’ll get right on it after I stop to meet the baby.

She rose to her feet.

We’re so glad you’re back, Harmony said. Be safe.

Always.

She left the office and stopped to talk to Arissa about the trip, then took the gift and hurried across the street to the apartment complex owned by the coven. She knocked on Aeryn and Merrix’s door and was greeted warmly by her tigress friend.

You look well rested, Aeryn said. How was your trip?

Good, but a little stressful with the family stuff. My parents tried to set me up with every single male on the ship from sunset to sunrise. I’m glad to be home. Lemme see the baby!

Aeryn smiled broadly. Of course, come on in.

She followed her friend into the apartment and found her mate Merrix on the couch, his big muscles dwarfing the little baby in his arms. Hey, Eynd.

Hi, Merrix.

Aeryn kissed her mate and scooped her baby from his arms, handing the little bundle to Eynd. She inhaled the sweet mixture of baby lotion, tiger, and vampire and swore her ovaries rattled in her body. Hey, little one, she whispered. The sweet little girl yawned and stretched, and it was the damn cutest thing Eynd had ever seen. She sat in an overstuffed chair and settled the baby against her.

The bag’s for you guys, obviously. And I know you have plenty of people willing to babysit, but I’d be happy to watch over little Seraphina whenever you need a hand.

We’d love that, thank you, Aeryn said as she sat next to Merrix and opened the bag. Valkyrie babies matured at twice the normal rate, so the three-day-old was over a week old. She’d picked up several outfits in varying sizes to account for the growth, as well as an adorable stuffed tiger with embroidered eyes, and a mobile of felted jungle animals.

I love everything, Aeryn said. Thank you so much.

You’re welcome.

Merrix excused himself to grab a SyBl and make some calls, leaving the two females alone.

You two are so sweet together, Eynd said.

You’ll find your beloved when the time is right, Aeryn said.

I’m not sure if I’ll get a beloved.

Why wouldn’t you?

Beloved mates were truemates on steroids. When the male and female mated and shared blood, if they were beloveds and not simply truemates, the non-vampire was given immortality tied to the vampire, and the two shared memories as if they’d lived each other’s lives.

Eynd shrugged. I don’t know. Just a feeling, I guess. Before Brone, no one had gotten a beloved mate in eons. It was more myth than reality. I’m only technically half vampire, so maybe I won’t get one.

She’d like one though. To instantly know her mate’s memories as if they were her own? That would be amazing.

Well, don’t give up hope. You’re only a hundred and twenty. You’ve still got plenty of time to find your beloved.

Eynd snorted. Brone didn’t meet Arissa until he was one thousand. She sure as hell hoped her mate had better timing.

I’d love to find my mate, but until then, I’m content. Especially with this little sweetheart. She’s so perfect.

I agree one hundred percent.

The two friends talked for a bit longer until Seraphina needed to be fed, and then Eynd took her leave, promising to visit again soon. Aeryn was on maternity leave, not because she needed time to heal because she had quick healing as a shifter, but so she could spend time with her new baby. Merrix, who worked for the coven’s construction company, worked part-time so he could spend time with his mate and baby.

One day, Eynd thought, as she left the apartment complex and headed to the garage for her car, she’d have a mate and a baby, assuming her mate could give her one. And then she thought her life would be perfect. Until then, she was happy. She had a wonderful job, a great house, friends to hang out with, and a mildly interesting social life. Wherever her mate was, she hoped he was having a good time of things too.

Chapter Two

Spike Adair, eldest polar bear shifter and leader of the coven-killing group The Shadows, poured maple syrup over his stack of six pancakes and set the glass jar in the center of the table. He and his brothers made up The Shadows and prided themselves on being untraceable and untouchable.

But males had to eat.

And he was damn tired of eating takeout and hunkering down in the cabin in the middle of ass-nowhere-Cleveland while their master, Dargan, plotted his next move against Mishka, the Cleveland vampire master.

Spike and his brothers had taken out dozens of vampire covens over the years. One way or another, every coven fell to them. It was just inevitable. They were too strong, too fast, too dangerous. Since they’d oathed to Dargan a few decades ago, they’d destroyed several covens in his name as he made his way across the country to the Midwest.

Hence ass-nowhere-Cleveland.

He took a bite of fluffy pancakes and stifled a groan. Say what you want about Cleveland, but they could make a damn pancake.

Wraith stabbed at the home fries on his plate. I think this whole thing with Jason is bad news.

Spike glanced at his brothers, and they all nodded. He shrugged. You know how Dargan likes to keep his enemies close.

He’s nuts, Blade said. We’ll be lucky if he doesn’t try to kill Dargan on sight.

We wouldn’t let that happen, Spike said.

Jason Finnegan, founder and head of the First Church of Humanity, had been a blight on vampire-kind for at least a decade, after his parents were killed in a war between two covens. His brother Sean and sister Olive were in charge in Ohio. Olive had been killed by Mishka’s musical muse mate Harmony, and a tigress named Aeryn, who was mated to a vampire named Merrix, had killed Sean. Jason had left a hideout and come to Cleveland with a singular focus: destroying the Cleveland coven and every vampire.

Spike understood singular focuses and respected a male who didn’t tap out even when the odds were astronomically stacked against him. But then Jason’s protégé, a human named Pamela, had gone undercover in the club to plant video cameras so Jason could watch the comings and goings and ferret out their secrets. In typical romance novel fashion, she’d fallen for a vampire and turned against Jason.

Then she’d really turned against him in the end and killed him.

Not that he’d stayed dead. Aubriella—self-proclaimed badass-babe and powerful she-fairy—had used her unique powers to bring him back to life.

Jason was now cooling his heels in the cabin and being an all-around asshole.

Shoveling a forkful of pancake into his mouth, Spike chewed and swallowed, then said, Dargan’s got a plan to take out the coven so he can rule. It’s no different from what we did in Europe all those years ago.

When he and his brothers left their polar bear celebration to strike out on their own, they’d come across a coven wreaking havoc in a human town filled with nonviolent farmers and lots of small children. They’d taken care of the coven and earned the