Within an hour and a half my servants had cleared out everything my aunt and her husband had left. And they had replaced everything. Too my utter dismay they castle didn't even have WiFi. So here I was just sitting in a large meeting room making plans and setting up modern appliances and fixtures. Thank god this place had electricity and plumbing. I had been assigned four royal advisors and all of them were snooty older adults. But they were respectful and kept their rude comments to themselves. My favorite advisor was Sasha, she was a siren and held fierce determination in her stare. She was twenty-seven with unruly black curls and bright lavender eyes. She was my height and was the only one I related to. Possibly because we both fed off of sexual energy but oh well.
There was Janet, an elderly woman with her grey hair in a tight bun, she had a pinched face and fantastic posture, but her shrewd blue eyes and thin lips made her look constantly disgusted. She was a bird shifter, an egret. Next was Drake, who was a huge asshole with a superiority complex and narcissism. He had longish brown hair with reddish brown eyes and a pair of fangs to match. The jerk was extremely tall and pale, perfect vampire package. I only tolerated Louis, he was in his late thirties early forties. He was a wall of muscle and pointed looks. Not too mention his personality was pervy and rude. But he was smart and knew strategy.
Sash would advise me on politics and manners, Janet on social interactions and etiquette. Apparently I wasn't royal worthy in my behavior. Drake would teach me how to form alliances and how to profile people on sight. However Louis was to teach me war strategies and managing the kingdom. But all of them would help in teaching me what exactly I was supposed to do every minute of every day. I was assigned two girls my age to be my ladies in waiting, which was so not happening. This place needed a serious upgrade.
As of now I am currently hidden away in the library, avoiding everyone. I had slept for thirty-six hours straight after being led to my new room and having a relaxing shower. I was clean and well rested, not to mention well-fed. "Your Majesty? Queen Aspen are you in here, Sir Drake is looking for you. It is time for your riding lesson." It was Clarice, my first lady in waiting. Oh, did I forget to mention Drake is trying something weird medieval courting me thing. He thinks walks in the garden and horse rides are dates. It's so outdated here, but at least I now have WiFi and a phone.
"Um, I'm not going Clarice." I said, flinching when the girl gave me a hard glare. She was scary, plus she had dressed me and knew where my weapons were. She had leverage over me. "Your Majesty, he is a fine man with royal blood and of high standing. It would not be polite to ignore his offer. Sir Drake is not going to put up with your childish behavior for much longer, queen or not." The girl had a mouth on her, but I loved her old time speak.
"Ugh, fine take me to Sir Asshole." I groaned, allowing my friend to drag me out of my sanctuary. Colton, Gage, Violet, and Jared were arriving tomorrow to visit me and I couldn't wait to be reunited with my friends. Jared was bringing the entire pack of hellhounds. I missed my people. But they would only be here for two days before others started arriving. My big coronation ball ceremony thingy was coming up. And everyone who was anyone in the supernatural community would be there. Including Sam..... if he was still alive. God I hoped I killed him.
"I almost wasn't expecting you to show up, Your Highness." Drake snipped when Clarice finally pulled me into the stables. Seriph was weaving between the horse's legs and I saw that Drake had saddled a small grey mare for me. He however had chosen a huge monster of a stallion that was a rich mahogany color. Clarice left after delivering me to Drake the asshole. I mounted the mare and started forward. Throwing all my etiquette classes to the wind and taking lead. I was struggling to change the sexist laws, I mean how can I when my own advisors won't let me be myself. Drake was supposed to be leading the ride seeing as how he was male and all. Yeah, not happening. Seriph bounded ahead of me and I heard Drake curse under his breath.
"At least try to keep up with me." I called back to him, smugly. I've discovered the easiest way to piss him off is to belittle him or wound his honor. It was just too easy. I was going to make him regret courting me. And forcing me to wear a stupid dress. That's right my jeans were burned and I was stuck wearing horrible dresses I couldn't even take off without help. But I had already ordered fifteen pairs of jeans and they were arriving tomorrow. So Drake could suck it up and deal with it.
"Aspen, we have discussed this once before. I am to take the lead when we go riding, it is for your protection." Drake sighed, speaking to me as though I were a child . But since he had the bigger horse he easily maneuvered until he was leading. I sulked atop my horse and glared at his shoulders. "I will cut you." I threatened angrily, whilst tugging my dress back down.
"Are you carrying weapons again? It is not proper for you to conceal weapons, you have guards for your protection. I will have Clarice take them from you later." Mr. High and Mighty didn't even sound concerned about my threat. So I pulled out a small throwing knife and tossed it at him, it skimmed through the air and sliced a small cut through his upper arm. "Gave you fair warning." I grumbled, but of course it was too late. He pulled his horse to a stop and I didn't stand a chance. My dress skirts were tangling my legs and I couldn't jump off my horse, so when Drake plucked me off my mare I couldn't even process it. Not until I was slung across his lap like a damn blanket. I was a freaking queen and I had just been plucked off of my horse and thrown across some jerk's lap like some damsel that was just saved. So being that I was stuck in this position I did the only thing possible, I bit him. As in I sunk my teeth into his thigh and didn't let go. He grunted in pain and I felt one of his hands fist the material of my blasted dress. "If I were you I would stop that right now." Drake's voice was strained and tense, I immediately released his flesh and froze.
I was getting nauseous from the horizontal swinging and the stallions rough steps. I may be a queen now but I was still myself and that meant I was about as unqueenly as possible. On the outskirts of my castle there were manicured woods for horse rides. So that meant if I could throw myself from the saddle and rip the bottom of my skirts off I had a chance of running from my advisor. It would at least be fun if not successful. "Hope this is ladylike enough for you." I laughed before sending my elbow into his ribs and sliding off of the stallions back my feet hit the ground painfully and I darted off of the path and into the trees, tearing my dress along the way. "Aspen! It isn't safe for you to run off on your own, I demand you come back." He called after me, and it wasn't long before I heard him thundering after me.
"Keep trying douche nozzle, I won the competition doing this!" I mocked, as my hair lashed out behind me like a banner.
"Must you always play games? I'm becoming quite bored with your childish nature."
"Well excuse me for trying to make my own decisions, Dad."
"I am your advisor not your father, although it would be inappropriate for me to see you in this state as either. You have ruined your dress and I can see your dinosaur undergarments."
"I'm still prettier than you though, so just deal with it." I was almost to my castle walls an he was gaining on me. I was small enough to bolt past my subjects and into my courtyard with little difficulty. "You're my advisor, not my owner!" I panted out as I shot Drake a smirk over my shoulder. I then proceeded to bolt inside the castle and push past bustling servants (who were now being paid for their labor) which all jumped out of my way.
"Aspen!"
"It's Queen Aspen to you!"
"Clarice please calm her so that we may partake in a civilized conversation."
"Don't you drag her into this! You are no longer permitted to court me, you are my advisor and that is all you will ever be!"
"Aspen just calm yourself, Clarice will help you into a new dress and we will talk about this."
"Go screw yourself!" I screamed and ran right up a flight of fifty stairs, then proceeded to bolt towards my room. Once inside I locked the door and ripped off the rest of my dress. I tugged on a pair of yoga pants and a loose crop top. Drake was pounding on my door, demanding I come outside and talk with him, he even had Clarice begging me to come out.
"Hmm, annoying aren't they?" Sasha was perched on my bed, petting a large black panther. I wasn't even going to ask how either had gotten into my room. "Hey Sasha, if you couldn't tell our ride through the woods didn't end well." I greeted and watched as her eyes drifted to my ripped dress.
"Ah, he thought it was more than just a roll in the hay?"
"Gross, no he was being an arrogant bastard so I threw a knife at him blah blah blah, he pulled me off my horse, I bit him and left a nice bruise on his ribs in the shape of my elbow, and then I took off thorough the woods and ripped my dress up so I could run. Either way I just wish he would get the message that he has no chance." I ranted, tugging at my hair in frustration.
"Well, my friend here could help you out with that."
"You know I'm not quite sure that would work."
"Hunter you may shift, she's seen one of your kind before. No need to be shy around my little Succubus.." Sasha purred into the panther's ear, I watch as the large feline rose and stretched its muscles lazily. I was in complete shock as the huge cat changed shape and became a huge man. He was tan with messy black hair and pale green eyes that reflected the light. He had strange tribal tattoos that were not obscured baby clothing and my face flushed.
"Are you going to have a repeat of the whole 'it burns, oh my poor virgin eyes' episode? Because you're a Succubus it's in your nature to do a lot more than look." Sasha sighed, shooting me a proud smirk. Cheeky siren!
"What the hell am I supposed to do with a naked shifter?"
"I'm sure you'll figure it out, after all you are a great actress."
"Wait Sasha, don't open the door!" But it was too late, she opened the door and Drake came running in. The shifter was quick to react and had come up behind me silently. I jumped as two large, warm hands skimmed my bare stomach. "What is going on here? Who is that, Aspen?" Drake looked suspicious and slightly angry.
"It is not proper to enter a lady's chambers without her consent. Especially the Queen's chamber." Hunter, the shifter hissed out from behind me. Hot breath fanned across my shoulder and I could practically feel him smelling me. "Then would you like to explain why you are in her chambers, unclothed?"
"You know how we had that conversation about me getting a harem of men, yeah I was serious. So um Drake this is Hunter." I blurted out the first thing that came to mind, and it was a train wreck. The small chuckle behind me attested to that, as did my fierce blushing. I choke slightly as the shifters hands slid up and under my shirt, choosing to rest on my chest. Even Drake looked physically uncomfortable. "A girl's gotta feed, you know?"
"Just refrain from making this public. If you wish to be seen with him in public he will be a suitor to avoid gossip." And with that Drake was gone, along with Sasha. Clarice looked aghast but did not bolt out of the room. "Your jeans have arrived, the box is outside of your room. I shall return to collect you for dinner, good day Your Highness."
"Thank you Clarice, go find your sister and have fun for the rest of the day." I dismissed her with a smile, despite how uncomfortable I was the thought of being left alone with the shifter. And soon there were two. "You can uh, let me go now." His hands were just too close for comfort.
"Sasha was right, you are innocent for a Succubus." Hunter murmured in my ear, I tensed as his lips touched my ear softly. "I prefer the term classy over trashy. So if you could just remove yourself from me and put on some clothes, that would be great." Surprisingly he listened and backed up, and he pulled on a pair of pants I hadn't seen earlier. I guess he was chill with going commando.
"I would like to take you on a run." I wasn't quite sure what he meant but I was hoping it wasn't sexual. I was seriously praying it was an actual run. "Okay, well let's get going then. I want to be out of here before one of my advisors finds me for another lesson." And with that I allowed the shifter to lead me out of my room. I had wished for Drake to back off and I guess Hunter could help me out for the time being. What I didn't realize was that when he said run he meant it. I got my second workout of the day being chased by him through the gardens as though we were playing tag. The game didn't end until Clarice collected me for dinner and we all ate the ridiculously fancy meal. After that I was done with functioning and went to my room to fall into a nice coma.