My Three Vampire Mates

"We are bad vampires. There's no way we can be good again!" Lyriq whined as the black sedan pulled up in the winding driveway.

The DuSang siblings caught the first glimpse of their new mansion. It was a grand, Victorian-style mansion that would hopefully help with their fresh start.

Of all the four siblings, Lyriq, who was the youngest, whistled as his eyes scanned the grandeur.

"It's Insane, you know-hiring just one maid for this entire estate," he said, shaking his head. "We'll be lucky if she doesn't lose her mind."

Adele, the eldest sibling, rolled her eyes, her raven black hair glistening in the sunlight. "Lyriq, please. We need to learn to adapt to living with humans without feeding on their blood. We are still working on our control, so I'm sure you can see how living in a house full of humans is not a good idea. Let's see how well we perform with living with one for now. This is a new beginning."

"And I don't suppose hiring a vampire or supernatural being to work for us isn't an option, little brother. That is a role ONLY humans play." Tristan, the third and second to the youngest chimed in sarcastically.

The sarcasm wasn't lost on Lyriq. "Yeah, well, Albert Einstein, how about you tell me how we are supposed to live with food without eating it? It's like asking us to ignore our nature. Humans work for us, and we snack on them from time to time. That's how it should be!"

"Well, not anymore." Adele patted Lyriq before stepping out of the car.

Kristof, who was already getting bored by his sibling's debate, stepped out of the car. He knew this new Act of Order would shake not only them, but the entire supernatural faction except for the witches, of course, since this was their doing.

Those self-absorbed do-gooders. He was not a fan!

His blue eyes surveyed their new home. The mansion's stone walls bore witness to centuries of history. This was just another one of their old properties.

He felt a thrill of anticipation. This stupid order wouldn't last for long anyway. What they needed to do was to endure until a resistance emerged and, perhaps, a war broke out.

The other supernaturals like them wouldn't let the witches do this to them without a fight. That much, he could bet on.

"I still don't see how we are to live with someone who is basically our three-course meal."'Lyriq hissed, adjusting his black bomber jacket.

"We're about to find out," Kristof sighed, speaking for the first time since the drive.

As he spoke, a strong and alluring scent wafted into his nose, drawing his attention to the mansion's entrance, and out came a rather petite figure.

This must be her... Daisy Flynn, their newly hired maid. Adele had bled their ears out all through the drive with information about the girl.

Now that he had finally set his eyes on her, every iota of control in Kristof dissipated. Why on earth did she smell so delicious?

She was a reasonable distance away from them, definitely not bleeding, and yet, her blood smelled stronger than that of a bleeding human nearby.

This little human, who the hell was she?

The oblivious Daisy Flynn curtsied and greeted them with a warm smile.

"Welcome to your new home, masters," she said in the softest and most melodious voice Kristof had ever heard in his entire three hundred-and-four years of existence. "I'm Daisy Flynn, your maid. I'm looking forward to working with you."

Kristof's gaze sealed onto Daisy, taking in her silky skin and innocent eyes. Something stirred within him, a spark he quickly extinguished.

Her flowing auburn hair was romanticizing the breeze and her emerald eyes glinted even from afar. She wore a simple white dress, her innocence and vulnerability evident in her demeanor.

The three vampire brothers felt it simultaneously – an inexplicable bond, like an electric spark. A tingling sensation... something calling onto them.

Lyriq's eyes widened.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered.

Tristan's gaze remained fixed on Daisy. "I do, brother. It's the sound of blood running through her veins."

Kristof's thoughts drifted to the rhythmic beat of Daisy's heart. The thump-thump sound was even louder than the melody the breeze seemed to carry at the presence of her.

No. He needed to show some restraint. He couldn't lose control at the mere sight of one human. They had just passed through hundreds of humans on their way, and yet, none made him lose control.

He pushed the thought aside.

Adele frowned. "Boys, behave."

"Don't you feel it too, sister?" Tristan turned a curious eyebrow at Adele.

"Feel what?" She blurted out in wonder.

What? Adele didn't feel it too? From the looks of it, it seemed Lyriq and Tristan were affected by Daisy just as much as he was, Kristof thought to himself.

However, for some reason, Adele didn't share in this experience.

"That. The strong aroma of her blood or how inviting her entire presence is, sister. Cut the act. You're a vampire, and you're allowed to crave a human," Tristan scoffed.

Adele's eyes went round. "We just fed about four hours ago. I'm not a greedy vampire, Tristan and Daisy's blood sure as hell smells just as normal as any regular human's would."

Daisy, who was confused that her new masters hadn't returned her greeting stood there, scratching her arm sheepishly.

She looked so vulnerable, so clueless and so... delicious. Kristof gnashed his teeth together just to suppress his hunger.

He couldn't lose it. Not here. Not like this. This meant a lot to them and he couldn't ruin it for them. The fact that they were even willing to try and start afresh was a lot.

He couldn't destroy that before they even started. But, oh dear little Daisy, what is it about you?

Thankfully, the distance between them and her wouldn't permit a human to hear their conversation.

"If you are all going to be irresponsible and ruin our entire plan, then..."

Before Adele could finish her sentence, Lyriq sped toward Daisy, baring his fangs.

"I must have a taste," he growled, his eyes burning with hunger.

Oh, no. Kristof pressed his lips together. Lyriq was going to get them captured.

The sight of fangs, bloody eyes, and that unbelievable speed made Daisy shriek, stumbling backward.

"Ahhhh!" She screamed, extremely panic-stricken.

Adele, who took on the maternal role in their parentless family, intervened. She sped towards the duo, grasping Lyriq's arm before he could dip his fangs into Daisy's neck.

"Lyriq, stop!" she commanded. "You can't hurt her."

Daisy's eyes remained fixed on Lyriq's vampire form, her face pale. "Please, don't hurt me!" She sobbed.

"No one is going to hurt you, honey." Adele took her shaky hands and looked deep into her eyes.

"You will forget what you have just seen. You came out to welcome us, and we received you very nicely as any good master will."

Adele's attempt to compel Daisy to forget what she had witnessed had no effect. Daisy remained petrified, her eyes wide with fear.

"Please, don't hurt me," she pleaded. "Let me go."

What's going on? Kristof's mouth fell open. Compulsion never failed.

"No way..." Lyriq breathed.

Adele tried again, and again, and again, all to no avail. Daisy's entire body was covered in sweat now as she continued to beg for mercy.

Tristan, the smartest of them all announced. "She can't be compelled."

For the first time in a long time, Adele seemed to be taken off guard and not 'in control of the situation'.

"B-but that's not possible." She stammered. "What human can resist compulsion?"

Tristan's eyes narrowed. "What do we do now? She knows about us."

"Kill her, of course." Lyriq grinned, smacking his lips.

Daisy's pleas turned desperate at the sound of her potential death. "Please, don't hurt me! I'll keep your secrets, I swear! Just let me go!"

The siblings exchanged uneasy glances. Kristof's expression turned calculating.

This changes everything. For some reason, he didn't want her dead. She was definitely unusual and if there was one thing he loved, it was piecing the pieces of puzzle together.

Without a word, he sped toward Daisy, his movements faster than a blur. He struck her at the back of her head, and she slumped into his arms, unconscious.

The others gasped, shocked.

"What are you doing, Kristof?!" Adele demanded, enraged.

"I just knocked her out," Kristof replied calmly. "When she wakes, we'll tell her she had a bad dream."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "And then?"

Kristof's gaze trailed on Daisy's peaceful face.

"We'll figure it out."

As he held Daisy, Kristof felt an unfamiliar pang – as though every breath she took was awakening a deep-rooted, but formerly slumbering longing within him.

Who was this human? Why was she so alluring and why couldn't they compel her?

Their complicated life had just definitely gotten a lot more complicated.

Kristof scooped up Daisy's limp form, cradling her in his arms. Her fragile body felt oddly comforting against his chest.

"I'll take her inside. You lots handle the luggage," he instructed his siblings.

He was the one who knocked her out which was something he was weirdly feeling so bad about. Hence, it was his duty to see to it that she was okay.

Adele thinned her eyes suspiciously at him. "Behave, Kristof. No feeding on the maid."

Oh, please. Did she think of him as Lyriq?

He nodded, being a man of few words. He carried Daisy into the mansion afterward. The others dispersed to unload the luggage, their murmurs fading into the background.

He carried Daisy into the spare room which was a large, airy space with a four-poster bed. He gently laid her down, her soft breathing filling the quiet room.

As he sat on the edge of the bed, watching her, he was struck by her beauty. Her pinkish skin, her long, auburn hair, and her tender features seemed almost ethereal.

A warmth spread through his chest. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced in centuries, a longing that was both familiar and foreign. He was drawn to her, irresistibly, as if a magnet were pulling him toward her.

Look at her, sleeping so peacefully when she'd unleashed turmoil within him.

Staring at her was like pealing off every control in him. He lost it.

Her lips, soft and inviting, beckoned him. Kristof's gaze drifted to the pulse point on her neck, where her blood flowed like liquid gold. His fangs ached, yearning to descend into it.

No.

He clenched his jaw, fighting the primal urge.

But his eyes betrayed him, returning to Daisy's face.

Innocence.

That was the word that came to mind.

He'd seen countless humans, yet none had stirred him like this.

Why her?

He couldn't keep himself from bending closer, his breath fanning her cheek. He remained in that position for a minute, liking how the scent of her which was a sweet, floral aroma, filled his senses.

He couldn't resist any longer. He bent down and kissed her softly, his lips brushing against hers.

Time suspended.

The world narrowed to this moment.

This moment... it was fleeting, but it was enough to jolt him back to reality. He pulled away, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

What had he done? He had kissed a human, a maid, a creature he was supposed to stay away from.

He stood up, his head suddenly throbbing. He had to get out of there, before he did something he couldn't undo.

Guilty thoughts swirled in his mind:

'I've endangered our entire existence'.

'Adele will be furious.'

'And Daisy... poor, fragile Daisy.'

He rushed out of the room in a dash and ended up bumping into Lyriq in the hallway.

"Watch where you're going, Kristof!" Lyriq exclaimed, rubbing his head. "Can't you see?"

"I'm sorry," Kristof muttered, hating that he had to bump into Lyriq of all people.

"So, did you manage to convince her that she tripped and fell?" Lyriq asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"She is not awakened yet," Kristof replied, avoiding the question.

"Well, she better hurry up. I'm getting hungry," Lyriq said, licking his lips.

"Lyriq, I told you, you can't feed on her," Kristof said sternly.

"Why not?" Lyriq asked with a playful smirk turning his mouth up. "She's a human. She's meant to be fed on."

"Just go stay with her, will you?" Kristof said, trying to calm Lyriq down. "And make sure she doesn't remember anything about what happened. Try to convince her that she tripped and fell."

Lyriq raised an eyebrow. "You mean the tasty little morsel we're supposed to devour?"

Kristof's voice dropped to a growl. "You won't touch her."

Lyriq chuckled. "Oh, come on, Kris. You're not still hung up on-"

Kristof cut him off, striding away. "Just shut up, brother."

Lyriq was usually like that – a pain in everyone's gut. He was carefree, nasty, silly, and plenty annoying. It was Lyriq who gave Adele the most headache.

Yet, of all four of them, it seemed as though it was Lyriq who was truly living. The rest of them were either too broody, too serious, or too busy.

Kristof sought out Adele-of all the company available to distract him from thoughts about Daisy, she was the next best thing.

He found her in the foyer. Talking to her might take his mind off of Daisy Flynn.

"Which room is mine?" Kristof asked.

Adele's eyes searched his face. "Hm, someone looks like they've just received a breakup text."

"Hahaha. Not funny, Adele." Kristof scoffed.

"What's wrong, Kristof?" She asked.

"I'm fine," he lied.

Adele led him to a lavish bedroom with a stunning view of the mansion's gardens.

"This will be your sanctuary," she spread her hands.

Kristof nodded mutely, taking in the elegant decor. It was as though his sister could smell the moodiness off of him.

"Is everything alright, Kristof?" Adele asked, noticing the troubled look on his face.

"I'm fine," Kristof repeated. "Don't worry about me."

"You don't look fine. Is it about Daisy? I understand it's hard to live with a human especially when we are trying to stop feeding on them, but we don't really have a lot of options, do we?"

Kristof hesitated. He didn't know how to explain what he had done. No, he wouldn't tell Adele that he acted so impulsively, that he kissed the new girls.

No, he wasn't going to do that.

"I just... I don't understand," he said. "Why does her blood smell so strongly?"

"It's probably just the stress of the move," Adele suggested. "Give it some time, and you'll feel better."

Kristof nodded, but he wasn't convinced. He knew there was something more to it. Something that he couldn't quite understand.

"We'll get through this, Kristof," Adele said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We're a family. We'll stick together."

Kristof faked a smile. "I know."

Talking to Adele had always been therapeutic except for this time when he had to hide what he truly felt from her.

"Well, if we're going to live peacefully here, we might need some strategizing." Adele clapped her hands together. "Let's meet by the fireplace in two hours to discuss hunting. We can't afford to wait until we are extremely hungry. It's already been hours since we last fed."

Adele was right. They fed on squirrels' blood earlier and those sure as hell didn't satisfy them as human blood did.

If they don't start getting some refill, they might as well lose control and go gnashing their fangs in the townies.

Adele left and Kristof was soon Alone in his room. He had never loathed being alone as much as he did now.

He couldn't ignore the scent of Daisy. It loitered on his skin like a particularly stubborn smell of booze. He paced around the room, trying to clear his mind, but questions ran to him in quick succession.

Why was a human affecting him so profoundly?

What was it about Daisy that drew him in?

No answers came.

The only thing he received was the memories of her face that kept replaying in his mind. He had been a vampire for centuries, and he had seen countless humans come and go. None of them had ever stirred such emotions within him.

Frustrated, Kristof focused on dressing and unpacking. As he organized his belongings, a faded portrait caught his eye.

"Maia," he whispered, his heart aching.

A pang of sorrow shot through him as he gazed at her serene face. She had been his everything, his other half. Two hundred years ago, she had been murdered by their vengeful uncle and his wife, leaving him alone and broken.

Maia was the only one who had ever made him feel this drawn. She had been his only fated mate ever since too.

Memories flooded him: Maia's laughter, her fiery spirit, her ultimate sacrifice. She had died for him.

She had been the only one who had ever truly understood him, who had accepted him for who he was. He had never felt so connected to another being, not even his siblings. The way Daisy made him feel now was eerily similar to the way Maia had. But it was impossible, wasn't it? A vampire couldn't be fated to a human.

"It's just nostalgia," he told himself.

It must be.

"It's just because I miss you, Maia," he whispered, placing a kiss on the portrait. "I wish you were here."

No woman could ever replace Maia's place in his heart. He had one ultimate goal: to bring her back from the Spirit Realm.

But no one needed to know yet. He'd figure it out himself.

Two hours passed. It was time to go partake in this meeting with his siblings.

Kristof sighed, bracing himself to endure another few hours of his sibling's relentless bickering.

He headed to the fireplace, but as he opened his door, he could sense her... Daisy.

What the hell was she doing? Was she standing in front of his room? Her scent was stronger the more he walked closer to the door.

He decided to open it, and he was right-she stood before him, about to knock on it.

Not now, what was she doing here? The bane of his existence. Their eyes met and hers widened slightly by the force at which he infused in opening the door.

She turned to face him, lowering her gaze. "Good evening, Master Kristof," she greeted.

Oh, not only did she look innocent, she was polite as well. More reason why he needed to stay the hell away from her.

As far as possible.

"I know who you are," Kristof replied coldly, his gaze fixed on her. "Don't bother with the formalities."

Daisy's smile faltered. "I apologize if I've offended you. I-I just thought that after hitting my head and probably not making the right first impression, I should come to reintroduce myself to you all."

She began to twist her hands together sheepishly. "Erh... I wanted to do it personally. You know what? I think I'll just stop talking now." She concluded after glimpsing the scornful look he wore on his face.

He didn't mean to be rude. But he couldn't afford to be nice to her.

"You haven't offended me," Kristof said, turning away. "Just stay out of my sight."

The awkwardness between them was palpable. Daisy stepped back for him to walk out of the room, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Kristof couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at his harshness, but he pushed it aside. He couldn't allow himself to be drawn in by her.

As he joined his siblings by the fireplace, Lyriq greeted him with a grin. "Hey, Kris. Points for me. The maid seems to still be intact."

Tristan chimed in, "I believe she has a name, Lyriq. And it's Daisy."

Lyriq shrugged. "Who cares?"

What was that? Kristof dimmed his eyes. Was Tristan just defensive of Daisy? Now, that was so unlike Tristan.

Could it be that this weird powerful force of attraction that he felt toward her, Tristan felt it too? The incessant urge to bare his fangs into her neck, did Tristan have the same?

They all knew Tristan only cared about people Tristan cared about. Whoever wasn't in that circle could be damned for all he cared, so if Tristan ever stood up for anyone, be sure to hell that they held a place in his heart.

Kristof grunted as he made the deduction. The possibility that Tristan could be bonded to her made Kristof's heart thump in protest.

Was that... Jealousy?

Hell, no.

Adele silenced them with a glare. "Enough. Let's discuss our plan before you guys escalate this into a much bigger argument."

Oh, Adele, black wavy hair, long, strong legs, tall, built sexy in a strong kind of way... that was their sister.

And oh, well, the beauty. She had a dark gothic beauty which was a contrast to Daisy's pure and unblemished one.

Wait a minute, Why the hell was he comparing the maid to their sister? Hell, he needed help.

Tristan cleared his throat. "We chose this town for a reason. It's small, and there's a large forest nearby where we can hunt different kinds of animals until the witches get tired of their harmony act."

Adele nodded. "We'll go into the woods now and hunt. But remember, we need to stay close together and out of sight."

The siblings agreed and as they turned to leave together, something unexpected happened.

Lyriq called out to Daisy. "Hey, Daisy! We're leaving to see an old uncle. Don't worry about us, just make yourself feel at home and be safe, love."

What the heck? If anyone would even do that, Lyriq wouldn't be on the list. It was weird that he would care to give Daisy a heads-up.

Barely five hours in Winderemere Cove, and barely five hours around Daisy and the DuSang brothers were already depicting strange behaviours.

"I thought you said you didn't care about her?" Adele blurted out, turning a curious brow at Lyriq who looked like he had just seen a ghost.

The youngest brother shook his head. "I swear, I have no idea why I just said that."

"Or maybe you DO care, brother." Tristan grinned from ear to ear, finding pleasure in Lyriq's misery.

Her scent teleported Kristof's senses away from the conversation while his eyes darted their way to find her.

And there she was... Daisy appeared in the doorway, latching shyly to it.

"Yeah, well... but you... forgot your keys."

Keys? What vampires drive a car to hunt for blood in the woods? She has got to be kidding them.