by Marian Tee
Chapter Four
Leaning back against his seat, Alexandru picked up the latest draft of his pet’s proposal and read aloud her newest amendment.
“A Master’s commitment to his or her pet must be shown beyond financial and material means.”
An inelegant snort escaped him, and grabbing his pen from the desk, he began to scribble.
DENIED. THIS IS JUST A FANCY WAY OF SAYING YOU WANT A MASTER TO KEEP SAYING RIDICULOUS THINGS TO HIS PET.
Erou Damaschin, only son of the Earl of Avere, was contemplative when he left the school’s infirmary. There was an unknown feeling in his chest, and if he had to use a word for it, then it would be…curiosity.
Unlike other vampires, the time he spent with humans had not been restricted to feeding or sex. Work had required him to live among humans, eat with them, talk with them, and do everything else that allowed Erou to pretend he was like them.
Surrounded by humans, he had learned one essential thing about them: everyone’s loyalty could be bought for the right price.
Or at least he had always thought so until that girl.
The thought made him hesitate for a fraction, his hand on the knob turning still as the last words he had exchanged with the young Zari Baltimore replayed in his mind.
“Can you…what?” It was obvious she had heard him perfectly, and it was just as obvious she doubted she had heard him right.
He repeated himself patiently, his face remaining impassive as he made his offer. All the while, his own gaze remained on her. Even though he had drunk so much of the girl’s blood – the only way for him to survive his injuries – he had not been able to retain any clear memory of the episode except for one thing: her scent.
It was what he had clung to the whole time he had been in limbo in that gray world between life and the afterlife, a scent that was an addictive mixture of freshly bloomed primrose and almost-ripe strawberries, a unique fragrance that hinted of innocence and budding sexuality.
When Erou had woken up, his men were eager to tell him about the beautiful girl whose heart was so pure she had fed him despite being the much-envied human pet of their race’s most skilled hunter.
“Alexandru?” he had scoffed then. “He’s never taken a pet before—”
“But he has now. Perhaps like the great Alexandru, you, too, will change your mind and find yourself a pet.” His second-in-command, Mathieu, had given him a sly look. “Perhaps you might even want to steal this one yourself.”
Then, Erou had been dismissive of Mathieu’s words. But now that he had finally met the lady who had saved him?
She had the most interesting face, every feature of it expressive, from her wide gray eyes, pert nose, and pink rosebud lips. He had learned she was eighteen, but her coltish body made her appear younger and boyish even. It was a little hard to believe that someone who appeared as innocent and unsophisticated as this girl could be the human pet of someone as jaded and wicked as Alexandru.
The human girl was shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but…”
“I know you belong to Alexandru, but I thought you should know you have a choice. It would be my honor to have someone as courageous and selfless as you as my pet.”
She started to wring the ends of the bed covers, the action indicating her distress, which he regretted. Seeing it, he came to his feet his gracefully. “I apologize if this has distressed you.”
“It didn’t.” The girl was utterly unconvincing. “It’s just that…” A discomfited expression fell on her face. “I will always belong to Master Alexandru.” This time, she spoke the words simply, but each and every one of them rang with sincerity. When she said her Master’s name, her gaze had also softened, and the look on her face had made Erou stiffen.
He wanted her to look at him like that as well. He did not understand why. All he knew was that he wanted a girl like her to see him with the same eyes.
Remembering that look on Zari Baltimore’s face had Erou expelling his breath. No, he had to be considerate of her condition. He should allow her time to fully recuperate before approaching her again.
Turning around, he shut the door, and that was when he noticed another vampire’s presence in the hallway. When he raised his head, he saw none other than Alexandru himself coming to an abrupt halt as he turned around the corner and found Erou standing outside the door of the infirmary.
****
When Alexandru saw the younger vampire coming out from the infirmary, his first instincts were to throw the other man against the wall and demand that he stay away from his pet.
One second passed, both of them staring at each other, sizing each other up.
The baby vampire was tall, perhaps only an inch shorter than he was. And pretty. Too damn pretty to be allowed too close to his pet. If he hadn’t known the other guy was a vampire, Alexandru would have been willing to bet the boy had gone as far as dyeing his hair to make it even more eye-catching.
Although more of the same thoughts ran through his head, none of it showed on Alexandru’s face as he started forward.
Erou grimaced when he saw the older vampire had taken the first step to approach him. He had always prided himself in his ability to do everything correctly and according to the rules, but here he was, violating one of the basic rules of courtesy among Chalysians. Alexandru was not only older than him by centuries, but he outranked Erou as well. He should have been the first one to greet the other man, but Erou just couldn’t make himself do it. He felt like if he did, it would be akin to admitting the other man was better than him.
“Lord Erou, I believe?” The hunter’s voice was smooth and strong, a polite smile still playing on his lips as he spoke.
Erou forced himself to bend his head in acknowledgment. “Lord Alexandru.”
Alexandru almost smirked at the ill-concealed disapproval on the younger vampire’s face. Nice young gentlemen like Erou Damaschin always did hate hunters like him. Erou’s generation believed in peace talks and battles fought in the shadows, preferring to avoid everything that could shake the tenuous balance between the world of humans and nonhumans. For them, hunters like Alexandru were a threat, a throwback from the Dark Ages that would only serve to make their race appear more uncivilized.
“I came to thank Lady Zari for her vital assistance this morning.”
“Yes. You were very fortunate that my pet was at the right time and place.”
Erou flushed, too smart to miss the hunter’s pointed barbs, despite having spoken in a bland tone. In just one sentence, Alexandru had been able to remind him of his ownership over Zari as well as the inappropriateness of what had happened – an offense that Alexandru was making clear he would not allow to happen again.
It pissed Erou off, the way the other vampire seemed to have completely dismissed his ability to steal Alexandru’s pet from him. He heard himself saying, “I also let her know that I desire to claim her as my pet.”
“Is that so?” Alexandru’s eyes cooled even though a smile continued playing on his lips.
“Yes. I thought she should know she has a choice.” Erou threw the hunter a look of challenge. “It is only right you do not hold her back if she wants to break your claim on her.”
“I agree with you completely, boy. But the question is…”
Erou watched warily as the other vampire crossed his arms against his chest.
“Do you really think she would want to leave me?”
Alexandru smirked when he saw the other man’s lips tighten, an indication that the boy had indeed asked and was rejected. Something in his chest eased at the sight, and it was only then he realized that he had been tense all the time he had been waiting for the boy to answer. His pet really was beginning to mean too much to him, Alexandru thought uneasily. He had to do something about it soon.
Erou’s temper ignited when he saw the hunter smirk. “You should let her go. A girl like Zari is not to be played with.” Throughout his childhood, Erou had grown up hearing of Alexandru’s legendary
exploits but for some reason, Erou had never been overly impressed with it. He had always disliked the nonchalant way Alexandru treated his every mission, as if hunting down criminals was more a pastime than an honorable duty.
And if there was a woman involved in the mission? It was a foregone conclusion that Alexandru would have her in his bed. None of them, however, had been elevated to anything more than a one-night stand…until that girl.
Erou’s eyes widened in realization. “You care for her, don’t you?”
Alexandru’s gaze became hooded. “Now you’re talking nonsense.”
“Say all you want, hunter. I’ve seen through you. You don’t want to let her know you care for her, do you? Why is that? Are you thinking a vampire like you is too good for her? You don’t want other vampires finding out that you actually fell for a human girl?”
Alexandru’s lip only curled. “You know nothing.”
Erou laughed jeeringly. “Yeah, sure, I know nothing. And you know what? I’m actually going to wish you luck. You just keep doing your thing and I’ll keep doing my thing, and mark my words, the day will come…”
Ignoring the other vampire’s words, Alexandru strove for calm. But his mind resisted, invaded as it was by a treacherous image – of his pet naked, and this boy feeding on her neck—
Alexandru hissed, “SHE’S MINE!” His power was unleashed through the words, his voice making the thick walls tremble and the air around them crack with tension. At that moment, Alexandru’s true self was revealed, the one he fought to hide with a mask of playful charm.
Killer. Murderer. Beast.
Erou inhaled sharply when he saw the sudden change in the other vampire, one that gave him a tiniest taste of fear. This was no longer someone to be reasoned with.
The door opened, Zari coming out, confusion clouding her eyes when she saw Alexandru and Erou in the hallway.
Alarm struck Erou when he saw the door open and the human girl step out. “Zari—” But the moment he said the girl’s name, Erou knew right away it had been the wrong thing to do.
Hearing the name of his pet on another man’s voice acted like a trigger, and with a furious growl, Alexandru launched himself at the younger vampire. He would have had Erou in a stranglehold when suddenly a slip of a girl stood in his way.
She looked frightened and determined, and her voice shook when she said, “Master, no.”
Chapter Five
“Ahem.” Zari cleared her throat, trying to catch her Master’s attention as she came to stand behind him.
But it was as if he had lost all his powers and was now a mere mortal, with the way he was unable to sense her presence or even hear her. He continued to survey his men in practice, calling out occasional pointers to rookie soldiers.
“Master, I know you’re just pretending.” No answer. “Master, you’re being so childish. You’re five hundred years old, not five.”
A cold voice in her mind snapped, And you should keep in mind you are contracted as MY pet, not his.
Zari’s eyes lit up. “Exactly what I want to talk about. Because it’s what I want to change—”
He spun around, his face hard. “You no longer want to be mine?”
This time, she had to bite back a smile. “No, Master. It’s about the contracts.” Looking down, she mumbled, “I still want to be yours. I’ll always want that.”
He didn’t answer, but a moment later, her cheeks burned under his pinching fingers. “You are just too damn cute.”
One moment, Alexandru appeared a hair’s breadth away from committing murder. Another second passed, and he was suddenly back to normal, the dangerous light in his eyes fading and the cruel slant of his lips disappearing. Everything was back to normal, too. There was no longer that creepy, electrifying feel in the air, like a nuclear dynamite was about to explode any minute.
Her Master stepped forward, placing Zari behind him like a target to be shielded. Slowly, she looked up at him, but his face was as bland as always. Her gaze moved to the other vampire. He was slightly easier to read, with the way he held himself so stiffly, his stance vigilant for any possible recurrence of danger.
She asked finally, “Master? Is something wrong?”
Zari jumped when she felt Alexandru reach for her hair, curling a lock around his fingers. The gesture felt odd and possessive at the same time, as if her Master wanted to see if she knew whom she belonged to.
Alexandru waited for his pet to move away. Despite all his efforts to teach her, he knew that Zari was far from being used to any display of ownership. He expected her to dodge his touch, but he was stunned instead to find herself striving to keep still, as if she instinctively understood his need to show possession of her.
His gaze locked with hers. “Nothing is wrong, pet. Or at least not on my part.”
The sly smile that followed Alexandru’s words made her feel nervous. When he smiled like that, bad things always tended to happen—
Still playing with her hair, he said slowly, “But as for the other vampire staring intently at us…” He turned his head to face Erou, and Zari found herself doing the same. “He definitely has a problem.” Not waiting for an answer, he continued, “He told me he wants to claim you as pet. Because I think he has a crush on you.”
Alexandru expected the younger man to deny the words. “Isn’t that right, Lord Erou?”
But he didn’t.
Erou knew what the other vampire was planning. Alexandru wanted to shame him into rejecting the words and thus kill off all chances with the girl. Well, two could play this game. And so he said coolly, “It just may be so.”
At the words, Alexandru’s head immediately snapped towards his pet, just so she could see how fucking serious he was as he growled, Don’t you dare blush. Don’t you dare.
But it was too late—
She had already blushed.
And with it, she had shown her cutest face to another vampire.
Alexandru immediately pinched both her cheeks, hard, hoping it would distract the other vampire. Disobedient pet.
I’m sorry! I couldn’t help it!
You will pay for this, he told her ominously. Go wait for me in your room.
She started. B-but—
No buts. That is an order. And hold your cheeks as you go. That is an order, too.
Zari’s mouth opened and closed. Are you serious?
If you do not leave as I say and in the manner I have asked in five seconds, I will go to your class tomorrow and have you come right in front of—
Zari didn’t hear the rest of her Master’s threat. She took a quick step back, covered her cheeks, and turned to face Lord Erou.
Alexandru’s eyes narrowed. Zari—
I can’t just leave so rudely, she protested just before she gave Lord Erou a handless curtsy. “It was nice meeting you, Lord Erou,” she mumbled just before racing away.
Alexandru glared at his pet’s fast retreating back. Stubborn and disobedient as ever. He really should punish her soon.
“Why do you not want her to know you care for her?”
Alexandru was grudgingly impressed that the younger lord still had not backed down even after seeing him lose his control. Erou was a strong vampire, and he would get stronger as the years passed. That was a fact, but also equally true was that Erou would never gain enough power to defeat him.
Alexandru said mildly, “You won’t be able to steal her from me.”
Erou inclined his head in acknowledgment. “I know that. But I also know I don’t have to. I have a feeling it’s all a matter of time before you push her away. Before you lose her and only have yourself to blame.”
****
Zari fingered the handwritten note from her Master. She had been hoping they could enjoy a meal together on his first night back, but apparently that wasn’t to be. She glanced back down at his note.
Something has unfortunately come up that requires my attention.
Rest well and I will see you tomorrow.
Yo
ur Master,
A
The note didn’t sound like Alexandru at all. It was too formal, too impersonal. She read it again and again, trying to read between the lines, but there just wasn’t anything she could glean from it except for the fact that her Master appeared too busy for her.
Forcing herself to temporarily set it aside, she moved on to the packet of papers that came with it. Every week, Alexandru would send her new information that his men were able to compile from the ongoing search for her parents.
Going through the papers, she saw with a heavy heart that nothing new had come up – not a single clue about whether they were even alive or dead. Closing her eyes, she prayed for the strength to keep hoping. They’ll come back, she told herself. One day, they’ll come back and everything that happened would just be a bad dream.
A knock sounded on the door, a servant bringing dinner to her room as ordered by her Master. Zari forced herself to finish the meal quickly. She hated feeling weak, and more food in the stomach meant being stronger.
When the vintage alarm clock on her bedside drawer told Zari it was already nine in the evening, Zari decided to take matters in her own hands. Leaving her room, she asked for directions to Alexandru’s room and was directed to the tower housing the teaching staff’s quarters.
On her way, Zari noticed all eyes following her, none of them friendly. She caught bits and pieces of their words, and what she managed to understand made her hurry even more.
I really don’t understand what Alexandru sees in her.
She should be ashamed of herself, letting another vampire feed on her when she’s claimed.
I heard she’s also seduced Lord Erou—
By the time she reached the other building, Zari was ready to cover her ears. All entrance gates of buildings in LSL were guarded by enforcers. She slowed down, nervously waiting for them to bar her way, but the pair only glanced at her cursorily before letting her pass.
When she reached the door to Alexandru’s room on the third floor, Zari paused, her hand raised. She took several deep breaths, trying to figure out what a good excuse would be—
