The Vampire's Concubine

by Kallysten

  Aidan only needed to take a whiff of Meriel’s scent to know she was scared. Few vampires liked to let anyone near their throat, let alone someone they barely knew. Regardless, she tilted her head to the side, offering him access to her neck and blood. Aidan barely remembered to turn to the vampires standing in front of the dais; he’d almost forgotten they were there.

  “Guests, be our witnesses as, from this moment and for ten years, Meriel’s clan and mine join, as she and I join.”

  Looking at Meriel again, he noticed how she had closed her eyes once more—this time as she waited for pain, not pleasure. Determined to end the ceremony quickly, he leaned in and, his right hand resting lightly on her hip, bit down at her pulse point. He only drew a mouthful of her blood before pulling back. After a week without feeding, any drop of blood he took from her would be painful. A quiet little moan escaped her and her hand tightened on his, her nails digging into his skin. She sighed when he pulled back.

  Polite clapping accompanied the end of the ceremony. Still holding Meriel’s hand, Aidan guided her off the dais, where Stephen opened a way for them to the marble staircase that led to the second floor. The band resumed playing. The candidate had been chosen, but the party would continue for most of the night.

  As they climbed the staircase, Aidan caught a glimpse of Meriel’s sire leaving. She glanced back at the room before heading out. Aidan didn’t like her satisfied, almost possessive smile at all.

  Meriel didn’t say a word until he had closed the master suite door, shutting out the party so that only a rumbling echo of the music still reached them. She stood, immobile, and looked at the bed for a moment before turning accusing eyes at him.

  “It’s not fair,” she said, her voice shaking the tiniest bit. “You demand that the candidates not feed for a week, and then you bite me and give me only a taste… All that so I’ll be too weak to defend myself!”

  Surprised by the resentment in her words, Aidan stared at her for a couple of seconds before laughter bubbled to his lips. “Not my idea,” he said simply.

  Walking over to the sitting area and the low table in the far corner of the room, he poured blood from the jar that had been left on an electric warmer.

  “None of this was my idea,” he explained. “But when you get as old as I am, you’ll see that traditions and rites can take heavy meanings for the people who put their lives in your hands. Trying to put an end to these games is like trying to feed from a child. It may be easy, but it’s not worth the aggravation of the protests that follow.”

  He held the glass out for Meriel. “Sit with me,” he said when she came to him.

  She gave him a suspicious look but took the glass from him with a slight nod of thanks before giving it a tentative sniff.

  “It’s human,” he said as he sat in the armchair.

  He rested his cheek against his fist and watched her gulp down the blood. At her questioning look, he gestured to the jar. Her hands shaking a little in her haste, she helped herself to more blood before finally sitting down on the armchair facing him. This time, she sipped on the glass as though it were fine wine.

  “Is it from your servants?” she asked in between sips.

  Aidan couldn’t remember the last time someone had inquired where the blood came from. “No. We buy what we reheat. The servants will offer if you ask, though. Just try not to kill them. Good service is a pain to find.”

  She observed him thoughtfully. Aidan’s eyes trailed from the fresh bite mark on her neck down her satin-clad body. She had toed off her shoes, and as he watched her she tucked her legs beneath her on the sofa.

  “Is that it?” she asked, sounding a little wary. “No other rules?”

  He laughed again. She just kept surprising him. He hadn’t thought it was possible anymore after so many concubines.

  “Why, do you want rules?” he teased.

  “No,” she said quickly. “I just thought…”

  She didn’t finish. Her eyes turned to the bed fleetingly before settling on the jar of blood on the table.

  “You just thought I’d keep you locked up at the foot of my bed, never to see the night again for ten years. Is that it?”

  She grimaced. “Something like that.”

  That didn’t surprise him. It seemed all his concubines came to him with the same preconceptions. At least, now he knew why Meriel had been such a reluctant candidate.

  “The cars are in the garage,” he said with a slight shake of his head. “Keys are in the ignition. You’re free to take your pick and go to town as often as you want. The remote for the gate is in the top drawer of that dresser, as are several credit cards. Again, take your pick.”

  Her expression wavered between incredulity and astonishment.

  “You can redecorate the house if you want,” he continued. “Not my office, though. And be warned that if I don’t like it, I’ll have it fixed. I’d leave my childer’s rooms alone too if I were you. Some of them can be… territorial.”

  She mulled over the words for a moment. Aidan didn’t mind. She could look for the trap as much as she wanted; there wasn’t one. He had long ago moved past word games. She, on the other hand… He detailed her features as she thought. She started nervously biting her bottom lip before realizing what she was doing and stopping. Such a simple gesture, and yet it told him a lot. She was still a young vampire; it was impolite to ask how long ago a vampire had been sired, but Aidan would have bet she hadn’t had her fangs for more than five or six years. She had learned a lot in those few years, though. Aidan knew her sire’s reputation. The fact that Meriel was alive was proof enough that she could learn fast.

  “Can I invite friends over?” she asked at last, her eyes giving no indication to how interested she was in the answer.

  “Provided that they remain on the first floor.”

  She didn’t react, and fired another question. “Can I travel?”

  They rarely asked so fast…

  “I can’t leave the city,” he reminded her.

  She frowned. “Is that a no?”

  “You remember your vows, don’t you?”

  “My presence at your side,” she quoted, nodding to herself. Her eyes narrowed and she added, “In your bed, I presume.”

  Again, she briefly looked at the bed. She took her bottom lip between her teeth for a second before finishing her glass in one long swallow.

  “There’s a second master suite next door,” he said, keeping his voice neutral. “I’ll sleep there until you invite me to join you in here.”

  She had been leaning to place her glass on the table, and froze mid-movement at his words. This time, the incredulity was all Aidan could see.

  “You and I are bound not to take other lovers,” he said as he stood. “The next ten years are going to be really long if you are not attracted to me.”

  The glass made a soft clanking noise on the wooden table. “You could force me,” she pointed out, standing as well and crossing her arms beneath her chest. Her hardened nipples were pushing against the fabric of her dress.

  “Where would be the fun in that?” He grinned and walked around the table. Standing by her side, he ran his fingertips against the curve of her neck. “Plus, you are attracted to me.”

  Her skin erupted into goosebumps beneath his fingers. “And you to me,” she retorted.

  He was glad she didn’t try to deny her attraction, and saw no reason to lie about his own. “I am, yes. I like your lips.”

  She chuckled, though her amusement sounded a little strained. “Is that all you like about me?”

  His fingers trailed up over her jaw and to her mouth. He traced her lips with the tip of his index finger. “I like how you bite them when you’re uncertain. It makes me want to have a taste, too.”

  She blinked and swallowed hard. The wariness in her scent had all but disappeared, replaced by timid desire. Curious as to how she’d react, he cupped her face in his hand, leaned in and kissed her.

  * * * *

 
Meriel’s sire had warned her about many things, but not that Aidan kissed like this.

  The first seconds were just a touch of cool, soft lips against her own, merely pressing, nothing more, as though testing her. When she didn’t protest, he parted his lips and ran the tip of his tongue against the seam of her mouth. A shiver ran thought Meriel, sending electricity through every inch of her body. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she opened her mouth to invite him in. He didn’t take the hint and instead caught her bottom lip between delicate, blunt teeth. Pressing a hand to the back of his head, Meriel traced his lips with her tongue. He let go and she could feel him smile against her.

  “Delicious,” he murmured. “Just as I thought.”

  And then he was kissing her again, this time without reservation or tentativeness. His tongue invaded her mouth and danced with hers, pressing and pushing and stealing every coherent thought from her. His hand slid from her jaw down to her shoulder then along her arm before settling at her waist. He pulled her closer to his body, and a pang of desire twisted her belly when she felt his erection press against her. Kissing him back frantically, she slipped her hands beneath his jacket and pushed it off his shoulders and to the floor. Next she attacked the buttons of his shirt, and couldn’t manage to care when a couple of them popped loose beneath her hurried touch. She pushed it off him too, baring his chest to her touch.

  He broke off the kiss, only to caress her neck and shoulder with his mouth. Hands resting over his chest, Meriel realized that he was leading them toward the bed. She took a sharp breath before seeking his lips again.

  There was no reason for her to be worried, she thought as, hands shaking slightly, she tugged his belt undone before fumbling with the fastening of his pants. Everything was going according to her sire’s plan.

  She felt the edge of the bed at the back of her legs just a second before Aidan lowered her to it. Capturing her hands, he pulled both of them above her head as he pressed his body against hers, once again plunging to her neck and worrying the bite marks with the flat of his tongue, though without reopening them. His thigh was pressing rhythmically against the apex of her legs, making her crave much more than this simple touch and pulling a breathless moan from her throat.

  Abruptly, Aidan rolled their bodies so that he lay beneath her. He let go of her hands, and she resumed her exploration of his skin.

  “When are you going to do it?” he asked in a low voice.

  She stilled and looked up at him, frightened for a second. She was being silly, she told herself. He couldn’t possibly know. Panting, she asked, “Do what?”

  Aidan didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Try to kill me.”

  Shocked, she scrambled off of him, reminding herself once again that, no, he wasn’t reading her mind. He couldn’t. But then how did he know, she wondered as she stared at him, too stunned to even think of denying the accusation.

  “I’m not an idiot,” he continued, the calm of his voice belying the passion he had been expressing just moments before. “I know that’s why your sire threw you at me. You hide it pretty well, but she let me read her like an open book.”

  As she shuffled back to the foot of the bed, Meriel kept her eyes on him, expecting him to strike any moment now. He couldn’t possibly be this calm when he knew she was supposed to kill him.

  “Did she tell you how many concubines I have had?” he asked, almost casual.

  She answered his question, hoping to gain some time. “A dozen?”

  Reclining back on the pillows, he clasped his hands at the back of his head, a perfect image of relaxation. “Fifteen. Do you know how many tried to kill me?”

  “No.”

  “Eleven. The four who didn’t try all stayed ten years as agreed, became strong masters in their own right, and went on to create their own clans. The eleven who tried…”

  His voice trailed off even as his features hardened.

  Meriel swallowed hard, fisting her hands. “You killed them?”

  He shook his head, meeting her eyes squarely. “I would never kill a concubine. They stayed locked in their room for ten years.”

  It sounded too easy. Meriel waited a few seconds, and when he didn’t add anything, she asked, “And then you let them go?”

  “And then,” Aidan said, cool and calm, “they weren’t my concubines anymore.”

  The sentence was innocuous. The threat behind it, however, was all too clear. A shiver ran down Meriel’s spine.

  “Think about it,” he continued, still as calmly. “Is it worth trying to kill me? Your sire can’t hurt you anymore. Nothing forces you to go back to her when the ten years are over.”

  Laughter rose to Meriel’s lips, though it was anything but joyous. He didn’t know Leean if he thought Meriel could escape so easily. Standing, she took a few steps away from the bed and passed her fingers through her hair. The wall on the right of the bed was made of exposed bricks. They looked ancient and beautiful, but strong, unyielding—just like Aidan. She had known from the start that she had been thrust in the middle of a dangerous game. She hadn’t realized she would be caught in between two death threats.

  “She’s in town,” she said, turning back to look at him. “She’ll be in town for the next ten years. How many occasions will she have to kill me if I don’t do what she wants?”

  Aidan’s blank features finally let through puzzlement. He slid off the bed and came to her, hands in his pockets. “You think I’d let her?”

  Arms wrapped around herself, Meriel shrugged. “Why would you want to protect me if you think I’m going to kill you?”

  He raised his eyes to the ceiling, letting out a little sigh. “Honestly, Meriel, I thought you were paying attention.” Resting a hand on the brick wall behind her, he leaned in very close to talk in her ear. “You’re my concubine.”

  He said the last word slowly, detaching each syllable as though to make sure she’d hear some hidden truth behind the word. Meriel frowned at him, confused. Shouldn’t he be upset that she was planning to kill him? Why would he offer to protect her if he believed she was dangerous to him?

  Aidan’s fingertips ran up and down her arm, electrifying her skin. “Think about it,” he said softly. “I’ll retire and leave you be. It’s been a long night.”

  The sensual touch slid up her shoulder and neck until he cupped her face. She closed her eyes and let him draw her in for a kiss as delicate and passionate as the first one. Not really aware of what she was doing, she reached out and pressed her palms against his bare chest. His skin felt smooth as marble. Her desire sparked back to life, all talks of killing and dying forgotten. She wanted more of this, more of him—and before she knew it, he was leaving.

  Her chest heaving, she watched Aidan walk out and close the door behind him. She stood still for a few minutes, conflicting thoughts overwhelming her. She wanted to go after him, but if she did, she wasn’t sure whether it would be to fuck him or kill him. She doubted either option was a good idea at that moment. In the end, she went to the door and locked it before curling up on the bed. She didn’t know whether she could trust Aidan. She didn’t know either whether she could afford not to trust him. Either way, she’d be lucky to still be alive before the week was over, let alone ten years.

  * * * *

  In the early afternoon, Meriel stepped out of her room to explore the mansion. Upon waking up, she had found the en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet. The latter was filled with an assortment of women’s clothes in different sizes and styles. Her instinct had been to slip into comfortable jeans and a t-shirt. It was what she was used to wearing in her clan’s lair, what she had worn, more often than not, as a human. Her sire’s stern features popping into her mind, however, had made her reach for a skin-tight, strapless white tube dress. Her mission was clear. Aidan’s words had seeded doubt in her mind, but after thinking about all of it, she had realized she didn’t really have a choice.

  She came out of her room with her head high and what she hoped was a relaxed demean
or. The truth was, she was wary. Other than Aidan, she had only met his bodyguard Stephen the previous night, and he had made it clear that he didn’t trust her. After Aidan’s talk of his previous concubines, she could easily understand why—just like she could guess that Stephen’s suspiciousness toward her wouldn’t disappear any time soon.

  She could hear voices behind closed doors as she walked down the hallway, but did not meet anyone until she descended the staircase. The ballroom had been cleared of its dais and refreshment tables, leaving it oddly empty. She looked around her, unsure which way to go. She counted six doors and two hallways around the room; she only knew which one led to the front door. She wished she could leave, but of course it wasn’t that easy.

  “Can I help you, my lady?”

  She almost started at the quiet words. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed the petite woman approaching. Meriel studied the human as she answered. With graying hair and an austere black robe, she held herself with confidence even in front of a vampire she didn’t know. It said a lot about her, and about the household she served in.

  “I hope so,” Meriel replied with a tight smile. “Could you show me to Master Aidan’s office?”

  The maid nodded. “Of course, my lady. It’s the third door over here. Although he’s not there at this time. He’s swimming.”

  Keeping her surprise to herself, Meriel asked for directions to the pool. The maid led her through two corridors and three doors to a room as large as the ballroom, entirely tiled in large, irregular stones that felt strangely warm beneath her bare feet. In the center of the room, a few café tables and lounge chairs surrounded a square swimming pool about a hundred feet long. Bright lights on a very high-domed ceiling, which was painted sky blue, gave the illusion of natural light.

  Meriel approached the edge of the pool and watched Aidan. He was almost at the other end and swimming back toward her in long, powerful strokes that showcased his shoulders and arms.

  “Why don’t you join me?” he offered when he reached her end of the pool and stopped to tread water in front of her.