by Lexi C. Foss
“I’m familiar with the guest areas,” Damien cut in. “If you provide us with the codes, I’ll see to it that everything is taken care of for our stay. Just as I will be overseeing the overhaul of the penthouse.”
“Of course,” Benita replied. “Then dinner first?”
Ryder shifted slightly as Damien moved closer to my opposite side. I didn’t dare look up but suspected they were communicating silently through their eyes. The two of them were obviously old friends. I could feel the loyalty between them, their silence seeming to speak volumes about whatever they were planning.
“Yes,” Damien said slowly. “Dinner first.”
“I agree,” Ryder replied. “But we can show ourselves in, Benita. You’ve done enough for us, and your assistance will not be forgotten.”
The female curtsied in response, a platitude falling from her lips before she handed an electronic device over to Damien. “Everything you requested is on this tablet.”
“Excellent,” he murmured. “We’ll take it from here, Benita.”
“Of course,” she repeated, her voice no longer holding the chipper note she’d displayed upon arrival. She curtsied once more, then walked away with a sway to her curvy hips.
I chanced a glance at the rest of her, noting her hourglass shape and reddish-brown hair. She wore a very short dress that revealed almost as much as my gown, except her fabric was opaque, while mine showcased every detail beneath the lace.
“Remember the rules,” Damien breathed against my ear, causing goose bumps to pebble down my neck.
Ryder kissed my temple. “Maybe she wants to be punished.”
I swallowed and immediately dropped my gaze again.
“Come, pet,” Ryder whispered. “The fun part is about to begin.”
11
Ryder
Oh, how I adored silence.
Particularly, the kind of silence that followed a shocking event.
Such as my unexpected arrival in Silvano’s notorious dining hall.
Human bodies littered the tables, each surrounded by vampires enjoying their chosen vein. Most of the mortals were on their last threads of life, their eyes holding a glassy gleam that my kind often ignored in this reformed society.
In my day, we used to leave our victims alive, not wanting word of vampires to spread. But that all changed after the revolution.
While I understood the need for evolving humankind, I didn’t quite respect how it all had come about. We required blood to survive. Somewhere along the way, vampires had become gluttonous and forgotten that fact.
I paused just over the threshold of the room, taking in the scene of gawking patrons.
They’d all expected me to arrive next week, thanks to Damien’s well-placed whispers. Even Benita had helped spread the rumors, making everyone here feel safe under the assumption that I wasn’t scheduled to appear for several more days.
That’d been the point—I wanted them comfortable. It made it so much easier to encourage their congregation tonight. Particularly when I’d provoked the need for this meeting.
Number Twelve, whom I now knew as Julian, had delivered a very specific message on my behalf yesterday. From what I could see of the attendees now, he’d done exactly as I’d requested.
Seems the kid will live after all, I thought, pleased.
I stepped farther into the room with Willow beside me and Damien at my back. That seemed to be the motion that caused everyone to react, sending several vampires to their feet as they prepared themselves to greet me formally.
I played along, wandering from table to table, shaking hands, exchanging cheek kisses, and generally acting as though I didn’t have any other agenda than to be social.
Willow remained by my side, her obedience resolute as I paraded her around the dining hall. Several eyed her with interest, their hungry gleams rivaling my own.
No one touched her, but I sensed their interest in enjoying my pet. Two even mentioned it after complimenting her assets. I neither confirmed nor denied their request, mostly because I didn’t expect them to stay alive very long.
When we reached the final table—the one I desired to reach all along—I smiled. “Mind if I join you, Janet?”
“Of course not, Your Highness,” she replied, doing an admirable job of appearing honored to accept my request. That served as another indicator that Julian had done his job. If she knew I was aware of her recent assassination attempt, she would have tried to run upon my arrival rather than wait patiently for me to approach her table.
I pulled out one of two available chairs and sat down while Damien took the other seat. Willow went to her knees between us with her head bowed. I ran my fingers through her hair, wanting her to feel safe and protected. Her chosen position seemed to be one of mental programming, telling me that much more about the university’s training.
Janet snapped her fingers to grab the attention of a nearby staff member. “Your temporary royal is here. Either bring him fresh blood or offer your own vein,” she snapped.
The female human paled, her lower lip quivering just a little. “I will bring a selection for his choosing,” she replied, her head bowed. Then she scurried away like a frightened little mouse.
“Is that attire normal?” I asked Damien, noting that the servant wore nothing else apart from the metallic piercings and their dangling chains.
“Yes. The more piercings they wear, the longer they’ve been serving,” Damien replied as he picked up the limb lying lifelessly on the table and moving it onto the abdomen of the dying male. Janet had been feeding near his femoral artery. The teeth marks on his flaccid cock indicated she’d enjoyed that extremity as well.
“I see” was all I could manage to say. Similar sights around the room made my stomach roll. Everyone had returned to their meals, the sounds of whimpering a background noise everyone seemed to ignore.
It made my jaw tick.
Where was the excitement of the hunt? A predator seeking his prey? What enjoyment did easy acquisitions truly inspire?
I found it boring.
Irritating.
Disenchanting.
Willow’s moans on the plane were so much more gratifying than the cries humming through the air now. She submitted to me because she relished the sensation. The mortals in this room were weeping over their loss of life, which was a very different sound indeed.
“So, how long do you intend to stay, My Prince?” Janet asked, her hazel irises flickering with hidden emotions. What she failed to realize was that I already knew her secrets.
Alas, I had a game to play.
And so I did.
“However long it takes,” I replied vaguely. “There’s so much I need to learn about Silvano’s former territory.”
“As well as our society,” she added, her gaze flicking to the top of Willow’s head before glancing at one of the staff members.
“Do you not feel my pet is dressed appropriately?” I asked her, not following the insinuation of her gesture.
“Oh, no. She looks quite edible in that gown. I’m just surprised you haven’t offered to share her yet.”
“As I just sat down, I’ve not had the opportunity to decide on such a cause yet.” Willow trembled slightly at my statement, suggesting she hadn’t believed my commentary on the plane about not sharing her. We would rectify that later, or perhaps my actions tonight would prove to her that I’d meant it.
Word games often required extensions of the truth. This dance with Janet would be no different.
The vampire to her left cleared his throat. “Silvano was fond of sharing his harem members with elite members of society.” A slight Spanish accent smoothed his tone.
“Was he?” I asked, eyeing the now dead male on the table. “And he enjoyed sharing his servants as well?”
Janet laughed, the sound more condescending than humorous. “Oh, Ryder, how your reclusive ways have dated you.” She gestured to the diners all around us. “These bodies are fresh from the blood farms. Yo
u know, where they breed and raise humans for our tables.”
The male to her opposite side nodded. “Unfortunately, we’re a bit short on adults at the moment, as there have been some issues down south at one of the farms. Silvano and Arrick were supposedly addressing it.”
“Yeah, and where’s the proof of that?” another asked.
Of the six other vampires at this table, I only recognized three of them—Janet, Tandem, and Dom. The other three weren’t young, but they weren’t old either.
Tandem was the one who’d questioned the proof, his tone underlined in that usual sardonic note he favored. According to Julian, Tandem had approved of Janet’s plan. So had Jorge, who sat at the table beside us, his forehead dotted with perspiration. I caught his gaze as he glanced our way for the thousandth time, and arched a brow at him. “Is there a problem?” I asked him, not holding back the irritation in my voice.
“N-no, Your Highness. No problem.”
Ah, he thought he spoke the truth. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t. Because there was absolutely a problem—one I intended to solve soon.
I gave the poor excuse for a male a short smile before refocusing on Janet and did my best to feign disinterest.
This was the part of the game where I made her feel comfortable and didn’t give away anything. Her punishment would be so much sweeter as a result.
I remained quiet while the vampires at the table complained about the lack of food in this region. Dom commented on the diversity issue, stating most of the humans were O-positive and he longed for a good A-negative.
Willow shivered at the mention of her blood type. I attempted to soothe her by shifting my touch to her tense neck, my fingers gently massaging the muscles.
The pointed conversation shifted to my pet, Dom’s pupils dilating at the scent of her delectable blood. I almost dared him to ask for a taste. They were walking a thin rope as it was, treating me as an equal and not their better. It would provide me with the perfect opportunity to put him—and everyone else—in his place.
However, the female with the piercings returned before he could comment. A muscular male with similar metal ornaments accompanied her, his purpose immediately evident as he removed the dead human from the table. He didn’t flinch or whisper a quick prayer. He just hefted the corpse over his shoulder and disappeared through a pair of swinging doors that led to what I assumed was the kitchen.
I noticed several other tables being cleared in a similar fashion, all by mortal males like the one who’d just serviced our area.
The female servant quickly took our soiled tablecloth and replaced it with another one, her movements agitated. Janet fondled her openly, tugging on the piercings and laughing when the girl squeaked. Tandem slapped the slave on the ass, telling her to behave.
Willow began to vibrate beneath my palm, her escalating pulse drawing my attention to her. But just as I was about to pull her up and into my lap, the muscular male returned with seven naked humans trailing behind him.
My eyebrows lifted at the parade, mostly because of the varying ages among them. The youngest couldn’t have been more than ten years old.
“May I present our menu,” the male said, his tone flat and void of emotion. His presentation reminded me of a maître d’ informing me of tonight’s wine selection as he went through each option, providing me with the slave’s blood type and age.
I was wrong—the youngest was eleven. And the oldest was just nineteen.
Everyone fell quiet as they waited for me to make my decision. “Will you be distributing the rest to the other tables?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Yes, My Prince,” the male servant replied without looking at me.
“And this is the practice in most restaurants?” I pressed, this time glancing at Damien.
“Yes,” my oldest friend confirmed. “In fine-dining restaurants, at least.”
“I see.” I made a mental note to ask him later about quick dining and what that entailed. “Well.” I pretended to peruse the menu, not at all interested in the offerings.
“My Prince.” The soft feminine voice came from the servant who had replaced our tablecloth. “We also have a menu of organs prepared, if you prefer to order off the list.”
“Organs?” I repeated.
“Yes,” Janet interjected, staring at the girl. “Fresh heart was a favorite of Silvano’s. He perfected the art of extraction at the table. Perhaps you’d like to give it a try?”
The female servant trembled visibly, causing Janet to growl at the show of a reaction. But I suddenly realized what the poor girl was offering me. Her organs.
Fuck. Damien had never mentioned this practice to me, something I accused him of with a glance. His gaze was on the girl, a note of irritation in his depths. That little tell informed me that he didn’t actually know and he was just as repulsed by the idea as I was.
“Who’s in charge of this dining hall?” I tried to phrase it as a polite question, but it left my mouth as a demand, and it truly silenced the room. Even the humans stopped breathing.
“That would be me, Your Prince.”
I had to rotate in my chair to find the one who spoke, placing my knee beside Willow’s head.
A svelte female stood, her spine erect despite the clear nervous energy pouring off her.
“And you are?” I didn’t recognize her, and she struck me as quite young.
“Meghan,” she replied.
“Meghan,” I repeated, arching a brow at her. “Your menu includes organs and children?” I phrased it as a question because I needed an explanation. Preferably a good one.
“Y-yes, Your Highness,” she stammered, clearing her throat. “They were Silvano’s preferred cuisine, so our restaurant is well stocked with those items.”
I clenched my teeth, my blood heating with fury. Willow flinched against me, reminding me that I held her fragile neck in my palm, and I immediately eased my grip. I brushed my thumb over her raging pulse in a stroke of apology before focusing on Meghan once more.
“You’ll be closing your menu early tonight,” I informed her.
She frowned. “O-of course, Your Highness.”
“You can’t do that,” Dom protested. “I’ve barely had my fill.”
Congratulations, Dom. You’ve just been added to my show list for tonight. Rather than say that out loud, I turned back around to face him and said, “Don’t worry. I’ve brought something else for everyone to enjoy.”
Willow stopped breathing, her body freezing beside mine.
I nearly growled at her, irritated that she hadn’t heard a damn thing I’d said on the plane. What part of my not wanting to share her didn’t she get?
“Well, now I’m interested,” Dom said, his lascivious tone directed at my pet.
Not going to happen.
Ignoring him and the trembling female beside me, I focused on Damien. “If you wouldn’t mind retrieving our bags, I think it’s time to share the gifts I brought for the elite members of Silvano’s society.”
12
Willow
I couldn’t breathe.
Ryder’s anger suffocated me. This entire room threatened to drown me. And his commentary about bringing something to share had my heart literally stopping in my chest.
I’d been the only edible item on the plane.
He might have promised not to share me, but I knew better than to believe him. Tonight proved that.
A slight tug on my hair had me flinching out of my thoughts, my pulse kick-starting as I realized I’d missed something Ryder had just said. Was I supposed to move? To climb onto the table to be devoured?
Oh, Goddess, those poor humans. They were all dead. Drained. Gone. Soon I would join them, a soul in the afterlife. I just hoped I wouldn’t be reborn.
Another yank on my hair had me wincing.
Ryder wrapped his palm around the back of my neck, his grip unyielding. I’d clearly missed something, because Damien was no longer seated beside me.
I trie
d to listen for a command, to understand what Ryder wanted, but a rushing sound overwhelmed my ears, making it impossible to hear. My throat worked to swallow while my lungs burned with the need for air.
This is it. This is how I die. He’s going to force me onto that table and allow his friends to feast on—
A door slammed somewhere behind me, the vibration against the ground stealing me from my thoughts. Only then did I register that Ryder had released me. He still sat beside me, but he had a gun in his hand.
I blinked. Is he going to shoot me first? He held it low against his thigh, just under the tablecloth. I could see it from my angle, but it appeared hidden from the rest of the room.
“Here’s your bag.” The deep voice penetrated the bubble around my head, allowing me to hear once more. I jumped as something thumped right behind me.
“Perfect,” Ryder replied.
“What’s that smell?” one of the males at the table demanded. His voice held a nasally hint to it that made my skin crawl. He was the same one who complained about there not being enough A-negative in stock. Of all the vampires in this room, he unnerved me the most. I really hoped Ryder wouldn’t share me with him.
“I think some of my gifts have spoiled,” Ryder informed him as he pushed back his chair.
If anyone noticed the gun in his hand, they didn’t comment. I remained in my submissive pose, uncertain of what he intended to do next. Both men were behind me now, the sound of a zipper echoing through the too-silent room.
My nose twitched at the acrid stench that followed.
“You see, about a week ago, I had a few visitors,” Ryder began, his tone conversational. “I brought them here with me to see if anyone recognizes their heads.”
Gasps littered the air as he began tossing items from the bag onto the nearby tables. It took me a minute to realize what he was throwing around, and it happened right around the time one of the “gifts” rolled off the table to land on the ground by my knees.
