by R. J. Blain
Kennwick laughed. “You learned that quickly. You might survive marriage after all.”
“One can only hope.”
Twenty
Has anyone told you that vampires are weird?
Two bottles of Wagyu blood and a round with Emerick’s wrist did me in. I struggled to get out of bed the following night, which screwed with the brood’s timetable to transform me into some modern-day Cinderella without the benefit of makeup. Emerick needed to take over to get me on the move, which I protested in whines.
“My bed,” I complained, and the bastard gave me enough control over myself to grab for the blanket. It didn’t help, as he directed me towards the bathroom anyway, blanket in tow.
“You need to shower so you can get dressed and ready to go.”
“Dictator.”
“If you hadn’t engaged in an act of gluttony last night, you wouldn’t be tired right now.”
“But you’re delicious.”
Ben poked his head into the bedroom. “The dress is here, sir.”
“Shower, Pepper, then we’ll brief you on your role in the negotiations.”
“We’re actually going to negotiate?”
“Somewhat,” he replied. “Really, we’re giving ultimatums, but you need to know what not to say and what terms you can fling at your father.”
“Okay. I’ll shower, but it’s going to cost you.” Rather than having his blood while ready to sleep for a month, I’d enjoy him. And his blood. I needed to either rein in my libido or give up my asinine proclamation we wouldn’t be indulging in adult activities in bed. Or I’d have to shove my wrist into his mouth until he couldn’t escape, thus resolving the issues of my declaration he needed to be blood bound to me.
“What’s it going to cost me now?”
My stomach chose that moment to inform me it wanted food. I frowned and wrinkled my nose. “Waffles?”
“Excellent. Waffles is something I can do and it won’t delay us. Ben? Want to make sure my lady is fed while I make other arrangements? Pepper, don’t be lured into the bathtub; I’d rather not have to peel you out of it this evening. We have to leave in two hours. You can indulge in the bathtub when we get home.”
“I’m going to hold you to your word.” With waffles as a reward for getting on the move, I closed the bathroom door behind me and beelined for the shower, shedding my silk pajamas as I went. I went with a cold shower to restore functionality, promising myself a chance to indulge in the tub after we finished our business with my father.
It took me half an hour to wash and tame my hair, and when I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe, the tantalizing smell of waffles and bacon guided me to the kitchen, where an entire herd of men in suits, including Ben and Emerick, prepared a grand breakfast feast capable of feeding twenty or thirty.
Challenge accepted.
Emerick pointed at a pile of plates on the counter. “Try to save a few for us. Once your stomach is happy, Salania will help you get dressed. She claims there will be much wiggling required to get you into the gown, and I’m not permitted to observe.”
“Salania needs a raise.”
From the general direction of the sitting room, the woman laughed. She strode into the kitchen a few moments later. “Thank you, Mistress Pepper.”
“New rule. My name is Pepper. The only time I want anyone calling me mistress is if I’m armed with a stake, maybe a whip, or handcuffs, and I look ready to use them. Probably on Emerick.” I frowned, considering what had popped out of my mouth without permission. Then, as the damage had already been done, I shrugged. “It’s his fault. He made me get out of bed.”
“You’re a young lady. You’d have to be dead or blind not to think such thoughts about Master Emerick. When he decides to show off, everyone has a good night afterwards, as we ladies tend to take out our frustrations on our partners. It’s a very good arrangement, really,” Salania replied, and she picked up a plate and put it into my hands. “You need to eat, and then I get to transform you into a masterpiece. I’ll be coming along as your companion or an aide, if you’d prefer. In any case, I’ll also be serving as a bodyguard, as I have some training and a general willingness to inflict harm on those I don’t like. I’ve decided I don’t like your father.”
“Does anyone actually like my father?”
“Those currently in his favor, perhaps.” Salania waited until I attacked the stack of waffles before taking a plate for herself and following in my wake. “Have you been filled in on the plan?”
“I’ve had a shower and I’m being fed waffles. Beyond that, all I know is that we’ll be meeting with my father and setting terms.”
“If the gentlemen will kindly excuse us, I’ll tell you what we’ll be doing. They can fuss elsewhere. Ben, please be a darling and take the dress into the master bedroom. I’ll handle things from here. Everyone else, out!”
So much for my general perception of Salania being shy and demur. She reminded me of a lioness who’d finally gotten tired of her lion’s bullshit and meant to take over the entire pride by force. To my amusement, everyone obeyed, although Emerick stepped to my side long enough to kiss my temple.
My face flushed at the display of affection.
“Try to behave yourself while I’m gone. I recognize this is a difficult task for you.”
“Try not to forget you’re delicious, and I will resent anything that restricts my ability to have my dessert.”
He laughed. “I’ll try to emerge from tonight without a scratch, and I expect the same from you.”
“There better be places for my stakes with this dress.”
“You’ll be able to bring several stakes with you,” Salania promised, and after she selected a few waffles and some bacon for herself, she sat at the counter and gestured for me to join her. Armed with a mountain that would test my stomach’s capacity, I plunked my plate down, grabbed a fork, and went to work.
Sharks had nothing on me, and within ten minutes, I destroyed the stack of waffles, my stomach calmed, and I could face the rest of my day without wanting to go back to bed. “Okay. Please tell me the dress isn’t some reject from two hundred years ago.”
“It’s modern, it’s slinky, and Master Emerick fixated on the rather high slit, so I thought you would appreciate tormenting him, as he is excellent at tormenting others.”
“A slit?” Slits counted as something my father would never tolerate or allow. “I’m in.”
“Master Emerick thought you might enjoy wearing something rebellious. He has been researching your past when he hasn’t been on the streets trying to figure out how you’d given him the slip so thoroughly.”
“He told me to lay low. I just did as told.”
Salania grinned. “I know, and that makes your triumph all the sweeter. It also taught the brood you are competent and worthy of your rank as our mistress. Add in your hunting prowess, and no brood will question your authority. You have much to learn, but you will have the time to learn it before the ball. Tonight, all we are doing is buying you the time you need to learn everything before your official debut to the broods. And as vampires do love their ceremony, I expect the ball will include wedding festivities. Master Emerick does enjoy when he can posture.”
I could only hope I hadn’t made a catastrophic mistake signing a marriage license that put me toe-to-toe with Emerick. My impulsive behavior would have consequences for the rest of my life, however long or short that life might be. Considering Emerick was several hundred years old, I expected my age would become a very annoying number within a few decades. “What do I need to do tonight?”
“First, you need to stay with Emerick. He will either have you go first or he’ll insist you walk at his side. He’ll offer his arm, although he admits he’s doing it less to be a gentleman and more to keep you from murdering any idiots who annoy you.”
I could work with that. “I’ve never actually murdered anyone who annoyed me. I smiled and thought about it.”
“Yes, well,
you have new instincts as a vampire, and it’s important that you keep them from manifesting. I’ll help you with that, as I’m experienced with our various urges. Men have those urges as well, but to a lesser degree. If you don’t mind me being blunt, your self-control is remarkable. Master Emerick feels I will have the easiest time adapting to our changing society. While I am old, I am not fully set in my ways. I’ve been part of his brood for many decades, and he has undone much of what I learned in my former brood.”
“Do these changes bother you?”
“Change happens whether we want it to or not. Change is neither good nor bad. It is one of the few consistencies of life. Will this change be good? It could be, if the newly turned women are able to control their base instincts. So far, you have. But you have had a rigid upbringing, one that some may view as similar to that of a bride brood. That discipline is critical, especially when we become more aggressive than our men might appreciate.”
“I already treat Emerick like dessert.” I sighed. “I should be embarrassed over that.”
“You are young, female, and until recently, single. He is not young, but he is male, he’s quite handsome, and until recently, single. Now, due to circumstances and impulsiveness on both of your parts, you are wed to him. This is a good thing for our brood, as Master Emerick has never been too fond of what the brides broods represent, nor would he put a woman he loves at risk making her into one of us. You are the best of all worlds for him, and while he is usually a deliberate, calculating man, he recognizes when he shouldn’t allow a chance to slip him by. If he lets you go, he understands he’ll regret it for the rest of his long lifetime. But, because you’re alive, the rest of the broods do have hope. You survived. Others might. And you’ve made out quite well with this arrangement. It is your right to enjoy your handsome brood master however you see fit. Of course, you should expect his teeth on you in the near future, as you’ve made it clear what your requirements are for him to indulge as your husband. That was wise of you, by the way. I expect he’ll be after your blood as much as you’re after his so he can accomplish his other goals. But, and this is important, he’s been the prize of brides broods around the world. That will cause you some trouble, as you are an unknown. However, your skills as a huntress give you standing among most, and the men respect that far more than time under a mistress’s thumb. You will have problems, but they are not impossible to overcome.”
I took a few minutes to think about the woman’s words. “What is our goal with my father?”
“Master Emerick’s goal is to ensure your safety, for now, and your mother’s safety, although that task falls to Master Clarke. I believe he would like it if you permitted him to handle the matter for the most part. Of course, you will be expected to confirm your alliance with the brood, and Master Emerick wishes for you to be polite about it, but when we discussed the matter, he smiled, shrugged, and admitted he enjoys when you do things that should test his patience, so I believe he expects you to forget you should remain polite. Be bold. Be who you wish to be. Stay close to me and the other representatives, and do not kill any of the humans. As you are not trained in how to safely disable humans, you will have to leave the fighting to us—unless a vampire raises his hand against you. In that case, use excessive and lethal force. You are the mistress of our brood, and you are no toy for your father’s use, not anymore. Tonight will be a good night. Your part in this is as small or large as you wish it to be, and you will be given a chance to speak your mind. Just follow Emerick’s lead. He will present the brood’s questionable offer early.”
I laughed. “That’s so honest. How is our brood’s offer questionable?”
“Master Emerick plans on offering an ultimatum. Your father will cease efforts to control and circumvent the free will of the preternatural, or the broods will form an alliance to destroy everything your father has built, with you as his partner in the effort.”
“Can we skip the first part and just go straight to forming an alliance to destroy everything my father has built? Because honestly, he may agree to cease his efforts, but he won’t mean it, and he’ll find a new way to do just that even if he changes how the leases in Harlem work.”
“Master Emerick said as much. Truly, we’re there to test your father’s temperament, make it clear you’re not available for his plans, and remove your father’s ability to bring harm to your mother. Everything else is secondary.”
“And Breckenan? What of him? No one has told me what happened at the raid.”
“Nothing happened at the raid. The bastard had cleared out, which taught Master Emerick everything we need to know. There is a traitor among us, one who has alliances with Breckenan. The traitor would find it wise to stake himself before dawn, for Master Emerick has narrowed the field to a few unfortunate souls.”
I grimaced, as I could easily imagine Emerick having a dark side, the kind that would readily lay vampires within his brood to their final rest should betrayal be proven. “How?”
Salania held a finger to her lips and nodded in the direction of one of the more obvious cameras surveying the kitchen.
Ah. The traitor had access to the security footage. “I understand.”
She smiled. “I thought you might. Now, it is time for you to get dressed. I must make you shine so your father is well aware of what he has lost and our brood has gained.”
Had the choice been mine, I wouldn’t have picked a crimson silk gown that clung to my every curve, nor would I have selected a dress that required Salania to lace me into it. As warned, it took a terrifying amount of wiggling to get into the damned thing; the slit went right up to my hip and if I did something stupid, I might show off the lacy lingerie Salania promised any man with functioning eyes would enjoy taking off of me.
The panties, to my amusement, were her contribution to my apparel.
Then she presented a jewelry box, announced it was a gift from Master Kennwick, and smiled while I opened it. A silver and amethyst cross on a silver chain waited for me, and I questioned the choice of color. “Purple? With a red dress?”
“Purple is the color of our brood. As our master is a vain creature, the stones match his eyes. He opened the gift last night because he is as curious as he is vain. He immediately called Master Kennwick, thanked him for the gift, and promised you would wear it tonight. He apologizes for the liberty, but it’s a matter of etiquette.”
“Has anyone told you that vampires are weird?”
“From time to time. Allow me to help you put it on.”
“I can handle this.” I removed the chain from its black velvet box, gently put the cross between my lips so it would dangle correctly once I secured it around my throat, and manipulated the clasp until it caught in the loop and clipped into place. I released the cross, which bounced against my chest and dangled just above my cleavage.
The dress did wonderful things for my breasts, and the necklace did a good job of drawing attention to my chest.
“I don’t think anyone is going to look at my face while I’m wearing this,” I confessed.
“And should they, they will note you have not tried to hide yourself or meet society’s contrived standards. That is from Master Emerick. The only time you will wear makeup is if you feel like you wish to wear it. Last but not least, your shoes.” Instead of the heels I expected, Salania brought me a pair of flats the same color as my dress. “You will find these comfortable and easy to move in.”
I could work with comfortable. I sat on the edge of the bed, put them on, and wondered how my life had turned out as it had.
Ah, right. My father had been ambitious, a vampire had sought a rivalry, and I’d been caught in the middle. I would no longer be a pawn in the middle. I’d have to become a player in a larger game—one I didn’t quite understand yet.
There’d be a lot of learning in the days ahead. I lifted my chin, rose to my feet, and drew in a long, deep breath. “What’s next?”
“We go to your father, and we ensure your mother h
as a future. Then we plot his downfall, for he is a threat to all preternaturals, and in my long life, I have learned such hatred never changes and only grows more vehement with time.”
That I could easily believe. “And after?”
“You enjoy a long, fruitful life. The past colors who you are, but it need not define you. Your future is not as you had planned, this is true, but you will discover in time that this is not a bad thing.”
“Then let’s begin.”
Ben drove a limousine, which Salania and I took to my father’s main headquarters.
“Explain to me, again, why Emerick isn’t with us?”
Ben sighed. “Pepper, you’re fussing. You don’t need to fuss. He’s arriving before we do so he can help you out of the vehicle. He wants to be a gentleman, and his regard for you sends a certain message to certain parties.”
“My father, you mean?”
“Him and the other brood masters, who are all arriving shortly before we will. This will be their first look at you, and he wants to make it clear that you are valued. By doing so, he can protect you while making it clear you’re part of his brood and he won’t tolerate interference. I realize you dislike being separated from your favorite dessert, but it won’t be long.”
I huffed.
Salania laughed. “Her annoyance over this is quite endearing, isn’t it? It will be a delight watching what she will do in the future.”
“I expect she will give our master gray hairs and test his patience to its limit.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I forced myself to relax. “She let me have exactly one stake, and it’s strapped to my leg, Ben. I’m insufficiently armed for this.”
“If you require a stake for dispatching fugitive vampires, I recommend you stab them through the heart. Your stake’s potency will ensure they do not bother you again.”
