Chapter 46: 46
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"I mean nothing by it, my Prince," Andrais pleas desperately, his eyes tracing the shadows that have begun materialising at his feet, licking at his black boots, circling up from the ground beneath him like hungry, coiling snakes. "Only that… some of us would prefer to have you court one of our own and not a meagre elf,"
So there it is, the statement of truth.
Of course, it is of no surprise to me that pompous, power obsessed vampires would prefer to keep marriage in that of a similar bloodline and species. In fact, I had counted on that fact the moment I had entered Sezeria, and if I wanted his attention, I would have to try very, very hard to seduce him.
The Prince would never want to speak to an elven woman, let alone court her, or so I had thought. How wrong I had been.
Soren slips loose his mask and drops it on the floor along with my own, and in true vampire fashion, his arms snake round my body and draw me into him, claiming me as his. I make sure Andrais see's every single grin I flash at him, makes sure he see's the confidence in my pose as I sit in Soren's lap, claiming him as much as he claimed me. And then after moments of silence, Soren says something that surprises me.
"She is a Queen, Andrais, not some 'megre elf'," and I freeze. So does Andrais. His eyes lock onto me.
"How did you know," I ask, a light sweat beginning to form on the base of my spine, and the back of my neck. I try to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest. My whole plan flashes before my eyes- my plan, and my life. Does he know that…?
"As much as she tried to hide it, she arrived in a carriage led by pure white stallions," Soren announced to the both of us, answering my question in tandem. "Past Sezeria they are a sign of royalty, and," he adds, "she has enough magic power in her veins to wipe an entire army of vampires off the map, so I suggest you tread with caution next time you try insulting her,"
I breathe a shaky sigh of relief. He doesn't know the Queen of what then. Andrais stumbles back a bit, and I shoot him a feline smile on top of Soren's lap, wiggling my eyebrows as I straighten up. Slowly, and very obviously, I wiggle my hips against the Scarlet Prince, a show of power to the vampire out in front of me. Soren lets out a low moan, and then a half growl for being played at his own game.
Naughty little dove,
comes his voice in my mind. I grin and shoot back an answer, wondering if he could hear me too. Soren groans.
"If you insist," he purrs against my neck, his eyes fixed on Andrais, making sure he watches as Sorens hand slides over the crimson fabric covering my waist, lower and lower until it stops and circles on my thigh, claiming. The groan I let out is not a fake one.
"Run along now," Soren commands, waving away everyone in the near vicinity. "And Andrais," Soren adds in a low, drawling voice, his hand never faltering on my skin. Andrais turns.
"Don't be too surprised to find you have no tongue tomorrow morning," Andrais goes as pale as a ghost, then nodding silently, walking away with the rest of the vampires who had congregated under our canopy.
Part of me almost feels bad for him. Almost, but it's not like he will lose his tongue forever- that and I would rather cut his tongue out myself. Show him just how much an 'elvish slut' can really do.
"The tyrant prince indeed," I muse quietly, as Soren's warm, golden eyes circle back to me. He turns me round so I am facing him, clucking his tongue as he swoops a clawed finger to push back a loose strand of my hair.
"I have order to uphold, Serena," he says sternly, bringing my wrist to his mouth, brushing over the pulse of my veins with his lips. His eyes flicker back in his head. "I cannot afford to be nice to those who defile my wishes. If you show a vampire mercy, they will latch onto it. The vampires of my court fear me, but they also respect me. Foolishness is not tolerated here. It is the way we rule,"
I nod, but say nothing. Soren grazes his fangs along my wrist, pricking it, testing the skin, feeling for the blood that lies just underneath. His eyes flicker red, and in the look he gives me, it is obvious what he wants to do.
"Not today," I growl at him, jerking back my hand, but his claws catch around my wrist, locking me in place as I strain helplessly against him.
"Soren," I warn, but he says nothing, drawing my wrist back up to his mouth, eyes swirling crimson, daring me to try and stop him. He doesn't let go of my eyes as his tongue flickers out against my wrist, smoothing over the tender skin where his hand had caught me, and as his mouth opens, my heart rockets.
"Do not bite me," I growl, and to my relief, Soren pauses.
"So, you are telling me that you are allowed to grind against me in a rather provocative manner, and am not allowed to play with you for a bit? Where is the fairness in that?" he murmurs, laughing, as he lets my hand drop. My face goes red with fury.
"You bastard," I cry angrily, slapping his face, but not hard enough to leave a mark. He only laughs more.
"Say it again,"
"Bastard, I am not your meal, do not lick me," I hiss, and turn away from him.
But amongst my anger, and the irregular beating of my frantic heart, a realisation settles upon me. I had let myself get distracted, let my mind rest for far too long. Azrael had given me valuable information about the flame tonight, and Soren… well Soren had proven to be more observant than I had imagined. Dangerous too.
If he knows I am a Queen, what else does he know exactly? All these things run through my mind as I look down at my pendant, throbbing with a crimson, pulsing glow, animal-like, violent, terrifying. I can almost hear it thrumming on my chest, a second heart, a part of someone else's body waiting to be returned.
I wonder silently if whoever the blood belongs to is still alive. All I get in answer is an eerie ruby glow. I close my hand over it, shutting out the light.
Perhaps it was his plan all along, but I leave before I can ever remember to ask about the mating link at all.
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"I mean nothing by it, my Prince," Andrais pleas desperately, his eyes tracing the shadows that have begun materialising at his feet, licking at his black boots, circling up from the ground beneath him like hungry, coiling snakes. "Only that… some of us would prefer to have you court one of our own and not a meagre elf,"
So there it is, the statement of truth.
Of course, it is of no surprise to me that pompous, power obsessed vampires would prefer to keep marriage in that of a similar bloodline and species. In fact, I had counted on that fact the moment I had entered Sezeria, and if I wanted his attention, I would have to try very, very hard to seduce him.
The Prince would never want to speak to an elven woman, let alone court her, or so I had thought. How wrong I had been.
Soren slips loose his mask and drops it on the floor along with my own, and in true vampire fashion, his arms snake round my body and draw me into him, claiming me as his. I make sure Andrais see's every single grin I flash at him, makes sure he see's the confidence in my pose as I sit in Soren's lap, claiming him as much as he claimed me. And then after moments of silence, Soren says something that surprises me.
"She is a Queen, Andrais, not some 'megre elf'," and I freeze. So does Andrais. His eyes lock onto me.
"How did you know," I ask, a light sweat beginning to form on the base of my spine, and the back of my neck. I try to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest. My whole plan flashes before my eyes- my plan, and my life. Does he know that…?
"As much as she tried to hide it, she arrived in a carriage led by pure white stallions," Soren announced to the both of us, answering my question in tandem. "Past Sezeria they are a sign of royalty, and," he adds, "she has enough magic power in her veins to wipe an entire army of vampires off the map, so I suggest you tread with caution next time you try insulting her,"
I breathe a shaky sigh of relief. He doesn't know the Queen of what then. Andrais stumbles back a bit, and I shoot him a feline smile on top of Soren's lap, wiggling my eyebrows as I straighten up. Slowly, and very obviously, I wiggle my hips against the Scarlet Prince, a show of power to the vampire out in front of me. Soren lets out a low moan, and then a half growl for being played at his own game.
Naughty little dove,
comes his voice in my mind. I grin and shoot back an answer, wondering if he could hear me too. Soren groans.
"If you insist," he purrs against my neck, his eyes fixed on Andrais, making sure he watches as Sorens hand slides over the crimson fabric covering my waist, lower and lower until it stops and circles on my thigh, claiming. The groan I let out is not a fake one.
"Run along now," Soren commands, waving away everyone in the near vicinity. "And Andrais," Soren adds in a low, drawling voice, his hand never faltering on my skin. Andrais turns.
"Don't be too surprised to find you have no tongue tomorrow morning," Andrais goes as pale as a ghost, then nodding silently, walking away with the rest of the vampires who had congregated under our canopy.
Part of me almost feels bad for him. Almost, but it's not like he will lose his tongue forever- that and I would rather cut his tongue out myself. Show him just how much an 'elvish slut' can really do.
"The tyrant prince indeed," I muse quietly, as Soren's warm, golden eyes circle back to me. He turns me round so I am facing him, clucking his tongue as he swoops a clawed finger to push back a loose strand of my hair.
"I have order to uphold, Serena," he says sternly, bringing my wrist to his mouth, brushing over the pulse of my veins with his lips. His eyes flicker back in his head. "I cannot afford to be nice to those who defile my wishes. If you show a vampire mercy, they will latch onto it. The vampires of my court fear me, but they also respect me. Foolishness is not tolerated here. It is the way we rule,"
I nod, but say nothing. Soren grazes his fangs along my wrist, pricking it, testing the skin, feeling for the blood that lies just underneath. His eyes flicker red, and in the look he gives me, it is obvious what he wants to do.
"Not today," I growl at him, jerking back my hand, but his claws catch around my wrist, locking me in place as I strain helplessly against him.
"Soren," I warn, but he says nothing, drawing my wrist back up to his mouth, eyes swirling crimson, daring me to try and stop him. He doesn't let go of my eyes as his tongue flickers out against my wrist, smoothing over the tender skin where his hand had caught me, and as his mouth opens, my heart rockets.
"Do not bite me," I growl, and to my relief, Soren pauses.
"So, you are telling me that you are allowed to grind against me in a rather provocative manner, and am not allowed to play with you for a bit? Where is the fairness in that?" he murmurs, laughing, as he lets my hand drop. My face goes red with fury.
"You bastard," I cry angrily, slapping his face, but not hard enough to leave a mark. He only laughs more.
"Say it again,"
"Bastard, I am not your meal, do not lick me," I hiss, and turn away from him.
But amongst my anger, and the irregular beating of my frantic heart, a realisation settles upon me. I had let myself get distracted, let my mind rest for far too long. Azrael had given me valuable information about the flame tonight, and Soren… well Soren had proven to be more observant than I had imagined. Dangerous too.
If he knows I am a Queen, what else does he know exactly? All these things run through my mind as I look down at my pendant, throbbing with a crimson, pulsing glow, animal-like, violent, terrifying. I can almost hear it thrumming on my chest, a second heart, a part of someone else's body waiting to be returned.
I wonder silently if whoever the blood belongs to is still alive. All I get in answer is an eerie ruby glow. I close my hand over it, shutting out the light.
Perhaps it was his plan all along, but I leave before I can ever remember to ask about the mating link at all.
"I mean nothing by it, my Prince," Andrais pleas desperately, his eyes tracing the shadows that have begun materialising at his feet, licking at his black boots, circling up from the ground beneath him like hungry, coiling snakes. "Only that some of us would prefer to have you court one of our own and not a meagre elf,"So there it is, the statement of truth.Of course, it is of no surprise to me that pompous, power obsessed vampires would prefer to keep marriage in that of a similar bloodline and species. In fact, I had counted on that fact the moment I had entered Sezeria, and if I wanted his attention, I would have to try very, very hard to seduce him.The Prince would never want to speak to an elven woman, let alone court her, or so I had thought. How wrong I had been. Soren slips loose his mask and drops it on the floor along with my own, and in true vampire fashion, his arms snake round my body and draw me into him, claiming me as his. I make sure Andrais see's every single grin I flash at him, makes sure he see's the confidence in my pose as I sit in Soren's lap, claiming him as much as he claimed me. And then after moments of silence, Soren says something that surprises me."She is a Queen, Andrais, not some 'megre elf'," and I freeze. So does Andrais. His eyes lock onto me."How did you know," I ask, a light sweat beginning to form on the base of my spine, and the back of my neck. I try to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest. My whole plan flashes before my eyes- my plan, and my life. Does he know that?"As much as she tried to hide it, she arrived in a carriage led by pure white stallions," Soren announced to the both of us, answering my question in tandem. "Past Sezeria they are a sign of royalty, and," he adds, "she has enough magic power in her veins to wipe an entire army of vampires off the map, so I suggest you tread with caution next time you try insulting her," I breathe a shaky sigh of relief. He doesn't know the Queen of what then. Andrais stumbles back a bit, and I shoot him a feline smile on top of Soren's lap, wiggling my eyebrows as I straighten up. Slowly, and very obviously, I wiggle my hips against the Scarlet Prince, a show of power to the vampire out in front of me. Soren lets out a low moan, and then a half growl for being played at his own game.Naughty little dove,comes his voice in my mind. I grin and shoot back an answer, wondering if he could hear me too. Soren groans."If you insist," he purrs against my neck, his eyes fixed on Andrais, making sure he watches as Sorens hand slides over the crimson fabric covering my waist, lower and lower until it stops and circles on my thigh, claiming. The groan I let out is not a fake one."Run along now," Soren commands, waving away everyone in the near vicinity. "And Andrais," Soren adds in a low, drawling voice, his hand never faltering on my skin. Andrais turns. "Don't be too surprised to find you have no tongue tomorrow morning," Andrais goes as pale as a ghost, then nodding silently, walking away with the rest of the vampires who had congregated under our canopy. Part of me almost feels bad for him. Almost, but it's not like he will lose his tongue forever- that and I would rather cut his tongue out myself. Show him just how much an 'elvish slut' can really do."The tyrant prince indeed," I muse quietly, as Soren's warm, golden eyes circle back to me. He turns me round so I am facing him, clucking his tongue as he swoops a clawed finger to push back a loose strand of my hair."I have order to uphold, Serena," he says sternly, bringing my wrist to his mouth, brushing over the pulse of my veins with his lips. His eyes flicker back in his head. "I cannot afford to be nice to those who defile my wishes. If you show a vampire mercy, they will latch onto it. The vampires of my court fear me, but they also respect me. Foolishness is not tolerated here. It is the way we rule,"I nod, but say nothing. Soren grazes his fangs along my wrist, pricking it, testing the skin, feeling for the blood that lies just underneath. His eyes flicker red, and in the look he gives me, it is obvious what he wants to do."Not today," I growl at him, jerking back my hand, but his claws catch around my wrist, locking me in place as I strain helplessly against him. "Soren," I warn, but he says nothing, drawing my wrist back up to his mouth, eyes swirling crimson, daring me to try and stop him. He doesn't let go of my eyes as his tongue flickers out against my wrist, smoothing over the tender skin where his hand had caught me, and as his mouth opens, my heart rockets."Donotbite me," I growl, and to my relief, Soren pauses."So, you are telling me that you are allowed to grind against me in a rather provocative manner, and am not allowed to play with you for a bit? Where is the fairness in that?" he murmurs, laughing, as he lets my hand drop. My face goes red with fury."You bastard," I cry angrily, slapping his face, but not hard enough to leave a mark. He only laughs more."Say it again,""Bastard, I am not your meal, do not lick me," I hiss, and turn away from him.But amongst my anger, and the irregular beating of my frantic heart, a realisation settles upon me. I had let myself get distracted, let my mind rest for far too long. Azrael had given me valuable information about the flame tonight, and Soren well Soren had proven to be more observant than I had imagined. Dangerous too. If he knows I am a Queen, what else does he know exactly? All these things run through my mind as I look down at my pendant, throbbing with a crimson, pulsing glow, animal-like, violent, terrifying. I can almost hear it thrumming on my chest, a second heart, a part of someone else's body waiting to be returned. I wonder silently if whoever the blood belongs to is still alive. All I get in answer is an eerie ruby glow. I close my hand over it, shutting out the light.Perhaps it was his plan all along, but I leave before I can ever remember to ask about the mating link at all.
