24. Xeraphine

24

Xeraphine

S ometimes I wonder where men get the audacity.

I'm barely five steps into this massive mansion when I'm bombarded by pigs. One of them even pulls out his wallet and hands it to me, assuming that would be enough. Another grabs me and physically begins cradling me up the stairs.

I understand it, truly. I'm dressed to attract attention, and with how stunning Sydni made me look tonight, I'd have a hard time keeping my hands off myself. But Belial himself, they were treating me like a piece of meat instead of showing me any respect.

Not that I really care for respect, but… that isn't the point.

I can't leave Kairhyse out of the equation; after all, he bought the dress. This morning when I woke up, it was hanging on my bedroom door. While that was weird and unnerving, I couldn't deny just how beautiful it was. The event called for white, and I absolutely hate that it did. However, I can't stand out, and as much as it detests me to follow that request, I did.

That being said, I couldn't have appreciated Kairhyse more than the moment I saw the dress. It wasn't exactly white, but more of a light shade of blue, close enough not to make me stick out more.

The dress is a halter style, with a deep v neckline that nearly brushes against my belly button. The curve of my breasts are on full display, along with my waist as the dress cuts inward and then back around my hips. From the chest area, it is pulled around the back so that it stays in place, and if I dance, my nipples aren't on display for everyone to see. When I walk, the slit up the middle shows off my legs, which have garters on them.

I move swiftly through the grand entry of the two-story mansion, the golden chandelier above me illuminating the darkened room. The walls are nearly black, adorned with paintings of people lining them, all the way back toward the grand yard where the party is really at.

I'm unmistakably out of place compared to all the other women here. You know that look of wealth people exude? Well, that's definitely not me. Most females here are blonde and likely sit under a tanning bed daily. My jet-black hair that is in a lose braid contrasts sharply against my pale skin that doesn't take to the sun's rays. I don't belong here, but the males don't seem to mind.

"I think fate is giving us a second chance." Just as I'm about to break through to the backyard, a voice that I recognize calls my attention. It's Kit Morrison, stepping to my side and grabbing hold of my hand. He reeks of far too much cologne, and I nearly choke as I take a deep breath.

"Kit," I purr, making him step closer. "You know, leaving me to an abusive ex like that isn't very short-king behavior." Even though I sound like I'm flirting, it pisses him off, which is exactly what I want. He's not my target tonight, and I need him to fuck off.

His nose twitches. "With that tongue, it's no wonder he hits you. I'm sure that's where you got the bruise around your eye." As if shocked, I bring my free hand to my cheek. "You did a shit job of covering it up, bitch." With an actual huff, he storms away.

I'd bashed my face into the railing at my apartment before Sydni did my makeup. I'd normally heal that pretty quickly, but because it's been three weeks since my last feed, it will at least take another two, possibly three hours for it to be completely gone.

I continue outside, and it's packed, which is perfect. The patio overlooks the yard, which has a massive pool. It's too cold for swimming, so they have a glass floor covering it. String lights illuminate the space, exposing everyone going about their business.

"Champagne, miss?" A man wearing a black tuxedo stops before me and offers a glass, taking it off the tray and putting it in front of me. Without hesitation, I accept it .

This is the Bastilla Mansion, and while I don't think the twins necessarily live here, they have to at least be present.

I get my answer quickly when I spot Dominic throwing back a shot and pointing at some other male to do the same. Dante isn't near him, but I'm sure he's around here somewhere.

Settle down , I tell my heart, which is pounding against my chest as if trying to escape. Seeing him isn't calmed by the knowledge that he's going to be dying soon. My anxiety still envelops me, but I will overcome it. I'm fully capable of what I'm good at: seduction and killing.

A hand snakes around my waist and pulls me close. "Dominic told me about your Vamp."

I peer up and see Dante looking out at his brother, a glass of what smells like whisky and soda against his lips. He has both sides of his head shaved with a thick layer of what looks like dark green hair, and I can't tell if it's because of the lighting or not. It looked black in the club. Equally dark eyebrows against his white skin that make it obvious he goes to the tanners to darken. His eyes, the same shade of green as his brother's, turn to stare into mine.

The difference between them is that Dante looks pure evil. Downturned lips, a perpetual snarl, and disgust in his eyes.

"I was hoping I wouldn't see him tonight," I say, bringing the glass of champagne to my lips. It's then I realize my hand is slightly shaking.

"He told Dominic he wasn't coming, but you may still. The offer was extended so we would have representation from Hause Sidence," he says, dragging me down the rounded stairs that lead to the grass. "Why did you come?"

Fuck, I am definitely nervous, there is no doubt.

"Protection."

He barks out a laugh, "You came to the wrong place for that, dainty flower." His fingers move between my dress and brush up toward my breast. "Who did you think would protect you?"

"I… don't know…"

He tosses back his drink and weaves us through the crowd, setting it down on a table as we pass. Leaning his head down to my ear, he whispers, "The bruise on your eye won't be the only one you'll have, sweetheart, but I'll make sure it's in places no one will see. "

I'm doing my best to settle my heart, because the moment those words come from his mouth, I'm taken back to the container. I can see his fist colliding with my chest, breaking my bones with no hesitation. At that time, I couldn't understand what I had done to them to deserve such abuse. Now I can see that it truly is just his nature. He was born and bred to be a monster.

"She's sweet as wine." Now the more I hear Dante, the more I can piece together the things he said when I was his prisoner. "Too pale for me. She needs more blacks and purples, brother."

"I am surprised she isn't dead yet." I don't remember how far into their torture I began to question the same thing. "No matter, it's such a pleasure for us to keep hearing her scream."

My silence is broken by his hand grabbing hold of my cheeks and turning me to face him. "Do you want that?"

I suck air between my teeth, trying to remember what he had said before I got lost in my past. "I left him for hitting me," his eyes search mine, "but nothing could be worse than what he did to me." I pause for dramatic effect before continuing, "Will you and your brother keep him away from me?"

"I'm not really one for protection detail." He releases me and turns toward Dominic just as we break through the circle of foolery. "Dom, look who has come for… protection."

When Dominic turns and sees me, his smile takes hold of nearly his entire face. "Oh, Stephanie! I did hope you would come tonight." He places his shot glass onto the table and crosses the very few feet to us. Pulling me from his brother's grasp, he wraps an arm around my shoulders and leans in. The smell of liquor and acid wafts into my nose as he brushes his lips against mine. "You need protection from the big bad Vampire?"

I don't fight him, just allow him to kiss down my chin to my neck. "I still smell him on you, but at least it's faint. You haven't let him touch you in a while, other than…" He leans back and places his hand onto my cheek, brushing his thumb against my eye. "Did he hit you, sweetie?" The sincerity in his tone is phenomenal; he's nearly as good an actor as I am.

Gently, I nod and drop my head slightly.

"Should have come with us and Clay. Dante—" He shifts me into his arm, as though protecting me, "Is Clay here? We should extend the sharing as he did to us. "

"No one has heard from him in about a week—" Okay, I swear that one wasn't me. "—I'm hoping he'll show up, but nothing so far," Dante remarks.

Dominic's lips then descending on mine with unexpected forcefulness. I resist the urge to instinctively push him away. "Probably running from that crazed fiancé of his," he says before deepening the kiss, his hand tracing down my leg.

His boldness catches me off guard. While it might be acceptable at the club, this is their father's birthday celebration. I'm torn between fighting him off and letting him have his way.

"Dominic, not in public," I manage to huff out between his head turning. Dante yanks me back by my hair, eliciting a hiss from me. I feel his growl reverberate against my neck, a primal sound that confirms what I suspected– these two are wolf Shifters.

"Brother, it's okay, don't hurt her here," Dominic murmurs, his smirk implying that he relishes the idea of punishing me later for my defiance.

"I just… Your father, I don't want to disrespect him," I stammer, my real concern hidden beneath the surface. I need to remain inconspicuous, a forgotten entity in this world. My ultimate goal is to evade attention, to fade into obscurity, even in death.

Dante's grip on my hair tightens, the loose braid no longer holding its frame. "You'll learn your place, but lucky for you, Dominic is forgiving in public."

"Then take me somewhere private and teach me a lesson," I whisper.

Dominic pauses briefly, appearing taken aback, but Dante swiftly interjects, "I'm quite intrigued. Perhaps you're capable of handling what we have to offer."

This time, when Dominic brings his lips to mine, I bite my tongue, blood pooling in its place.

"I'm glad Kairhyse fucked up. What a Gods damn moron," Dante says, releasing his grip on my hair and dragging his fingers down my back.

When Dominic's tongue slips between my lips, I dance mine with his. I can feel him attempting to pull away, likely at the taste of copper now gracing his palate, but I grab hold of him. The sensation of my blood flowing down his throat is pure ecstasy, feeling it course through every part of him until it reaches his brain .

"Somewhere else, not here," I murmur against his lips while I slowly rub my warming body against his. He groans and grabs my hips, "Dominic, take us away where no one will hear me scream."

Dante steps to us and wraps his hand around my throat.

"Brother," Dominic says, barely capable of removing his lips from mine. "Get our driver, let's take her to the Treehouse."

The blood I laced Dominic with only holds until we reach the car, but I maintained their attention long enough to avoid any suspicion as we depart from the party. I'm settled in between them, Dante with his arm over my shoulder, his brother grabbing my thigh.

"You know where to go," Dominic commands, pressing the button by his window to seal off the partition between us and the driver's seat.

I could kill them right here, and make do with the driver, but that wouldn't be enough. That would be too easy. They would be getting away with a slap on the wrist for the things that they did.

Fuck that. I've made it this far, I can be patient.

Dante's grip on my shoulder is so tight that his nails tear into my flesh. Though I wouldn't usually scream, a low cry of pain escapes me. I pretend to stifle it. As he pulls me into his lap, I watch his eyes shift to that of a wolf—rounded and dilated nearly to their max—and his teeth, sharp at the canines, are exposed in a grin.

"You challenged me to hurt you more than that Vampire." My lip twitches, but I force myself to feign fear. I don't fight when he grabs tightly at my hair and pulls me against his chest. He is then wrapping his jaw around my shoulder, and biting down. This is not the same as how Kairhyse does it, no, Dante is gnawing on me with all his teeth, grinding straight into my flesh. This is not to feed, or eat me, but to dominate.

There is no part of this that is pleasurable, and the pain is horrific. His teeth push into my collarbone, leaving me struggling and shaking. I'll heal, but holy Gods my body is just not prepared for this assault. I'm on fire, my entire skeletal system feels an intense tingling sensation from his teeth grinding against my bone.

"Brother," Dominic croons while slipping over next to us, "she'll bleed out."

I hadn't realized just how much blood was pouring between us until I look. It is incredible, and with a hazed over expression, I look at Dominic. "Bite me…"

His feral expression is nearly as frightening as Dante's. "Kairhyse is a fucking moron for allowing you to walk away."

Stop fucking saying his name… I reach over to him, and he drags me roughly into his lap. His features shift, just as his brother's, and on the same Gods damn shoulder, he chomps down.

The pain is raw, and I shake from it. "You taste like no Mundane I've ever had… You taste slightly familiar." I can hear a belt being undone, and my legs twitch with how much blood I am losing.

While I won't lose consciousness, their lack of caution could awaken the dormant piece of myself I've kept hidden for a decade. The essence of my Amoro would emerge and seize control, spelling their downfall too quickly.

"Fuck." Dominic throws his head back while howling, and I smile wide. "You're right brother, you taste… I've most definitely had you before." He can barely keep me upright, my head drooping, blood from my shoulder spilling up to my jaw and over my face.

I can't help but laugh; I try so hard to keep it contained, but there's no stopping it

Dante grabs hold of my arm and tosses me so hard into his lap that my arm slams against the window. My head falls back as I bite my lip, trying to stifle the laughter that continues to bubble from within me. "What's so funny?! Going crazy already?" he asks.

I can feel his cock between my legs. His hand comes up to the gushing wound at my shoulder, lathering it in my blood.

This is too perfect.

He takes that hand and begins stroking his cock.

"Brother..." Dominic's voice quivers with anxiety. As my hands rise before me, I watch my Amoro consume my fingers and crawl up my wrist. The darkness that defines me begins to engulf me, and with a suddenness that catches Dante off guard, I seize his throat.

"Dominic, sit and don't move. Don't scream. Don't even blink," I command. I can see shock etched on Dante's face, and just as his lips part to shout, I cut him off, "Dante, silence."

The car hits a soft bump as I shift in Dante's lap, and I hear the transition from paved road to dirt. I'm uncertain of our destination, but I suspect it's a place where they could dispose of my body if I didn't survive their assault.

Oh, how fate has twisted in my favor.

"Dominic, whisper your plea," I demand, my voice deep, radiating dominance and control .

"What the fuck are you?" Dominic's voice trembles with fear.

"Angry," I reply, leaning toward him, both men frozen in place. The back of the car is stained with my blood, a fitting backdrop.

It's time for them to suffer.