CHAPTER 18

Vita

FIVE DAYS.

Five days since Vita had last seen him, the High Consul.

Renatus.

Aurora had told her multiple times he was busy, that she should be able to entertain herself, but still she was frustrated. And bored. Why did he bring her here if he was just going to ignore her?

Not that she had any right to complain. She filled her days however she pleased, with no work or vile Praetor to worry about. And anyway, she should be happy that Renatus had stopped bothering her, right?

Today Vita lounged on a couch in the library, warm light streaming in through the window as she read through her most recent story. She'd been writing a lot, what with the overabundance of free time.

It wasn't like there was anyone else to spend her days with.

The visit with Verian had been a relief, the butterflies staying with her at the memory of his soft words, his firm embrace. Unfortunately, she'd been unable to see him again. Both times she'd walked to Shadowholde he'd been absent from the gated archway, the other guards informing her he'd been given different duties this week.

Livia was a kind woman, but not a skilled conversationalist. Plus, she had work to do, and her job was not to sit around and amuse Vita.

Then there was Aurora, who pestered her about magic lessons, something she was wholly uninterested in.

The library was comfortable, at least, and she was just getting to the good part of her story. She'd scribbled it in haste after her last dinner with Renatus a few nights ago. A scene where the beautiful girl is dragged to the princeps' castle after he fell in love with her at the ball.

A prickle of arousal stirred as she scanned the pages, just about at the part where the handsome man takes the girl back to his room and…

Vita slammed the journal shut, suddenly in desperate need of fresh air, the library stifling. She didn't want to have those thoughts of Renatus, ones that tormented her every night while she tried to sleep. With a sigh, she heaved herself off of the couch, making her escape.

A few minutes later, she was in the rose garden, enjoying the musky floral scent as the sun warmed her. She could stay there all day, had spent many hours leaning against the great oak tree as she wrote and reread her stories.

Now, she lay underneath, letting herself drift off to blissful sleep.

She awoke to an idea, one that did not involve Renatus or Verian or anyone else. Well, perhaps one person.

After consulting Aurora, she returned to the garden, terracotta vase and metal shears in hand .

How lovely would it be to have some roses to freshen up her room? Vita spent the afternoon choosing the perfect blooms, arranging pale pink and blood red flowers in the vase.

The container was heavy, weighed down with water from the fountain, and she made her way back to her room, a smile spreading across her face. It was taking some time, but perhaps she could enjoy the simple things, let herself relax instead of expecting an order at any moment.

As she rounded the corner, she bumped into someone and the vase clattered to the floor in a loud crash, pink and red petals strewn across the hall.

Her heart dropped. All that meticulous work for nothing.

She looked up at the auburn-haired thrall—whose name she'd learned was Gaius—towering over her, a grimace on his face.

"My apologies, Domina Vita," he said, as they both crouched down to pick up the scattered pieces of clay.

"It's alright," she replied, then winced as she clumsily slashed her hand with a shard.

Stupid, a stupid mistake.

The pain was sharp, a smooth cut across her palm, matching the old scar on her cheek. Metallic blood scented the air, Gaius' nostrils flaring as his eyes went wide.

Oh, no . This was not good.

Vita stood, backing away from the vampire thrall as he rose slowly, dilated pupils directed at her. He bared his fangs, an utterly different person from just a moment ago.

"Gaius, please, don't…" she said, not sure what to do to break him from his daze.

He stalked towards her as if in a trance, fangs and claws displayed like a rabid animal. Her back pressed against the stone wall and she glanced around the empty corridor, heart beating fast.

"You smell delectable, Domina," Gaius growled as he closed the distance, pressing his body against hers and burying his face in her neck .

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead and she slammed her eyes shut, fear pulsing through her.

One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three heartbeats.

When a bite didn't come, she fluttered her eyes open to see Gaius' head turned towards the end of the hallway, pointed ears pricked with interest.

Or fear.

Renatus approached slowly, casually, taking his time as he meandered over to them. He glanced at the destroyed vase and scattered roses, then back to Vita and Gaius.

"Thrall. On your knees ."

In an instant, Gaius was on the ground, bowing before his maker as Vita trembled against the wall. Renatus stepped forward, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I've told all of you, hands off my guests. No biting anyone who is unwilling."

With that same surprising speed from the tavern, he gripped Gaius' neck, lifting him and slamming him against the wall next to Vita. The thrall whimpered as Renatus squeezed, a vicious glower on his face.

"You know the punishment for disobeying me."

Gaius' eyes went even wider, the large man quivering before the High Consul. His fangs and claws retracted, the once fearsome vampire reduced to a trembling wretch.

Vita's stomach soured. It was just an accident. Though he'd frightened her, it was only because she'd stupidly cut herself. She should have known better, especially in a palace crawling with vampires.

"Don't hurt him," she whispered.

Renatus turned to look at her, an eyebrow quirked. "Oh? Are you telling me how to discipline my thralls?"

"It was an accident. I cut myself. It really wasn't his fault."

She clasped her hands together, trying to staunch the smell and flow of the blood dripping from her palm .

He narrowed his eyes, a growl in his throat. "Accident or not, Gaius failed to obey. And he will be punished."

Vita's heart skipped as she pleaded with him. "Please, I beg you. If you must punish someone, then punish me."

She was inviting trouble, of course, but she wouldn't let an innocent person come to harm if she could help it, thrall or not.

A vicious smirk curled his lips, his head cocking to the side dramatically. His grip on Gaius' throat loosened, and the thrall shot her a confused glance.

"Do you want to be punished, Vita?" he purred, licking his lips.

Fear coiled with arousal like two intertwined snakes, heat flushing her face and core as Renatus awaited a response. When she didn't answer, he rolled his eyes, releasing Gaius and shooting a glare at him.

The thrall just bowed, then rushed down the hallway, desperate to escape the wrath of his maker.

Renatus turned his attention back to Vita.

Her heart raced as he stepped forward, taking her injured hand delicately in his. He brought her palm to his lips, placing a chaste kiss against the bloody cut before pressing his tongue to the wound.

She clenched every muscle in her body as he lapped up her blood, the sticky liquid tinging his lips red. Somehow, arousal overpowered fear, and she squeezed her thighs together to will it away. He must have sensed her delicate movement, because his lips curled into a smile as he cleaned her. She stifled a whimper when he pulled away, revealing a light scar where once a weeping cut had been.

"How?" she asked, staring at the sealed wound.

"The saliva of the vampire has healing properties. It does us no good to bleed all of our playthings to death every time we feed."

Renatus took her other hand, uninjured, but covered with blood from staunching the wound. First, he cleaned her palm with the flat of his tongue, arousal pulsing through Vita with every wet embrace. Once he was satisfied, he turned his attention to her fingers, placing them in his mouth one by one and sucking to remove any remaining mess, his gaze never leaving hers .

It took everything in her power to resist rolling her eyes to the back of her head, to muffle the moan that caught in her throat. She wanted to buck against him, wondered if arousal roared through him as it did to her.

Finally, he released her, and she gasped in a breath, unable to stop herself.

Renatus leaned in close, his lips brushing against her pointed ear. "Do be careful, darling. My thralls… I fear their self control is not very strong, and you are so very tasty."

Vita gulped in a breath as he kissed her on the cheek, then was gone.

She was still for a few moments, mind whirling with all that had happened, before rushing to her room. She willed herself to calm as she slammed the door shut behind her.

So close he had been, so close to kissing her, to ravaging her, to biting her. A thought that should be frightening and instead was erotic, stimulating. Vita wondered what it would feel like if he sunk his fangs into her neck, drank from her, fed from her.

She rushed to get in her bed, not even bothering to slip out of her day clothes before sliding her hand under her dress.

Vita leaned her head back, the brush of fingertips against her entrance already sending her spiraling. One finger in, then two, as she imagined Renatus enveloping her with his presence, his fangs in her neck as he fucked her without relenting.

Oh, to be punished by the High Consul, to be at his mercy, under his control. It was an intoxicating thought, and she could see why some might wish to become thralls. She let his name escape her lips, first as a whimper, then as a cry, the arousal building quickly until she tumbled over the edge without warning.

She cried his name in earnest, rocking against herself as she imagined Renatus thrusting into her, fucking her, making her his.

Slowly, she came back to the room, removing her fingers with a deep sigh. It had been some time since she'd been with a man, some time since she'd felt a climax that powerful. Even as she came down from her high, relaxing in post-orgasm bliss, her mind still focused on Renatus.

Wrapping her in his icy embrace, slender fingers brushing through her hair as he whispered in her ear. Telling her what a good girl she had been, how well she'd pleasured him, how much he adored her.

Vita scoffed at her own silliness, though she couldn't deny that the thoughts made her chest clench. She was just a plaything to him, he'd said as much, and she had to remember that. The depth of his gaze, the smirk, and the gentle touches meant nothing more than lust.

And perhaps that would have to be fine.

It wasn't what she wanted, not truly, but it was impossible to deny the way her body reacted to him, craved him. His tongue on her palm had been enough for her to go mad with need.

No, deep down, she desired more, but this wouldn't be the first time she'd acted on her carnal desires. If he wanted a plaything, perhaps she could be that, see what happened when he took her to his bed.

Vita only hoped reality would be as pleasurable as her imagination.