CHAPTER 32

Vita

BEING A MEMBER OF the Praetorian guard was clearly a big change.

Verian had been busy for days . It was a struggle to even get a message to him, despite the willingness of the servants to do as Vita said. And Renatus? Well, the High Consul was nowhere to be seen.

He's busy was the excuse she knew she'd get if she bothered to ask. Locked up in his bedroom, or study, or who knows where else while she sat around, wondering what was going on in his head.

Oh, he would drive her to madness.

Every moment he stayed away made it more clear in her mind. She was a replacement.

And not even one that he seemed to particularly enjoy .

She looked like his lost love, his Tullia , and there was nothing more. Even the blood bond was fading, just a whisper of a pull tugging at her chest anytime she walked past his room or office.

Vita sat in the parlor with Aurora and Petran, the same as she had done every night since the one Renatus had watched them. A glass of wine dangled from her fingers, forgotten, as Petran played with her hair. He leaned in to kiss her neck, the warmth of his lips sending a shiver up her spine, but she pushed him away.

"Is something wrong, love?"

Aurora quirked a brow from her seat across the room.

Of course they were confused. Vita had been more than willing to partake in activities with the two of them over the past few nights. She'd been missing Verian… and Renatus, despite how much she wished she didn't.

And beyond seeking comfort, her times with Petran and Aurora were erotic, sensual, more fun than she'd had in a long time. Certainly unlike anything she had ever experienced, the pleasure of two lovers at once. Something she still hoped to try with Verian and Renatus, but the High Consul's back and forth was wearing on her.

"I'm going to speak with him." She sat her glass on the side table, turning to the others with a glare.

They glanced at each other, Aurora shaking her head. "I wouldn't do that…"

"And why not?" Vita's voice was sharp, her hands settled on her hips.

"He doesn't like to be bothered when he's busy, I've told you—"

"Renatus can't always be busy!" she interrupted with a shout.

She may have known little about the workings of city politics, but it was clear he was avoiding her.

"Suit yourself," Aurora said, turning her attention back to the drawing in her lap, a sketch she'd been working on this evening.

Petran gave Vita a sympathetic smile as she turned on her heel, exiting without another word. She seethed, storming down the hallway with hands curled into fists. She tried to calm her breath as she headed for Renatus' bedroom, the tiny tug telling her she'd find him there .

She would get answers, an explanation, something if it was the last thing she did.

Despite the anger welling in her, she was anxious as she stepped up to his door. Before she could second guess, she rapped her fist against the worn wood.

A few seconds later, she heard a disgruntled, "Come in."

With a final deep inhale, she heaved the door open, letting it slam shut behind her as she entered his room.

Renatus sat in a comfortable armchair, plush and velvety soft, an ornate book in his hands and a glass of wine next to him. He raised a brow as she stood at the doorway, her heart just about ready to beat out of her chest.

"Well, hello, Vita darling."

There was irritation in his voice, brows furrowed into a frown. The book slammed shut as he rested it on his legs.

"Good evening, Renatus. I thought you would like some company."

She waited by the door, unsure of herself after the show of confidence, the hubris that had brought her here.

"You thought wrong. You should know better… I will summon you when I want you. Right now, I have no need of your presence. Go back to your cage where you belong, my pretty little pet."

Go back to your cage where you belong …

The words echoed in Vita's head, confirming all of her suspicions. A fool, a fool is what she'd been.

Had the High Consul lied? No, it was her own stupidity, her desperation to live one of her silly fairy stories that did this. She was his pet, his plaything, something he'd never tried to say otherwise. But she'd tricked herself into thinking there was more, that Renatus could be like Verian, a man who…

A man who loved her.

There was a flash in his red eyes, as if he realized he'd struck a nerve, a tic in his jaw highlighted by the low light of the room .

"Vita…" he started, but she took a step back, one, two, three, and she was gone, moving down the hallway, moving towards the front door.

She needed to get away, needed to see Verian, never wanted to return to this wretched palace. Tears streamed down her face, any hope crushed with a few simple words.

Fool. Fool. Fool.

The night air was crisp, sending a shudder through her already trembling body. She was insufficiently clothed, her periwinkle dress the only thing warming her against the chill of darkness.

Renatus could catch her if he wanted to, but he didn't.

He didn't want her.

Vita wiped tears from her eyes as she walked into Shadowholde with no distinct destination in mind.

She could try the archway, but Verian would surely not be there, his current position as Praetorian guard bringing new tasks beyond watching the city gate.

Going to the barracks was not an option. A woman caught there would have no reputation left to mourn.

Ad Noctua.

Yes, Vita would let a man buy her an ale and calm herself, thinking about what to do. If she'd grabbed her coin pouch, she could've rented a room, but that was a problem to deal with later.

"Hey girlie…" A growl from a darkened alley surprised her.

As she turned to look, a man appeared, gangly and dirty, with a mess of stringy blonde hair. What was worse was the vicious sneer on his face as he stepped out of the darkness.

"Where ya going, sweetheart?" Another voice came from behind her and she whipped around to face it.

Two more men, making their way towards her with leering smirks.

"Oh, I, uh, I'm heading to the tavern to meet my friends." Vita glanced between the three men who had stopped a few feet away from her. "They're city guards. One is captain of his regiment. "

The men just laughed, ugly barking howls like that of the street dogs, and every muscle in her body tensed. She turned, hurrying towards the center of Shadowholde, but one man followed, planting an arm on the stone wall and blocking her path.

"If you want a drink, sweetheart, we'll give you a drink."

He lifted his other hand, which held a terracotta jug, a foul smelling liquid emanating from it as he wafted it under her nose.

She tried to muster up some power, some magic, but it was as if a void was inside her. Before she could even tense to run, strong hands gripped her, two on each arm. Her struggles were useless as the first man brought the lip of the jug to her mouth, tilting it up and pouring the vile liquor down her throat.

Vita sputtered a cough, most of the liquid running down her chin and dripping onto her dress, though the small amount that made it into her mouth burned every bit of the way down.

"Good, innit?" the first man asked, gripping her neck tightly in his hand. "Why don't you come with us? This alley here is quiet. You look like someone we'd enjoy very much."

There were grumbles of vile laughter from behind her as he ran his greasy fingers through her hair.

"Please," she begged. "My friends will be looking for me. They work for Praetor Amulius, members of his guard."

The first man glanced at his two friends before turning his attention back to her. "City guards, Praetorian guards. Which is it?"

Vita shuddered, her hope of using Verian's rank to her advantage utterly dashed.

"Oh, we're going to take our time with you…" The man hissed a laugh, running the back of his rough hand down her flushed cheek.

Now, of all times, her magic fails her? No welling of power, no burning hands, nothing. Panic gripped her chest as she realized the surety of what was about to happen.

Oh, Gods. Please.

A blinding flash tore the first man away from her, slamming him into the wall he propped himself on and snapping his arm in two. The man let out a howl of a scream, crumpling to the ground in a heap.

A beast was on him, fangs at his throat, tearing a gaping hole where tender flesh once lay. Screams turned to gurgled moans, though an instant later, there was silence.

The High Consul stood to his full height, red eyes blazing through the darkness with the fury of the solstice sun. Blood dripped from his fangs, down his chin and throat, staining his white shirt with red and gore.

The two behind Vita released their grip on her arms, stepping away as if that would save them.

Another flash and Renatus was gone.

When she turned, the two men were already on the ground, one howling as Renatus eviscerated him, the other shuffling back in terror.Though the man with the gaping stomach didn't stop screaming, Renatus turned his attention to the other, pouncing on him and ripping out his throat in one swift motion.

Vita clasped a hand over her mouth, horror replacing the utter shock of the scene in front of her. It wasn't long before the three ceased making noise altogether, though Renatus still tore into the flesh on the last one's neck, swallowing gulps of viscera and blood.

She backed up slowly, but with a blink, he was on her, pushing her against the stone wall. A whimper escaped her lips at the sight of him, gore dripping from his chin, eyes crazed with blood lust.

Renatus pressed against her and she felt his erection, arousal pulsing through her despite the horrors she'd just witnessed.

"Are you alright, darling?" he breathed, the metallic scent of blood encasing every bit of air around them.

She nodded, then mumbled a response. "Y-Yes."

His eyes washed over every bit of her, the frazzled hair, the flushed cheeks, the dress ruined by spilled drink.

Without another word, he pressed his bloodstained lips to hers. Vita's eyes widened, then shut as he kissed her.

He smelled like iron, slightly sweet, his tongue persistent as it ran over her lips. He groaned as she parted them, her mouth immediately coated with the blood of the three men.

It should have been repulsive, but it was invigorating.

Carnal lust blazed through them both, their tongues dancing and hands grasping at each other. Renatus gripped her ass, bucking himself against her, hitting a tender spot over and over and sending agonizing jolts of arousal through her.

"I need you, darling. Let me have you. Please ," he growled, still thrusting against her, though their clothing separated them.

Vita tried to breathe, tried to calm herself, but it was difficult with this predator of a man enclosing her against the wall. Fear and arousal twisted together in perfect synergy, only amplifying her own need. Every one of his muscles tensed, his jaw clenched and fingers digging into her ass where he gripped her.

If she said yes, there would be no turning back, but she knew what she wanted.

"Yes," she said firmly, the single word a spark igniting the flames.

In a flash of movement, his pants were unlaced, pale cock freed to the night air. Her mouth watered as he reached under her dress, wishing she could get on her knees for him after what he'd done for her. Renatus tore through her undergarments with a violent rip, not even bothering to pull the tattered pieces off before gripping her thighs and lifting her into the air.

Her back pressed against the cool stone wall as he lined himself up at her entrance—already dripping with need—running his cock back and forth across her as she writhed with anticipation. There was a glimmer in his eyes as Vita circled her arms around his neck, something almost mortal behind the gleam of the predator.

Without ceremony, he pressed her onto his cock, the sudden fullness causing her to cry out. It was as cold as ice, like the rest of his body, though that did little to soothe the burn of lust between her legs. A growl rumbled in his chest as his eyes focused on her, gauging her reaction, letting her get used to the intrusion.

"Is this what you've been waiting for? What you've craved?" Renatus asked as his lips brushed her ear, his voice strained.

Oh, Gods, of course it was, the sensation of his frigid length inside her setting every nerve alight, though Vita could find no words to answer.

Another bloody kiss stifled her whimper, and she thought she would die if he waited a moment longer.

Suddenly, he was thrusting, lifting her up and slamming her back down onto him as if she weighed nothing. She groaned, eyes and head rolling back, grasping at his shoulders for support. Delicious tension was building quickly as he plunged into her, their grunting like animalistic echoes in the quiet night.

Vita glanced at the men laying on the ground, torn apart, dead, and her heart raced, the welling of guilt and despair catching in her throat.

Renatus was at her ear with a hiss. "Don't look at them. Look at me."

Dragging her eyes away from the bodies, she saw the smirk on his face as he continued to fuck her, filling her over and over again with his cock. She focused on him, focused on the pooling of warmth in her core, the electricity that sparked every time he plunged into her.

He flicked his tongue across his bloodstained lips and before Vita could react, he was at her neck, plunging his fangs into her throat. She let out a bloodcurdling scream, the sharp sting of pain mixing with the shock of the bite.

Renatus drank from her as her scream faded to a moan, the sensation of blood leaving her body so strange, yet erotic. He was taking her life force just as he was taking her cunt, feral and rough, though she felt something more behind the brutality.

Not once did he stop his rhythm of thrusting even as he gulped down her blood, the absurd mix of pain, pleasure, and fear overwhelming her.

It was all too much, and her muscles tightened around his cock, eyes rolling in her head as she heard his soothing whispers in her ear.

"Yes, darling, come for me. You're safe. I will keep you safe."

Tears streamed down her cheeks, the orgasm charging through her like a tempest, his words burning in her chest. Stars dotted her vision as he continued to thrust, not pausing for a moment even as she clenched around his length.

"What a good girl you are, coming on my cock."

Another whisper and another aftershock of pleasure, his words continuing to overwhelm her with feelings of love, lust, confusion, so many emotions at once that she felt dizzy.

With a final plunge, his cock jerked inside her and there was sticky warmth dripping down her thighs, Renatus growling against her neck like a savage beast. He gave her a few shallow thrusts as he rode the waves of his orgasm, pressing the flat of his tongue to the wound at her throat.

Slowly he withdrew, his seed dripping to the ground as he set Vita back on wobbly legs. She leaned against the wall for support, chest heaving, awaiting his move with a prickle of fear.

He blinked his eyes as if coming out of a trance, looking around at the men he'd killed, their bodies still leaking blood as they lay still on the cold ground.

"We should go," he murmured, turning back to her. "Can you walk?"

The answer was, no, she couldn't, her legs weak from the physical pounding she'd just taken mixed with the devastation of the evening.

Renatus scooped her up in his arms, carrying her back to the palace with not even a glance at the dead men.

The trip was swift, a servant opening the heavy door as he brought her inside. He didn't set her down, continuing on until they were in the bathhouse, the stars glimmering overhead. The tall stone walls blocked some of the chilly breeze, Renatus setting her on her feet once more.

They were both filthy, clothes and bodies stained with blood, sweat, and drink, seed still seeping from between her legs. He gave her a tender look, pausing for just a moment before undressing her, then himself. He took her hand and escorted her to the round bath built into the ground, the pool a black void without any light to illuminate it.

Steam rose from the balmy water, and Vita felt her entire body sigh as she stepped into its warm embrace. He followed behind, his hand never leaving hers.

"Let's get you cleaned up," he said, his voice with none of its usual bite.

"I could say the same for you," she replied, eyeing the blood still staining his face, his hands, his neck, anywhere his clothing had not spared him.

He hissed a laugh, then began scrubbing her with gentle hands, paying special attention to her mouth and chin, still coated in blood.

Three men, dead… because of her.

"It's not your fault," Renatus said, as if reading her mind. "This was not the first time those men did something like that, and it would not have been the last."

He was right, of course, but it did little to quell the despair consuming her. When he finished, he turned to himself, scrubbing the drying blood from his face and body as Vita observed. The warm water was soothing, the occasional hoot of an owl interrupting the stillness of the night. As her muscles began to relax, she tried to focus on his words.

It's not your fault .

Renatus had come, had saved her, even after his dismissal earlier. He didn't want her, and yet had taken lives to protect her.

His pale skin was pink, raw from the scrubbing and the heat of the pool. Without a word, he pulled her into an embrace, the first touch of bare skin on bare skin alighting every nerve in her body. He kissed the top of her head, then her cheek, the tenderness making tears well in her eyes.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" The murmur of his voice prickled the skin on her neck, and she unconsciously pressed her fingers to the wound he'd given her.

"Why did you bite me?" she asked, unable to answer his question.

Of course, he'd hurt her. The sting of the bite was gone, but the memory lingered, sharp and burning. Still, after the initial shock, the initial pain, it had aroused her, just as she'd imagined it would when she pleasured herself to the thought.

Renatus was quiet for a long while, pressing their bare chests together as his arms wrapped around her. "I am sorry, Vita. I lost control, the blood… it can drive you mad."

"Were you going to kill me?" A nagging question, one that had flashed through her mind as his fangs sunk into her.

"No, of course not, no. There are bites to kill, bites to feed, and bites… to mark one as yours."

Vita tried to ignore her racing heart.

"Am I yours, High Consul?"

He smiled, though there was sadness in his eyes. When he opened his mouth to speak, he was interrupted by a presence in the bathhouse.

Aurora.

"Thought you might need these," she said, setting a pile of clothes and towels on one of the stone tables.

She smiled at Vita, none of the usual mischief present in the gentle look. Aurora left without another word, but already the moment was gone.

Renatus separated from her, stepping out of the pool as water dripped off his pale skin.

"We should get dressed."