Blood Rising

by A M Proctor

  My girls, however, would remain here. Become incubators for the strongest among the Blood Court. They’d never go to school. Never drive a car. Never perform in a school play or dance with boys at a school dance. They’d never hang out at a mall or go to movies with friends. They’d never have a first date at an Italian restaurant with a boy that makes their heart pound even as he clumsily stains his shirt with marinara sauce.

  They’d be moved below before their transition. Beautiful vampiric males would woo them. Their hearts toyed with by lesser males. They’d fall in love with the first to claim their virginities. Coddled through transition to insure they survived. Their feral nature encouraged as victims were fed to them. Males stroking their ego by turning innocent girls into blood thirsty killers.

  Then they would be bred to a male of their father’s choosing when they came into heat. Their hearts not a factor in what their bodies would provide for the race.

  Strong bred to strong with prayers they’d produce a female offspring. Just like their mother, valued only because of her fertile womb. My heat was drawing near. The time I spent in the God Realm sped up my body just as it sped up my girl’s growth.

  Who’s cock would I trap in my womb this time? I shutter when I think of fucking Gregory. I’d long stopped thinking of him as Sir. My slave like devotion wore off quickly as I learned to negotiate this hell hole of males. I’ve been able to keep Gregory at an arm's length distance, but he was next in line for an offspring.

  I cleared my thoughts from Gregory and breeding as Alexei turned to me, pulling me into his strong arms. I was feeling solace again in those arms. He was my blooded mate. We had a bond I couldn’t deny, no matter how hard I wanted to.

  Softer feelings, kinder ones, stirred inside me. Just under the surface of the monster who lurked below. The kiss he pressed to my head didn’t summon the strong feelings of being cherished anymore though. The words he spoke felt distant. “I love you.”

  My heart squeezed, not with love, but pain. Heartache that I could no longer feel love for him. That girl that once loved so completely was gone.

  In its place was a creature who merely nodded to the devotion on Alexei’s face. It was as it should be to her. The king will kneel to her soon and she will take everything from him, as is right and just.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Final Battle

  Out of the bath and back into the dressing room. I choose a satin sapphire gown for tonight’s court. Young human women are adorning my body with sparkling diamonds. My makeup is dramatic, but it suited my current mood. The males like the slutty dark liner, smoky eyes and blood red lipstick. My blonde hair is curled and piled high upon my head.

  “You look dangerously beautiful tonight.”

  My head turns towards the voice and I let my gaze fall over Alexei’s form. He too has taken the time to look darkly handsome this evening. Black dress slacks, belt and black dress shirt opened to show jeweled nipple clamps. He’s wearing his black leather collar too.

  His dark hair is loose and I’m willing to bet that he’s wearing some dick jewelry under those expensive slacks. Not just a cock ring. No, his dick jewelry is elaborate, like a platinum chain mail shaft blanket with expensive ruby fringe.

  Or maybe he’s wearing his bat head tip ring. It fits just under the head of his cock with two ruby eyed bat heads coming together as a clasp. His cock was magnificent with no decoration. Adding a touch of bling to it only enhanced his magnificence.

  Pair the dick jewelry with the crown sitting atop his dark head, only confirms that he’s feeling insecure in his kingdom. I rise and cup his immense bulge as I press a kiss to his sensual lips. At least he’s not wearing the full white gold dragon sheath tonight.

  That damn thing was vicious. It encased his entire dick. As it grew, the tip pressed against the half open mouth of the dragon’s skull. It had horns around its head and its clawed feet held a huge cabochon ruby. If he fucked wearing that beast, you bled something fierce until he quit fucking.

  So whatever the entertainment is tonight, he wasn’t planning on punishing anyone with his dick.

  “Where are Rah and Jah?”

  I remove my hand from my husband’s junk, but he captures it and presses it back against his growing bulge. I fist it through his dress slacks. He smirks down at me, pale green eyes twinkling with mischief.

  “They’re here.”

  I frown slightly. “Here as in here? Or here as in laying dead in the dungeon here?”

  His smirk falters momentarily, but he regains it.

  “Would you care?”

  If I care would he punish them? If I don’t care would he kill them? I lower to my knees and unzip his fly. “I care because they’ve been loyal to me. Taken care of our daughters. I care because our girls would be devastated without them.”

  He’s wearing a cock and ball harness. One band around the base of his cock and balls, a diamond-encrusted ruby sets on top of the base of his cock. Gold chain affixed around the base of his penis with a jeweled fringe of delicate chains dangling under his balls. I fit the tip of his cock into my mouth and stroke his shaft with both hands.

  “We had to debrief them.”

  My gaze meets his as he strokes my face with his forefinger. I take his cock deeper as he closes his eyes with pleasure.

  “They are undamaged.”

  I relax my throat and swallow his length down.

  “I needed to know for sure they weren’t working with Ryzier.”

  I’m working his cock in and out, keeping my gaze on his face. He’s in ecstasy. Green eyes open and gaze down at me with tender love.

  “They were merely caring for the children. Innocent of wrong doing. Safe to return to our daughters.”

  What about Ryzier? I’m afraid to ask. Afraid of what I might do or feel. He betrayed my love, just like all the males in my life have. I hated him, but I still cared. That’s what I hated the most. That my heart still squeezed in pain when I heard his name. That my mind still conjured the sex demon I fell in love with, not some monster who delivered me to my demise.

  Alexei hisses as he moves closer to release. I resist the urge to feed off him. No one feeds off the king during renewal period, but I’m starved for his blood. His balls ride high as his cock kicks in my throat. He delivers his seed deep inside me. A gentle hand cradling my face. Fingers caressing my cheek as he moans his pleasure.

  He offers me a hand up after I’ve tucked him back inside his slacks. I take it and rise like the lady I am. I even graciously accept his kiss before taking his arm. We glide through the halls towards the throne room.

  I now have my own throne, next to the king. It was his idea to add it to the raised stage we sit on every evening. Said I’d earned my place at his side. It’s much better than sitting on the arm of his throne or kneeling next to him.

  My gaze rises, and I find a hooded figure hanging high in the shadows of the ceiling. It’s a naked male wrapped in a thin chain. I gulp as I recognize the body immediately. I’d never mistake his body, even in demon form. They have beaten him bloody. Whip marks crisscross his body, covering him from chest to thighs.

  Even the fine membrane of his wings weren’t spared torture. They have fine tears where the whip cut him. Oh, the agony he must have endured prior to being hung here. He’s not moving. He doesn’t appear to be breathing but I can hear his heartbeat, rapid like a jack rabbit.

  As blood drips off his bare feet onto the court below, they become restless as they notice their meal hanging above. Alexei stands and gains the attention of his males.

  “A traitor hangs above you. He betrayed his king and court. Betrayed you. A thief who stole something precious and rare from us.”

  He betrayed me, not you. Stole my heart and betrayed my love and yet here you are, pretending to be the victim in all this. Spinning this to benefit your throne. My heart is pounding with excitement. I want to see Ryzier punished for hurting me. I want to hear him scream in pain.

  But is it
all bloodlust that has me tense and ready to attack? As my gaze narrows on Alexei, my body wants to surge forward as my fangs descend. He doesn’t notice my aggression as he continues to address his people. “Therefore, I include you in this males punishment. Lower the traitor!”

  Slowly, the chains lower its hooded hostage towards the awaiting crowd below. He remains still as his broken body is illuminated by the chandeliers. The chains complain as they loosened from the wenches, high above.

  The court presses closer together, fangs bared, faces tilted up. Hands rise longingly and clasp his ankles and calves as teeth sink into his feet and lower legs.

  They halt his descent with his feet in the sea of fangs. His bound body jerks and struggles in agony as his muffled screams reach my ears. My gut rolls with sickness. This is not what I want. I don’t want to watch him suffer like this. Fuck, what is wrong with me?

  My body bristles as I rise from my throne. Alexei’s gaze turns to me, but my gaze remains fixed on the tortured male.

  “Stop!”

  The foot feeding ceases immediately as the court turns slowly to regard me. Alexei’s large frame blocks my view as he steps in front of me. Hands gently cup my arms as he placates me. “Now Nevaeh…”

  My gaze meets his and I feel my power roll out of me. Power like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Power bestowed on me not only by the Blood Court but by the king himself.

  “No. He’s mine. MINE.”

  Realization dawns on him as he feels the force of my will. He almost stumbles back from it, but his grip on my arms keeps him close. His gaze searches mine for a moment. Questioning what he already knows to be true. I’ve taken his court from him. Taken his power and fully realized my strength as ruler.

  I whisper, “Sit down, Alexei.”

  His hand leaves my arm as he touches the back of his neck. The place where it tingles when your king compels you. Or in my case, queen.

  We warns quietly. “Don’t do this, Nevaeh.”

  More power comes through my voice as I repeat my command.

  “Sit down on your throne, Alexei.”

  His other hand drops from my arm, and his body obeys my command.

  “Nevaeh, please don’t do this.”

  My gaze follows him as he sits down on his throne. “He betrayed me, not you. Me. He’s mine to punish. Mine to do with as I please, just as you are mine, Alexei.”

  I turn back to my Blood Court. “Bring me the traitor.”

  ~~~

  They lower Ryzier down into awaiting hands. They’d hung him by his horns. His beautiful demon horns. So sensitive and full of feeling. One is broken off at the tip.

  They bound his hands behind him with the fine chain that’s wrapped around his naked body. God chain. He can’t use his magic.

  He doesn’t struggle as they carry him to the throne. Did he pass out already? No. He lowers to his knees slowly as he’s placed close to me.

  My court falls back as I approach. Several fall to their knees. Most keep their gazes lowered respectfully. They won’t challenge me.

  My gaze noted every mark, cut and bruise on Ryzier’s broken body. In demon form, he’s as tall as me on his knees. I lift the hood off his head, pulling it free of his horns and gunmetal gray eyes lift to meet mine. The shock I feel doesn’t show on my impassive face as I note the harness on his head.

  A harness holding a rubber tube inside his open mouth. A tube I was intimately familiar with. My throat aches as I reach out and unbuckle the harness. This is a horrible device that holds the mouth open and slides deep inside the throat. Breathing is so difficult you think you will suffocate while wearing it. But then, it’s for the comfort of the torturer, not the wearer. Designed to keep the mouth and throat safely open while the wearer is throat fucked repeatedly.

  He coughs and gags as I remove the tube from his throat. My throat tightens and I swallow hard as Ryzier leans forward and takes several long deep breaths.

  They broke one of his wings. The fine bone between torn membranes sits at an odd angle. My gaze finds another broken bone on his wing and then another. His sensitive wings. Broken and punished.

  The God chain is infused with powerful magic and the reason they could keep Ryzier captive. The reason he hasn’t healed himself. Opened a portal and walked the fuck out of here.

  The locks that hold the chain are the same ones that held Mason. Only the blood of someone who loves him will open those locks.

  The gunmetal gray eyes lift once more. They twinkle with mischief, and he wears a small smirk on those chapped lips. I couldn’t help myself. I gave him a small smile. What the fuck was wrong with me? I’m actually happy to see him.

  His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “My queen.” He seemed genuinely glad to see me.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

  His smirk grew into a smile. Chapped lips cracking and bleeding as he ran a tongue over them.

  “Just admiring the force of nature you’ve become.”

  Tears immediately watered my vision. The pain overwhelming me to the point where I might implode. My knees left me as I lowered down beside him. I leaned against his wide, battered chest.

  “Why? Why Ryzier?”

  His cheek touched the top of my head as I threw my arms around his bound body and clung to him. Blood tears falling down my face and mixing with his own. The pain inside me called for pain in retribution. I quietly accused. “You broke my heart.”

  My fangs scratched down his pectoral and the sound of his hiss felt gratifying. I licked the wound closed, reading his blood. What the fuck?

  I raked down his chest with my fangs again. The cuts I made were deeper, longer. He shouted his pain this time. I fixed my mouth at the bottom of the slices in his flesh and sucked the blood pooling there a bit before closing the wounds.

  Ryzier adored me. Devoted and full of so much love for me, he’d willingly give up his life to appease my pain. If the blood didn’t lie…

  “Why did you betray me? If you loved me so much, what possessed you to deliver me here? Knowing full well what they’d do to me?”

  I cut him again, and he groaned painfully to the crowd's delight. I needed to taste the truth of his words as much as I needed to cause his suffering right now.

  His voice rasped in a whisper. “It was the only way.”

  My head snapped up to meet his gaze. “The only way?”

  He licked his lips once more, and I snarled, “Get him some water… now!” A burst of undeniable power snapped loudly from me and set feet moving. Ryzier was severely dehydrated. The only fluid he’d had over the past few days was probably the cum of many cocks.

  Gregory dribbled clean, cool water into Ryzier’s parched, upturned mouth. His watchful gaze held my scowl warily. Worried about the powerful creature I’d become. It wasn’t just the power I had over the king and court that concerned him.

  It was the type of power that leeched from me. Sure it was vampiric, but I also oozed fae goddess power too. Something unfamiliar to the vampires that surrounded me. Something that scared the shit out of the male I once called Sir.

  My gaze takes in the males of the court. They too wear masks of uncertainty. Alexei’s pale green gaze focused on me. His face a mask of rage, betrayal and horror but there is nothing he can do.

  Nothing anyone can do right now. I’m in control of all of them. Ryzier’s face lowers and his genial gaze meets mine. I gotta hand it to him. He’s been tortured and will probably suffer much worse in my hands, but he’s the only one in this room that seems all right with what’s leaking out of me. Almost proud.

  My tongue darts out as I lick his chest. Slowly healing the wounds created from his torturous days with Gregory. I loved this chest once. Loved this male so completely that his betrayal shattered me. The sob that came from my body shook me. It must have shaken him too.

  “Awe my love, you’re stronger than this. Stronger than I could even imagine you’d be. Don’t let them see you weep.”

  I shuttere
d with my sobs but met his gaze steadily. “Because a weeping female is weak?”

  I stood up and faced the court. Vampiric males shrunk back at my rage. “Because a female who feels deeply is weak?”

  “Do you think my tears are a sign of weakness?”

  I glanced at Alexei before continuing. “Because I’m anything but weak, motherfuckers.”

  I whirled back on Ryzier. “Oh, I get it now. You left me here because the love you felt for me made you feel weak.”

  He shook his head slowly. “Because you needed to fall so you could fully realize your power.”

  I slapped him hard. Sending his chiseled demon face reeling to my left. My hand stinging and throbbing from the impact. The desire that lit in his gaze as it returned to mine stole my breath.

  “Bullshit. You feared what you felt for me, sex demon. You struggled with the fact that you felt unworthy of my love.”

  “Yes. I am unworthy of love and your love for me weakened you. Look at yourself, Nevaeh. Do you honestly think you’d be this strong if you hadn’t spent the past year here? If I hadn’t made you hate me?”

  He had a point. People didn’t grow when they were comfortable and happy. Discomfort, pain and misery forced people to grow or die. I wouldn’t be this creature I am today if I hadn’t felt abandoned by everyone who loved me. Punished for betraying my king even as I felt betrayed by him.

  That didn’t excuse what any of them did. Here on the cusp of my revenge, vengeance became a bad taste in my mouth. As much as my black heart wanted to punish those who did me wrong. Faced with the reality that I could take my anger out on Ryzier, Alexei and especially Gregory, the desire to do so… left me.

  I turned to face the court. Allowing them to see the blood tears that streaked my face. “Love is a powerful emotion. Just as strong as hate and vengeance. You fear a female who allows herself to feel deeply. Instead, you reward cold cruelty. Why? Because the ice queen is desirable? No. She’s a challenge to dominate. A boost to your huge egos.”