It seemed that Nadia's work had once again followed her back to her room, as the shadow of a tall man in a tuxedo soon darkened the entryway.
"Well now, my dear. I couldn't possibly leave you to spend the night alone in such a large and luxurious suite. Why it just wouldn't be proper." The pompous English buffoon had the audacity to suggest that she had issues with being on her own, when in truth she actually preferred it.
With a firm grasp of the handle, Nadia pushed up against the door to make sure that there was no way that he could weasel his way in. She wasn't scared, nor should she be; as he was no match for her in any regard.
"Careful now." Nadia smiled wryly, tilting her head to one side so she could witness the man's reaction as she replied. "It wouldn't benefit your reputation if rumours of your infidelity were to somehow get out. Would it, ambassador?" She had never lost the accent that came with her Russian heritage; nor should she as a proud descendant of a strong Moskvich line.
With a forceful swing, Nadia slammed the door shut; the varnished wood left rattling in its frame.
"Well I never…" came the muffled voice from the other side, closely followed by the sound of someone storming away.
Although she wasn't usually one for smiling, outside of manipulating other people at least, Nadia couldn't help but wear her victory like a badge of honour. If only she could reveal her true nature and tear the ambassador's throat out with her bare hands. Oh how she would love to watch him squirm on the floor, clutching at his neck while the life bled forth from his open wound. She knew that wasn't how things worked however; not in her line of work.
The life of a spy meant that Nadia had to integrate into their society seamlessly, and she had reserved to play the part of a socialite with an interest in charity work and politics. It was an exhausting mask to wear, but she wore it so well; as if there were ever any doubt. Nadia Djorkaeff was a skilled professional through and through, and what she did, she executed with both style and elegance.
Making sure that the door was locked, Nadia applied the safety chain and kicked off her high heels, slipping out of the black sequinned dress that had hugged her figure and drawn lustful looks all night. She donned a simple robe, taking the time to enjoy the peace and quiet of her five star luxury accommodation, tucked away from the disgusting diplomats and their constant filth ridden thoughts.
The room itself wasn't quite up to snuff and was far from the level of extravagance that Nadia was used to; although it wasn't the first time that she had been forced to slum it either. Moving over to the foot of the overstuffed bed, she picked up a small ottoman and placed it in front of the full length mirror that sat in the far corner of the room. It was there that she positioned herself; sitting up with her back straight as she adopted a graceful pose expected of royalty.
Nadia could see herself in the mirror now; her long platinum hair resting on narrow shoulders as she stared at the bronze eyes of her reflection. She had been told that she was beautiful so many times that the word had lost all meaning; her movie star looks little more than an asset for her to use to her advantage. Physical appearances had lost their appeal so many years ago; fading around the same time as her blush of life.
Even now Nadia sometimes missed how her cheeks used to gain a rosy hue in the harsh Russian winters; her skin retaining no sort of color these nights besides what she applied with the dab of a brush. That was a thing of the past however, and she tried her best not to dwell on things that were out of her realm of control. At the very least she would remain young for all eternity, all thanks to the one that made her; the only person who she had ever trusted.
Almost as if it was responding to Nadia's thoughts, the mirror shimmered for a moment; a fact that left her completely unfazed. After all, it was something that she had been expecting for quite some time; an important event that she had been waiting for, and her only concern was that it had taken so long to arrive. As she continued to stare at her reflection, it began to change shape; slowly taking on the form of someone else entirely.
Nadia's blonde hair grew darker, her eyes lightening from a deep brown to a light hazel. Everything from the length of her nose to the shape of her lips transformed until it was no longer herself that she could see within the reflection, but someone else entirely. The modern day makeup and sculpted looks were soon replaced with a timeless beauty that could only belong to a single woman. Her one true love, Katherine Louviere.
"Hello, my dear Katherine." Nadia said softly, greeting her maker as she would welcome home a lover. "The preparations have been made as you requested."
The strange reflection looked at her with eyes that were no longer her own, the corners of her mouth curling into a smile full of delight. "It's good to see you, Nadia." it replied with a surprising warmth, although it wasn't Katherine's voice that spoke; the words instead coming from Nadia's own mouth. "It's been too long."
Standing up to pull the robe tightly around her waist, Nadia turned away from the mirror and looked back towards the bed where a gift waited for her. There she saw a long red dress that had already been laid out; one that had been carefully tailored for such a special occasion. With a wicked grin, she carefully stroked the soft fabric with her fingertips; enjoying the touch of the expensive silks against her skin.
"Thank you, my precious child." she said with a reverence usually reserved for someone deserving of her respect. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten."
Even though Alice Delaney had turned against them, everything else had gone according to plan. All Katherine's enemies believed her to be dead; her body destroyed and her spirit gone, but that was far from the truth. In fact, all they had taken from her was an empty shell, and with her new form she was free to finish what she had started without their scrutiny. In due time, they would learn that the reign of the Blood Queen was far from over and then they would all be made to pay for their crimes against her. In time, the earth would run red with their blood.
A Thank You From The Author
I truly appreciate anyone who has taken the time to read through my book, so thank you for doing so. I put a great deal of time and effort into this novel, so I hope that you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
This is the third novel in a series of books that tell the tale of Alice Delaney and other characters who cross her path. For details of upcoming novels, please keep an eye on The Beast Inside Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/TheBeastInsideNovel/
If you have the time, please leave a review of the book on the Facebook page or on Amazon.
Thank you once again for reading The Beast Inside: Blood Queen!
The Beast Inside: Blood Queen
The Beast Inside series comes to its final and shocking conclusion with The Beast Inside: Blood Queen.
From the explosive events in Calgary, to gang violence on the streets of Miami, the secret machinations of the vampire hierarchy leave nothing but chaos in their wake. At the centre of it all, Katherine Louviere rules without mercy from the shadows, her aspirations to control everything around her leading only to pain and suffering. The Blood Queen's ruthless plans have come to fruition, and none are strong enough to stand against her, but that doesn't mean that a handful of brave souls won't try their utmost to take her down.
Alice, Sam and Matty have survived thus far, but their greatest trial still lies before them. As direct descendants of Katherine's powerful bloodline, they may be the only ones in a position to achieve what others cannot - to gather the queen's enemies under one banner and with a single purpose; the end of the Blood Queen's tyrannical reign.
Katherine must be made to pay for her crimes, a near impossible task. The Blood Queen has worked too hard and for too long to give up without a fight, and she will not go quietly. She will burn down everything that she has built to keep it out of the hands of her rivals. Katherine does not forgive betrayal, and any who oppose her will suffer her wrath. To secure their continued existence, her descendants must learn
that failure is not an option and that victory always comes with a price. The question is; is their freedom worth the cost?
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