by Lexi Blake
“You wish to feed me, companion?” There was a bit of challenge in the question. He got into my space, looming over me.
“I’ve been shot at, watched my best friend carted off to the Hell plane, held my guard as he died in my arms. The man I love will never be allowed to touch me again without your permission. No, Louis, I don’t want to feed you. I want to lie down and sleep and never wake up again. Please, if you’re going to hurt me, just do it and get it over with. I have no intention of fighting you this time. I know it won’t do me any good.”
He actually pulled me into his arms as though I would find some comfort in the man who had done all the things I had mentioned before. I stood stiffly, waiting for him to strike.
“Zoey,” he whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you. I never wanted to hurt you. Come here. You’re cold. I’ve been neglectful. Please forgive me.” His hand ran the length of my back but stopped before going lower, as if he forced himself to not be too sexual. “Let me pull you in. Let me do this for you. I can make you feel good, warm, and safe.” He was shorter than Daniel, but he still had to lean over to nuzzle my neck. He ran his nose all along my neck, sighing with pleasure. “We’ll both feel so good, chère. J’ai envie d’être avec vous.”
I felt his magic drawing at me and, with a bitter push, let my guard down. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to force him to savage me. If I gave in, he would be gentler and maybe not take so much. I relaxed against him as his strong magic washed over me. It was different from Daniel’s. There was a dominance in this magic that was different from anything I’d experienced before. Louis pushed us toward the cot as his fangs grazed my skin and I felt his tongue there. He kissed my neck fervently as he lowered me down. Though I hated myself for it, that magic made me want his bite.
I sighed as he struck, his fangs piercing with a sweet pleasure and he groaned as my blood hit his mouth. Unwillingly, my hands wound into the dark curls of his hair and I let myself ride that drug. There was nothing of pain in this place. There was just a heavenly sense of contentment as he pulled strongly for a moment. As I had hoped, he didn’t take nearly as much as last time. My submission gentled him, and I floated down as he let go and settled in against me, his tongue laving long licks of affection against my throat.
“J’ai besoin de vous,” the vampire whispered.
I pulled my hands down and let them fall to my sides because he was pulling at my shirt now and if I was about to be raped, I might not fight him but I wasn’t going to participate. His legs pushed mine apart and I could feel his erection nudging me. My eyes filled with tears. I’d never had sex with anyone but Dev or Daniel. My sex life might be considered kinky and wild, but I had never been touched by someone I didn’t love, and I ached at the thought of losing this piece of me.
Marini sat up abruptly, his body shaking. He was heavily under the influence of my blood. Rose might be a companion, but I was betting from Louis’s reaction that her blood didn’t do the same thing for him. He looked drugged and happy and then slightly disturbed at the sight of me.
“Go,” he said suddenly.
I sat up, not quite understanding.
“Join the prince.” He rose and unlocked the door. “It’s too soon. I won’t have you think me a monster to take you while you weep underneath me. Go.”
I walked out the door and a guard was there, taking my arm, leading me up to the galley where I would join Dev. Despite the fact that I’d given in to Louis, I found myself with a certain amount of power. Dev had been right. I could play him if I was careful. I hid a small, secret smile as I let my new guard lead me back to my husband.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
My first look at the City of Lights was very brief. I’d been hustled from the boat onto a private train car that took us from the coast to Paris. Marini had found an oversized coat for me and I sat in my seat across from Dev looking like a pathetic waif. I watched the dark night pass by and couldn’t help but wonder if Danny had woken up and if he was hungry. Justin was supposed to bring the reserve blood with him, but I couldn’t be sure Justin had even made it to England yet. Daniel was alone and sick and probably terrified because he had no idea if we were alive or dead.
“You’re still cold?” Louis asked me. I simply nodded and he moved closer, tentatively slipping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him. He knocked on the door and said a whole bunch of things in French to the vampire named David, who nodded and went off to do his master’s bidding.
I was forced to sit quietly in Marini’s arms but I caught Dev’s satisfaction. A vampire’s instincts are to protect a companion. A vampire wants to please a companion and a smart companion can use that to her advantage.
From the train we were settled into a limo for the brief ride through Paris. I couldn’t muster any enthusiasm. I stared blankly out of the windows because all I could think of was Lee and Neil and Daniel.
“Is the temperature all right, Zoey?” Louis asked abruptly and I heard the fine line of annoyance in his voice. He was getting tired of my crying.
I wanted to slap the bastard. He’d killed someone close to me. He’d sent my best friend off with a demon and he was annoyed because I wasn’t getting over it fast enough. I wanted to beat the shit out of him, but Dev’s eyes were on me, begging me to play my part.
I gave the vampire a watery smile. “It’s fine, thank you.”
“Are you afraid, darling?” Dev leaned over to put his hand on my knee but then remembered himself and pulled back.
“Why would she be afraid?” Marini asked. “I’ve done everything I can to be gentle with her.”
Dev sat back and let a little disgust show through. “You’re taking her into a nest of vampires. She’s been fought over by vampires for the last several years. Daniel has explained how it will be. You can’t blame us for being afraid.”
“Daniel never brought you to the Council,” the vampire mused. “He kept you hidden away. I’ve wondered about that. He could easily have brought you with him when he visited. No one would have challenged him. So why would he hide you? Unless he was afraid you would be tempted by other vampires.”
“Why would I be tempted by other vampires?” I didn’t have to pretend my distaste. “I know what’s going to happen when I walk into the catacombs. I’ll be preyed upon by every vampire who can get his hands on me. I’ll have to lock myself in somewhere so they can’t get to me.”
Marini gasped in obvious horror. “You believe I would allow my companion to be used by another vampire? You think I would allow others to frighten you and treat you poorly?”
“Daniel explained it all to us,” Dev said, and he looked like he was steeling himself for something unpleasant. “He was the only one strong enough to protect us. Vampires are like animals around companions. They’ll fight over her like dogs over a bone, and they won’t care if she gets hurt in the process. Once they get a taste of me, it will be no different.”
Louis sighed. “He kept you both so ignorant. A companion is cherished, Mr. Quinn. You have heard the term precious blood?”
I nodded. We had heard it many times. Dev and I, we were Daniel’s precious blood. He held us higher than all others. It meant we fed him and loved him. We were his heart and soul, and it told other vampires that he would brook no disrespect to us.
“You’ll be known as my precious blood, Zoey,” Marini promised. “No one will touch you. You’ll be honored. I know Donovan called you his queen, but I promise to treat you as one. You’ll see. You’ll be very safe and comfortable in my palace.” The car came to a sudden halt. “We’re here. Come, Prince Devinshea. Let me show you the depths of Daniel’s deceptions. We’ll talk further in my suite. Put these on. The catacombs can be hell on a pair of trousers.” He passed Dev a pair of sturdy-looking rubber boots. They both pulled them over their shoes. My sneakers and jeans didn’t require saving apparently.
Louis helped me from the car and I could hear and see the swell of people around me, but their eyes slid over us lik
e we weren’t there. They walked past on their way to the underground station. Dev was behind us as Louis pushed past the doors that led down to the catacombs. I would later learn that this was only one of several entrances. The catacombs were vast, a city underneath a city. I shivered despite the coat because even I could feel the death in this subterranean necropolis. Louis led us to a ladder that went straight down.
“I can’t see anything,” I said, my voice trembling because once the door behind us closed, we were enveloped in complete darkness.
“It’s all right, Zoey.” Marini’s voice was smooth in the gloom. I felt his hand reach for mine. “I’ll light a torch when reach the ground level. There are still tourists on this level, and I don’t want them following us. I don’t have time to take care of them tonight. Follow me. David, you will lead the prince.”
I allowed the vampire to lead me. I carefully made my way down the ladder feeling each step was another step farther from Daniel. It seemed to take forever as I focused just on the next rung and not falling to my death. Finally I heard the sound of feet hitting water and then felt strong hands on my waist.
“I have you, companion.” Marini pulled me off the ladder, securing me in his arms. “Put your hands around my neck. It’s very dangerous down here.”
I hooked my fingers together around the vampire’s neck and held on. I listened as the rest of the party hit the water. Someone turned on a flashlight, and then I wished I’d been left in darkness.
All around me, everywhere the light touched, were bones. The very walls seemed to be made of them. They were stacked, coming up from the water we walked in to the ceiling above us. I gasped my shock and buried my head in the vampire’s shoulder.
I felt Louis’s deep chuckle as he tightened his arms around me. “My little companion is frightened, David.”
“There is nothing to worry about,” David assured me in heavily accented English. “My master will take care of any corpse that tries to get you.”
I could feel the vampire’s satisfaction in playing my protector. I didn’t particularly want to take a good look around the catacombs. I briefly glanced over Louis’s shoulder and I caught a flash of emerald green eyes taking in everything. Bris was memorizing the route, his ancient eyes seeing what Dev’s could not. He would make note of the way out and any plants he could use to help us when we needed to flee. I relaxed slightly because I knew between Bris and Dev, I would be taken care of. I just needed to do my job.
“That’s right, Zoey.” Louis’s voice filled the darkness with his pleasure at my misunderstood action. “Relax. I have you. I’ll take care of you.”
David moved forward as we stopped in front of a wall. He ran his hand down a crease and I heard a distinct click. There was a sliding sound and then a whole other world was revealed. Light flooded the passageway, and I had to blink for my eyes to adjust.
Louis walked through and we were at the top of a grand staircase. The sight of such opulence was surreal. We walked out of the tombs and into glorious civilization. The staircase was marble and lit beautifully by a hundred small sconces on the wall, each with a candle. It gave the entire place a gauzy, old-world feeling.
“Take the prince to my suite,” Marini ordered. “I’ll settle Zoey and join him there.”
I wanted to touch Dev, but we were moving again and I studied the council stronghold with a small sense of wonder.
“You like it,” Marini said, approving of the look on my face. He could have put me down, but he chose to walk down the stairs in his rubber boots though the rest of the party stopped to get rid of them.
I was honest. “It’s beautiful.”
I don’t know exactly what I had expected. I supposed I thought it would be darker and more Gothic, but this was the inside of an airy palace.
“I loved Versailles,” Marini explained as we passed people in the hall. There was a lot of life down here. There were humans, vampires, and I felt the stares of at least two companions as Louis carried me through the Council’s stronghold. “This is my version. You’ll find it quite luxurious and extremely well fortified. You’ll be safe here, Zoey. Your every need will be met.”
“L’avez-vous fait?” I heard and Louis spun on his heels.
“In English, Elof,” Louis said. “She doesn’t speak French yet. I’ll hire a tutor tomorrow to begin her lessons. To answer your question, I only succeeded in part. I retrieved the lovely Zoey and the Prince has chosen to come with me as well.”
The tall Norwegian’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “And Donovan?”
“I don’t know. He had some sort of magic with him. I almost had my hands on him when he disappeared. I tried to use our fail-safe, but I can’t say if it worked or not. I rather think he got away,” Louis admitted bitterly. “I’ll settle Zoey in and then I’ll meet with you, Niles, and Niko. Marcus is still not here?”
I fought not to tense at the mention of Marcus’s name. I didn’t think it was a good idea for Marcus to come here at all. It would be better for him to stay with Daniel at the Order’s compound.
Elof frowned. “He’s mysteriously out of touch.”
Now they switched back to French. So much for not being rude around me. Though I couldn’t speak French, I was suspicious of what they were saying about Marcus. They spoke briefly and then parted ways, and I found myself being carried into a large suite of rooms.
A thin man opened the door for us and welcomed the head of the Council. He was an older gentleman with gray hair that had receded to the back of his head. He was dressed in the all black of a servant.
“Master Marini,” he said in a low voice as he bowed deeply.
“Robert.” Marini finally set me on my feet. He left the “t” off Robert. “This is Zoey. She is my companion. She speaks English. Please address her thusly.” Marini sat on the couch in the living room of the large apartment and pulled the boots off.
Robert gasped slightly. “What about Rose?”
Louis stood again and waved off the question as unimportant. “She’ll be sold or I’ll give her away. I don’t know. She no longer matters. Find her different quarters until I decide what to do with her.” He turned back to me. “I’ll meet with your Prince and we’ll find a way for us to move forward, companion. Would you like that?”
I nodded because the alternative was me moving forward without Dev.
The vampire leaned down and I forced myself to accept his kiss. “You’ll be allowed thirty minutes during the daytime to visit him tomorrow. A guard will come for you late in the afternoon. Once night falls, the three of us will discuss things. I look forward to teaching you about your new home, Zoey.”
He turned, done with me, and walked out the door. I was left with Robert, who didn’t like me much.
I stood there, not knowing what to do. I hadn’t even been properly introduced to this man and I wasn’t sure who he was. He seemed human and since he was a servant, he was probably a slave.
“I’m Zoey,” I said, putting my hand out because it seemed the polite thing to do.
He stared at my hand dismissively. “I know who you are. You’re Zoey Donovan. You will put my mistress out of her home.”
“Now, now, Robert,” I heard a familiar voice say. “This was never my home.”
Rose walked into the living area. I don’t know quite what I expected from Marini’s companion. I’d only met her twice and she seemed like such a young little mouse. She was dressed in a silky shirt and nice slacks. The clothes she wore aged her by twenty years but they were of good quality. I wondered briefly if Robert had selected her wardrobe. There were tears in her eyes as she walked up to me. I prayed she wasn’t going to beseech me not to take her lover. I would have no idea what to say.
“I am so, so sorry to see you here, Zoey,” Rose said in her proper British accent, quietly putting both her hands on my shoulders. “Please tell me they haven’t killed your Daniel.”
Rose’s compassion cut through me like a knife, and I was completely caught off gua
rd. Of all the things I expected to find in this place, kindness was the last. I looked at that little mouse whose place I would have to take and I burst into tears.
“Robert,” Rose said quietly, “I think we could use a drink.”
I managed to talk Rose down to a nice cup of tea. Robert seemed more kindly toward me as he poured the Earl Grey and offered me sugar, milk, and a box of tissues. I found myself telling the two of them everything that had happened with Marini. I left out anything personal about Daniel. I still had a part to play. I spoke of Lee and Neil, and Rose listened while Robert fussed over her.
“Then Daniel managed to get away,” she said with what seemed like a relieved sigh.
I nodded, not wanting to give too much away. “I think so.”
“But the prince is with you,” Rose commented.
“Yes, he’s with Marini right now.” I took a small sip of tea and noted that it was getting very late. It was almost four. Even with my nocturnal lifestyle, I yawned. “I believe they’re discussing how my life is going to work now. It would have been nice to sit in on that conversation.”
Rose’s eyes went wide. “No, Zoey, that isn’t the way things work here. I’m afraid the vampires here are all very old.”
“They’re old fashioned,” Robert added. “They don’t think anything odd of a group of men planning a woman’s life. You should be prepared because tomorrow the master will tell you how your life will be. You must nod and do as he says.”
Rose agreed. “You should listen to Robert. He’s been in Louis’s service for many years. He knows how to survive. He has helped me all these years.”
“How long have you been here, Rose?”
She had to think about it for a moment. “I was fourteen when they took me. I was walking to the store for my mum. I believe I am now twenty years old.”
I was outraged for the young girl she had been. “He raped you when you were fourteen?”
Robert patted his charge’s back. “No, she was lucky in that regard. The master’s companion was getting older, but he was comfortable with her. He purchased Rose and she was allowed to be alone to mature until the previous companion died. Rose was seventeen when he married her.”