He snarled at her, and Jana glanced away, ignoring him. His throat heated until it was almost unbearable. His fingers itched to grasp the human’s small body, so he could sink his teeth into her jugular.
Alexander tried shooting upright and was once more forced down into his seat. He fought in Jana’s and Matvey’s hold, eager to be freed from this nonsensical prison.
The woman’s eyes grew wide with fear, and she glanced nervously at Max who nodded and stepped in front of her.
“Try to control yourself. Remember that she is a person, not food,” Max said.
Alexander shouted, “I need her blood!”
Matvey’s grip on his shoulders slipped, and Alexander jumped out of his seat, dragging Jana with him.
“Get her out of here, Max,” Matvey yelled and lunged for Alexander.
Both Jana and Matvey collapsed on top of him, holding him down with their combined weight.
Alexander struggled beneath them. He scratched at the wood flooring with his nails as he watched Max leading the woman—his food—out of the room. Aghast, he hurled curses at his sire, demanding they let him have a taste of her, but Max did not turn back or spare any words in return.
After twenty or so minutes had passed, Alexander was no longer thrashing beneath them. He felt their weight lifting.
Matvey offered him his hand.
Alexander brushed it off and stood by himself. “I would have killed her if it were not for you.”
His blood-brother placed his hand on Alexander’s shoulder and squeezed it. “This was a test to see how you’ll fare among humans. Many more will come until you control your thirst completely.”
Alexander’s face fell. He did not want to go through that a second time. Seeing fear in that woman’s eyes and feeling the urge to bite into her vein as if she was cattle was enough to prevent him from ever wishing to see humans again.
What about my mother and Katharine? Would they look at me with the same terror once they find out what I have become? His shoulders slumped, and he started for his room.
“Alexander, it will be fine!” Jana called after him.
He shook his head and fleeted away, locking his door behind him. He was a monster without control. The illusion was finally beginning to disperse, and he did not like what he was seeing.
Outskirts of Moscow. December, 1776.
“I will not go through with it again!” Alexander said, adamant in his stance. He did not wish to see the beast in him rising to the surface.
Max picked up a letter from his desk and scanned its contents. “You will not know if you can control your thirst until we test you.”
Alexander marched to Max’s desk and stared at his sire as if doing so would force him to change his mind. “I will not go through such an ordeal. I simply cannot!”
“And how will you feed? I cannot provide blood for you all your life. I have been offered a seat on the Russian Vampire Council, and I believe that in two months I will be leaving for St. Petersburg.”
Alexander stilled. He’s leaving me? How was he going to continue this existence without Maxim’s support? “Perhaps Matvey could help me.”
Max lifted his eyes from the letter and raised a brow. “He will take over my work when I leave. I fear that he will be too busy to procure nourishment for you.”
“Jana—” Alexander began.
His sire silenced him with the narrowing of his eyes. “I gave you this new life so that when you learned to control your need to feed, you could become a part of my family. As your sire, it pains me to see you refuse to try and overcome this trial.”
Alexander felt a pang of guilt. He lowered his eyes and nodded. It was painful, and he did not want others to fear him, but he had no choice. Max was right. If he did not learn to control his thirst, he would never leave this house. He would be in the same situation he was facing in that alley—on a brink of death and alone.
Swallowing his pride, Alexander bent at the middle. “I will do as you request. I am awfully sorry if I have disappointed you with my needless outburst.”
Max stood and walked around his office desk. He helped Alexander straighten up and smiled. “You did not disappoint me. With every childe, it is a new story, a new adventure to be had. I am here to help you with your troubles, be they internal or no. Now then, I believe it is time we resume our work.”
Moscow. December 31, 1777.
Jana fixed Alexander’s scarf and brushed the imaginary dust off his shoulders. “This is your first time in high society ever since you passed the trial. I will be by your side all night. If anything makes you uncomfortable, you must notify me immediately, and we shall be out of there faster than—”
Alexander moved her hands away and hugged her close. She was truly like a sister to him now, and it pleased him to see how worried she was for him.
“Everything will work out, Jana. If anything does happen, I will pick you up and disappear. Let those rumour mills run their tongues if they must.”
Jana hugged him back and then withdrew. “Very well. Ewa will meet us there. She was too excited and had to leave early with her date.”
Alexander cocked a brow. “Who is the unlucky fellow this time?”
She stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, “I heard he was a Count of some sort. He has no idea what awaits him tonight, I am sure.”
A chuckle escaped him, and they headed for their carriage.
Max had left to take the seat on the Vampire Council ten months ago and sent letters informing his children of his well-being every fortnight. Matvey, as always, declined the invitation to the party and wanted to remain behind to catch up on some paperwork.
They left the inn and climbed into the carriage. Jana tapped the roof, and they were off to the palace.
“You look nervous,” Jana commented.
Alexander fought not to roll his eyes. “On the contrary, I believe it is you who is a twist of nerves.”
“Indeed.” She tugged on her glove with her teeth, peeling one finger out of the silk material at a time. “Do you remember when you told me about Katharine?”
“Yes, I remember.” Although it had been a long time, his feelings for her remained, and he was eagerly awaiting their reunion. He could not wait to see his mother either.
“Well, I believe I have met her before or, rather, your description of her fit the exterior,” Jana said quickly.
He tilted his head to once side, curious as to where this conversation was heading. When Jana did not divulge any more information, he called out her name, making her jump.
“Come now, sister. What is the matter? What has you so spooked this lovely evening?” he asked with a little humour in the hopes to lighten the mood.
“It is nothing. She was very beautiful, that was all I wanted to say.”
Alexander could only imagine Katharine now. It had been over two years since he had seen her, and she undoubtedly became even more attractive.
With a light heart and a faint smile on his lips, he pulled back the curtain and assessed the moonlit streets of Moscow. Tonight was going to be superb.
CHAPTER 8
Alexander handed his invitation to the porter who read the names and returned the piece of card with a royal seal.
This was the first time Alexander was permitted to attend such a grand gathering. He spent his servant life dreaming of a day when he would see the palace of kings and tonight was that night.
Jana hugged his arm closer to her chest, pressing her bosom into it. Her crimson velvet and silk dress had a low décolletage, and Alexander did his best to keep his eyes on her face when they spoke and not on the exposed flesh. Yet, every time his eyes were unconsciously drawn there, she batted her eyelashes in a playful manner and giggled to herself behind her ornate fan.
Alexander followed the current of guests. As they strolled, he admired the vast marble flooring with the royal crests brandished for the visitors to see, the gold-trimmed benches lining the walls, a tall white ceiling with el
aborately carved barrel vaulting, and the captivating gold and crystal chandeliers that illuminated the expanse around them.
“You are staring,” Jana pointed out.
He lowered his head to whisper, even though he knew she would hear him from the other end of the hall. “This place is magnificent.”
“You must stop your drool from marring your clothes. We have business to conduct in Max’s stead or have you forgotten?” she asked with a hint of a smile.
He did not forget. He was here to form business relations and find out any information that could be used against others. That way, he could build up the Red Lily club he was tasked to make flourish. Max told him repeatedly that he had to put aside his sympathies for humans. He had to abandon morals when it came to business as they would do the same the second they knew his weakness.
“I will not disappoint my sire, do not fret,” Alexander said.
“I’m not fretting. I am simply filling our time with playful banter.”
They entered the ballroom which was five times the size of the hallway they came from.
Alexander’s eyes widened as he took in the scene. Nobles, royals, people of high status, all mingled in groups. Some had bored eyes and a forced smile on their faces, the others were better actors and seemed interested in the topics that bounced off the walls.
When Alexander and Jana walked in, many conversations drew to a halt and were quickly replaced by whispers of curiosity.
“It would seem our presence was noted.” Jana pulled Alexander’s sleeve in the direction of Ewa who was guzzling her glass of red wine.
Ewa saw them and waved frantically.
Alexander led Jana over, and Ewa claimed his second arm, which led him to receive a death glare from her date.
“How I have missed you, Alexander,” Ewa purred.
Jana rolled her eyes. “You saw him two days ago. It is not as if you were separated for a thousand years.”
“And you cling to him as if you own him!” Ewa grumbled.
“Alexander?” a surprised female voice murmured behind them.
As if on instinct, he turned around, making Jana’s and Ewa’s hands fall away from him.
Katharine stood before him in an emerald dress that highlighted her shining eyes of the same colour. Her long mahogany hair was loose around her shoulders, falling in soft waves to her waist. In his eyes, she had not changed one bit in the two years that they had been apart.
She studied him in silent horror. “You’re…alive?”
Alexander shot her a warm smile. “I am, Katharine.”
“Why is a servant wearing fine clothes and pretending to be a gentleman in the king’s palace?” Andrey’s voice boomed over the chattering of the crowd.
Immediately, silence fell over the ballroom, and Andrey took Katharine’s hand in his. She did not resist.
Alexander felt anger rising like a snake from its slumber in his chest. He let out a low growl. It was not audible enough for the rest of the room to hear.
His blood-sisters took hold of each of his arms and smiled pleasantly at Katharine and Andrey.
“Who are you to speak such nonsense about the new owner of Red Lily?” Jana asked.
Andrey’s smile faded, and he gave Alexander a look of annoyance. “How is that possible? Did you, by chance, sell your soul to the Devil after scrubbing the Sokolov floors?”
Alexander fought the urge to tear this man’s throat out. His body radiated with energy, and he knew that Jana and Ewa could feel it as their own energies were trying to suppress his. He focused his attention on the marble floor. If he let his emotions rule him, their efforts would have been for nought. He could not let this room full of nobles see him for what he truly was.
“Alexander? Is that the truth? Are you the owner?” Katharine’s words drew him out of his madness, and he looked up.
He adjusted his posture, rising to his full height and smirked. “I am part of the Grekov family, and I will not tolerate such insolence regarding my status or my properties.”
Andrey’s mouth went slack at the mention of Maxim’s family name. Over hundreds of years, Max had procured vast businesses across Russia and Asia. He had plans to expand into Europe in the near future, but Alexander’s task was to manage his own business for a while to learn the ropes.
Alexander scanned the crowd and smiled at their perplexed expressions. “As a matter of fact, I came here to invite you all to the Red Lily. The first round of drinks will be on the house. My invitation, of course, includes the man who dared insult me on such a happy occasion.”
Laughter and chatter resumed around the room as people tuned out of their conversation. Alexander was thankful to his sire for providing him with an equal ground to stand on with Andrey and Yosef.
Andrey stepped up to Alexander, close enough that he could smell the man’s sickeningly sweet cologne. “I do not know what you are trying to do here, servant, but you will pay for disgracing me.”
“I believe you are incorrect.” Alexander bent to speak into Andrey’s ear. “You will be the one to pay for doing that to me.”
The man paled and stumbled back. He grasped Katharine’s hand hard enough for her face to contort in pain.
“Let us go elsewhere, wife,” Andrey growled.
Katharine spared Alexander one last look and was almost dragged away by her animal of a husband.
“They make an interesting couple,” Ewa commented. “If I was her, I would stab him in his sleep.”
Jana smacked Ewa’s hand with her fan. “Do not aggravate him.”
Ewa rubbed her gloved hand in mock pain and pouted. “I was not aggravating anyone.”
“Jana, say no more. I am not upset because I got to see her at last,” Alexander added.
Ewa grumbled something under her breath and glided back to her date.
“Since you are in a good mood, let us begin with a few greetings,” Jana suggested and led him towards the nobles.
The first group they met were in the inn business. They had a few properties scattered around Moscow. Alexander shook hands with the gents and left a light kiss on each of the ladies’ gloved hands.
While the men engaged in the conversation about business management, Jana kept the women occupied with the topics of jewellery and possible dress designs for the new season. When they parted from the group, Alexander received an invitation to attend their monthly gathering at the Hunter’s Inn.
Upon approach of the second group, Alexander noticed Katharine standing alone by the entrance to the ballroom. She was studying him with interest, and he excused himself.
He made his way through the crowd with purposeful strides. He felt the women’s gazes on him, yet he proceeded to ignore them. The only eyes he cared about were currently locked with his.
Alexander came to a stop in front of her and smiled. He still could not believe that he was seeing his beloved.
“Katharine,” he breathed her name as if it was an aphrodisiac.
She blushed and looped her arm through his. “Let us take a brief stroll. We have much to discuss.”
They meandered towards one of the balconies that overlooked the royal gardens.
When they stepped outside, the cool breeze brushed Katharine’s hair aside, allowing the moonlight to irradiate the porcelain skin of her neck.
Alexander’s eyes transfixed on it, and he breathed in her captivating rose scent. Under the thin layer of her skin was what he needed, her delicious blood that he craved to fill himself with. The thirst scratched at the back of his throat, and he separated from her.
He took a seat on the ostentatious balustrade. “How have you been?”
Katharine edged closer to him. “If you wish to know about my private matters, Andrey is a good husband. He has provided for all my needs since father passed on the business to him. It is unfortunate,” she paused and studied him with hooded eyes, “that he could never capture my heart like you.”
A smile played at his lips. “And how is my moth
er faring? I intend to call on her soon.”
He heard Katharine’s heart quickening. She placed her hand over his. “Your hands are cold. Should we return to—”
It pained him, but he tore his hand away from her. He knew well when Katharine was hiding something, and this was one of such times. “My mother, Katharine, how is she? Is she unwell? If so, I will take her with me and pay for her treatment.”
Katharine hid her face in her hands. Her shoulders sagged and began to shake. “Oh, Alexander…” Faint sobs escaped through the gaps between her fingers. “I did not want to tell you this. She…she left the house after the word of your disappearance reached the household. She could not sit by and await your return.”
If Alexander’s heart still beat, it would have stopped. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. “Do you know where she went?”
Katharine looked up at him with tears in her eyes and that told him everything he needed to know. His mother could be anywhere. He could not stay here any longer. He had to send out men to search the city for traces of her. The thought of her vanishing from his life completely was enough to make him abandon reason.
His hands fell to his sides. “I must retire for the night.”
“But we have not seen each other in so long!” She clutched his coat’s sleeve. “You cannot leave me again without promising to call upon me tomorrow.”
“I cannot promise that. I am a busy man, and my mother must be found before my heart can be at peace.”
She pressed her body against his. From that angle, he could see her restricted breasts rising and falling with her laboured breathing. “Am I not enough, my love? I have never forgotten you for a moment…”
Clenching his fists, Alexander drew away. He would not submit to his desires or needs. Not this night.
“I will call on you once I find her, I promise,” he said and stormed away, leaving the palace behind.
Alexander: Memoirs (A Vampire In Love Book 1) Page 6