Reign of the Vampires

by Rebekah R. Ganiere

  “Feeling better?” he asked.

  “Yes, thank you.” Her voice was hoarse and throaty.

  “You look...beautiful.” He reached toward her and then put his hands in his pockets. “We should go downstairs; the guests will be here soon.”

  “Yes.” She shook her head to remove the fog that was Mason. If anyone got even the slightest idea that she had feelings for him...

  He stepped aside with a grand gesture of his hand and let her walk ahead of him. The warmth of his body flowed into her as she knocked on William’s door.

  “He’s already downstairs taking care of things,” said Mason.

  Danika nodded and continued down the hall. Everything sparkled and shone. There were red and white roses in tall crystal vases on every table in the front hallway. The stairs had a red carpet rolled down them, and another led straight to the entrance. The lit candelabras gave everything a warm, sweet glow. Danika smelled Gino’s cooking coming from the kitchen, and heard the slaves working.

  A female rushed into the front hall and up the stairs. She stopped short when she spotted Danika, stepped to the side, and bowed. Danika lifted the hem of her dress and started down. Mason was at her side in an instant; his strong arm out so she could take it. Just then the doorbell rang. Another slave ran into the hall, dressed in a black skirt with a white shirt. Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she crossed to the door. The slave opened it, then bowed and moved aside.

  Danika took Mason’s arm and continued down the stairs. Her stomach twisted in knots, but she put on her best polite smile and continued toward her guests. As they exchanged pleasantries, her guests stole glances at Mason. His unease was palpable, so she turned to him. “Mason, would you go find William for me please?”

  “As you wish, my lord.” He bowed and then strode toward the kitchen.

  “Please, everyone come in and feel free to show yourselves to the atrium. We’ll be having cocktails in there first.” Danika pointed to the left.

  As more guests arrived, Danika greeted them and showed them to the atrium. Mason headed her way minutes later, followed by William and a couple house slaves.

  William looked confident and in charge as he strode to Danika. He took her arm. “My lord, I apologize for my tardiness. I was taking care of the kitchen.”

  “Thank you, William.” She tried not to let her stunned feelings show. She smiled up at him and glanced at Mason over her shoulder. Mason stood far enough away that she wasn’t touching him.

  William motioned to the two house slaves behind him. “My lord, you should be at your party, not here opening the door. Shall we go in?”

  William had grown in the last twenty-four hours. The house slaves listened to him; he was gracious and diplomatic. She almost didn’t recognize him. Danika cleared her throat. “Yes William, of course.” Then she smiled and motioned for Mason to follow.

  The atrium was even more glorious than the front hall. Candelabras were all around the room. Waiters and waitresses milled around with trays of Gino’s hors d’oeuvres. Savor flowed from a fountain in the corner.

  She stiffened slightly as they entered, remembering the last time she’d been in the atrium. Danika had a moment of apprehension, but William smiled at her and Mason stood at her back. Taking a deep breath, she stepped over the threshold.

  * * * *

  At midnight, Danika walked with William and Mason to a small platform at the front of the atrium. Two beautiful, huge vases of long-stemmed roses flanked it. Her parents used to throw elaborate parties of their own. Stepping onto the platform, she gathered her nerve, remembering the last time she’d stood there. William gave her arm a reassuring squeeze.

  When she had everyone’s attention, Danika motioned a blood slave forward.

  “Family, friends. I’ve gathered you all here tonight to bring forth the newest member of our society. This is William Baker. I present him here and now to you, for your approval and fellowship.” Danika took William by the arm and ushered him forward a few steps to the edge of the platform. He stood with all eyes upon him, watching him, judging him.

  The door to the atrium swung inward and Chase entered, followed by four men. She hadn’t noticed his absence until that moment. When she saw the first three, her heart almost stopped. What were they doing here?

  Danika’s skin prickled and a bead of sweat ran down her spine. This was bad; if they were here, it was bad. The men moved aside, apparently wanting her to continue.

  “Yes, anyway,” she began again. Mason moved closer. “I now have presented William and ask if there’s anyone who objects to his being welcomed into my coven, or if there’s anyone else who’d like to offer him safe haven in their house and be his mentor through his transition period.” She waited, but no one spoke. “Then I seal my welcoming into our coven with the sharing of blood with my new fledgling.”

  Danika motioned to the house slave. The girl stood between Danika and William. Danika pulled the girl closer and bent her neck to the side. She bit down. The sweet, light blood slid down her throat. But it wasn’t what she wanted; it wasn’t hot enough. She turned the girl to William, whose bright fangs gleamed in the candlelight. His eyes alight with anticipation of the feed. She smiled at him and nodded. He pulled the girl to him and sunk his teeth deep into her neck. He drew from her hungrily. The girl wrapped her arm around his neck. Danika let him feed for another minute before putting her hand on William’s shoulder.

  “That’s enough, William,” she said in a gentle voice. His eyes popped open and she coaxed the girl from his arms. Danika sealed the wounds with her saliva and then handed the drowsy female off.

  “It is now sealed and accepted. William Baker is my fledgling and a member of my coven. To go against him is to go against me. Where he trespasses, I trespass also. Let it be so.” She pressed her palms together and gave a slight bow to the crowd, and then to William.

  The crowd repeated her chant. “Let it be so.” They bowed to her and William in turn.

  “Welcome, William Baker of the Chicago coven,” Danika said.

  “Welcome, William.” The crowd erupted into a round of applause.

  Danika turned to William. He smiled and took her hand. She returned his smile. “Before we adjourn for dinner I would like to welcome a few most honored guests. I was unaware they would be joining us, but it seems that our three kings have found time in their busy schedules to come for our celebration. I welcome them into our city and into my home.” Danika smiled and gestured to the back of the room. Every head turned. As they did, her smile dropped. Immediately the murmurs began. Everyone was wondering the same thing she was. What the hell were they doing here?

  The three kings walked through the parting crowd. Chase stayed behind with the fourth man she couldn’t make out. The kings were dressed in the finest of Italian suits, each a different color. Sherman, the king who resided on the East coast, was first. Tall and thin with white hair pulled into a ponytail, he had light brown eyes and deep wrinkles in his face. He was dressed in a conservative navy blue suit with a light tie. He walked past the crowd, speaking to no one, his sights on Danika.

  Melton followed Sherman. Short and on the wide side, his gray pinstriped suit made him look like an old-school mob boss. His round face and beady eyes were dark as his jet black, slicked-back hair. He smiled politely to everyone, but didn’t speak. Melton was the king with whom Danika dealt, since he was over the mid-west territory of the United States. He nodded to her and gave a tight smile as he passed and joined Sherman on the platform.

  It was Vinton who came last, the youngest of the three kings. He lived in California and he looked it, with his shaggy blond hair and gray, stormy eyes. He had a kind and boyish face, though he was over three hundred years old. When the three men were on the platform, Sherman stepped forward to speak.

  “We thank Lord Danika for allowing us to join you. We would also like to welcome William Baker into our society, and we wish him well in his transi
tion period. We are glad there is such a happy occasion in this Coven House today. We hope this is a sign of many great things to come. We’ve heard there’s to be a new baby born, as well. We send out our great happiness to the parents, and wish Sinya a speedy and healthy pregnancy and birth. But we do not wish to interrupt this great celebration, so why don’t we adjourn to dinner? Lord Danika, if you would lead the way, please,” he finished, motioning for her to move forward.

  Danika bowed, and with William leading her out, she held her head high and walked the long stretch through the crowd out to the front hallway. She noticed no one as she passed. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be done with dinner, to find out what the three kings wanted, and to get them out of her house.

  She stopped on the opposite side of the entrance, near the dining hall. William held a tight smile on his face. Mason stood on her other side, wearing a look of rage. She didn’t know what had set him off, but he stretched his neck several times and clenched and unclenched his fists.

  Mason took a step behind her with his back to the door as her guests approached. Her body shook so hard she feared she might fall to the ground. William’s grip tightened on her arm, holding her up. A hot hand touched the bare skin of her spine. It warmed and relaxed her.

  When the first group of couples met them to welcome William, Danika took the opportunity to step back, getting closer to Mason. She needed his strength. Groups came and welcomed William, clapping him on the shoulder as they passed. The rise and fall of Mason’s chest soothed her somewhat.

  The last of the guests approached when the three kings exited the atrium, talking with Chase and another man. The group waited in line behind the others. The nearer they got the more pronounced Mason’s fidgeting became. She shifted her weight and rested her hand by her side. It was then that she saw why he was so upset. She grabbed the leg of his pants. He whispered something in her ear, but she couldn’t focus long enough to understand it.

  She had to keep it together. No matter what happened, she had to appear in control. Her mouth went dry and she pushed at her hair. When they reached Danika and William, she tried to stop staring.

  The kings stepped forward. “Thank you for welcoming us, Lord Danika. We’re glad we were able to be here. Hopefully we can speak after everyone has retired from the festivities,” said Sherman.

  “As you wish.” She gave a slight bow and smile.

  They all, in turn, welcomed William, who smiled and thanked them for coming. He held his own better than she did. As Vinton was saying his welcomes, Chase stepped up with the guest whom she dreaded.

  “Welcome, William.” Chase didn’t smile. He turned his attention to Danika. “I see that Mason likes to keep you close.” Chase glared at her.

  “He takes his job very seriously, Uncle. Having this many people around, even in our home, tends to make him nervous.”

  Chase turned and motioned the other man to step forward. “Lord Danika, may I introduce—”

  “Lord Garon. We’ve met before. I wasn’t aware that news of our small celebration had reached all the way to Las Vegas.” She did not extend her hand to him.

  “I know a great deal about what goes on here in Chicago,” Garon replied. “But those are not items for discussing whilst you have guests.”

  “Lord Garon, you are welcome to join us for dinner. But afterward, I would ask that you make your leave. I have no business with you, and Chicago coven business is Chicago coven business.” A note of anger rose in her voice and she had to remind herself again to remain calm. Without another word she turned to William, took his arm, and with Mason close behind, she walked to the head table and sat between William and Vinton. It took everything she had to stop her hands from shaking when her soup arrived. This was worse than she could’ve imagined.

  Chapter 16

  The dinner wound down at three, and Danika couldn’t have been more relieved. After she and William shook hands with everyone, and thanked them for coming, she shut the front door, leaned upon it, and closed her eyes.

  The kings and Garon had retired to the study to await her while she changed. She opened her eyes to find William staring at her with questions written all over his face.

  “They didn’t call for you, so you don’t need to worry. You can go upstairs. It’s been a long couple of nights, and you have done a wonderful job. Thank you for everything.”

  “No, thank you, for doing this for me, my lord. I’ve not felt like I belonged somewhere since my mother died. You changed that. You’ve changed me. I belong now, I have a home. Thank you for that. And if it’s all the same to you, I’d like to join you in your meeting.”

  Danika smiled. “I’m glad you’ve found your place. Honestly, I don’t think I would have made it through the last few weeks without you at my side. You’re a great friend.”

  William returned her smile.

  “But, I’m afraid that unless you’re called for, you haven’t been invited. And as much as I would love for you to join me, it’s better that you rest. You’ll hear all about it tomorrow evening.”

  William frowned, but nodded.

  “Come, help me upstairs to change.” A few house members milled around. Danika wondered if Chase had known the kings and Garon were coming.

  The house slaves moved much slower, but were still cleaning up from the celebration. She walked up the stairs with her hand on William’s. Mason followed. There hadn’t been a chance to speak to him since they’d gone down to the celebration. She wondered what he would say if they did speak. He’d taken everything in from his statue-like stance behind her at the dinner table. When they reached her room, she turned to him.

  “Mason, when was the last time you ate?”

  “Last night.”

  He’d spent the whole evening watching after her and she hadn’t even seen to his basic needs.

  “Mason, why didn’t you say anything? Go downstairs now and eat before the house slaves devour all the leftovers,” she said.

  “I stay with you till they leave.”

  She didn’t want to argue with him. It did make her feel better to have him there, but he needed to eat. She shook her head. “No, you need to eat. Go.”

  “No,” he said.

  Her eyes narrowed. “No?” she questioned.

  “No, thank you, Lord Danika.” His voice was flat. His tension hung in the air.

  She scowled and turned to William. “Will you please be so kind as to go downstairs and get this behemoth something to eat?”

  “Of course.” William bowed.

  After he left, Danika stood for a minute, then blew out a long breath. “You’re so stubborn that now a vampyr is waiting on you. You do realize that any other Vampire would have you punished for such insubordination, don’t you?”

  He stared at her, silent.

  “Well you can’t eat standing here in the hall, come in.” She sat on her bed and pulled off her shoes. She sighed and rubbed her feet for a minute, then stood and walked over to the wardrobe. Slipping out of her dress into nothing but panties, she studied her wardrobe to figure out what would be appropriate.

  Danika pulled on her blouse and turned. Mason watched her intently. She smelled his lust from all the way across the room, and it made her body quake. She’d forgotten he was there and realized she’d just been almost naked in front of him. For the first time, she felt self-conscious.

  William entered with an entire tray of food. He set it down on the coffee table and turned to Danika. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

  “I’ll be fine, thank you. Good morning, and sleep well.” She smiled. She found that smiling was something she’d been doing a lot lately when she got nervous.

  William said his goodbyes.

  Danika fixed her hair, while Mason wolfed down everything on the tray. When he finished, she walked to the door.

  “Good morning, Mason. I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Absolutely no
t!” He rose from his seat. “I told you before, I’m not leaving your side until they’re out of this house and out of this state.”

  “Mason, they didn’t ask for you. Taking you with me could cause your death.”

  “I’ll take my chances.” He crossed his arms over his chest

  “Well, I won’t. The best way you can protect me is for you to be alive. So you’ll do what I say. You’ll go to your room and sleep.” He was at her side before she took another step. He grabbed her by the arm. The sensation of his skin on hers gave her goose bumps.

  “With all due respect, I’m coming with you.”

  “Why don’t you do what you’re told?” she whipped. “Why do you act like you’re the master and I’m the slave? Do you have any idea what would happen if they thought I couldn’t even bond you?” Danika pulled away and pressed her fingers into her temples. Her headache had returned. “You act more like a mate than a slave.”

  “I won’t leave you while Garon’s here. If it means they try to kill me, then it does. It’s a chance I am willing to take. And I may be your slave, but I refuse to act like I’m your lesser.”

  “I never said you were lesser than me.”

  They stared at each other for a tense moment. Mason loosened the collar of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves. She didn’t understand their relationship, but she did understand one thing, more than anything she wanted him there.

  “Keep your mouth shut and your ears and eyes open. Don’t say a word, no matter what you hear. And do not move a muscle unless someone puts a hand on me. You understand?”

  “Yes.”

  She just wanted this over with, and without bloodshed if possible.

  * * * *

  The house was quiet when Danika and Mason made their way toward the study. There were a handful of slaves finishing up the dishes. As Danika stepped into the kitchen, they turned and bowed.