[Nectar 01.0] Nectar

by DD Prince

  Of course, the dress hid marks on her thighs, her hips, backside, her lower back, her stomach, and that cuff bracelet hid the marks on her wrist. Tristan had spent the better part of the past week and a half branding her thoroughly, just as he’d told her he wanted to do.

  The mask over her eyes did lend enough anonymity to help her feel a bit more at ease about her poker face. As she quickly surveyed the room she wasn’t sure who was a vampire and who was a regular person. It was more than unnerving, but she did her best to walk steady on his arm and not make direct eye contact with anyone.

  Tristan looked debonair in a black tux with a dark ruby red bow tie. He was clean shaven, his wavy hair slightly gelled, and he smelled awesome, as usual. Even in her very high heels he towered over her. His black satin mask made him look mysteriously sexy and dangerous, the icy blue gemstone eyes blazing through.

  Tristan told her ahead of time that as the event host he needed to speak at the start and end of the event but that it would be largely social in nature for the vampires, so she’d be able to simply stay at his side and quiet throughout the event. He sat Kyla at an empty table for eight close to the podium and whispered in her ear to stay there, stay quiet, and simply smile and be polite if anyone greeted her. If in doubt, act catatonic. There was a card at the place setting with ‘guest of Tristan Walker’ embossed. The band leader gave him a nod and then there was a break in the music. Tristan removed his eye mask.

  “Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the eightieth annual conference kickoff for Kovac Capital. Thank you for all of your efforts that have contributed to our ongoing success. I apologize for the short notice on the venue change and I hope you all have a good time tonight despite that. I will see many of you tomorrow for meetings and discussions here that will help us take this company to new heights in the coming year. You’ll have notifications texted to you before midnight about your schedule for tomorrow. Tonight, is about celebrating so Salut. Enjoy dinner, drinks, and dancing. And have fun. Keep your masks on but don’t have too much fun.” He gave an exaggerated wink to the crowd. Laughter rang in the air. He smirked, raised his glass of champagne, and dipped slightly in the direction of the crowd who all clapped.

  Tristan signaled a thumbs up to the maestro and the band started to play another song. He put his mask back on.

  He definitely commanded the room, cool as a cucumber. Kyla felt authority exude from him and could see how logical of a choice he was as someone in a position of authority for a company. Meanwhile, two people sat down at the table Kyla was at. She smiled at them in greeting and was grateful that Tristan was on his way to the table.

  Tristan sat beside her and greeted the other two people at the table, “Jet, Isabelle, nice to see you.”

  “Good evening, Tristan,” the couple said in near unison. She looked to be in her 40’s and wore a full-length gold strapless gown and had a platinum blonde French twist. Her mask was gold, like her dress. He was dark-haired but slightly salt and pepper and had a longish goatee. He resembled Sam and his bowtie matched his date’s dress. Kyla moistened her glossy ruby red lips with her tongue and stared straight ahead, so thankful for the mask she had on.

  “And this must be the lovely lady we’ve heard about,” Jet said extending forward to take her hand.

  “Hello,” Kyla said.

  He kissed her hand. She felt like his lips lingered a tad too long.

  She saw Tristan’s jaw tighten ever so slightly.

  “Enchantee,” Jet said.

  “I was so sorry to hear about your home, Tristan,” the woman gushed, “How terrible!”

  “Yes,” Tristan said dryly, “Indeed.”

  “Still being investigated?” Jet asked.

  “That’s right,” Tristan answered coolly.

  “Any sign of Joseph?” Isabelle asked.

  “Not yet.” Tristan sipped his champagne.

  “Well, the event turned out marvelous despite the last-minute change. Well done, you,” she said.

  “Thank you. Excuse me.” Tristan turned his attention to Kyla and spoke slowly, “Princess, do you need the rest room?”

  “Yes,” she answered softly, meeting his eyes.

  “Excuse us,” Tristan said. He led her toward the door quickly. She held the crook of his arm. A few faces glanced at them in the crowd and it looked like a few were about to stop them to speak but Tristan was clearly on a mission as he walked purposefully with her in tow. She felt scrutinized but stared ahead and walked steady.

  As they reached the exit of the banquet room, she heard a woman’s voice.

  “Tristan Walker, as I live and breathe. Sort of.”

  He spun around, looking annoyed.

  A tall woman with straight chin-length blonde hair in a short ruched white satin strapless dress and a matching eye mask stepped forward slowly, a glass of champagne in her hand. She looked about thirty and she oozed sex appeal. She lifted the mask off and smiled sweetly at Tristan. She was gorgeous. She had big smoky brandy eyes and full lips.

  “You’re not supposed to be here!” Tristan hissed under his breath, his voice a little bit menacing. Kyla felt the woman’s eyes land on her. She did her best to stand still and hold her face as expressionless as possible.

  “I came with Liam,” the woman said, smugly. She looked to Kyla, “So, this is who has been keeping you so busy? And you’ve collared her. Hm.” She stared directly at Kyla’s throat. Her eyes narrowed.

  Sam was suddenly in their path, “Dawn, darling. You’re breath-taking!” He twirled her and gave her a little dip. She snickered and swatted him on the shoulder. Was he there to run interference? He was good at it!

  Tristan pulled Kyla in the other direction and they quickly exited the hallway into a restroom. He locked the door behind them. Kyla felt a cramp spread across her lower abdomen. She winced and put her hand across her stomach.

  He was suddenly breathless.

  “Hey, you okay?” He lifted her mask carefully off.

  “I’m okay,” she said, “I just have cramps. They’ve been bugging me off and on since this morning. They’re worse now, though.” She thought he seemed edgy. Too edgy, “I’ll be fine. Are you okay?”

  “You’re playing it cooler than I am.” He looked in the mirror and ran his fingers through his hair, “And the night is young. This isn’t good. Why am I feeling so anxious? I almost lost it when Jet put his mouth on your hand.” A muscle worked in Tristan’s jaw.

  “What can I do?” She touched his face. He seemed like he was ready to climb out of his skin.

  He dropped to his knees and lifted her dress up. She jolted in surprise. He took her ankle and parted her legs and then his teeth grazed her leg and then he bit in at the outer thigh and he began drinking, urgently. His fingers dug into her hips. Kyla leaned against the wall for support and took a deep breath.

  “Oh baby,” he whispered. “This is what I need.”

  He drank while rubbing his hands up and down her legs. One hand grabbed her rear end possessively and then fingers on his other hand slipped into her panties and he started to rub her at her most sensitive spot. She let out a little moan. He swallowed a few more times and then stood up and caged her against the wall and started to devour her mouth with his. She could taste her own blood.

  His lips were so powerful. He moaned and started grinding into her and she felt tingly all over. He undid his pants and lifted her up onto the vanity, pulled her panties past her thighs and then let them drop to her ankles. He hitched her leg, making them drop, eyes locking with hers. so that they dropped off, his eyes locked with hers. He wrapped her leg around his hip and was quickly inside of her.

  “Ah!” she breathed. It felt so good, but it nagged at her that he was here doing this here, now, when the party was going on outside that door. She considered what Joe had said about his head not being in the game lately. Anxiety spiked.

  “No, shhh, it’s okay,” he whispered and gyrated deeper, nuzzling into her neck and he started licking it below t
he collar, then took the collar off and dropped it on the floor, squeezing her throat possessively, massaging it.

  “I won’t let anyone take you from me, baby. Tell me you’re mine, only mine,” he murmured, his lips vibrating against her throat as he kissed her.

  She felt goosebumps rise all over, “I’m yours, only yours,” she whispered.

  “And I’m yours,” he whispered. She felt his teeth slowly elongating against her clavicle.

  “Whoa, Tristan?”

  “Baby…”

  “No, Tristan, wait,” she breathed, “You don’t want to bite me here, do you?”

  He growled, “Grrrrr. No. You’re right. You’re right.” He kissed her neck and then started to pick up the pace of penetration. He slipped the metal cuff off her wrist and it clanged as it hit the floor. He bit there instead. She held onto him with her other arm until they both climaxed while he drank just a little bit more. The sex was a little rough and pretty quick and then afterwards, he licked her wound and re-cuffed her bracelet.

  “Better?” she asked, getting her panties back up and trying to ignore the niggling feeling that this should be the last thing he would be doing right now.

  “Much,” he smiled with dimples. “I’m fine. No worries. Dinner should be served out there any time. We’ll go, eat, and then one dance and I’ll run you back to the apartment. Don’t stress, babe; I’ll feel better when you’re safely back there.”

  She nodded, straightened her appearance and put her mask on and then leaned down to retrieve the jewelry from the floor. He seemed totally centered and in control now.

  “Have I told you yet how gorgeous you look?” He kissed her.

  “Yes, thank you. So do you.” She wiped lipstick off his lower lip with her thumb. He kissed her thumb, piercing her soul with his intense gaze.

  He checked her wrist and then kissed it, holding his lips on the bite marks for a moment. Then he re-cuffed the bracelet.

  “No one will smell the blood?” she asked.

  “Nope, all sealed with a kiss,” he said.

  “I should use the facilities while we’re here,” she said softly.

  “I’ll wait right outside the door. Everything’ll be fine. Don’t stress.” He straightened his mask, washed his hands, and then straightened his tuxedo jacket. After he left she tried to regain some sort of composure. She re-applied the glossy red lipstick, trying to push away the lingering worries she had about his odd seesawing demeanor.

  She felt cramps in her tummy again. She doubled over for a second, wishing she’d had some pain medication in her small glittery red clutch purse. When she stepped back out into the hall Tristan was entrenched in a conversation with Sam a few feet from the door and he looked angry. His eyes swept over her and his brow furrowed.

  As she stepped toward them she merged with two attractive females walking in the same direction, both in masks so clearly attending the same party, “Look, he’s collared her,” one said, “Surprised he’s finally taken a pet…” the other mumbled. “She does smell appetizing.”

  “I pity anyone unfortunate enough to be his pet, though. He is such a prick.”

  “Yeah, well I hear the sex is amazing. He’s apparently feral and insatiable.”

  Kyla did her best to hold her face stoic and approached Sam and Tristan. Sam gave her a little smile, “You look especially lovely tonight,” he said.

  She smiled, “Thank you. You scrub up pretty good, yourself.”

  Tristan let out a little hiss and gave her a look laced with warning. For a split second she thought it was jealousy and then realized she shouldn’t be capable of anything resembling an intelligent conversation. She gave him an apologetic look and then fixed her eyes on the floor.

  Sam stepped aside, and she took Tristan’s arm and followed him back into the banquet hall. Servers were moving about the large room with carts filled with bowls.

  She quickly counted two rows of 6 tables each. Each table sat 10. She was astounded at the fact that at least half, likely way more than that, were vampires. She knew from what Tristan had said that this hotel banquet room held just some of the senior to high level staff and coalition members that he was associated with. She wondered how much of a vampire population this city had. She wondered what Kovac was supposed to be; how it functioned as a company in plain sight.

  When she and Tristan returned to their seats there were two other couples sitting down as well including Sam, who was with a woman. Tristan and Kyla arrived at the same time as Dawn and a man, who Kyla presumed was the Liam that Dawn had mentioned.

  The man was young-looking and attractive. He had blond hair, just past his shoulders, and dark eyes that were striking even from his dark mask. He and Dawn looked matched like Ken and Barbie. Although Kyla imagined to others that she and Tristan might look like the brunette equivalents tonight. She’d never felt so good about the way she looked before and being on his arm was exactly where she wanted to be. She only wished this was a normal banquet where she could truly enjoy herself, be herself, not a place with such high stakes.

  Kyla saw that it did say Liam on a place card at the other end of the table as she walked by and it had said Guest of Liam Donavan on the card where Dawn sat. She glanced down and saw the Guest of Samuel Jasper beside her seat. A blonde girl sat there quietly, sipping from a champagne flute. At least she wasn’t the only non-vampire at the table.

  Kyla’s stomach flipped, thinking about poor Julia. Where Jet and Isabelle sat, their place cards had both their names on them. Their surname was Jasper, too. Ah, Jet and Sam definitely resembled one another.

  Soup was being served to each person and the room was buzzing with conversation. Kyla caught sight of Andre Tsakos and the evil Rebecca three tables over. They were dressed to match in black and were cuddled up talking at their table, sitting with other beautiful “people”. One set of couples included a beautiful woman whose date was dressed in a black suit, but without a tie, his first few buttons were undone and he wore a silver chain link choker collar. Kyla now had another face to emulate. He looked impassive.

  Tristan didn’t introduce her to the others at their table. It was as if she and Sam’s guest didn’t exist. Judging by the conversations going on, the other couples at their table all consisted of vampires. Kyla ate her soup quietly and slowly, using it to keep busy until the next course. If she had something to do, she felt like she’d be less likely to blow her cover. Being able to mimic the girl beside her would be helpful, too.

  Tristan was asked about the fire and he recounted a few vague details. Conversations about the following day’s events took place, too, and from what Kyla could gather it seemed like there were several meetings and seminars taking place for different elements of business. It sounded like Kovac Capital was a diversified company with many divisions.

  She wondered how the tone and conversations of the event would differ if it had been at the house instead of in public like this. Before arriving, he’d told her to imagine it was a business conference, a cocktail party. He said all vampires would be careful because of the public nature of the event so there was nothing to fret about as long as she stayed at his side and had no noticeable reactions to anything.

  As she got to the last of the soup, the salad arrived. Kyla felt relief for the busy room, the mask, and the fact that she was being ignored, for the most part. She’d felt Dawn’s eyes on her several times and caught a glimpse of Dawn whispering to her date and they both seemed to be eyeing Kyla. She tried to focus on her salad.

  Through the conversation she found out that Jet and Sam were cousins. There was a definite resemblance. Tristan spoke at length to another dark-haired man about biofuel.

  Kyla’s cramps worsened toward the end of the main course of steak, glazed carrots, and baby potatoes. She wished she could lie down and curl into a ball, but sat quietly instead, thinking about the comments about being collared. It sounded so BDSM, but Tristan had told her that not only would it cover most of the bite marks on her throa
t, but it’d also tell everyone that she was Tristan’s pet, meaning that she was off limits.

  She picked through the dessert course of pretty little bite-sized dark chocolate cakes arranged on small plates with edible flowers and a garnish of red whipped icing. She was full and uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with having eaten too much, uncomfortable with the environment, of course, and with dull aching in her belly. She started to feel heat in her face, almost faint. Tristan leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You’re not okay, are you?”

  “No.” she whispered, feeling heat rise higher.

  He rose and excused himself and she took his arm, feeling faint and feeling the ache in her belly spike downward to her groin. It took everything in her to walk out of that banquet room calmly instead of drawing attention to herself by crying out from the pain. The minute they got into the hall she felt her knees turn to jelly and she stumbled. Tristan scooped her up into his arms,

  “Good job, baby. It’s okay. What is it? Your stomach?”

  “My stomach hurts so bad.”

  He fished his phone out of his pocket and was about to dial, but Sam was suddenly at his side. He tucked the phone away.

  “Get the car out front,” he told him. Sam dashed off.

  Tristan took her to the lobby. A concierge rushed over, asking, “Sir, is everything okay?”

  “My girlfriend is ill. I need to take her home. Sam Jasper will be back in a minute and he’ll speak to you and be your point of contact until I return.”

  What felt like a long moment later, Sam came through the revolving doors and motioned for Tristan to follow him. Tristan put Kyla into the back seat of the limo and got out for a moment and spoke to Sam. She pulled the masquerade mask off and curled into a ball, hands to her stomach.