Reign of Nightmares (Blood Throne Book 1)

by Quinn Arthurs

  “I understand, pet. Just close your eyes. It won’t hurt, I promise.” Her tongue stroked lightly across my skin, tracing the sensitive curve, and my breath caught in my throat. Her lips closed around me, sucking lightly as her tongue flicked with gentle, teasing strokes. I angled my head to give her better access, groaning lightly as the tips of her fangs grazed me before sinking deep. “Fuck!”

  I was instantly hard as a rock, lights dancing in the corner of my eyes as my blood plummeted south. My eyes rolled into the back of my head with a moan as she sucked and licked, taking swallow after swallow of my blood. It was as though she had wrapped her mouth around my cock at the same time it was wrapped around my neck, each suck and flick geared toward making me come as hard and as fast as she could. Every pull of her mouth had me throbbing against my pants and heat burning through my veins as I panted and writhed. Her hands came up to hold me in place, keeping me still as she fed and drove me closer and closer to the ledge. My hips thrust forward, searching for relief against the fire that flooded me. Her fangs pulled from my throat for a moment before she struck again, and that was all it took to have me coming hard as a moan ripped through me, the pleasure radiating throughout my body.

  Her fangs slid from my neck and she licked over the wound, washing away the remaining blood and sealing the wound before she stepped away. She slipped around to the chair opposite me, settling into it as her skirt flowed around her. Color flushed her cheeks and her lips, painting them in shades of rose. Not a drop of blood remained to show what she had just done, her manner cool and calm as she reached for a book. She hadn’t even touched me, and I’d come like a teenage boy with his first girl, yet here she was acting as though she hadn’t just turned me inside out with pleasure. I stroked a trembling hand lightly across my neck as I sought the marks. I could feel my skin slightly dimpled in, much the way it would look if another human had bitten me, but no blood remained behind.

  “You’re welcome to use my shower, pet. There should be extra pants in my bathroom that will fit you for the moment, but in the future you will want to have a few changes of your clothing here. I’d send you down to your rooms, but we’ve wasted quite a bit of time this morning already.” She’d already pulled a book in front of her, her hair falling forward as she bent over it, giving it her focus. I was slightly shaky as I pushed to my feet, though whether that was the blood loss or the orgasm, I couldn’t be sure. I headed for the shower, hoping the pounding water would help to clear my head because, as of now, there was no way I could look at her and think “servant,” let alone “monster.” And maybe, just maybe, that made her even more dangerous than she already was.

  Chapter Five

  Elsie

  That had been far more intense than I bargained for. I pressed my thighs together, seeking the friction I so desperately needed, debating if I would have enough time to take care of this pleasure that bordered on pain before Sebastian returned. Probably not, no matter how badly I needed release. Where I had enjoyed his blood from the sip I had last night, between the bond connecting us and drinking my fill, I was about ready to combust. The way he had moaned as my mouth worked across his skin, his taste coating my tongue, the muscles in his arms rippling under my hands as I held him against me… I shivered as my core clenched. I needed to focus, to distract myself. I wasn’t the kind of vampire who let herself be sidetracked by the needs of my body. Sex, hunger, comfort, and even sleep could all be put off or redirected. My research was what mattered, and no matter how gorgeous or delicious my new pet was, I would not allow him to be the diversion that brought me to my knees. I heard the water turn off, followed by Sebastian shuffling around and redressing. He would need to eat now, a decent meal to help his body replace what he had lost. Our bond would make him stronger and allow him to lose more blood without detriment, but it wasn’t foolproof. He still needed to be cared for to keep himself at the peak of health, and food was one thing that would do that. I pushed to my feet, pulling the bell cord twice in a row, the signal for whatever servant was closest to immediately attend. It only took moments for a knock to sound on the door, and I tugged it open, showcasing a small, cowering male servant with dark hair covering his face. His shoulders were hunched too far down to guess at his height or what he looked like, though I was pretty sure he was close to my own stature or a little shorter. I’d have to question Sebastian about the changes in service, seeing as females were normally the only gender in this wing of the castle, not males.

  “A tray of human food for my pet,” I ordered briskly, glancing back with only minor irritation at my books. Hopefully we wouldn’t need to do this little routine every time I needed to feed. I hated wasting time when I could be researching. “Heavy on the sugar and protein, and quickly too.”

  “Yes, miss.” His words were a whimper as he scurried away, nearly tripping over his feet in his haste, making me roll my eyes. Sebastian might have wondered why he was my first pet, why he had caught my eye, but it was the fact that he still held that fire inside him, that seed of rebellion so carefully hidden behind his polite facade, which had sparked my interest in claiming him. I had lived for many years, and I couldn’t remember meeting his counterpart.

  I let the door swing shut, returning to my place at the desk as Sebastian exited the bathroom, rubbing a towel across his hair to dry the mixed strands. Wet like this, it was harder to see the gold threads, his hair turning to a blend of shades of brown and black due to the water that had soaked it. The pants were snug against his body, riding low to showcase a strip of his toned abdomen and clinging to his thickly muscled thighs. I forced my eyes away, stroking a tongue against my fangs as he placed the towel in the hamper and joined me, a blush staining his cheeks and sneaking up to color the tips of his ears.

  “I ordered a meal for you,” I told him quietly as I organized the stack of books I wanted to review for the day. He jolted, his ocean blue eyes widening as they met mine, his dark brows sharply arched. “It’s imperative that you take proper care of your health. That means eating properly, as well as exercising and resting. I assume I won’t need to spell those areas out, but if you need specific directions, I am happy to provide it. After feedings, sugar and protein will return your health the quickest.”

  “Thank you, mistress.” His words were softly wary, though if I wasn’t mistaken, a touch of his bitterness had disappeared from his tone. A knock sounded on the door, and he hurried to answer it, taking the tray from the same male servant I had seen before. I didn’t even have to open my mouth to direct him when he pulled a chair away from the table and settled the tray on his lap away from the precious and fragile books. The fare the servant had found was simple—juice, bread, baked rabbit—but it should replenish him.

  “While you eat, I’ll go over a little of what I’m looking for here. Your comments were well thought out, your writing clear. I will still keep your books to the side at first for my own review, but if, in the future, you prove you can research seamlessly, that precaution will no longer be necessary.” I tapped my pencil against my lips as I considered him. The bond was fully formed now, he wouldn’t be sharing my secrets, but it didn’t mean I wanted him to know everything about my research, at least not yet. “I’m looking for any historical information about the formation of the vampire species. Anything regarding the rise to power, vampires and plagues, and even generalized observations,” I hedged.

  He squinted slightly as he took another bite of his food. “Wouldn’t you know some of this already? I mean, it is your own history. Added to that, many of these books were written by humans or witches, I’m not sure they would provide information a vampire would need.” He was intelligent, and I knew keeping the truth of my research to myself wouldn’t be something I could do for long. Not when he would begin to understand it himself, especially if he came across what I needed—salvation for my people.

  I tugged another pad of paper toward myself as I began noting titles I wanted him to review. “I’m hoping to find other account
s of my history to ensure what I am working with is fact rather than the diluted version oral recitations can cause. Humans and witches may not know the truth of my history, but it does not mean they haven’t observed—or even hunted—vampires and do not have information to add. Some of these aren’t in the common tongue,” I warned him, adding another book to his list. The language we spoke now had evolved around the time of the plagues when the population had been decimated. Vampires, humans, and witches from all across the world had needed a way to communicate effectively, so the common tongue had been born and refined over the years, the original languages of different countries all but forgotten. “Don’t be afraid to set them aside, but many have sketches inside, so they at least need reviewed and noted so they can be translated later.”

  He hesitated, drinking deeply to finish the juice, the muscles in his throat working hard before he set the glass aside. “I can read and write in six languages besides the common tongue, mistress.”

  “Well now,” I murmured, stacking yet another book on the pile for him, “it seems I’ve chosen well. I speak five, myself, so between us I think we should have a fair grasp. Make sure you mark anything you can’t translate accurately. I don’t want to miss anything due to pride.” I arched a brow, making sure he understood the seriousness of my demand. The littlest thing could determine my people’s future, and I wasn’t going to let anything stop the vampires from thriving.

  Sebastian finished the last of his meat, setting the tray aside before heading to wash his hands. I began my own pile of books, including the diary I hadn’t had a chance to finish the night before. Having Sebastian help me would slow me down slightly in the beginning, but if he proved to be as useful as I thought—especially if he had more surprises in store for me—then my task might come to an end far sooner than I could have ever hoped to accomplish on my own. A knock on the door had Sebastian frowning before he approached. It was fascinating to watch his faithful, competent servant’s mask slide onto his expressive face.

  I bit off a groan when the door swung open to reveal Draven and Crowe. While they had promised to return in the morning, I was truly surprised no one had managed to eat Draven. Maybe Sebastian would know more about the twin witches, and I could pump him for information when the pair left. I was far from social, so my not knowing them hadn’t surprised me, but with Draven’s mouth he had to be a recent addition to our ranks or damn lucky to have survived as long as he had. Or powerful. The thought flitted through my mind as I studied the pair. They matched again today, their black shirts and pants hugging their muscular frames in perfect unison, down to the smallest stretch of abdomen that was visible over the engraved silver buckles of their belts.

  “So you’ve returned.” I arched a brow as they stepped inside, letting Sebastian latch the door. I could practically hear Draven grinding his teeth as the pair nodded. “Well, come get to work then.”

  “Thank you.” Crowe inclined his head, towing his brother toward the stack of books they had left the day before. Sebastian settled into his seat beside mine, watching the pair across from us. Draven pulled a small knife from his hip, flipping it idly between his fingers. He didn’t even appear to notice he was doing it, the gesture so smoothly practiced it was clear this was a common habit. I waited for a moment, expecting Draven to devolve into the banter he’d tried last night, but it seemed his brother had impressed upon him the importance of staying alive. Pity. I still wanted to bite him.

  Chapter Six

  Elsie

  The four of us managed to perform our research silently over the course of the next several hours. The only sounds were the turning of pages, the scribble of pencils on paper, and the occasional thunk of Draven’s blade against the table. I set aside the book I’d been reading with a growl for its uselessness and tugged out the next from my pile. I’d need to break soon, I knew, if for nothing else than to ensure Sebastian was fed. Humans took quite a bit of care…

  “What exactly should we call you?” Draven drawled, interrupting the silence that had been the room’s constant companion.

  I snapped my head up, my lip curling back in a snarl, before I caught the direction of his stare. He wasn’t focused on me as I had expected, instead his gaze was trained on Sebastian who had removed another book from the stack I’d set aside for him. He was keeping a good pace—I’d need to switch over to reviewing his choices soon. “I assume your name isn’t actually ‘pet,’ of course.”

  Sebastian froze, his head cocking to the side, making the rainbow of brown and blond locks fall across his forehead. I watched quietly, wondering if he’d take the initiative and answer Draven’s question or if he’d turn to me for permission first. A smile wanted to tug at my lips when he shifted to meet Draven’s stare head-on. My pet was not one to cower. My tongue came out to wet my lips when I saw his shoulders straighten, putting pressure on the seams of his white shirt. “Ash,” he replied smoothly, startling me. Well now, my pet had surprised me again, giving out a nickname rather than his true name.

  Crowe leaned back in his chair, the wood creaking as he studied my pet. “Really now? I thought I heard you called Sebastian.” His dark eyes narrowed as he studied my pet. “If you’re worried about providing your true name, you must realize we can find that quite easily.” Names held power, and with Sebastian indicating his mother had been a witch, he would realize that.

  Sebastian wasn’t cowed by the other man, merely arching a golden brow. “He asked what he should call me, not what my full name is. If he had requested my birth name, I would have been foolish not to provide it as my mistress uses it.”

  “And if you prefer Ash, then why do you have your mistress address you as Sebastian?” Draven challenged, balancing the dagger on the tip of his finger. Could that man ever stop playing with the damn thing? All it did was remind me how much I wanted to stab him. Blood tasted different if I licked it off the edge of a knife, but sometimes I preferred not making such a mess of my face, especially if I was playing with my food or if I didn’t care for the flavor of their blood, which in a witch’s case was likely. Besides, using a knife on my prey let me look into their eyes while I bled them out. It was far more fitting for my enemies than biting them, at least in my mind. I wanted to see what broke them—they didn’t get the same courtesies that someone who was simply a meal would receive.

  “My interactions with my mistress, including what she calls me, are of no concern to you,” Sebastian replied before I decided if I was going to rip the foolish witch’s throat out.

  “I’m always interested in things that are different.” Draven flipped the blade in a flare of silver, rubbing his thumb lightly over the edge. It wasn’t enough to slice the skin, but the motion drew his blood to the very edge, scoring light pink lines in its wake. “For example, I’m well aware she fed from you and in a way that brought you pleasure, yet the linens on the bed don’t bear more than the tiniest hint of your scent and aren’t rumpled.” Sebastian’s eyes shot to my bed before his brows drew down in a frown. Ah, even my observant little pet had been too distracted by his first feeding to notice I’d made my own bed. I’d have to let him know it was not in deference to the servants, rather that I preferred to limit the number of people who touched my things and that I hated working in a messy environment. It only took a minute to do when I got up, and unless the bedding needed to be changed, I would continue to perform the duty myself rather than wait to begin my research or take time from his own work to force him to perform the menial chore. If he proved as useful as it seemed he would, if the notes that were piled in front of him were any indication, then I might have to insist another servant see to the basic chores here.

  “How would you know if my scent is on them?” Sebastian retorted, his eyes darting back to Draven. He steepled his fingers, pressing them against his chin as he studied the witch. Crowe set his book aside with a frown, rubbing at his brow. If I had to guess, I’d say the headache he was currently sporting had more to do with his brother’s mouth t
han with the hours of reading he had just done.

  Draven’s lips quirked. “Witch perk.”

  “Bullshit,” Sebastian snapped, making me bubble out a laugh. Three sets of eyes whipped around to look at me. I smiled prettily, raking my gaze over my pet.

  “Go on then, pet,” I encouraged, tapping my finger against my lips, drawing their eyes to my fangs. “Tell us why it’s bullshit.” I was loving this side of Sebastian. He seemed to find the witches as obnoxious as I did, and they quickly drew that fire out of him, letting me soak in his fury. What else lay inside of him? Was that darkness only a flickering shadow or was there a deeper, more violent secret locked inside my pet? It was the first step in getting him to unleash everything to me, for me, and I clenched my thighs together at the promise of that. I had been honest last night when I’d told him I hadn’t planned on taking him into my bed, but seeing him come apart underneath my fangs earlier, feeling his hard body next to mine, it had me rethinking my stance. I wouldn’t force him, but with how passionate the man was underneath that perfect servant’s shell, I had no doubt he would be explosive once it was removed.

  “Witches don’t have enhanced senses,” Sebastian explained to me, a scowl on his face as he turned back to the twins.

  “Most witches don’t have enhanced senses, it’s true. I am not, however, most witches.” Draven’s smile was taunting as he drew another line with his blade.

  “Nor am I most vampires,” I interjected, leaning forward. “My relations with my pet are not your concern.”

  “Dray.” Crowe’s tone was sharp as he reached out to touch his twin’s shoulder. Draven ignored his brother, the irises in his eyes burning red as he studied me, slowly dragging the knife across his skin in a blatant provocation.