Longing for You, стр. 8
The feel-good chemicals from Byron’s bite made her even more readyto come. Amelia’s sex grasped the strap-on inside her, and her body started toshake. It felt like it was going to be too much—the feeling was overwhelming.
“Byron, it’s too much. I can’t—”
Byron dropped the rope and wrapped her arms around Amelia’smiddle, allowing Amelia to put her hands over Byron’s. She felt safe,protected, and her orgasm started to tip over the edge.
“Oh God, oh God,” Amelia repeated in a desperate plea.
Byron thrust faster and faster until she lost control and pulledher teeth from Amelia’s neck.
“Fuck,” Byron shouted. Byron collapsed over Amelia’s back, breathingheavily. “God, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Amelia reached her hand into Byron’s hair and pulled her into akiss and tasted her own blood. She then pulled back and smiled. “More,Principe.”
* * *
Drasas walked down the castle steps and out into the stable blockat the back of the castle. She needed some air and to think. The Dreds’ humanestate workers and stable boys immediately put their heads down when theyrealized the Duca was there, and that gave Drasas a thrill. She wanted peopleto fear and tremble before her, the way they did when Victorija was around.
She walked up to one of the stable doors, and the horse neighed indistress and kicked the door. She hissed at it in return.
“Useless animals.”
But the horses were safe and well maintained for Victorija. Ifthere was only one thing in life Victorija took happiness in, it was herhorses. Drasas didn’t know why she cared for the filthy beasts, but everyoneknew you would meet your end by the Principe’s hands unless the horses werebetter taken care of than anything else on the Dred estate.
Leo, the vampire next in the chain of command, approached her.“Duca, how is the Principe?”
Drasas sighed. “I’m not sure. There’s definitely something notright. She hasn’t left her room in nearly a month.”
“The blood hunger? Is it any better?” Leo asked.
Drasas shook her head. “No, it’s worse. She’s requested onlyvampires feed her from now on. Something happened to her in Britain, when shekilled her grandmother. It left her—” Drasas wanted to say weak, but itwas too dangerous to even say those words out loud. If her words got back toher Principe… “Changed. We need to get to the bottom of this, Leo. Ournumbers have never been greater, and the Debreks never more distracted—andweaker, now that the Grand Duchess is dead. We need to strike them. The Debrekclan is our—Victorija’s—birthright.”
“The Principe is a born vampire. The most powerful vampire you canbe. What could affect her so badly?” Leo asked.
“I don’t know, but we must find out.”
Drasas knew she would have already struck the Debreks bynow. If only she had Victorija’s powers. Victorija was her mentor and she hadalways revered her, but since the Grand Duchess had reduced her to tears, andDrasas had found her in a ditch running from the Debrek vampires, Drasas hadlost a bit of respect for her.
“Organize a rota of vampires to feed the Principe,” Drasas said.
“Yes, Duca. There’s something else, an emissary has arrived andwould like to talk to you,” Leo said.
“An emissary from who?”
“A powerful ally, they said.”
“And they wanted to see me and not the Principe?” Drasas asked.
“Yes, shall I fetch them?”
“Yes, bring them here.”
Drasas paced around the courtyard. Why would someone want to seeher and not Victorija?
A few minutes later Leo led a slightly built blond-haired youngman into the stable block. Despite his youth and apparent lack of physicalstrength, he didn’t look away in fear. He had the air of someone who wasextremely confident in themselves and their safety.
“Are you Drasas, Duca of the Dred clan?” the young man said.
“Yes, and you are?”
“Asha.” He bowed his head.
Drasas waved Leo away. “Well, Asha, there’s not many who wouldwalk into a vampire lair willingly.”
“I have been sent as emissary from my mistress, Madam Anka. Haveyou heard of her?” Asha asked.
“Should I have?”
Asha chuckled. “Yes, you probably should.”
Drasas didn’t like his tone. She took a step towards him and baredher teeth. “Watch what you say.”
Asha didn’t flinch as she expected he would. “I mean nodisrespect, Duca, but my mistress is probably worth researching. Anyway, shehas asked me to convey this message.”
Asha handed her a letter with an old-fashioned wax seal on it. Sheripped it open and started to read while Asha said, “Madam Anka is a powerful,influential woman in the witch community. She would like to meet with you anddiscuss potential cooperation between the witches and the Dred vampires.”
Drasas looked up from the letter. “Witches helping vampires? Areyou joking?”
“No, Madam Anka never jokes,” Asha said.
This was insane. “You are aware that my Principe just killed thehigh priestess of the Paris coven? The covens in France are baying for ourheads, apparently.”
“Yes, my mistress was most pleased to get Lillian out of the way.It only helps her cause. As for the other covens, there are different kinds ofcovens, Duca, some light and some darker.”
“Why me? Why not talk to my Principe?” Drasas asked.
“We understand your Principe is having some…difficulties at themoment, and my mistress can help with that. Think about it. The contact detailsare in the letter.”
Asha bowed and walked away. Drasas looked both ways to see who’dseen her talking to Asha, but everyone was busy with their own work. She shouldtake this to Victorija, but then again, she wasn’t herself.
Drasas stuffed the letter in her pocket and felt a small knot offear in her stomach. Was this treacherous? No, Drasas decided. She was the onlyone capable of dealing with this new information. She would tell the Principewhat she needed to know when she found out.
Chapter Three
Alexis shut her bedroom door and walked along the corridor in thedirection of the staircase. She was heading to the mess hall in the basement totalk with one of her vampires.
She came to the top of the grand staircase and looked at thethrong of people below. The Principessa, with the help of Katie, was overseeingthe revamp of the Debreks’ London home, and for