Master of The City: Danilo Parts 25-28
Jun. 9th, 2005 08:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jessara40k_ljYet more of Danilo. I'll try to finish this one soon.
Part XXV – Castle
I could hear Nathaniel moving about in the bedroom, and the ardeur flared. I went through to him, pinned him down on floor and stripped him swiftly. I let Raina come more to the fore, letting her tastes influence mine – I wouldn’t let her hurt him seriously, and he did like it rough. I could feel my eyes changing under Raina’s influence and knew they would be the amber of my wolf form.
Afterwards, as I forced her back I felt just how well I’d been able to feed the ardeur, almost as well as with Maria the night before. I looked down at Nathaniel’s body, I’d cut his chest up pretty badly, the way Raina had cut up Jason’s chest. I’d also put some bites around his shoulders, never going near his neck, it would be too tempting. I called Raina once more, to heal him this time.
“You had your payment in advance this time, so don’t give me any trouble.” I snarled at her inside my head, and she accepted it reluctantly. We licked at the wounds we’d inflicted on our pet, leaving only smooth, perfect skin behind us, our power smoothed the flesh like an invisible hand. One day I’d have to try to figure out how to do this without calling Raina, but not today, not today.
“Go and run a bath for us Nathaniel.” He obeyed quickly and I searched the closets for something appropriate. A loose, dark blue velvet tunic seemed best, with black jeans and ankle boots with inch high kitten heels. I walked through to the bathroom and slid into the bath, pulling Nathaniel with me. I’d spent time learning exactly what felt good for him and I curled around him from behind, kissing and biting at his neck. I was careful not to draw blood, but I did leave little red marks where my teeth had been. When I tired of teasing him I moved around to straddle him and lowered myself down. Once he’d entered me I gripped his hips, digging my nails in and pulling him hard into me, leaving bleeding red crescents on his skin.
I’d managed to keep my hair dry by pulling it into a high ponytail beforehand, but Nathaniel hadn’t, so I moved around him to wash it. He turned to clean me up with gentle teasing touches, leaning in to bite lightly at my breasts, licking a few drops of water from my skin. I climbed out of the bath finally and dried myself off, leaving Nathaniel to take care of himself. I waited, impatiently for Nathaniel to blow dry his hair and plait it, it’s the one thing he’s always been willing to insist on. He’s too submissive for me to let him wander about Mab’s castle by himself, and I didn’t want to restrict him to my rooms. He’d barely gotten dressed when I spoke.
“Accompany me Nathaniel. I wish to explore.”
“Yes Anita.” He followed at my side, trailing slightly behind as I left our quarters. I paused to cover the castle with my senses and headed for the largest group of waking vampires I could find – all three of them. Only one was a master, even from a distance I could tell that, so the others had to be older than Damian, perhaps even older than his master Mab, she was awake too – but I didn’t think she wanted too much to do with me.
When I found them the three vampires were curled together, the older two wrapped protectively around the younger master. He was about 500 with red-brown hair while the elder two were somewhere between 4000 and 5000 with hair the colour of new copper. Mab apparently shared my taste for long hair on men as they all had hair falling past their shoulders. Looking closer I could see that the younger one was chained to the floor and they were all gazing at me with fear in their brown eyes.
“I give you my word of honour that I will not harm you during my visit to your master’s territory. I am Anita Blake, this is my pomme de sang Nathaniel. Would you please introduce yourselves?”
“As you wish Lady Anita.” It was the youngest who spoke, the fear slowly fading from his eyes that were the same shade as mine. “I am Connor, these are Mael,” this one had the lighter brown eyes, almost amber, “and Garus.” whose eyes were a warm milk chocolate brown. “Forgive me if I am being rude...but what is the purpose of your visit?”
“Mab challenged me over two of my followers, and we agreed that if I won I would have the right to choose three of her followers to take as mine. But I don’t want any more masters in my territory – I’ve already got five, and one who will reach master status in the next fifty years.”
“I would not wish to go with you anyway, not if it meant leaving my friends behind – and I doubt that you would choose all three of us. But I am no threat to you surely, not with the power you hold.”
“You’re 500 years old, I’m not even 30 – and that’s counting the years before I died. I was a master before I was brought over last year you see. Had you not heard about this? I seem to be pretty well known among most vampires, famous – or infamous rather.”
“We do not hear much of vampire gossip here, our master does not receive many visitors, and although she visits court she rarely permits those who accompany her leisure to speak to the rest of us. Forgive my insolence...but could you tell me just why you are infamous?”
“I’ve killed a lot of vampires, I lost count when it passed thirty, and that was while I was human. I’m also a necromancer so powerful that only the old legends seem to fit my abilities, at one point Jean-Claude let his followers believe I could raise vampires like zombies – the joke being that while he thought it a bluff, I can. We kept that quiet for a while, by that point I’d joined with Jean-Claude and an Ulfric, Richard, in a triumvirate of power – that let us challenge the council. For a while we were equals, but after the Traveler sent me a master vampire as a gift Jean-Claude acknowledged me as his master. We hid it until Alessandro kidnapped Jean-Claude and named the price for his release my becoming a vampire. He never intended to keep his word, so when I rose for the first time, as a master I killed him then we appealed to the council because I did not wish to be Master of the City. The only acceptable option they offered was for me to take St. Louis from Jean-Claude and make him my personal pet.”
“How could a master vampire go from being Master of the City to being another master’s personal pet?” Mael spoke up sounding mystified, I couldn’t blame him – I didn’t really understand it myself. Oh I understood the mechanics so to speak, but I couldn’t understand why Jean-Claude had behaved as he did, despite his repeated attempts to explain.
“Jean-Claude isn’t really powerful enough to hold a city by himself.” I made an attempt to explain what I could and to put it in terms that would be familiar and recognisable. “But I protect what is mine with everything I have. Jean-Claude knows that and so he decided to be mine, so he would be safe. That’s all he ever wanted power for, to keep himself safe, so he wouldn’t be used by anyone who wanted him.” They would certainly understand wanting to be safe – especially belonging to Mab.
“You refuse to share him then?” Garus sounded curious, and slightly doubtful.
“I won’t let anybody force him into their beds, I don’t mind if he sleeps with people he wants to as long as he gets my permission – he has to, to feed the ardeur. Actually I’m more willing to share him now, as his master than I was as part of his triumvirate, when we were equals – at least theoretically equals, the fact that he let me dictate his choice of lovers seems to say something to the contrary. I was always too insecure to share him then.
“Why are you chained up like this Connor? Or is it rude and insensitive of me to ask?”
“I angered Mab by refusing to seduce and then kill someone for her. She wanted it to look as if a human had killed him so I wouldn’t have been able to feed. Besides his sexual preferences were not to my tastes, nor was he. I’d have had to hold his attention for at least a month before killing him.”
“And your friends wish to comfort you?”
“Yes, we stay here to comfort Connor, but also we bring him blood.” Mael seemed to be the more confident of the two lesser vampires, Garus just wrapped closer around Connor.
“How long have you been chained up like this?”
“A year.” Connor had finally relaxed enough to see me sexually, he did desire me, but not as much as even Maria had – even now I cannot understand why so many supernatural creatures find me so desirable. A year seemed excessive for refusing to kill someone; I’d do something about it if I could.
“I want to explore some more of the castle at the moment. I might come to visit you again later.” With that I led Nathaniel out and we went in search of food, even when I was human I neglected to eat fairly often, now I almost never remembered that mortals needed to eat, and Nathaniel was too submissive to remind me. I’d passed the kitchen on my way out earlier, it was near the stables, and yes, they were still in use. There were a couple of werewolves busy in the kitchen, preparing some sort of stew. It was a rather old fashioned kitchen, a large room with a large block table in the middle. There were two large ovens and two open fires, each with a large pot heating above it. One fire was banked, while the other was at full heat, and the stew was being made on it.
“My leopard needs something to eat. Feed him now and make arrangements for him to eat when he needs to.”
“There’s always a pot of stew simmering, he’s free to get a bowl and some bread whenever he wants to, or he could get some cheese or fruit. If he wants something else he’ll have to make arrangements beforehand – send one of the other wolves down to the kitchen.” The greying, almost matronly werewolf seemed torn between addressing herself to me and addressing herself to Nathaniel, opening cupboards to show where the bread, cheese and fruit were stored. The younger wolf, with short-cropped sandy hair moved to dish out a bowl of the stew and bring a loaf over for Nathaniel. He sat to eat at the table, under my watchful eyes. Just as he was about to eat a thought occurred to him.
“What about regularly scheduled meals? I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“We serve a number of roasts at one in the afternoon, with vegetables, in the servants dining hall. The cooked meat is stored here afterwards for the next day; anyone who wants it is free to help themselves, then it goes into the stew. Apart from that there’s nothing scheduled.” Nathaniel settled down to eat after that reassurance.
“Once he’s finished eating I’d like one of you to show us to the servants dining hall, so he can go there if he wants to.” I could tell that they were surprised by my consideration of Nathaniel’s needs. Finally the older werewolf managed to speak.
“Danagh can show you to the servants dining hall if that is your wish.”
“Yes, it is. He is after all mine, and I owe him a duty of care.”
xxXxx
Part XXVI – Formal Greeting
When we returned to our rooms Damian was awake and there was a new werewolf waiting for us. She had served as Damian's meal, but it was plain that she also had a message for us.
“Lady Anita, my master has chosen to invite you to a more formal greeting than she offered on your first arrival. It is scheduled for midnight and I am to escort you there when it is time.”
“Thank you. I am honoured that she should choose to greet me this way. I will return again in good time for the ceremony.” She didn’t say anything, just bowed her head in acknowledgement, but I could sense her disapproval. “Damian, would you care to show me something of the castle? And perhaps introduce me to any friends you had here?”
“Of course, Anita. I didn’t have many friends here, but there are a few, a very few who I’ve missed.” He offered me his arm and I let him lead me out once I’d told Nathaniel to stay in our rooms.
We didn’t have much time to wander around the castle, not compared to it’s size – so once we’d found Deirdre we just talked to her – she wasn’t interested in entering my service. She didn’t like Mab, but I terrified her and she could barely speak in my presence. I quickly grew tired of her and left, telling Damian to get back to our rooms by eleven, and handing him my watch to make sure he did.
Me – I went straight back there and began taking care of the guns I’d brought with me. I’d only bothered with my Browning and the Firestar, but I cleaned them as thoroughly as I could, ignoring the look of shock such an action garnered from the wolf. Nathaniel had actually been doing the same with the Glock I’d bought him and started on the knives I’d brought with me; four small and the big one that went down my back. Hanging around me you either get used to fighting or you end up getting yourself killed – I’d spent time training Nathaniel so he’d be able to deal with a fight.
I started getting dressed around ten. I had bothered to bring formal wear, just in case, but I hadn’t expected to use it. I wasn’t going to wear the sort of things Jean-Claude used to try putting me into, not unless there was a very good reason – like having to appear before the council. Instead I’d had a few dresses made to order and brought some along with me. I’d settle for just carrying two knives, I wasn’t exactly going to be in any danger at the greeting ceremony – I know I don’t really need weapons any more, but paranoia dies hard. I wore the knives in a pair of wrist sheathes, so I picked out a dress with sleeves that would hide them. The one I chose was a rich deep red and had a long full skirt with a sweetheart neckline, vaguely Mediaeval in style and I wore the ruby necklace the Traveler had given to me with it. I’d specified that I wasn’t going to wear high heels with the dresses when I’d ordered them, instead buying soft slippers; again they were vaguely Mediaeval in style to go with each dress. I even used some make-up, not as much as when I get one of my followers to do it, just my lips and eyes. I left my hair loose and enjoyed watching my escort dress.
Nathaniel was more comfortable walking about half-naked than Damian, so he wore nothing other than skin-tight leather pants in a purple to match his eyes while Damian was wearing a loose silk tunic and pants in a green perhaps two shades paler than his eyes. I never did see the point of co-ordinating the outfits of my retinue, I’m powerful enough not to need to put on a show.
The wolf led us to the Great Hall at the stroke of midnight, I hadn’t actually bothered to find out her name, it didn’t really matter, but when we reached the entrance Mab’s human servant stopped us before he made the announcement of our presence.
“The Lady Necromancer Anita Blake, Master of St. Louis, Nimir-Ra of the Blooddrinkers pard, the Executioner, Bolverk of the Thronnos Roke pack and Damian and Nathaniel, her chosen companions.” I suppose it does make an impressive list when you put all of my titles together like that – normally I just use the most appropriate title for who I’m dealing with. The Executioner for assassins and the like, Master of St. Louis for vampires and so forth. The order of the titles was interesting in itself, necromancy first, then my vampire title, my other ruling title, and the only subordinate title last – when I thought of it that way it made sense, except perhaps for the necromancy bit.
Mab was waiting to greet us as we walked – to greet me rather.
“Anita Blake, greetings and welcome to my territory.” She pushed her hair from her neck and turned her head to expose it, I leaned into her, placing a hand on her shoulder for balance and kissed the displayed pulse gently. There was something about her scent that created a surge of power in my body, starting low. She was scared of me, very scared despite her unwilling arousal and it drew me in an almost sexual manner. I backed away from her quickly, lest I do something...inappropriate.
“Mab, Master of Drogheda, greetings. I am honoured by your hospitality.” She smiled and waved a hand at the vampires she had gathered in the hall, some fifty or more.
“I had thought it would help you if you could meet some of my vampires here and now, if there are any you have already met who have caught your attention you are welcome to speak of it to me.”
“My thanks. Damian, Nathaniel, you do not need to dance attendance on me,” I paused and raised my voice, “but know that anyone who harms what is mine will suffer in repayment.
“Mab, there is a vampire I have met who I would like to try out, but you keep him in chains, Connor, he said his name was.”
“I will have him unchained and sent to your rooms by six tomorrow, six in the afternoon that is. Have any others of my followers caught your attention?”
“That sweet little thing you sent to me to request permission to enter your territory was pleasing – a pity you never taught her to use her tongue to any great effect, of course training isn’t everything, and I’m sure I’ll be able to educate her if I do choose to claim her.”
“Yes, I’m sure you will. I never saw any point in training those I only take to my bed on occasion, only my more...regular lovers. Such as my Damian, but he isn’t mine anymore, he’s yours for all eternity. He was always one of my favourites, that’s why I challenged you, if I’d won the council would never have took him from me again.” There was wistfulness in her voice, she didn’t seem to see any point in trying to hide what she felt from me. Because I’m well known for despising politics and too powerful to bother with using her emotions against her. And I was feeling a strange connection with her as well, had been since we duelled. I expected it would wear off with time and distance, it had almost faded completely until I arrived here and she offered me her neck in formal greeting.
“Did you ever expect me to give him up? Do not answer that, either way could be an insult or name you fool. But would you tell me if there is any you consider to have particular skills?”
“I chose those I am most willing to lose to attend this party. But you have the right to claim any you wish. Daran attend me!” She had glanced into the crowd and a vampire about 200 years old and five feet six inches tall with black hair cut off at his shoulders and dark grey eyes began making his way towards us. She turned back to me once she knew he was coming and continued. “If it is unusual talents that interest you he can coax any plant into growing, and growing wonderfully. Not of any practical use I know, but it gives me a ready supply of flowers for decorating my home and so I indulge him.
“Daran, speak to my guest, I thought she might wish to know about the plants you grow.”
“Yes, Mistress.” At that she turned and left me. “What would please you Lady Anita?”
“Just use my name, Anita, or Ms Blake if you wish to be formal. I prefer that to this nonsense of using titles. I don’t need a title to reassure myself of how important I am.”
“Yes Anita. But what do you want me to speak to you about?”
“Mab said you were good with plants – how did that happen?”
“I always loved plants, starting from when I was mortal. So when I was brought over I took some plants from anywhere I could and planted them in whatever places I could find around the castle. I spent what spare time I had tending to my plants, apparently no-one else touched them but they grew better than any plants had for me before. When Mab found out she thought it was hilarious, until she saw the flowers I’d gotten from a rose bush. Then she decided to let me grow my plants in the open, it’s my main duty now, although I am expected to sleep with any of her guests who want me.”
“I see.” Something to consider, he was telling the truth and it was such an unusual gift. The black haired vampire had also made my shortlist. I spent some time speaking to the other vampires Mab had invited but found only one other who caught my attention, a silver blond about 4000 years old called Iufi. He was a healer and a herbalist, and I found that intriguing. It could also be useful to have a healer in my service as although the pack had doctors and the rodere did, the pard did not, nor were any of the vampire doctors in St. Louis in my personal service.
It was nearing dawn by the time I collected my escort and went to bed. Just before I went to sleep after we had bathed together I contacted Jean-Claude to check on him, finding that he’d been lent to Micah that night. I wondered how Micah was treating him before I relaxed into human sleep.
xxXxx
Notes: This chapter contains m/m sex, and is pretty much irrelevant to the storyline as a whole, all you really need to know is that Micah doesn’t hurt Jean-Claude and he finds a fifth person who’ll bother to consider his pleasure in bed.
Part XXVII – Micah
I woke up to feel someone stroking my hair and just relaxed into it. When I finally opened my eyes I looked up to see Anita’s consort, Micah gazing down at me.
“Am I yours for the night then?”
“Yes, unless it offends you greatly.”
“Why would that matter?” It didn’t matter after all, only my master’s wishes were relevant, not mine. He seemed unable to speak for a moment so I continued. “I have no objection to being yours, so how might I please you?”
“You need to feed on me first – you’ll be useless until you do won’t you?” As he spoke he pulled me up into a sitting position and began to push me against him, gently holding my face against his neck.
“Not for everything. But I do appreciate this.” My voice was no more than a murmur, then I sank my fangs into his neck. I couldn’t take his mind and I didn’t really understand why he was willing to let me feed on him when it would hurt – but I wasn’t going to refuse the blood of an alpha. He only let me sit back when I’d finished feeding and I waited for him to tell me what to do.
“Go and run a bath and make sure there’s enough towels for both of us Jean-Claude.”
“As you wish.” His commands were simple enough, and I knew he wouldn’t hurt me and risk angering Anita. I went through to the bathroom and prepared the bath for him, while it was running I checked that there were enough towels, the servants have got used to allowing for two or more people to share every night and so there were. Once the water had reached about half way up I went to get Micah.
“It is almost done, mon minet. Is there any particular scent you want me to use for the bubble bath?” After all Anita has become a fan of using the same scent for everything, not that I never did the same.
“Just whatever you like – I know you’ve got incredible taste.” He paused and looked up and down my body, taking in the loose black pants and shirt. “But you should take those off, it is a little hard to bathe in your clothes.”
I obeyed quickly, not bothering to put on any sort of show but noting his arousal, then moved to him and removed his sweatshirt and jeans, nuzzling at his groin until he lifted my head away from him.
“Not just yet. You can do that for me after we’re clean.” I backed off and led him through to the bathroom, adding a cinnamon scented bubble bath to the water, then waited for instructions. “Get in here with me – I want to wash you myself.” Well that was hardly a hardship, nor was the feel of his hands on my body anything to complain of. He treated me as a piece of priceless artwork, not his to keep, only his to admire. I wasn’t surprise to find him hard when I turned to give him his due, nor to find myself responding to his touch and awestruck desire. “Not in the bath.” he whispered when I began bending to take him in my mouth.
“Shall we take this to the bed then?” I teased him gently, some of my earlier masters would never have let me do that, but Anita didn’t mind and so no-one who belonged to her would object to a little teasing.
“Oh definitely. Stay in there.” He stopped me as I was about to get out, then dried himself off. “You can get out now.” He was holding a towel out for me, and he dried my body with the same...respect he’d used to wash it. Then he led me through to the bed, pulling me down to lie beside him, exploring my body with his hands. I wasn’t sure what he wanted from me so I merely lay passive until he spoke. “You are free to feed on me, the ardeur as well as merely your thirst for blood. But then you should have known that, after all I have never denied you that.”
I didn’t respond, just knelt beside him, waiting for instructions. His hands reached out to me, pulling my head down to his groin. “I think I’ll take what you offered earlier now.” There was a teasing lilt to his voice as he told me what to do, running his hands through my hair. “Let you feed now, then we can have fun.”
I crouched down beside him to offer him the pleasure he’d refused earlier, pausing in surprise when he pushed a small bottle of oil into my hand. I actually glanced up from my work. “I like being taken.” He responded to the unspoken question, smiling. If it pleased him then...
I returned to what I was doing, and began to prepare him as I did. He didn’t bother trying to restrain himself, that would have defeated the purpose of the exercise and in the end he began to fuck my mouth in earnest. It wasn’t for long, and I didn’t mind it. It certainly satisfied the ardeur, but it left a mess on the sheets.
He pulled away and drew me up to lie beside him. Then he started with me, his hands and lips tracing patterns on my skin.
“You are allowed to respond you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
“And if I do anything you don’t like tell me.”
“Yes Micah. But I prefer being passive and submissive during sex for the most part. It was...trained into me a long time ago.”
“Very well.” He moved and pushed me onto my back. He began rubbing oil onto my body including the groin, then straddled my hips and impaled himself on me. I was rather relieved he didn’t want to take me – it would have hurt. I was content to let him do all the work, and he moved above me with a skill born of experience, and no little talent. I must have made some noise of enquiry because he stopped and leaned forward onto my chest. “I’m too large for comfort if I take a man, so I usually let myself be taken – it’s hardly unpleasant after all.”
“If you wished it I would not object. At least not if you spent long enough preparing me for you.” I was slightly nervous about making the suggestion, but it was hardly fair on him if he had to be deprived for my sake.
“No, I do enjoy being taken – and I don’t want to hurt you. Apart from anything else can you imagine what Anita would do to me if I hurt you?” I couldn’t argue with that, and I could taste his pleasure. I’d fed the ardeur but I was nowhere near sating it, although I rarely managed to do so to be honest.
“Might I continue to feed the ardeur then?”
“Of course.” He threw himself into what he was doing, the enjoyment of the act controlling his motions. He climaxed before me, and drew me over with his pleasure. He then climbed off me and lay down at my side, running his hands along my body, up and down my ribs. “We’ll need to get cleaned up if we want to go anywhere. Is there somewhere you’d like to go tonight? I’m happy to take you wherever you wish.”
I couldn’t meet his eyes – I was too embarrassed. “I know it is foolish, but when I was with Danilo he played children’s games with me. He arranged a mud fight with the pack for me, and we never seemed to share a bath without splashing water all over the room. I really enjoyed that. Could...you arrange something similar?”
“I do have an idea – and it sounds like a lot of fun.” He was grinning happily at the idea of playing in the mud. I’d half expected him to laugh at me, not to respond seriously. “But you need something practical for those games. Much as I love seeing your beautiful body on display your normal wardrobe is not suitable.”
“I can find something.”
“Good.” He pulled me to my feet and led me through to the bathroom, where he washed me with the same reverence he’d shown earlier, something I could not understand. “Go and dress.”
I left him to clean himself up, and by the time he came back I’d found the most suitable clothes I had. Black jeans, a black shirt – cotton rather than y usual silk, and the plainest black boots I possess. Micah dressed in something similar, but he wore a thin black jumper and black trainers with his jeans.
“Come on.” He kept a grip on my hand, staking a claim to me, as he took me from the Circus to his car. Then he drove us to a stretch of woodland that Anita owns – she bought it with part of the money she got from Belle Morte for raising her husband from the dead. “How’d you feel about a little game of hide and seek? You did say you enjoyed children’s games. I know it’s not exactly the same for us as it would be for humans, but it is fun.”
“Do I get to hide first?” I sounded like a little kid – and I knew it. I was almost doing it on purpose to be honest. And Micah seemed happy to play up to my little game.
“Sure. I’ll count to one hundred then I’ll look for you. Just don’t go too far, and be careful not to get lost.” He sounded like a parent – at least how I’d imagine a real parent to be. I fled as he began counting, and the first thing I did was to break my scent by wading through a river, then I took to the trees.
I’m not sure how long it took for him to find me, crouching in the upper branches of a tree, but I do know I took longer finding him when it was his turn to hide. When I did find him he was crouching among the rocks at the entrance to a cave.
“No, the caves are off limits.” I didn’t even ask about the caves before he told me not to go in them – taking his responsibility to me very seriously. We spent most of the night playing, and by the time we got back to the car we were filthy. Once we reached the Circus I had only enough time to wash my hair and blow it dry before dawn trapped me in my daylight slumber.
xxXxx
Part XXVIII – Dreams
She was beautiful and so incredibly desirable – even if she didn’t seem to know it. It was all I could do not to go to her and kiss her, perhaps taking it further. But I wouldn’t, I couldn’t stand to lose control that way again, not after what that freak Elaith had done.
She was wearing black suede and silk, heels four inches high on her boots, but she looked every inch a warrior. I had dressed for seduction, an effort to counter her power, but beside her somehow I felt overdressed, and undesirable. I managed to pull myself under enough control to speak – I even sounded cold and distant.
“Well, Anita. Shall we begin?”
“If you are quite ready, then yes.”
She matched my lack of emotion, even bettered it with her cool composure as we drew our powers around ourselves. I focused on her totally, met her eyes, in the hope that I would be able to overpower her and drink her mind as I could a mortal’s and that of many of my younger master vampires. After all she was new dead, even if she had been an acknowledged master in life. I couldn’t get any hold on her mind. And somehow I knew that she was making no effort to drink my mind in return, rather she saw me as beneath her. I wanted her to fear me, as all others did whether they wished to or not, and so I let my aura of fear grow to its fullest extent and focused it on her. Something about her power just...absorbed it. She smiled slightly, unaffected and contemptuous of my efforts. I heard her voice echoing inside my head.
“Is that the best you can do, Mab? Perhaps I was in error when I judged you a worthy opponent.”
I was swamped with fury and unleashed a wall of force towards her, without making any effort to aim at her. To my astonishment she staggered and fell to her knees for a second, then....changed. She was even more desirable as she stood, hair falling about her face, but at the same time I felt the fear I had sought to instil in her.
She laughed, the laughter of a practised seductress, a sound that reminded me all too forcibly of what had happened with Elaith more than a century ago, and tossed her hair out of her face with a gesture that sent fire to my groin. It enraptured me so that I didn’t notice as she shredded the bodice of my dress one layer at a time, walking towards me where I stood frozen with desire. My breasts were bared by the time she was within arms reach of me, yet my skin was still as flawless as ever.
My trance was finally broken as she leered at me, and reached out to touch me as if she owned me. I grabbed her wrist, bracing to fight against her, but she simply allowed me to hold her back from me. Instead she used her power to cause harm with a flexing of her aura to put a stab wound in my right shoulder. So I would soon have to release her hand, for I did not heal as I should have, but rather the blood flooded from my shoulder, flowing faster as time passed, rather than slower. There was a cruel smile on her lips, and a cruel humour in her voice when she spoke.
“I can heal you, you know. But I can also pull off a trick the Traveler taught me and keep you bleeding until you pass out. Which it is to be?”
I knelt, I know when I am beaten, but I had to try, had I bested her then the council would have left me to do as I wished.
“I yield. Will you heal me now?”
Her smile grew crueller. “Yes, if you want me to, but you don’t need my healing, merely my forbearance when it comes to your wound – and the healing process could be painful.”
“Then I will let my body heal itself, if you will permit it.”
“Of course. You will leave my territory within three days time, and I will notify you of my escort at least three days before I intend to arrive, and will notify you of my intended time of arrival then.” She was generous to permit me to stay here while I recovered, she could have sent me straight from her city, that is what I would have done in her place.
“Thank you. If you will forgive me; how did you learn that trick from the Traveler?” I had never thought he would give up power so easily.
“He liked me when I visited the council. He wanted to find out what it was like to sleep with a woman, and because I’m so powerful and in some ways I act like a man he thought I’d be a good choice.” She traded on sex to get what she wanted. Why was I disappointed? I’d done it a few times, most of Belle Morte’s line had – and Jean-Claude had lived his entire life that way.
“I see. Might I leave now then?”
“Yes, do go.” She was watching Danilo and Damian as she spoke. I held my left hand to the wound in my shoulder, which was finally beginning to stop bleeding, and left as quickly as I could without outright fleeing, while Valerus offered his jacket to cover my nakedness.
xxXxx
My eyes snapped open and I buried my face in Damian’s hair, smelling my scent on him, overlying his. I’d been dreaming Mab’s dreams not mine, and she’d been remembering our duel. I’d been surprised how easy it was, but I hadn’t realised how trapped she’d felt until now. And it had left some sort of link between us. Hopefully that would fade with time and distance, but for now I’d try to use it to nudge her towards better memories, better dreams.
I laid myself back down to sleep, holding Nathaniel to me like a stuffed toy recalling what it felt like when I was mortal and Jean-Claude made love to me.
xxXxx
Suddenly it was no longer Jean-Claude making love to me, but Elaith, and I was drowning in my own arousal. This time I picked up the clues that told me I was dreaming Mab’s dreams, not my own, the wider hips, the tiny waist, the slightly larger breasts, and most of all the lack of muscle definition beneath the skin. His head was buried between my thighs and I was losing myself in the pleasure. Soon I began to forget just who I was, and it didn’t matter. I pulled him up to meet my lips in a bruising kiss then pulled back enough to speak.
“Bite me, mark me. I want pain as well as pleasure from you.” And I punched him in the ribs so hard I felt them break, and tasted the blood he coughed up into my mouth as I demanded another kiss. He responded in kind, entering me and crushing me to him hard enough to break my hips. And with that I lost all sense of self, we tore at each other like wild animals, mindlessly.
I know that at one point he took me from behind, a way I’d never been used before, not in almost 3000 years, and I remember vaguely taking a handful of his entrails, and pulling – then sucking the blood from them. When next I knew that I was Mab, Master of Drogheda we were lying in a pool of blood on the floor, damaged so badly we could barely move. And my healing was so much slower than normal – this could not be the first damage done that night.
How could I have lost myself so completely in his touch? Accepted such pain? I liked to hurt people, not to be hurt myself. I watched him with fear unhidden in my eyes, and when I was finally healed I threw him from the room. I vowed never to risk that again.
xxXxx
Again I awoke, knowing I had been dreaming someone else’s dream. Elaith had never scared me that way, I had never lost control with him so totally. But I had with others, willingly.
That was what had brought Mab to fear Elaith so greatly, that she had wanted him, and chosen to be hurt, rather than just hurt him? This time I wasn’t going to return to sleep, I could only drag up more nightmares for Mab, rather than soothe her as I had hoped.
It was approaching noon and Nathaniel was awakening himself. We bathed together and dressed, informally – black jeans, flat black ankle boots and a red silk shirt for me, blue jeans, white Nikes and a T-shirt that matched his eyes for him. He didn’t say anything, but I knew that by the time he’d finished tending to his hair he was as hungry as I. So I led him down to the servants’ dining hall, where we could both get something to eat, as many of the werewolves would be congregating there.
They were, at least thirty of them anyway. There might have been more of the wolves in Drogheda , but I didn’t think there’d be many others acting as servants – the lesser vampires would also serve in the castle after all. The blonde wolf who’d accompanied Mab on her visit to me came up to speak to me.
“What is it that you wish here Lady Anita?”
“My leopard needs to eat – and so do I. I would prefer a volunteer.”
“There are private rooms in this direction then. I would be honoured if you chose to feed on me.”
“Thank you.” I followed her and fed, both from her blood and her release as she reached orgasm when I drunk her mind.
xxXxx
I could hear Nathaniel moving about in the bedroom, and the ardeur flared. I went through to him, pinned him down on floor and stripped him swiftly. I let Raina come more to the fore, letting her tastes influence mine – I wouldn’t let her hurt him seriously, and he did like it rough. I could feel my eyes changing under Raina’s influence and knew they would be the amber of my wolf form.
Afterwards, as I forced her back I felt just how well I’d been able to feed the ardeur, almost as well as with Maria the night before. I looked down at Nathaniel’s body, I’d cut his chest up pretty badly, the way Raina had cut up Jason’s chest. I’d also put some bites around his shoulders, never going near his neck, it would be too tempting. I called Raina once more, to heal him this time.
“You had your payment in advance this time, so don’t give me any trouble.” I snarled at her inside my head, and she accepted it reluctantly. We licked at the wounds we’d inflicted on our pet, leaving only smooth, perfect skin behind us, our power smoothed the flesh like an invisible hand. One day I’d have to try to figure out how to do this without calling Raina, but not today, not today.
“Go and run a bath for us Nathaniel.” He obeyed quickly and I searched the closets for something appropriate. A loose, dark blue velvet tunic seemed best, with black jeans and ankle boots with inch high kitten heels. I walked through to the bathroom and slid into the bath, pulling Nathaniel with me. I’d spent time learning exactly what felt good for him and I curled around him from behind, kissing and biting at his neck. I was careful not to draw blood, but I did leave little red marks where my teeth had been. When I tired of teasing him I moved around to straddle him and lowered myself down. Once he’d entered me I gripped his hips, digging my nails in and pulling him hard into me, leaving bleeding red crescents on his skin.
I’d managed to keep my hair dry by pulling it into a high ponytail beforehand, but Nathaniel hadn’t, so I moved around him to wash it. He turned to clean me up with gentle teasing touches, leaning in to bite lightly at my breasts, licking a few drops of water from my skin. I climbed out of the bath finally and dried myself off, leaving Nathaniel to take care of himself. I waited, impatiently for Nathaniel to blow dry his hair and plait it, it’s the one thing he’s always been willing to insist on. He’s too submissive for me to let him wander about Mab’s castle by himself, and I didn’t want to restrict him to my rooms. He’d barely gotten dressed when I spoke.
“Accompany me Nathaniel. I wish to explore.”
“Yes Anita.” He followed at my side, trailing slightly behind as I left our quarters. I paused to cover the castle with my senses and headed for the largest group of waking vampires I could find – all three of them. Only one was a master, even from a distance I could tell that, so the others had to be older than Damian, perhaps even older than his master Mab, she was awake too – but I didn’t think she wanted too much to do with me.
When I found them the three vampires were curled together, the older two wrapped protectively around the younger master. He was about 500 with red-brown hair while the elder two were somewhere between 4000 and 5000 with hair the colour of new copper. Mab apparently shared my taste for long hair on men as they all had hair falling past their shoulders. Looking closer I could see that the younger one was chained to the floor and they were all gazing at me with fear in their brown eyes.
“I give you my word of honour that I will not harm you during my visit to your master’s territory. I am Anita Blake, this is my pomme de sang Nathaniel. Would you please introduce yourselves?”
“As you wish Lady Anita.” It was the youngest who spoke, the fear slowly fading from his eyes that were the same shade as mine. “I am Connor, these are Mael,” this one had the lighter brown eyes, almost amber, “and Garus.” whose eyes were a warm milk chocolate brown. “Forgive me if I am being rude...but what is the purpose of your visit?”
“Mab challenged me over two of my followers, and we agreed that if I won I would have the right to choose three of her followers to take as mine. But I don’t want any more masters in my territory – I’ve already got five, and one who will reach master status in the next fifty years.”
“I would not wish to go with you anyway, not if it meant leaving my friends behind – and I doubt that you would choose all three of us. But I am no threat to you surely, not with the power you hold.”
“You’re 500 years old, I’m not even 30 – and that’s counting the years before I died. I was a master before I was brought over last year you see. Had you not heard about this? I seem to be pretty well known among most vampires, famous – or infamous rather.”
“We do not hear much of vampire gossip here, our master does not receive many visitors, and although she visits court she rarely permits those who accompany her leisure to speak to the rest of us. Forgive my insolence...but could you tell me just why you are infamous?”
“I’ve killed a lot of vampires, I lost count when it passed thirty, and that was while I was human. I’m also a necromancer so powerful that only the old legends seem to fit my abilities, at one point Jean-Claude let his followers believe I could raise vampires like zombies – the joke being that while he thought it a bluff, I can. We kept that quiet for a while, by that point I’d joined with Jean-Claude and an Ulfric, Richard, in a triumvirate of power – that let us challenge the council. For a while we were equals, but after the Traveler sent me a master vampire as a gift Jean-Claude acknowledged me as his master. We hid it until Alessandro kidnapped Jean-Claude and named the price for his release my becoming a vampire. He never intended to keep his word, so when I rose for the first time, as a master I killed him then we appealed to the council because I did not wish to be Master of the City. The only acceptable option they offered was for me to take St. Louis from Jean-Claude and make him my personal pet.”
“How could a master vampire go from being Master of the City to being another master’s personal pet?” Mael spoke up sounding mystified, I couldn’t blame him – I didn’t really understand it myself. Oh I understood the mechanics so to speak, but I couldn’t understand why Jean-Claude had behaved as he did, despite his repeated attempts to explain.
“Jean-Claude isn’t really powerful enough to hold a city by himself.” I made an attempt to explain what I could and to put it in terms that would be familiar and recognisable. “But I protect what is mine with everything I have. Jean-Claude knows that and so he decided to be mine, so he would be safe. That’s all he ever wanted power for, to keep himself safe, so he wouldn’t be used by anyone who wanted him.” They would certainly understand wanting to be safe – especially belonging to Mab.
“You refuse to share him then?” Garus sounded curious, and slightly doubtful.
“I won’t let anybody force him into their beds, I don’t mind if he sleeps with people he wants to as long as he gets my permission – he has to, to feed the ardeur. Actually I’m more willing to share him now, as his master than I was as part of his triumvirate, when we were equals – at least theoretically equals, the fact that he let me dictate his choice of lovers seems to say something to the contrary. I was always too insecure to share him then.
“Why are you chained up like this Connor? Or is it rude and insensitive of me to ask?”
“I angered Mab by refusing to seduce and then kill someone for her. She wanted it to look as if a human had killed him so I wouldn’t have been able to feed. Besides his sexual preferences were not to my tastes, nor was he. I’d have had to hold his attention for at least a month before killing him.”
“And your friends wish to comfort you?”
“Yes, we stay here to comfort Connor, but also we bring him blood.” Mael seemed to be the more confident of the two lesser vampires, Garus just wrapped closer around Connor.
“How long have you been chained up like this?”
“A year.” Connor had finally relaxed enough to see me sexually, he did desire me, but not as much as even Maria had – even now I cannot understand why so many supernatural creatures find me so desirable. A year seemed excessive for refusing to kill someone; I’d do something about it if I could.
“I want to explore some more of the castle at the moment. I might come to visit you again later.” With that I led Nathaniel out and we went in search of food, even when I was human I neglected to eat fairly often, now I almost never remembered that mortals needed to eat, and Nathaniel was too submissive to remind me. I’d passed the kitchen on my way out earlier, it was near the stables, and yes, they were still in use. There were a couple of werewolves busy in the kitchen, preparing some sort of stew. It was a rather old fashioned kitchen, a large room with a large block table in the middle. There were two large ovens and two open fires, each with a large pot heating above it. One fire was banked, while the other was at full heat, and the stew was being made on it.
“My leopard needs something to eat. Feed him now and make arrangements for him to eat when he needs to.”
“There’s always a pot of stew simmering, he’s free to get a bowl and some bread whenever he wants to, or he could get some cheese or fruit. If he wants something else he’ll have to make arrangements beforehand – send one of the other wolves down to the kitchen.” The greying, almost matronly werewolf seemed torn between addressing herself to me and addressing herself to Nathaniel, opening cupboards to show where the bread, cheese and fruit were stored. The younger wolf, with short-cropped sandy hair moved to dish out a bowl of the stew and bring a loaf over for Nathaniel. He sat to eat at the table, under my watchful eyes. Just as he was about to eat a thought occurred to him.
“What about regularly scheduled meals? I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“We serve a number of roasts at one in the afternoon, with vegetables, in the servants dining hall. The cooked meat is stored here afterwards for the next day; anyone who wants it is free to help themselves, then it goes into the stew. Apart from that there’s nothing scheduled.” Nathaniel settled down to eat after that reassurance.
“Once he’s finished eating I’d like one of you to show us to the servants dining hall, so he can go there if he wants to.” I could tell that they were surprised by my consideration of Nathaniel’s needs. Finally the older werewolf managed to speak.
“Danagh can show you to the servants dining hall if that is your wish.”
“Yes, it is. He is after all mine, and I owe him a duty of care.”
When we returned to our rooms Damian was awake and there was a new werewolf waiting for us. She had served as Damian's meal, but it was plain that she also had a message for us.
“Lady Anita, my master has chosen to invite you to a more formal greeting than she offered on your first arrival. It is scheduled for midnight and I am to escort you there when it is time.”
“Thank you. I am honoured that she should choose to greet me this way. I will return again in good time for the ceremony.” She didn’t say anything, just bowed her head in acknowledgement, but I could sense her disapproval. “Damian, would you care to show me something of the castle? And perhaps introduce me to any friends you had here?”
“Of course, Anita. I didn’t have many friends here, but there are a few, a very few who I’ve missed.” He offered me his arm and I let him lead me out once I’d told Nathaniel to stay in our rooms.
We didn’t have much time to wander around the castle, not compared to it’s size – so once we’d found Deirdre we just talked to her – she wasn’t interested in entering my service. She didn’t like Mab, but I terrified her and she could barely speak in my presence. I quickly grew tired of her and left, telling Damian to get back to our rooms by eleven, and handing him my watch to make sure he did.
Me – I went straight back there and began taking care of the guns I’d brought with me. I’d only bothered with my Browning and the Firestar, but I cleaned them as thoroughly as I could, ignoring the look of shock such an action garnered from the wolf. Nathaniel had actually been doing the same with the Glock I’d bought him and started on the knives I’d brought with me; four small and the big one that went down my back. Hanging around me you either get used to fighting or you end up getting yourself killed – I’d spent time training Nathaniel so he’d be able to deal with a fight.
I started getting dressed around ten. I had bothered to bring formal wear, just in case, but I hadn’t expected to use it. I wasn’t going to wear the sort of things Jean-Claude used to try putting me into, not unless there was a very good reason – like having to appear before the council. Instead I’d had a few dresses made to order and brought some along with me. I’d settle for just carrying two knives, I wasn’t exactly going to be in any danger at the greeting ceremony – I know I don’t really need weapons any more, but paranoia dies hard. I wore the knives in a pair of wrist sheathes, so I picked out a dress with sleeves that would hide them. The one I chose was a rich deep red and had a long full skirt with a sweetheart neckline, vaguely Mediaeval in style and I wore the ruby necklace the Traveler had given to me with it. I’d specified that I wasn’t going to wear high heels with the dresses when I’d ordered them, instead buying soft slippers; again they were vaguely Mediaeval in style to go with each dress. I even used some make-up, not as much as when I get one of my followers to do it, just my lips and eyes. I left my hair loose and enjoyed watching my escort dress.
Nathaniel was more comfortable walking about half-naked than Damian, so he wore nothing other than skin-tight leather pants in a purple to match his eyes while Damian was wearing a loose silk tunic and pants in a green perhaps two shades paler than his eyes. I never did see the point of co-ordinating the outfits of my retinue, I’m powerful enough not to need to put on a show.
The wolf led us to the Great Hall at the stroke of midnight, I hadn’t actually bothered to find out her name, it didn’t really matter, but when we reached the entrance Mab’s human servant stopped us before he made the announcement of our presence.
“The Lady Necromancer Anita Blake, Master of St. Louis, Nimir-Ra of the Blooddrinkers pard, the Executioner, Bolverk of the Thronnos Roke pack and Damian and Nathaniel, her chosen companions.” I suppose it does make an impressive list when you put all of my titles together like that – normally I just use the most appropriate title for who I’m dealing with. The Executioner for assassins and the like, Master of St. Louis for vampires and so forth. The order of the titles was interesting in itself, necromancy first, then my vampire title, my other ruling title, and the only subordinate title last – when I thought of it that way it made sense, except perhaps for the necromancy bit.
Mab was waiting to greet us as we walked – to greet me rather.
“Anita Blake, greetings and welcome to my territory.” She pushed her hair from her neck and turned her head to expose it, I leaned into her, placing a hand on her shoulder for balance and kissed the displayed pulse gently. There was something about her scent that created a surge of power in my body, starting low. She was scared of me, very scared despite her unwilling arousal and it drew me in an almost sexual manner. I backed away from her quickly, lest I do something...inappropriate.
“Mab, Master of Drogheda, greetings. I am honoured by your hospitality.” She smiled and waved a hand at the vampires she had gathered in the hall, some fifty or more.
“I had thought it would help you if you could meet some of my vampires here and now, if there are any you have already met who have caught your attention you are welcome to speak of it to me.”
“My thanks. Damian, Nathaniel, you do not need to dance attendance on me,” I paused and raised my voice, “but know that anyone who harms what is mine will suffer in repayment.
“Mab, there is a vampire I have met who I would like to try out, but you keep him in chains, Connor, he said his name was.”
“I will have him unchained and sent to your rooms by six tomorrow, six in the afternoon that is. Have any others of my followers caught your attention?”
“That sweet little thing you sent to me to request permission to enter your territory was pleasing – a pity you never taught her to use her tongue to any great effect, of course training isn’t everything, and I’m sure I’ll be able to educate her if I do choose to claim her.”
“Yes, I’m sure you will. I never saw any point in training those I only take to my bed on occasion, only my more...regular lovers. Such as my Damian, but he isn’t mine anymore, he’s yours for all eternity. He was always one of my favourites, that’s why I challenged you, if I’d won the council would never have took him from me again.” There was wistfulness in her voice, she didn’t seem to see any point in trying to hide what she felt from me. Because I’m well known for despising politics and too powerful to bother with using her emotions against her. And I was feeling a strange connection with her as well, had been since we duelled. I expected it would wear off with time and distance, it had almost faded completely until I arrived here and she offered me her neck in formal greeting.
“Did you ever expect me to give him up? Do not answer that, either way could be an insult or name you fool. But would you tell me if there is any you consider to have particular skills?”
“I chose those I am most willing to lose to attend this party. But you have the right to claim any you wish. Daran attend me!” She had glanced into the crowd and a vampire about 200 years old and five feet six inches tall with black hair cut off at his shoulders and dark grey eyes began making his way towards us. She turned back to me once she knew he was coming and continued. “If it is unusual talents that interest you he can coax any plant into growing, and growing wonderfully. Not of any practical use I know, but it gives me a ready supply of flowers for decorating my home and so I indulge him.
“Daran, speak to my guest, I thought she might wish to know about the plants you grow.”
“Yes, Mistress.” At that she turned and left me. “What would please you Lady Anita?”
“Just use my name, Anita, or Ms Blake if you wish to be formal. I prefer that to this nonsense of using titles. I don’t need a title to reassure myself of how important I am.”
“Yes Anita. But what do you want me to speak to you about?”
“Mab said you were good with plants – how did that happen?”
“I always loved plants, starting from when I was mortal. So when I was brought over I took some plants from anywhere I could and planted them in whatever places I could find around the castle. I spent what spare time I had tending to my plants, apparently no-one else touched them but they grew better than any plants had for me before. When Mab found out she thought it was hilarious, until she saw the flowers I’d gotten from a rose bush. Then she decided to let me grow my plants in the open, it’s my main duty now, although I am expected to sleep with any of her guests who want me.”
“I see.” Something to consider, he was telling the truth and it was such an unusual gift. The black haired vampire had also made my shortlist. I spent some time speaking to the other vampires Mab had invited but found only one other who caught my attention, a silver blond about 4000 years old called Iufi. He was a healer and a herbalist, and I found that intriguing. It could also be useful to have a healer in my service as although the pack had doctors and the rodere did, the pard did not, nor were any of the vampire doctors in St. Louis in my personal service.
It was nearing dawn by the time I collected my escort and went to bed. Just before I went to sleep after we had bathed together I contacted Jean-Claude to check on him, finding that he’d been lent to Micah that night. I wondered how Micah was treating him before I relaxed into human sleep.
Notes: This chapter contains m/m sex, and is pretty much irrelevant to the storyline as a whole, all you really need to know is that Micah doesn’t hurt Jean-Claude and he finds a fifth person who’ll bother to consider his pleasure in bed.
I woke up to feel someone stroking my hair and just relaxed into it. When I finally opened my eyes I looked up to see Anita’s consort, Micah gazing down at me.
“Am I yours for the night then?”
“Yes, unless it offends you greatly.”
“Why would that matter?” It didn’t matter after all, only my master’s wishes were relevant, not mine. He seemed unable to speak for a moment so I continued. “I have no objection to being yours, so how might I please you?”
“You need to feed on me first – you’ll be useless until you do won’t you?” As he spoke he pulled me up into a sitting position and began to push me against him, gently holding my face against his neck.
“Not for everything. But I do appreciate this.” My voice was no more than a murmur, then I sank my fangs into his neck. I couldn’t take his mind and I didn’t really understand why he was willing to let me feed on him when it would hurt – but I wasn’t going to refuse the blood of an alpha. He only let me sit back when I’d finished feeding and I waited for him to tell me what to do.
“Go and run a bath and make sure there’s enough towels for both of us Jean-Claude.”
“As you wish.” His commands were simple enough, and I knew he wouldn’t hurt me and risk angering Anita. I went through to the bathroom and prepared the bath for him, while it was running I checked that there were enough towels, the servants have got used to allowing for two or more people to share every night and so there were. Once the water had reached about half way up I went to get Micah.
“It is almost done, mon minet. Is there any particular scent you want me to use for the bubble bath?” After all Anita has become a fan of using the same scent for everything, not that I never did the same.
“Just whatever you like – I know you’ve got incredible taste.” He paused and looked up and down my body, taking in the loose black pants and shirt. “But you should take those off, it is a little hard to bathe in your clothes.”
I obeyed quickly, not bothering to put on any sort of show but noting his arousal, then moved to him and removed his sweatshirt and jeans, nuzzling at his groin until he lifted my head away from him.
“Not just yet. You can do that for me after we’re clean.” I backed off and led him through to the bathroom, adding a cinnamon scented bubble bath to the water, then waited for instructions. “Get in here with me – I want to wash you myself.” Well that was hardly a hardship, nor was the feel of his hands on my body anything to complain of. He treated me as a piece of priceless artwork, not his to keep, only his to admire. I wasn’t surprise to find him hard when I turned to give him his due, nor to find myself responding to his touch and awestruck desire. “Not in the bath.” he whispered when I began bending to take him in my mouth.
“Shall we take this to the bed then?” I teased him gently, some of my earlier masters would never have let me do that, but Anita didn’t mind and so no-one who belonged to her would object to a little teasing.
“Oh definitely. Stay in there.” He stopped me as I was about to get out, then dried himself off. “You can get out now.” He was holding a towel out for me, and he dried my body with the same...respect he’d used to wash it. Then he led me through to the bed, pulling me down to lie beside him, exploring my body with his hands. I wasn’t sure what he wanted from me so I merely lay passive until he spoke. “You are free to feed on me, the ardeur as well as merely your thirst for blood. But then you should have known that, after all I have never denied you that.”
I didn’t respond, just knelt beside him, waiting for instructions. His hands reached out to me, pulling my head down to his groin. “I think I’ll take what you offered earlier now.” There was a teasing lilt to his voice as he told me what to do, running his hands through my hair. “Let you feed now, then we can have fun.”
I crouched down beside him to offer him the pleasure he’d refused earlier, pausing in surprise when he pushed a small bottle of oil into my hand. I actually glanced up from my work. “I like being taken.” He responded to the unspoken question, smiling. If it pleased him then...
I returned to what I was doing, and began to prepare him as I did. He didn’t bother trying to restrain himself, that would have defeated the purpose of the exercise and in the end he began to fuck my mouth in earnest. It wasn’t for long, and I didn’t mind it. It certainly satisfied the ardeur, but it left a mess on the sheets.
He pulled away and drew me up to lie beside him. Then he started with me, his hands and lips tracing patterns on my skin.
“You are allowed to respond you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
“And if I do anything you don’t like tell me.”
“Yes Micah. But I prefer being passive and submissive during sex for the most part. It was...trained into me a long time ago.”
“Very well.” He moved and pushed me onto my back. He began rubbing oil onto my body including the groin, then straddled my hips and impaled himself on me. I was rather relieved he didn’t want to take me – it would have hurt. I was content to let him do all the work, and he moved above me with a skill born of experience, and no little talent. I must have made some noise of enquiry because he stopped and leaned forward onto my chest. “I’m too large for comfort if I take a man, so I usually let myself be taken – it’s hardly unpleasant after all.”
“If you wished it I would not object. At least not if you spent long enough preparing me for you.” I was slightly nervous about making the suggestion, but it was hardly fair on him if he had to be deprived for my sake.
“No, I do enjoy being taken – and I don’t want to hurt you. Apart from anything else can you imagine what Anita would do to me if I hurt you?” I couldn’t argue with that, and I could taste his pleasure. I’d fed the ardeur but I was nowhere near sating it, although I rarely managed to do so to be honest.
“Might I continue to feed the ardeur then?”
“Of course.” He threw himself into what he was doing, the enjoyment of the act controlling his motions. He climaxed before me, and drew me over with his pleasure. He then climbed off me and lay down at my side, running his hands along my body, up and down my ribs. “We’ll need to get cleaned up if we want to go anywhere. Is there somewhere you’d like to go tonight? I’m happy to take you wherever you wish.”
I couldn’t meet his eyes – I was too embarrassed. “I know it is foolish, but when I was with Danilo he played children’s games with me. He arranged a mud fight with the pack for me, and we never seemed to share a bath without splashing water all over the room. I really enjoyed that. Could...you arrange something similar?”
“I do have an idea – and it sounds like a lot of fun.” He was grinning happily at the idea of playing in the mud. I’d half expected him to laugh at me, not to respond seriously. “But you need something practical for those games. Much as I love seeing your beautiful body on display your normal wardrobe is not suitable.”
“I can find something.”
“Good.” He pulled me to my feet and led me through to the bathroom, where he washed me with the same reverence he’d shown earlier, something I could not understand. “Go and dress.”
I left him to clean himself up, and by the time he came back I’d found the most suitable clothes I had. Black jeans, a black shirt – cotton rather than y usual silk, and the plainest black boots I possess. Micah dressed in something similar, but he wore a thin black jumper and black trainers with his jeans.
“Come on.” He kept a grip on my hand, staking a claim to me, as he took me from the Circus to his car. Then he drove us to a stretch of woodland that Anita owns – she bought it with part of the money she got from Belle Morte for raising her husband from the dead. “How’d you feel about a little game of hide and seek? You did say you enjoyed children’s games. I know it’s not exactly the same for us as it would be for humans, but it is fun.”
“Do I get to hide first?” I sounded like a little kid – and I knew it. I was almost doing it on purpose to be honest. And Micah seemed happy to play up to my little game.
“Sure. I’ll count to one hundred then I’ll look for you. Just don’t go too far, and be careful not to get lost.” He sounded like a parent – at least how I’d imagine a real parent to be. I fled as he began counting, and the first thing I did was to break my scent by wading through a river, then I took to the trees.
I’m not sure how long it took for him to find me, crouching in the upper branches of a tree, but I do know I took longer finding him when it was his turn to hide. When I did find him he was crouching among the rocks at the entrance to a cave.
“No, the caves are off limits.” I didn’t even ask about the caves before he told me not to go in them – taking his responsibility to me very seriously. We spent most of the night playing, and by the time we got back to the car we were filthy. Once we reached the Circus I had only enough time to wash my hair and blow it dry before dawn trapped me in my daylight slumber.
She was beautiful and so incredibly desirable – even if she didn’t seem to know it. It was all I could do not to go to her and kiss her, perhaps taking it further. But I wouldn’t, I couldn’t stand to lose control that way again, not after what that freak Elaith had done.
She was wearing black suede and silk, heels four inches high on her boots, but she looked every inch a warrior. I had dressed for seduction, an effort to counter her power, but beside her somehow I felt overdressed, and undesirable. I managed to pull myself under enough control to speak – I even sounded cold and distant.
“Well, Anita. Shall we begin?”
“If you are quite ready, then yes.”
She matched my lack of emotion, even bettered it with her cool composure as we drew our powers around ourselves. I focused on her totally, met her eyes, in the hope that I would be able to overpower her and drink her mind as I could a mortal’s and that of many of my younger master vampires. After all she was new dead, even if she had been an acknowledged master in life. I couldn’t get any hold on her mind. And somehow I knew that she was making no effort to drink my mind in return, rather she saw me as beneath her. I wanted her to fear me, as all others did whether they wished to or not, and so I let my aura of fear grow to its fullest extent and focused it on her. Something about her power just...absorbed it. She smiled slightly, unaffected and contemptuous of my efforts. I heard her voice echoing inside my head.
“Is that the best you can do, Mab? Perhaps I was in error when I judged you a worthy opponent.”
I was swamped with fury and unleashed a wall of force towards her, without making any effort to aim at her. To my astonishment she staggered and fell to her knees for a second, then....changed. She was even more desirable as she stood, hair falling about her face, but at the same time I felt the fear I had sought to instil in her.
She laughed, the laughter of a practised seductress, a sound that reminded me all too forcibly of what had happened with Elaith more than a century ago, and tossed her hair out of her face with a gesture that sent fire to my groin. It enraptured me so that I didn’t notice as she shredded the bodice of my dress one layer at a time, walking towards me where I stood frozen with desire. My breasts were bared by the time she was within arms reach of me, yet my skin was still as flawless as ever.
My trance was finally broken as she leered at me, and reached out to touch me as if she owned me. I grabbed her wrist, bracing to fight against her, but she simply allowed me to hold her back from me. Instead she used her power to cause harm with a flexing of her aura to put a stab wound in my right shoulder. So I would soon have to release her hand, for I did not heal as I should have, but rather the blood flooded from my shoulder, flowing faster as time passed, rather than slower. There was a cruel smile on her lips, and a cruel humour in her voice when she spoke.
“I can heal you, you know. But I can also pull off a trick the Traveler taught me and keep you bleeding until you pass out. Which it is to be?”
I knelt, I know when I am beaten, but I had to try, had I bested her then the council would have left me to do as I wished.
“I yield. Will you heal me now?”
Her smile grew crueller. “Yes, if you want me to, but you don’t need my healing, merely my forbearance when it comes to your wound – and the healing process could be painful.”
“Then I will let my body heal itself, if you will permit it.”
“Of course. You will leave my territory within three days time, and I will notify you of my escort at least three days before I intend to arrive, and will notify you of my intended time of arrival then.” She was generous to permit me to stay here while I recovered, she could have sent me straight from her city, that is what I would have done in her place.
“Thank you. If you will forgive me; how did you learn that trick from the Traveler?” I had never thought he would give up power so easily.
“He liked me when I visited the council. He wanted to find out what it was like to sleep with a woman, and because I’m so powerful and in some ways I act like a man he thought I’d be a good choice.” She traded on sex to get what she wanted. Why was I disappointed? I’d done it a few times, most of Belle Morte’s line had – and Jean-Claude had lived his entire life that way.
“I see. Might I leave now then?”
“Yes, do go.” She was watching Danilo and Damian as she spoke. I held my left hand to the wound in my shoulder, which was finally beginning to stop bleeding, and left as quickly as I could without outright fleeing, while Valerus offered his jacket to cover my nakedness.
My eyes snapped open and I buried my face in Damian’s hair, smelling my scent on him, overlying his. I’d been dreaming Mab’s dreams not mine, and she’d been remembering our duel. I’d been surprised how easy it was, but I hadn’t realised how trapped she’d felt until now. And it had left some sort of link between us. Hopefully that would fade with time and distance, but for now I’d try to use it to nudge her towards better memories, better dreams.
I laid myself back down to sleep, holding Nathaniel to me like a stuffed toy recalling what it felt like when I was mortal and Jean-Claude made love to me.
Suddenly it was no longer Jean-Claude making love to me, but Elaith, and I was drowning in my own arousal. This time I picked up the clues that told me I was dreaming Mab’s dreams, not my own, the wider hips, the tiny waist, the slightly larger breasts, and most of all the lack of muscle definition beneath the skin. His head was buried between my thighs and I was losing myself in the pleasure. Soon I began to forget just who I was, and it didn’t matter. I pulled him up to meet my lips in a bruising kiss then pulled back enough to speak.
“Bite me, mark me. I want pain as well as pleasure from you.” And I punched him in the ribs so hard I felt them break, and tasted the blood he coughed up into my mouth as I demanded another kiss. He responded in kind, entering me and crushing me to him hard enough to break my hips. And with that I lost all sense of self, we tore at each other like wild animals, mindlessly.
I know that at one point he took me from behind, a way I’d never been used before, not in almost 3000 years, and I remember vaguely taking a handful of his entrails, and pulling – then sucking the blood from them. When next I knew that I was Mab, Master of Drogheda we were lying in a pool of blood on the floor, damaged so badly we could barely move. And my healing was so much slower than normal – this could not be the first damage done that night.
How could I have lost myself so completely in his touch? Accepted such pain? I liked to hurt people, not to be hurt myself. I watched him with fear unhidden in my eyes, and when I was finally healed I threw him from the room. I vowed never to risk that again.
Again I awoke, knowing I had been dreaming someone else’s dream. Elaith had never scared me that way, I had never lost control with him so totally. But I had with others, willingly.
That was what had brought Mab to fear Elaith so greatly, that she had wanted him, and chosen to be hurt, rather than just hurt him? This time I wasn’t going to return to sleep, I could only drag up more nightmares for Mab, rather than soothe her as I had hoped.
It was approaching noon and Nathaniel was awakening himself. We bathed together and dressed, informally – black jeans, flat black ankle boots and a red silk shirt for me, blue jeans, white Nikes and a T-shirt that matched his eyes for him. He didn’t say anything, but I knew that by the time he’d finished tending to his hair he was as hungry as I. So I led him down to the servants’ dining hall, where we could both get something to eat, as many of the werewolves would be congregating there.
They were, at least thirty of them anyway. There might have been more of the wolves in Drogheda , but I didn’t think there’d be many others acting as servants – the lesser vampires would also serve in the castle after all. The blonde wolf who’d accompanied Mab on her visit to me came up to speak to me.
“What is it that you wish here Lady Anita?”
“My leopard needs to eat – and so do I. I would prefer a volunteer.”
“There are private rooms in this direction then. I would be honoured if you chose to feed on me.”
“Thank you.” I followed her and fed, both from her blood and her release as she reached orgasm when I drunk her mind.
