The Princess In A ‘Prince’ Disguise (Beasts of Wrath and Madness #1)

35. THE MISTRESS AND THE SLAVE

Chapter thirty-five

THE MISTRESS AND THE SLAVE

Sinai made her way towards the forbidden chambers, her steps resolute and determined.

Upon reaching the imposing metal gates, she fixed them with a steely glare. The gates stood tall once again, all the locks securely fastened.

It seems Lord Vladya had wasted no time in ensuring their fortification. Yet, Lord Vladya had chosen to leave the boy in there.

Were they all expected to turn a blind eye to what was happening? Leave the boy with her Daemon for as long as the mindless beast wanted?

Over Sinai's dead body.

These past few days had not been easy for her. She had barely gotten a good night's sleep, and had almost worried herself to the grave, wondering what in Ukrae was going on.

People like Mistress Gaille taunted her, asking her silly questions like, "Do you think the boy is special? Do you think he possesses the special powers required to bring back the grand king?"

Sinai scoffed. Such thoughts infuriated her to no end.

Yes, she wanted her Daemon's sanity restored, if it were even possible, but there was simply no way that boy would have any connection with that outcome. No way at all!

"Aekeira? Is it you?" a whisper drifted from behind the door. "I have been waiting."

Sinai set to work on the locks. The clanging sounds of metal disrupted the stillness of the air.

"What are you doing!? You know you cannot enter here!" the boy protested.

Sinai swung open the sturdy oak door and strode inside. The boy's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her, and she quickly lowered her gaze to the ground.

A growl came from behind Emeriel before the beast moved from behind the barricades to stand protectively behind the boy. Letting out a warning hiss, its tail curled up in the air with its pointed tip poised to strike.

"You would shield him from me ?" Sinai whispered, her voice filled with betrayal and hurt. “His kind is responsible for your suffering! They did this to you! They murdered your beloved Alvin and Myka, and yet you keep him here with you?"

The beast did not react. Her Daemon could not even hear her. His tail remained poised, and he issued another warning snarl, while the prince gave her a wary look.

Sinai fixed Emeriel with a firm gaze. "Step away from him. Now."

The boy didn't obey immediately, the pause enough to further ignite Sinai's anger.

She was tempted to strike him then and there, her hand itching to connect with his cheek. But Sinai wasn't foolish, not unless she wanted to die.

Finally, the boy complied. He moved to the opposite end of the room, near the closed window, and huddled there.

Sinai shifted her attention back to her beast. "Here, my darling, I have come to feed you," she murmured seductively, baring her neck.

The feral took a deep inhale and grunted.

It wasn't much of an enthusiastic response, but fortunately, he followed Sinai as she backed away towards the wall.

Grand Lord Vladya was making his way back to Blackstone when Zaiper joined him on his stroll. "Tell me, when do we schedule our next court meeting? We still need to discuss the events of the Harvest Ceremony," Zaiper inquired.

Lord Vladya cast a brief glance at him. "I have a meeting with Azrael, do you not remember?"

"Azrael, who is that? Oh, the werewolf king. I had forgotten about that. What is the purpose of the discussion again?”

"A trade agreement. They seek to establish trade relations with us. This matter has been under consideration for years, and we have deliberated on it numerous times in court. Yet, you seem to forget about it constantly," Lord Vladya pointed out as he continued walking.

Zaiper had never shown much interest in the affairs of the land; it had been that way for centuries.

He shrugged indifferently. "Well, it slips my mind occasionally. Just brief me on the details, will you?"

"They possess the most fertile lands of all the species. If we can reach a favorable negotiation, we gain access to one of their territories while they trade in one of ours."

"Mmm." Zaiper nodded, displaying a newfound interest. "So, the deal seems promising?"

"It does," Vladya confirmed.

"In that case, I hope it proves successful. How long will you be away this time?"

"Three days."

Lord Zaiper grumbled under his breath. "Very well. When you return, we shall convene a meeting. For now, I must indulge myself in the sweet pleasures of a slave's body. Speaking of which, what about that pretty princess? I hear you have been taking your share of her."

Vladya stiffened. There was no way he would think or discuss her. So, he maintained his silence.

"That girl must be too good, huh? For you to mount her. Repeatedly. I know you don't do humans, let alone unwilling ones, so it kind of baffles me, is all. She must be really sweet."

Lord Vladya remained silent, refusing to dignify Zaiper's words with a response.

Zaiper grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "So, are you done with her?"

Yes, Vladya was done with her. He had already made that decision, and intended to stick to that resolution this time.

"Because if you are, I'd like to pick her up. I want her to scream for me this time."

"I'm not done with her. Keep your paws away," Vladya retorted, without giving his words a thought. What in Ukrae...?

"Well, that is a shame. I can't wait to carve that pale skin up. She'll look good in designs, don't you think?"

Vladya ignored him, mostly because, for some reason, his anger flared unexpectedly at Zaiper. The urge to strike Zaiper for saying that surged within him, causing a wave of confusion. Something was definitely wrong with him. It was time to leave.

A memory struck him, and he halted in his tracks. "When you mount humans, do they become wet for you?"

Zaiper snorted dismissively. "Those creatures? Only if you put in the effort to arouse them. I never bothered. They remain as dry as a land cursed with famine."

Vladya had never 'bothered' to arouse her either, and she certainly didn't harbor any affection for him. So, where did all that moisture come from?

"Do you experience thirst as well?" Vladya questioned.

"Thirst?" Zaiper raised an eyebrow. “You mean for their blood? Are you referring to bloodlust? No, I don't experience it. I only indulge in their blood for amusement, or if I wish to drain them to death. Why do you ask?"

Vladya shook his head, dismissing the conversation.

Emeriel watched them. A sinking feeling gnawing at the depths of his gut as he witnessed the mistress's actions. The more she lured King Daemonikai's beast, the stronger the unease grew within him.

Get your hands away from him. He is mine!

Emeriel winced, surprised by his own thoughts. Where had that come from?

Nevertheless, the sinking feeling persisted as the beast towered over the mistress, cornering her against the wall.

Emeriel had always been curious about the act of bloodfeeding. Urekai regarded it as a sacred ritual. Now, he watched as the mistress exposed her throat, and the beast's fangs extended.

With a swift motion, the fangs pierced her neck. The mistress let out a momentary cry, her eyes reflecting pain, before transforming into a moan of pleasure.

Emeriel remained transfixed, a mixture of unease and fascination coursing through him. As the beast drank, the mistress's moans grew more intense. Soon, her body began to writhe in raw sexual desire.

Emeriel had overheard a couple of Urekai maids discussing bloodfeeding, mentioning that it can cause arousal as a side effect, some more intense than others. He had never believed it until now.

The mistress appeared completely lost, her eyes glazed over with lust. Her body contorted wantonly as she thrust her hips against the beast's thigh.

She looked more wanton than any Lady had a right to be, and Emeriel seriously doubted she was even aware of her surroundings anymore.

"Yes, my dearling, just like that. Take more, drink from me," she moaned, throwing her head back.

Why do I feel an overpowering urge to stride toward the woman, grab her by the hair, and separate her from my beast? Why is this unpleasant sensation inside me growing the more I witnessed this intimate moment?

And when had the beast become "my beast?"

"Yes, my Daemon," the mistress cried out, her voice growing high-pitched. Her movements quickened, her hands clenched at her sides, and her eyes rolled back as she climaxed.

The beast withdrew its fangs and began to retreat.

"No, my dearling—" Mistress Sinai reached out for him, but the beast bared its teeth and hissed.

She recoiled, and the beast made its way to its favored spot behind the barricade.

The mistress then turned to Emeriel, a smug and superior look on her face. "That is how you satisfy a male. Only I can provide him with the blood his body craves. If anything happens to me today, he cannot survive. Without a bloodhost, they cannot survive. That is how important I am to him."

The mistress smiled. "The day he sinks his fangs into your pale little neck will be your funeral, for he will drain you dry. And I will take great pleasure in witnessing that.” She closed the distance between them.

Pausing, Sinai's tone dripped with malice. "Unfortunately, that may not come to pass. After I'm through with you today, it will take a miracle for you to survive."

"But I have done nothing wrong. Why do you always single me out?" Emeriel glanced up at her, his voice laced with confusion.

Sinai's eyes darkened, anger simmering within her. "How dare you question me?" she hissed furiously, then turned her gaze toward the beast.

Emeriel followed suit. Although the room was dark, after three nights here, his eyes had adjusted considerably.

The beast's yellow eyes appeared heavy with drowsiness.

"Look at that, my Daemon is about to enter slumber," the mistress gloated. "That is what follows after a satisfying feeding from a worthy, healthy source. I have lived for a thousand years, I know how these things work."

She turned back to Emeriel. "As for you, outside with me. Right now."

At this point, Emeriel had no choice but to obey. He followed her out of the chamber, casting a final glance behind to see that the beast had indeed fallen asleep.

Once they were away from the Abyss land, the mistress struck him hard across the face. The slap carried a tremendous force, causing him a lot of pain.

"Yes, I have been meaning to do that for quite some time now," she sneered.

Emeriel cupped his cheek, anger simmering deep inside him. It was one thing to be despised by everyone due to his species' actions, subjected to enslavement and mistreatment. But to be singled out and targeted by this female, despite having done nothing to deserve such treatment, was an entirely different matter.

Mistress Sinai grabbed a fistful of his hair, yanking it viciously. "How dare you get close to the king's beast?"

"You were there," Emeriel said in a cold tone, his eyes burning fiercely. "You attended court that day. It was he who took me away. I did nothing wrong! Nothing!"

"You did everything wrong. Why is my Daemon fixated on you? A filth like you?" She spat, tightening her grip on his hair.

"You would have to ask him that, and I am not filth. I am of royal blood, Mistress Sinai. A human, yes, but from a pure bloodline of royalty. You call people filth, yet you yourself do not possess a royal lineage, merely the privileges of a favored family." Emeriel locked his gaze with hers. "The filth here, mistress, is you."

Sinai stood there, dumbfounded. Releasing her grip on his hair, she stepped back in disbelief.

"You dare to talk back to me?" Her astonishment was palpable. Unbelievable.

Emeriel calmly ran his hand through his hair, attempting to arrange it as best as he could. "I will not apologize for speaking my mind. I have come to realize that no matter what I do or say, you will always find a reason to blame me, to hurt me. So, why should I hold back?"

"You swine!" Mistress Sinai slapped him once more. Her brown eyes receded, giving way to the dominance of her yellow eyes. "I would tear you to shreds if I were to shift!"

For some reason, this threat did not intimidate Emeriel. He couldn't quite explain why.

Perhaps after spending three days alone with King Daemonikai's mighty and fearsome beast, some of the things that should have frightened him no longer did.

But those slaps, they truly hurt.

His hand moved instinctively, before he could even stop it, he struck the mistress’s cheek in return. With so much force, which bore a resounding crack .

He didn't know what had come over him. In fact, Emeriel wasn't thinking at all. But as he witnessed her head whip to the side and heard her gasp, he felt a strange sense of fulfillment. Yes, it was undoubtedly worth it.

At least, that was his initial thought until the mistress's claws began to emerge, her eyes turning completely yellow, her body starting to transform.

Oh, shit.

Emeriel thought fast, his mind racing. "Does Grand Lord Vladya and Grand Lord Ottai know you came here to murder me?"

Mistress Sinai froze midway through her transformation.

Emeriel truly believed she would complete the shift, but to his surprise, she reverted to her full human form. Her eyes blazed with fury. "I am going to kill you."

"You have made that abundantly clear. My question is, do the grand lords know? They journeyed across the great mountains to purchase us, and now you simply wish to kill me without cause?"

"Without cause? You struck me." Mistress Sinai invaded his personal space. "How dare you, a human, strike ME!? As the bloodhost to the king, I hold a great deal of power in this kingdom. You have meddled with the wrong person."

"I did not meddle with you. You struck me twice, I merely returned the favor."

"I will not kill you," she seethed. "But by the time I am through with you, you will beg for death." She called out, "Soldiers!"

Two Urekai soldiers quickly appeared, seemingly having abandoned their posts. "Yes, mistress?"

"Take him and follow me." She marched away.

The soldiers seized Emeriel by the arms and obediently trailed behind the mistress.

.