6. Thirsty
“ L avender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green,” Rose sang softly as she cleaned. Humming the rest of the tune while she scrubbed the porcelain commode, she startled as shiny black shoes appeared before her. Thinking it was a servant come to order her, she looked up, surprised at the human male leaning against the wall with his arms and legs crossed as he watched her.
“Oh!” Recognizing from the descriptions she’d heard around the palace that this was Prince Dimitri, her master’s older brother, she sank into a deep reverence. More muscular than his brother, Prince Dimitri had curly black hair and gray eyes (like his mother Queen Eileen’s, she’d heard). Though he had a somewhat darker skin tone, he and Prince Adrian shared similar features that made it easy to see they were related.
Rose’s face burned as she stared at the carpet. Stupid, so stupid to be caught daydreaming. He’d punish her now. She was sure of it.
What was Prince Dimitri even doing there? He shouldn’t be in his brother’s apartments .
“Do you dream of being a Queen, slave? That’s the next line of your little ditty, isn’t it? Do you dream of breaking your bonds, running free, and finding greatness?”
His arms and feet uncrossed as he shoved away from the wall to step closer to her. Trying not to flinch as he took a firm grip of her chin and pulled her from her submissive pose, she kept her gaze averted while he observed her.
“Do you imagine a better life? Do you think that’s possible for someone like you?”
Clasping her fingers in front of her so tightly together they hurt, she bit her tongue. Though used to people making fun of her, used to belittling and condemnation, it hurt today because he’d caught her singing a song from one of her dreams.
“I asked you a question.”
She trembled at the danger in his low tone but would not respond to his bullying.
“I see the rumors about your insolence are true.” There was humor in his tone, though Rose knew he was in no way amused. No, that humor was threatening. “Are you so disobedient with my brother? Look at me, slave.”
Rose stared at his clean-shaven chin. She obeyed one master, and that was not him.
With a low sound of frustration, Prince Dimitri forcefully threw her away from him. She fell, crying out as her hip hit the square corner of a table.
“Get up!” Prince Dimitri ordered, advancing on her. As she scooted away from him, he followed, stalking her as a predator stalked its prey. When she hit the wall, she curled in on herself, knowing pain was coming .
The elder Prince grabbed her collar, yanking her to her feet before slamming her back against the wall. Her head struck, and spots danced before her eyes.
“How dare you disobey!” Her head rapped the wall again as he shook her, and then he fisted her hair and yanked her head back. “How dare you disobey your master—”
“You are not my master.”
“You belong to the Royal Family!” Prince Dimitri yelled in her face, spittle landing on her cheek. The spicy scent of liquor was evident on his breath.
“I belong to His Highness Prince Adrian.”
Prince Dimitri’s face turned red in rage. His jaw clenched. Rose sensed the blow before he backhanded her. Even bracing for it, she saw stars, the ring he wore cutting her lip. He slapped her again with his palm, the sound of it echoing in the room.
“You are nothing . My brother can do nothing —”
He was cut off by the indignant cries of Larkin the hawk as he flew into the room. In an instant, he landed as the tiger and roared at Prince Dimitri, who immediately stepped back from Rose, hands up placatingly as his brother strode in.
Rose’s relief was instant; she sagged against the wall.
“What is going on here?” Prince Adrian demanded.
Larkin growled as if to back up his master’s words, stepping closer to Rose. She curled shaking fingers in his fur, the contact a lifeline, and appreciated her friend’s dangerous teeth that made Prince Dimitri back up another step.
“Just a chat. ”
“Hmm,” Prince Adrian hummed thoughtfully as he walked to her. Taking her chin in his fingers much the way Prince Dimitri had, he lifted her face. “You hit her.”
“She deserved it,” Prince Dimitri retorted defensively. “She talked back, dared to stare, and was acting far too mighty for her station.”
“I do not touch your property, no matter how offensive I find it,” Prince Adrian said. “And yet you come into my apartments and dare to touch mine.”
“She is a slave !” Prince Dimitri spat.
“She is my slave. You will make reparations.”
Prince Dimitri laughed. “You must be joking.”
“I expect recompense by morning.”
“Don’t hold your breath, brother.”
There was a drawn-out moment of silence before Prince Adrian repeated, “Morning, Dimitri. And you will not touch her again. Are we clear?”
“You do not give me orders, Adrian. This slave belongs to the Neige family—”
“She is mine . If you touch what belongs to me again, I will do more than make you pay damages. Now leave.”
From her lowered gaze, Rose saw Prince Dimitri’s hands clench into fists. “You will come to regret this bad judgment, mark my words.”
“Noted. Now get the fuck out before I make you.”
Prince Dimitri stormed out, and Prince Adrian turned his attention back to Rose. “Are you alright?”
Hardly believing he’d ask the question, trying not to show how shaken and grateful she was, she answered, “I am fine, Your Highness. May I return to work? ”
“No.” Moving to the door, Prince Adrian spoke to someone in the hall, “Fetch some warm water and a rag. Bring it to my sitting room.” And then he ordered Rose, “Come.”
She followed him down long hallways with Larkin at her side. Her hand never left his fur. Once inside his sitting room, Prince Adrian dismissed the servants and began unbuttoning his coat.
“I want to know every detail of what happened with my brother.”
Rose almost sighed as her head throbbed. She didn’t want to be stuck between the Princes. She wanted the whole episode to be over so she could return to work.
“Slave,” her Prince said, annoyed. He tossed his coat over the back of the nearby sofa and began unbuttoning his vest.
Rose looked down at Larkin instead of watching her Prince’s long and nimble fingers work his buttons.
His use of her status instead of her name was another reminder of who she was to him. Just because he treated her differently did not mean she was different. Things were the same as they’d always been.
The collar around her neck dictated her identity.
“Why do you do this?” Prince Adrian asked quietly. A quick check showed he was down to his undershirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He kicked his shoes off, and she watched them roll. “Any other slave would answer in an instant, yet you fight at every turn.” He pulled his socks off, tossing them, and then walked to her in bare feet.
As he neared, the pressure of his presence grew, and she fought the urge to sink into a low curtsy. Even though she wouldn’t answer his questions, she bowed her head in submission.
Did he know it was only for him?
“But not all the time,” her Prince continued, “and not in all things. If I were to tell you to”—he waved his fingers through the air—“go and clean something, you’d surely disappear in an instant to obey. I’m told you are among the hardest-working humans and always excel.”
Rose was shocked to hear that since her vampire superior was always scolding her and criticizing her work.
“You don’t complain, and you don’t lord your special circumstances over anyone.” He lifted a hand to indicate Larkin. “You have my pet wrapped around your finger and myself”—he gave the tiniest chuckle—“saving you on every occasion.”
That chuckle tingled through her, and she looked up, surprised by his frankness. For an instant, her eyes met his.
But then she remembered herself and looked away, bowing her head as her cheeks flamed.
She should apologize, and he had every right to slap her as Prince Dimitri had done, yet her voice stuck in her throat, and she knew he wouldn’t lay a finger on her.
The brothers were so different, and she wondered why. Raised by the same people in the same home, shouldn’t they be more alike?
Then again, Prince Adrian was the King’s heir, even though he was years younger than Prince Dimitri. That had to foster resentment.
Rose thought it sad. In her opinion, the bond of family ties should be stronger than the pull of greed and the power of a crown. She knew such a way of thinking was na?ve and rather foolish, but that was how her heart felt.
Living her life alone and in servitude helped her to see just how precious the ties were that bound people together. Having no one connected to her in any way, she’d always longed for someone, just one person, to see her as more than her collar, more than a number for sale .
Larkin did, she thought, still stroking his fur. And even if it was his pet’s bond with her that dictated her Prince’s kindness, she’d take it. She’d take it and be grateful. Because it was precious, and she feared already fleeting.
It would fade, she thought, as such things for people like her always did.
“So mysterious, my slave Rose.”
His use of her name, this more personal claiming of her, sent a tingle down her spine. She stiffened as his fingers approached her face, years of abuse making her wary, but his fingers were gentle on her chin. Gentle pressure urged her to lift her face, and her eyes met his. Those red irises held her, locking her in place.
“There’s something I want to do,” he whispered. The dark promise was as titillating as his fingers on his buttons had been. She was sure he didn’t mean to be, especially not to her , but the anticipation she felt only built as he ran his thumb briefly over her bottom lip.
Her mouth trembled open, her breath stuttering.
“I’ve smelled your blood before; you were covered in wounds when I took you, but that was different. It did not make me thirst.”
The admission was scandalous. Vampires thirsted for those they desired. Blood play was an integral part of their sexual natures. There was no way he felt that way for her.
But as he broke the scab forming on her cut and her blood beaded, she wondered. When he leaned forward, she felt a moment of heart-stopping panic that he would kiss her. But he licked the corner of her mouth, collecting that droplet.
Fire blazed through her, flushing her skin and heating her to her core.
A knock at the door had her Prince stepping back. Rose’s breath whooshed out of her, and she quickly lowered her gaze to Larkin, petting him while Prince Adrian allowed entry to the maid, ordering the warm water and rag to be set on the table .
“Will that be all, Your Grace?”
“Yes, Lucinda. You may go.”
Rose tried to ignore the sting of jealousy at the maid’s flirtatious smile and the playful way she bowed again before she left.
“Clean yourself,” Prince Adrian ordered her, motioning to the bowl.
Rose ignored his words and the offer to wash, only wanting to return to where she felt comfortable and knew her place.
“If I may be dismissed, Your Highness, I have work.”
“Of course you do.” He sighed. “If my brother approaches you again, you will tell me.”
“Of course, sir,” she answered knowing full well that she would not.