Vampire Lessons #2
“Don’t antagonize me with the prospect of what you might accomplish if you weren’t burdened with your royal duties. Your dissertation on inherited abilities changed my entire view on vampiric lineage—”
“If you’re quite done fawning over each other, we have arrangements to see to, Majesty,” Gorvin cut through the bonding scholars’ chatter and pleasantries.
“Yes, Gorvin. Always the taskmaster,” Rhazien chided, giving me a wink.
“We should change your title to Master of Tasks! We could be Masters together,” Oddo quipped, sending Rhazien’s lips wide.
Gorvin’s face showed no such appreciation for the proposed title. His sharp features were as firm as the Irriset Mountains the Hive was built into.
“We should not,” Gorvin said plainly. His gift for clarity was matched by his affinity for brevity.
Rhazien cleared his throat, composing himself. “Gentlemen, may I please have a moment alone with Lady Reyva?”
The two bowed and excused themselves in silent unison. The regent led me down the closest stack of books. When we reached the wall of the enclosure, he gave me as much space as he could, the berth no farther than an arm's length.
Silence settled between us as he stood, hands behind his back, taking me in. “I’m sorry—I’ve completely forgotten what I wanted to speak to you about.”
I narrowed my gaze. “How convenient.”
“Truly. I’m…distracted.” Green eyes darted from my nose to my hair to my lips and back to my unconvinced stare.
“I’m sure.” I stood tall against the stacks, wondering if he could see the blush forming in my cheeks.
He tucked a rogue hair behind my ear. “It’s your scent.”
“I did help myself to the bathing products in my chambers—”
Rhazien stepped to me, bringing our bodies chest to chest, and the closeness made my heart jump. He leaned down and responded in a breathy whisper, “I think we both know I’m not referring to any bathing products.”
My throat had gone dry but I managed to croak, “Is it…your blood? Is it calling you still?”
“No.” His hand traced my shoulder to my fingertips before intertwining with mine. “It’s just you.”
Just me.
But not just me.
Me and my blood.
Me and my gift for visions.
As tender as this moment was, I couldn’t forget this moment was contrived.
A means to an end. Dommik had used the term prospect.
He’d said a lot of things, like how I would be comfortable as long as I was useful.
It made me wonder when my usefulness would be put to the test, and if Rhazien would still court me if I couldn’t locate the item.
My throat tightened as the painful truth settled.
“Oddo is waiting. If there’s nothing else—” I looked up at him through my lashes. Rhazien squeezed my hand, encouraging me to stay. A pleading look settled underneath his knitted brows.
“My lady. As regent, I’ve learned that moments alone are rare and precious. It’s best not to rush them.” Spoken like a true, centuries old vampire. Time was always of the essence for humans. Immortals didn’t have to rush.
His thumb stroked the back of my hand as I whispered, “So, what then? We’ll just...stand here?”
“I am enjoying the view.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks and I scoffed, deflecting his flattery. “And the smell, apparently.”
“Does it make you uncomfortable that I mentioned it?” He held the space and shielded me from prying eyes.
I shifted my weight. “Only because it makes me wonder who else thinks I smell delicious. I can’t help but feel I’m comparable to a Solstice ham.”
He placed a finger under my chin, lifting my gaze to his. “They cannot touch you. No one. Hear me? No one will harm you.”
It wasn’t a promise. He was stating a fact. Just as Gorvin had. As Dommik had. How could they all be so sure?
“Especially with Dommik as your guard,” he whispered.
“Am I to be constantly chaperoned? Because even then…” I shook my head lightly, making his hand fall away from my chin.
“I don’t want you to feel like a prisoner. Just know you’re safe here and I’m taking extra precautions to ensure it.” The more times I heard it, the more I started to believe.
“Thank you, Majesty.” My shoulders eased with his reassurance.
Rhazien straightened, rising to his full height and gathered my hands in his. His square jaw tightened underneath his neatly trimmed gray-speckled stubble. “You’re welcome, it’s the least I can do for my prospect.”
My heart leapt with his sincerity but I clung to his final word. Prospect.
Oddo strolled suspiciously past the bay, casually running a hand through his dark hair as he glanced at us.
“Our moment may be over.” Rhazien sighed, scanning me again. “This color is absolutely divine on you.”
My cheeks warmed. “My chambermaid picked it,” I said as he thumbed the deep green fabric. My training to be a dutiful wife reared its head and I couldn’t help but add, “I’ll ask her to find more like it if it’s your preference.”
His eyes locked to mine and a lusty whisper rolled from his lips, “I have a feeling you’ll look beautiful in anything. Wear whatever you like, and I’ll love it.”
I basked in the warmth of the compliment and gave him a wide smile. This wasn’t like me. I couldn’t possibly be swooning this quickly on my own. It had to be the blood.
Gorvin cleared his throat from beyond the stacks.
The regent leaned down, letting his breath dance across the shell of my ear. “You’re getting me in trouble, Lady Reyva.”
“You’re in trouble with me,” I retorted.
He rocked back on his heels and placed a hand on his chest.“Already? How did I manage that?”
A smile threatened to break through, but I couldn’t let his charming nature distract me. “You pulled me aside to tell me something and haven’t yet. Unless it really was a tactic for a moment alone.”
“A small fib would be worth a thousand moments with you, but I was telling the truth.” My raised brows invited his continuance. “I’m hosting a welcome ball for you in two days to introduce you as my prospect to the royal court. Ambassadors from other Hives will also be in attendance.”
There’s that word again.
Gorvin stood in full view at the end of the bay, impatience vibrating from his form. “If you ever let her get to her lesson, Majesty.”
“One more minute and then you can drag me away.” The regent waved him off.
“A ball? Really? It seems a bit over the top—”
“It’s part of keeping you safe. Solstice is less than two months away and there are many events between, during which we’ll host royals from other Hives. I don’t want to leave any room for misinterpretation on their part. You’re mine and they cannot touch you.”
As a guest of the human court, I could hide in the shadows or slink into the crowd.
I could thrive in my anonymity. Here, I wouldn’t be afforded such luxuries.
Now, I would be a guest of honor instead of a nameless wife to a wealthy lord, and I would be on the arm of the regent of an immortal court, no less. My palms dampened at the thought.
It seemed there would be no deterring him. “All right.”
He smiled and nodded. “One more thing, I’ve instructed Gorvin to reserve time for us to continue to get to know each other.”
“I appreciate the thought, but I’m used to being left alone. I’m sure I’ll find ways to occupy myself.”
“Reyva.” He squeezed my hands and the seriousness in his gaze commanded my attention. “I know your late husband was an absent partner. That is not what our life will be.”
“How—” I stopped myself short. Dommik said the Hive had done its research on me, which I supposed would have included my marital life. But my initial question wasn’t worth asking—he’d said ‘our life’. Our. “What do you mean by our life?”
“It means what it sounds like.” Rhazien narrowed his gaze, a glint of something playful in his eyes.
“You’re immortal.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead, igniting me by his touch. “I can see your mind working in those stunning eyes of yours. We’ll have a private dinner tonight and we can talk about this more. See you then, my jewel.”
His black cape floated out of view from beyond the stack, leaving me with Oddo for my vampire lessons.
My history lesson was not as expected. Rather than sitting for a lengthy, boring lecture, Oddo guided me to the Hall of Truths.
The movement was welcome; I needed to stay in motion to match the pace of my mind.
I was learning endless information all at once.
As frustrating as it was, I had to accept that my questions would have to wait until dinner with Rhazien.
Until then, I had to focus on the task at hand.
Dommik occupied himself with a brown book, small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. Always in sight but never hovering, he leaned against an empty space in the Hall of Truths.
Oddo paused in front of the first of six large pieces of art. “Please correct me, Lady Reyva, but am I right to assume your knowledge of our history is limited?”
I nodded. “Anything we’re taught is focused on the terrible things vampires have done.”
“Ah, yes. Fear tactics. It makes sense. Communities full of fear are easier to control.” Oddo tapped his temple, then gestured to the tapestry in front of us. “Let’s start at the beginning then.”
We turned our attention to the colorful threads. Their interwoven patterns displayed multiple scenes across the piece. My focus was first drawn to the bottom left corner where a few simple homes were sorted in a circle and beside them, four women.
“Each and every one of us is a direct result of the vampiric strain spread from four of our oldest known vampires, who we refer to as the Originals. The Eldritch sisters were part of the primitive tribes of the world’s first people.”
Oddo lifted a guiding hand to each of the sisters. “Lorana, Ruelle, Aveen, and Isley.”
“I recognize Ruelle. We are taught she’s a temptress,” I chimed and my cheeks heated.
“I’m afraid you’ve been misled about her.” Oddo chuffed. “No. No. Don’t be embarrassed. It’s a common narrative. The story you likely know is that Ruelle enchants young men, luring them away from their homes to feast on them. Correct?”
I nodded.