Chapter 31 #3
Aster’s hand flung to her mouth to conceal the laugh that nearly burst out of it. Five pairs of red eyes slid to her, and she went stock still, realizing her mistake. She tried to cough it off.
“Oh, we absolutely adore your work, Lauren. I think we even met your driver earlier. He gave us a ride up? Very well-behaved thrall, and what a view this place has,” Sylvia said, fanning herself.
“Gosh, it’s hot in here. You know, we’re only in town for a few hours.
I was just planning to stop by for a little visit to see an old friend. Speaking of, I was wondering if maybe—”
“And you are?” Leonard cut Sylvia off, his red eyes pinning to Aster. His gaze had a chilling effect, as if a hundred invisible phantoms had now turned their attention to her. “I don’t believe we’ve met before. Of course, I can venture a guess, but I don’t want to be impolite.”
Don’t talk unless spoken to echoed in Aster’s mouth as she looked toward Sylvia.
Luckily, she didn’t even have to wait a fraction of a second before Sylvia was answering for her, her hand sliding around Aster’s waist. And sure, it was performative, but the motion was also protective in a way that made Aster melt—the grip a little too tight than necessary.
“My favorite thrall,” she answered brusquely. “Don’t take her silence personally. She doesn’t answer to anyone but me. I prefer them that way — no bark, all bite.”
Aster swallowed thickly as their eyes gazed at her like some kind of livestock.
“Thrall? So it’s true, then. Lady Death, Clan Killer of House Maroven, is your special little lap dog?” Leonard marveled. “Color me impressed, Maroven. I should have known someone of Catrina’s stock would do great things, but still, subduing such a creature…”
He reached out and took Aster by the chin.
She felt herself about to snarl and bite his hand off, but she repressed the instinct at the last second.
Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sylvia’s lip twitch.
It took a lot to undo Sylvia’s facade, especially when she was trying so hard to put on the mask — but him touching her had done enough to make her squirm.
She doesn’t want anyone to touch me but her.
The raw protectiveness of it made Aster’s stomach turn.
She was distracted by the sensation of his fingers beginning to prod at her mouth, opening up her lips, like she was a dog at the vet getting its teeth brushed.
It was getting harder and harder not to kill him.
“Wow. She’s exceptionally docile,” Leonard said, eyebrows raising.
“You must have really done a number on her nervous system. Can she even hear what we’re saying?
Or does she mentally turn off when you’re not giving her directions?
I haven’t been able to completely erase the sentience on my thralls yet, but Hell knows I’ve tried. ”
He laughed, and his chorus of minions laughed with him. Aster could hear Sylvia’s heartbeat beginning to come faster, her fingers drilling into Aster’s side like two knives. When he continued to pry around on her gums, fingers sliding across her upper teeth, Sylvia snapped.
“Get your fingers out of her mouth,” she seethed.
Leonard’s eyebrows rose just a hair, and his lackeys stilled. The air seemed to have been sucked out of the room in one quick breath.
But, he did as he was told, and slowly receded.
“My apologies, Sylvia,” he said. “I didn’t realize you had a personal attachment to this one.”
“I don’t,” Sylvia said quickly, trying to regain her composure. Aster felt the comment burn, just a bit. But she knew it was only performance. “I just wouldn’t want you to get bitten.”
“Of course. How considerate of you.” He smiled like a politician. “Come, let’s not get off on the wrong foot. It’s been so long. Join me by the bar, we have so much to catch up about.”
He gave Aster another onceover.
“And I’d love to learn more about her, too.”
If Aster was finding a hard time not murdering him right now, Sylvia was close to grabbing a shotgun. The other vampire’s fingers were all but lodged in Aster’s side. But ultimately, Sylvia nodded, plastering her face with that fake smile again.
“Of course.”
They walked to the bar, Sylvia’s hand pressed to her midriff the entire time, her entire body radiating with nerves. Aster wanted so much to tell her it was okay—to sketch soothing circles on her back—but she knew even the slightest movement might give them away, so she didn’t.
“Tell me, does the thrall drink?” Leonard asked, after ordering him and Sylvia two Gin and Blood tonics.
“No,” Sylvia said, brushing her hair over her shoulder, and finally releasing Aster. She must have noticed she was holding onto her like an anchor. “Not unless I want her to.”
Leonard grinned in delight.
“And do you want her to? It must be fun, getting to do whatever you want with her. Piloting her like a little puppet. If someone killed my mother, I’d do the same thing.”
Sylvia’s lip twitched again, and Aster’s stomach clenched. It was obvious what he was doing. There was no good way to check if someone was a thrall merely by looking at them—their behavior was the only surefire tell.
He was testing them. And because Sylvia refused to ever lose an argument—
“To hell with it. Why not,” Sylvia said, finally, with a purr. She slid her hand into Aster’s hair, and mussed it slightly, scratching at Aster’s scalp. “She’ll have a Vodka Cranberry.”
It took everything within Aster to not melt at the way Sylvia’s fingers were itching across her head. She knew she was just showing off—doing some weird dance of dominance with quite possibly the other most powerful vampire in existence—but god, it was hot.
“Here.” He handed Sylvia the drink, presumably to give to Aster.
And if it was anyone else, Aster would have found it incredibly, fatally condescending when Sylvia physically tilted Aster’s head towards her, took a small sip from the drink, then said to Aster:
“Open up.”
But because it was Sylvia, Aster’s body did nothing but scream when Sylvia’s lips pressed delicately to hers, the alcohol spilling between their mouths like venom.
It took everything in her not to grab Sylvia by the shoulders and fully kiss her back, whiplash hitting her like a truck when Sylvia quickly pulled away, smiling in a way that was only half performative.
“Oh,” Leonard laughed, raising his glass in cheers. “You’re fun.”
***
The next two hours proceeded similarly. Sylvia got drunker and drunker, and occasionally she’d get Aster drunk along with her, feeding her a shot through her mouth, or just giving her the glass to sip on.
Aster had never seen how vampires conducted themselves in groups, but she quickly caught on that this was the norm—half the party was thralls in some kind of undress, parading around in their underwear while Council members watched on, or, occasionally, participated.
“So, tell me,” Leonard leaned in close to them, his bright white hair gleaming under the disco light that had been haphazardly attached to the ceiling.
“How did you Suggest her this well? I’ve been watching her all night, and she’s looked at nothing but you.
Complete focus. It’s incredible. Richard and I could absolutely use your expertise with operating our next venture. ”
Aster burned at the observation. In truth she wasn’t trying that hard. She just was focused on Sylvia. This was enemy territory, and even though it was much less “evil overlords” and a lot more “rich people sex party” than she expected, anything could change at any given moment.
She wanted to be ready.
Sylvia did not seem to share her alertness. She had fallen almost completely into character, laughing and sipping on her margarita. “I’m just good at what I do.”
“You must be. I mean, you’ve got the world’s utmost weapon at your disposal,” Leonard said, giving Aster that livestock-look again. “Is it true? That she can shatter bone with just a touch?”
“That and more,” Sylvia said, tugging Aster into her lap. Sylvia put her head on Aster’s shoulder and squeezed around her middle, lowering her voice, “Isn’t that right, baby?”
Aster’s breath shuddered in her chest. Sylvia’s hands had started playing at the waistband of her suit pants. Not moving down, but just pinching at the fabric.
Aster knew this night was going to be challenging. She did not anticipate the reason why.
“I would like to make you an offer,” Leonard interjected.
Sylvia looked up, her fingers stilling. Aster was grateful for the reprieve. “An offer?”
“You’re familiar with the Mass Suggestion contract you sold to us a few millennia ago, yes?” he asked. “The one that allowed us to take over those oil lines in the Middle East — that made starting up the Ashcroft’s oil empire such a breeze?”
Aster stilled. The memory hit her like a load of bricks—of being in the attic in Riegersburg, digging up that old contract in the cobwebs. Sylvia had never told her what she’d done with it. Obviously this had been a deliberate omission, telling from the way Sylvia’s hands tightened.
Aster blinked, the information settling over her.
Sylvia’s contract was used to build the empire we were intending to steal?
“I’m familiar,” Sylvia said coolly.
“Well, then you’ll also probably recall that in exchange for that contract, we very kindly didn’t bother you about any debts your family owed to The Council,” he said, slowly sipping at his drink. “Which is all good and dandy. The problem is, that contract is starting to lose steam.”
He breathed out an ah, tapping the counter for the bartender to refill the drink.
“I was going to contact you about writing up a new one. Your Suggestion is probably powerful enough to do it. But honestly, if you’d like to loan her out, that would be just fine too.”
Sylvia’s smile, which had stayed in place the entire time, quivered.
“Oh, that would be just fine?” she said, voice too calm.
Oh no.
“Just fine, yes,” he repeated.
“And what exactly would you do with that loan?”
He hummed, arching back in his seat. “Oh, nothing that would damage her. There’s just a few… troublesome assets I’d like to take care of. Vampires in Asia and South America that have gotten too big for their britches. I’m sure you know the type.”
He bit down on his bottom lip, and grinned.
“And, if you’re into sharing in other ways, she is very pretty—”
Sylvia grinned back like a serial killer as she clamped down hard around Aster’s middle.
“You don’t want to see what happens if you finish that sentence.”
His smile faltered.
“Well. It was worth a try. But the rest of my offer is still on the table.”
He brushed a speck of dust off his collar, and looked toward the rest of the party. He had obviously finished whatever business he’d come here to discuss, readying himself to leave, and Sylvia noticed it. She gently prodded Aster off her lap, and stood to address him.
“...But I’m happy to consider the rest of the offer,” Sylvia said, leaning against the counter. “I could even write up a new Mass Suggestion contract for you. But I’d like a favor first.”
He paused, giving her a curious, sidelong glance. “A favor?”
She nodded.
“I want a session with Doctor Vey.”