Page 81 of Stalked By Seduction and Shadows

I hadn’t realized how tense I’d become until Rune’s hand had moved to wrap around my waist, his thumb tracing circles against the silky fabric.

From all my information gathering, I knew that Talomon was a border district between the born districts and the rest of the city. It was heavily patrolled by the turned, who populated every border district in great numbers. I’d never been inside a blood center, but I knew they were a sanctuary established after the war where mortals volunteered their blood to vampires, especially ones in or on the cusp of bloodlust. Not every vampire could afford courtesans, nor did mortals always want to freely give their blood. This was a way for vampires to abide by the law and avoid unnecessary killing when they’d lost control. If clubs like Odessa were sinful blood dens, then blood centers were more like blood cafés, with healers and hunters always on staff.

Clearly, not every vampire gave a shit about protecting mortals or abiding by the law.

“We’ll reconvene after breakfast,” Rune said, his words final.

“Breakfast?” one of the men echoed before his buddy elbowed him in the ribs. They all glanced at me again, and I had to work hard to steady my breathing.

I was now a weaponless, powerless human in a castle full of vampires who thirsted for my blood.

38

SCARLETT

The dining room was as darkly beautiful and teeming with art as the rest of the castle. From what I’d been raised to believe, I supposed I expected Rune and his inner circle to inhabit some kind of giant crypt stacked with skulls and bones.

So far, Rune had obliterated every one of my assumptions.

“I hope whoever you hired to decorate your small, tasteful castle is paid handsomely.”

Rune eyed me curiously before looking around the room, as if he’d grown so accustomed to his surroundings that he couldn’t imagine what their decadence must look like through my eyes.

“I decorate it,” he said. “With help, of course. But every piece of art you see was chosen by me.”

My brows scrunched together, but I was distracted by the sight of an array of breakfast food on the table. The smell of sugar made my mouth water. Pastries, fruit, bread and jams, eggs and meat all sat upon serving plates near the far head of the table.

“Are you surprised?” Rune asked.

I begrudgingly peeled my gaze away from the food. “A little. But I’m getting used to it.”

“Used to what?”

“You surprising me,” I said, lifting my shoulders.

Rune’s dark eyes flickered. We were the only ones here, which made sense. Vampires could eat, but they much preferred blood. They’d never survive on mortal food alone. Nor did it strengthen their magick like blood did.

When I moved to sit in the chair just to the left of the head, Rune stopped me.

“No.” He sat down at the head of the table and made a come-hither motion with his fingers.

That was when I noticed that only his place at the table had been set with a plate and cutlery.

I dragged my eyes back up, and when he smiled, every single nasty word evaporated from my lips like steam. I desperately fought to hold on to my defiance, but it evaded me as I grew more lost in Rune’s powerful presence.

“In my lap, now, Little Flame,” he said, a gentle command.

When his shadows billowed toward me on the floor like snakes of black smoke, I walked to Rune on my own. I sat down in his lap, and his arms and shadows were quick to hold me in place.

When his lips brushed my ear, I shuddered. “Good girl. You’re learning.”

I frowned. “I?—”

His lips found my neck, and again my voice was lost. When Rune kissed me, touched me, whispered praise in my ear, it was like everything I’d ever been searching for in this world had finally found me.

My eyes fluttered when his light sucking turned rougher. I bucked when I felt the softest scrape of fangs. Goosebumps spread over my skin even as my body surged with heat.

I shifted my legs, and Rune straightened.

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