Page 13 of To Quench Her Thirst

“She’s beautiful and she knows it,” he said shortly. “So when are we going to this fucking feast?”

“Drago! Watch your language,” Addison exclaimed. “We’reguestshere!”

The shortest lady-in-waiting laughed.

“It’s all right. I was raised with brothers—I’ve heard it all. And actually, it’s time for the feast right now. Shall we go?”

Addison hooked her arm through Sparki’s and shot Drago a final glare.

“Yes, let’s get out of here.”

The two women turned to exit the bedchamber together, leaving Drago to follow along behind, still fuming. This fucking feast had better be spectacular and the ceremony afterward had better end quickly, he thought to himself. He was already fed up with the Vargan palace and all its inhabitants.

He had no idea that things were about to get much,muchworse.

7

ADDIE

Sparki led them to a feasting hall that looked like it was straight out of a sword and sorcery epic. Soaring walls made of the same black stone as the rest of the palace and covered in tapestries—all of which depicted Sheelash, the spider goddess—were the first things Addie noticed. The second was the long wooden table, lit with many intricate silver candelabras, which stretched from one end of the vast hall to the other.

Seated along the table were all the most important people in Crimson Moon—at least, if the color of their hair was any indication, Addie thought. Almost all of them had stripes of platinum blonde—or “Sheelash White” as they called it—in their hair. Only a few, like Lx Sambla, had pure blonde hair.

Speaking of the Vargan ambassador, he was heading in their direction now.

“Ah, Lssa Addison, how lovely you look! I knew our native fashions would suit you,” he exclaimed. “Let me see you fully.” And taking Addie’s hand, he turned her slowly around in a complete circle so he could see every bit of her body.

Addie went along with the little display, but she couldn’t help feeling extremely naked and uncomfortable. It was different, somehow, than when Drago had been looking her up and down.She’d kind of liked the way her Protector’s golden eyes went wide…and then half-lidded with lust as he surveyed her. Though she’d tried to hide from him at first, she couldn’t deny the satisfaction she felt at finally getting the big Drake Kindred’s attention.

But she found that having Lx Sambla’s dark eyes crawling over her flesh made her feel uncomfortable. There was some expression on his face she couldn’t quite name. It seemed to be a mixture of sexual hunger and something else…but what? Greed? Anticipation maybe? But anticipation of what?

Addie didn’t know—she only knew she was relieved when the little display was over and Sambla was tucking her arm into his. From the corner of her eye she could see Drago looking like a thundercloud again. She wondered if it would make him feel any better if he knew that displaying her assets to the Vargan ambassador had made her feel weird and creeped out. Probably not.

“Let me lead you to the place of honor,” Sambla was saying to her as he led her to one end of the long table. “You and I are seated by the Council of Aged Ones. I know you’re going to make awonderfulimpression.”

“Oh, er, thank you.” Addie did her best to smile brightly. She had to put the feeling of being naked and exploited somehow out of her head, she reminded herself. The Council of Aged Ones was going to determine if she could participate in the Choosing Ceremony where the Queen of Night was crowned. Not that she really wanted to participate—she’d be happy if they just let her observe. But either way she needed to make a good impression.

The chairs were high and wooden with crimson cushions to sit on. Because Addie was short, Sambla courteously asked one of the servers for a second cushion and then helped her get seated.

“There you are, lovely one,” he said, as Addie finally got settled.

She smiled at him.

“Thank you for the extra cushion.”

“But of course! I always do the same for my sister, since she’s about your height.” He nodded at Sparki, who was sitting a few seats down on the other side of the table.

“You two must be very close,” Addie remarked.

“Yes, extremely close.” He nodded gravely. “She’s my responsibility, you know. And she brings a great deal of joy into my life.”

“She’s got a bubbly personality—she’s my favorite of the ladies-in-waiting you assigned to me,” Addie confided. Shedid notadd that the other three, Teeza, Leeza, and Peeza, seemed more interested in getting into her Protector’s pants than actually waiting on her.

Speaking of Drago, he was seated beside Sparki, who was trying to make conversation with him. But the big Drake Kindred was barely paying any attention to her. Instead, he was glaring at Sambla like he wanted to reach across the table and strangle him. What waswrongwith him, Addie wondered? Why was he suddenly so jealous of her when he'd never shown the least interest in her at all before this mission?

She shot her Protector a warning look but before she could mouth something like, “Behave!” Sambla was tugging her elbow to get her attention.

“My dear Addison, I’d like to introduce you to the Council of Aged Ones,” he said, pointing discretely.

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