Page 83 of Bleeding for the Prince
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Gwil was excited for their first visit to Bled as a couple. He had the earrings secreted away in a pocket of the new suit he’d received from Hyax’s tailor and wanted the evening to be perfect. He had suggested Hyax might like to dress to impress, and his partner had taken his words as a challenge. Gwil whimpered as Hyax emerged from their bedroom in a perfectly fitted navy suit and red shirt he’d not seen before.
“Maybe we should stay in,” he said, his cock hard.
“Oh no. We’re going out. You look fucking glorious, Gwil. I want the world to see whose arm I’m on, and I’m intrigued by what I’m going to experience in this trendy vamp club.”
Gwil was beginning to regret offering to take Hyax to Bled tonight. “You’ll be hit on by everything without a pulse. There won’t be a vampire who won’t want to see if they can lure you away.”
“You know they won’t be able to, so you can puff yourself and strut about with me glued to your side.” Hyax kissed him, but it was brief, and he wouldn’t let Gwil pull him closer. “Can we portal in?”
“Not the first time. They’ll need to tune to your signature, so we’ll have to go in the normal way this time. You should be able to portal to just outside, though.”
“Might be good to be seen making an entrance.”
He’d expected more pushback. “Ready?”
Hyax opened a portal, and they stepped out in front of Bled. This wasn’t the sort of place where people would queue to enter; the vampires who came here would expect to be allowed in when they wanted, with no arguments, and those who weren’t members wouldn’t be stupid enough to try to get in without an invite.
Gwil held the door open. He wanted Hyax to like Bled; here was somewhere Hyax would be his guest. Unlike the Jyndarin Society, which he’d got membership in part because of Hyax, Bled was purely because he was now considered to be the right kind of vampire. And he was going to milk this harder than a dairy farmer with a supermarket deal.
They were greeted on entry. A beautiful female vampire bowed to Hyax. “Your Highness. Mr Hilt. Welcome. I’m sure we can find you one of our very best tables for the night.”
“If I decide I like the place, I was informed there would be a way to portal directly inside.”
“For you, we can make that happen. Before you leave, I can have one of the hosts come over and ensure everything is set up for your next visit. Let me help make sure you wish to return. Please follow me.”
Vampires were known for their opulence, and Hyax loved to be spoiled. Being backed by Robin meant Gwil would be guaranteed good service, but bringing a prince along would further increase his importance to the owners of Bled. In a society where it mattered who you knew, being the partner to fae royalty gave him an edge over every other sucker in the club.
Nowhere in Bled was a bad place to sit, but there were sections best avoided if Hyax didn’t want to be accosted by a vampire having their dinner via a live feed. Their hostess was savvy enough to know where not to seat Hyax, and she escorted them to a corner table with a high-back love seat, perfectly oversized for two to curl up together.
“Thanks,” Gwil said, as they sat. “I should open a tab.”
“You’re all set, Mr Hilt.” Last time, they’d given him a poker chip. “As one of the platinum members, we’ll take care of everything. Now, if you would do me the honour, I’d like to surprise you with one of our speciality drinks from the chief mixologist.”
“I don’t drink blood,” Hyax said.
“We’re not the sort of establishment that makes blood-based cocktails. Our rhesus collections are too good to dilute, so you’re in no danger, Your Highness.”
There were plenty of vampire clubs that made all sorts of nasty concoctions with blood, and Bled not doing so set them apart. “Prince Hyax does love ambrosia, but I’d love to challenge your bar staff to come up with something he’d like even more.”
“I think you’ll both be happy.”
Left alone, Gwil slid up as close as he could on the seat. “So, what do you make of the place?”
“Not bad for a watering hole of the undead. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this is quite chic. As nice as some of the high-end fae places I go to.”
“Nowhere that Robin Flint drinks is going to be too rough.”
“True, I probably should not have lowered my expectations so far. I could see myself coming back here, every so often.”
For Hyax, the admission he’d return was high praise. Gwil glanced around the bar. They were drawing interested glances, several openly coveting Hyax. He had expected a bolt of jealousy, but instead, he was smug. The beautiful bastard was his, andwhile the others could look, only he could touch. Their host arrived carrying a tray with two martini glasses. “Gentleman, this is a golden lemon drop martini. In the style of the traditional recipe, but the vodka is from a Russian still that dates back to the last Tsar, and the glass is edged with lavender-infused sugar and edible gold-leaf-wrapped lemon peel.”
“I’m a sucker for a good martini,” Gwil said.
“Our chief mixologist trained the bar staff at the Jyndarin Society; he’s something of a legend.”
Gwil took a sip of his drink. The tartness of lemon, with the floral undertone of the lavender sugar, made his tongue dance with joy. “Wow. That is amazing!”
