Page 16 of First
“You have no right?—”
“Oh, but I do,” I drawl. “And you should be grateful that she is cold and likely won’t get pregnant from it.”
She spins on her feet before angrily stalking away in a way that would make me laugh, if it weren’t for the night that lies ahead of me.
“Lady Larsen,” I call after her. “A word of advice?”
She stops, but doesn’t turn to me.
“Hold your mate back,” I say. I don’t know what her relationship with Lord Larsen is like, but I’m no fool. Unlike what the noble-born have been telling themselves, Omegas are not glorified birthing machines without political power. “I want the attacks against my soldiers and my leadership to stop, and I want Lord Larsen to stop acting like he’s above the law. I am the general now, and things are changing. The Houses are going to have to give up a portion of their wealth and their constant abuse of power.”
“How dareyouspeak of abuse of power, with what you are about to do to Sofia?”
“My lady, we can both agree that the paltry body of a stunted Omega is worth much less than the many lives Lord Larsen has taken.”
She spins around to face me. “You are as repulsive as they say.”
“I live to meet your expectations, my lady.”
I put my lower-face mask back on and stalk to my quarters, already annoyed by the tearful Omega who surely awaits me.
Chapter9
THE NIGHT
Sofia
The bed in the general’s quarters must be worth more credits than my team of healers will earn in our combined lifetimes because it is made from wood. As I understand it, wood used to be a commonplace material. But the kind of trees that used to crowd the outside don’t thrive in salt water.
There is only one purpose for something so massive and built entirely of a rare substance: ostentation. Whoever purchased the bed must have wanted to show off their wealth. And even though I know little about Gabriel Agard, I simply cannot imagine him wasting credits onthat. It’s a relic from previous generals; I’d bet five years of my life on that.
The rest of the room is wide but sparsely furnished: A handful of chairs. Carpets. One nightstand, free of any clutter. A small armory area. A chest. A table with a holo station.
I’ve lost track of time, but I can tell that we must be past sunset because even though we’re high up enough to get some illumination through the water, no light filters in through the single lancet window that reaches upward to the vaulted ceiling. Thankfully, electric candles flicker low in the dimly lit space, leaving only the farthest corners shrouded in dark. The purring white noise of the environmental controls is at once smoother and quieter than in my quarters.
I hate to admit it, but I loveeverythingabout this room. Except, of course, for the pair of eyes flashing at me from the shadows.
For a split second, I assumed it was the glint of a light bouncing against a reflective surface. Then I noticed the occasional blinking, the large fuzzy outline surrounding it, and an impression of fangs, and I realized that I was being tracked by an animal. Still am.
Hunted.
This is disturbing. So disturbing, I sit on the edge of the bed, as still as possible, trying at once to make myself invisible and to not let the monster out of my sight. By the time the door opens, I’ve nearly convinced myself that I should play dead.
The beast can’t kill me if I die of a stroke first.
Someone enters the room. Heavy steps thud toward me, then halt. I hear a sigh, then a blunt, half growled “my lady.”
“Not a lady,” I murmur absentmindedly, unable to peel my eyes from the animal.
“As of approximately an hour ago, you are a member of the Larsen family.My lady.”
“Ah, right. There is that.” I’m trying to open my mouth as little as possible, but my ventriloquism act must not fool the beast, because its stare narrows into a glare.
My skin erupts into a million tiny goosebumps.
“It doesn’t seem as though you understand the situation, my lady. Did someone explain to you that when the Right of the First Night is claimed, the Omega?—”
If I weren’t too terrified to move, I would wave my hand. “Yeah, yeah, for sure. You can do whatever you like with my body for the next few hours.”
