Page 97 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood
Before I can answer, his fangs sink beneath my skin, and a gasp escapes my mouth. My eyes close instinctively, and I squeeze my thighs together to stave off the growing ache that gathers there. I’m suddenly keenly aware that this is the first time that we have ever been alone when he has bitten me, and the thought makes my nipples peak.
A growl sounds in the back of his throat, and I fight not to press myself against him. It’s just the bond, I remind myself once again. Every inch of me lights up, and I can sense the feeling of euphoria growing in the pit of my stomach, and then it just stops.
I open my eyes and find Karius staring at me, his fangs now tucked safely back in his mouth, and the skin on my wrist clean and healed. He watches me in silence, and his tongue flicks out to catch a drip of blood in the corner of his mouth, and I hate that my eyes watch the movement.
“Careful, little witch, if you keep looking at me like that, it might just make me believe that you enjoy me feeding on you just as much as I like the taste of your blood.”
My eyes lift to his.
“I don’t.” His knowing smile tells me he sees straight through my lies, and I hate the effect that these feedings have on me. “You healed me without using your blood.”
He smiles.“Benefitsof our bond. Now, as much as I’d like to stay here discussing how intoxicating your blood is, we have more pressing matters to discuss.”
“Such as?”
His face turns serious. “I need you present tonight because it is customary that a vampire feeds at such events, and giventhe fact that I cannot feed from another human, I require your presence.”
“And?” I know there’s more since he is literally pointing out the obvious. I bite my lip in anticipation of what else, and his eyes fall down to my mouth. It takes a second before his gaze returns to my eyes again, and his face turns serious once more.
“These vampires may be of my court, but if they choose another, they will become my enemy. It is imperative that none of them learn of our connection.”
“I’m not a fool,Prince.And I’m not stupid enough to reveal myself as your weakness. I may hate you, but I like living more.”
“Good, then you will understand why I have to do this.”
He grabs hold of my wrist before I can protest. I watch in horror as dark wisps of shadow pour from his hand, sinking beneath the brown flesh of my wrist. Inky black tendrils twist and coil, knitting themselves into the Kayn crest in the space where the Blackwood house crest once sat.
He lets go of me, and I pull my wrist to me, cupping it in my other hand as I look down at the branding. A reminder that this monster owns me. A tear threatens to fall, but I force it to dry before it can escape. My eyes rise to the prince’s, and I know that he sees the hatred swirling there.
An emotion I cannot read crosses his face. “A guard is waiting outside to escort you to the drawing room.” I turn on my heel, anger making every vein sizzle with heat. I stretch my hand towards the doorknob, but pause when he calls out. “And Adina. You may be many things. Frustrating, annoying, and downright disobedient, but you are most definitely not my weakness.”
I storm out the door and leave before I can allow myself to be foolish enough to spend even a second more in his presence, and yet I still find myself mulling over his words and wondering what exactly he meant by them.
“These will be your positions for the evening. Do not leave them unless you are instructed to by one of the nobles.” A woman with dark brown skin says as she stands in the middle of the drawing room, her eyes scanning each of us in the positions we stand around the crescent-shaped table.
I’m momentarily thankful for the warmth that the starlight provides from the domed window high above. It almost allows me to forget that this entire room will be filled with some of the most powerful vampires in the court in just moments. Being at the palace—training and researching—has almost made me forget who I’m surrounded by. But it’s moments like these, when I’m forced to dress up and serve as nothing more than a food source, that remind me who I’m really dealing with. Vampires are not our friends; they are our owners, and the fact that Ihave allowed myself to forget that recently makes me sick to the stomach.
I shift in my position as eyes from my left burn into me. Maribelle’s sister stands watching me with venom in her eyes. Her arm has clearly been healed by vampire venom, as there is no evidence of the broken state I left it in the last time we were in a room together. I dare not look in her direction, too ashamed of what I may feel if I do. I may not have meant to kill her sister, but the fact is, I did. And I did it because of Karius’s powers. Vampires have always made it a point to state that they accidentally kill humans all the time, and I’ve never accepted the excuse, so how can I allow it when it comes from me?
“The only one exempt from this rule is Adina.” My head snaps up at the woman’s mention of my name, her brown eyes now trained on me. “You are the prince’s personal donor and will feed only him.”
My cheeks heat as I feel the stares of everyone in the room on me. I can sense the judgment.
“That will only change if the prince himself offers to share you, but you must seek his permission before this is to occur.”
Her words twist my stomach, and I feel an anger prickle in my veins. I am not his property despite the fucking brand on my wrist. The sooner this bond is broken, the better.
The doors open, and an influx of kitchen workers flood into the room with trays of food and drink in their hands. They’re all human, which is unsurprising. They sweep into the middle of the curved table, laying out food and serving cutlery for the vampires who have yet to arrive. The smell of fresh bread, meats, and stew fills the air, making me keenly aware of the difference in the standard of food here and at the bloodhouse yet again. Even the smell is better than the actual food back at the bloodhouse.
Most of the servers leave, but a few remain, taking their places behind a table laden with extra food and drink, ready to refill plates throughout the evening. A man in a guard's uniform stands at the door, awaiting the vampire guests, no doubt.
My stomach tightens, and I force myself to straighten my back, yet nerves still swim in the pit of my stomach, and I’m unsure why, but the sensation disappears at the sight of the prince as he enters the room.
I suck in a breath at the sight of him and curse my traitorous body for having such an intense reaction to seeing him. He has changed since he fed on me in his room, and his tunic and loose-fitting pants have been replaced with a tight black shirt that traces every contour and ripple of his muscles beneath. His long legs are sporting black trousers made specifically for him, if the fit is anything to go by. His hair is messy in a way that looks natural, as though he just rolled out of bed looking this good. How can I want someone I loathe this badly? Someone who branded me like an animal less than an hour ago. I make myself sick.
I pray that the press of my swollen nipples is hidden beneath the red material of my dress, but I dare not look down to check for fear of making it obvious. As the prince sweeps past me, his fingers brush against my arm, and though the stern look on his face makes me dismiss it as nothing more than an accident, it doesn’t stop a sea of goosebumps from rushing across my skin at the brief contact. I need to pull myself together.
Indeed, you do. I feel like I am in a brothel every time the two of you are in a room together.
