Page 15 of King of the Damned
“Miss Adelasia,” she says uncomfortably under my stare. “Lord Kaius asked me to bring this to you.” She gestures down to the bowl. “I promise it’s not as bad as it smells.”
I take a few steps towards her. She’s a tiny thing. Standing at least a foot shorter than me. She’s young, barely twenty if I had to guess. Her hazel eyes are warm and friendly, perfectly accompanying her golden blonde hair.
I look at the steaming bowl. “What is it?”
“Just some herbs and spices, nothing dangerous. It smells horrid but you don’t need to drink it but once a month.”
I give her a strange look, and she realizes she didn’t answer my question. “Oh…” she chuckles awkwardly. “It’s for the women. So we don’t…bleed.”
My nose turns upwards in disgust. “You mean so we don’t get pregnant when these immortal men take what isn’t theirs.”
The thought of Kaius sending this to me so he can prepare me for mounting causes bile to snake its way up my throat. I want to find him right now and drive a stake through his heart. How immortality destroys any sense of right and wrong disgusts me to the point it makes me dizzy.
“No!” the woman gasps as if I’ve said something inappropriate. “Our monthly cycles…they can smell it. It drives the vampires mad, and this keeps them docile. Vampires can’t breed with humans.”
I blink in confusion. “They can’t?”
The woman shakes her head and gestures towards the cup. She’s right, it does smell horrid, but I take it from her and swallow the contents in three big gulps. I purse my lips as the unpleasant mixture runs down my throat.
“Male vampires are infertile,” she explains. My cheeks turn pink on their own accord for thinking so lowly of Kaius. In all fairness, he’s never caused any harm to me that I didn’t ask for by provoking him. The young woman smiles and curtseys to me. “I’m Iphigenia. I’m to be your personal servant.”
“You’re a human,” I point out. “Did they kidnap you?”
She seems perturbed by the assumption. “No! Lord Kaiussavedme. My village was attacked by a pack of werebeasts. My three younger sisters and I were the only survivors. His men fought off the beasts and found us hiding under some rubble, injured and frightened. His men wanted to feed on us. We had no family and no home, and we were just young girls. I thought we were going to die that day, but Lord Kaius claimed us–nonotthat way–just…he told us he’d spare us and provide food and shelter if we helped take care of the other humans living here. That was four years ago. I was fifteen then. My sisters were all younger than ten. I knew I couldn’t provide for them myself, so I accepted his offer, and we’ve been here ever since.”
Poor thing.What a horrible experience, to lose your family to werebeasts and live under the nose of even worse demons. Though, in a way, that’s what’s happened to me.
“What about you?” she asks, and by the way she looks around the room, I can see the tiniest hint of jealousy in her eyes at my freedom. Kaius has never asked me to earn my keep. In fact, I’ve intentionally defied every rule he’s made for me.
“I’m a prisoner,” I answer.
“You don’t look like a prisoner to me. Prisoners tend to wear chains, not ribbons and silk.”
“He kidnapped me. Two of his vampire servants stole me right in front of my entire town. In front of my mother.”
She narrows her eyes at me, and then her face softens. “You’re to be his bride then?”
I laugh with genuine amusement.What a preposterous thought.“I’d rather stake my own heart than live the rest of my life tied to that man.”
As I finish filling her ears with that venom, from the corner of my eye, I see a fast movement near my feet. I look down and let out a squeal as I jump slightly to the side. A large, black snake watches me as I back towards the wall. I breathe heavy in concern, but the viper comes no closer to me.
Iphigenia lets out a quiet laugh. “Don’t worry about Cassius. He’s the Blood King’s companion. He’s friendly,” she leans over slightly to whisper to me, “But watch your bed. He likes to curl up under the warm covers.”
She says it with such a fondness for the creature that I trust her sincerity and let my guard down.
“KaiusandCassius,” I hum sarcastically. “How creative.”
Iphigenia smiles at me and then squats down to gently pat Cassius’ head. “I’ve been here for much longer than you have, Miss, and I can tell you with certainty that Lord Kaius doesn’t do anything without a clear reason. Try not to judge him too harshly.”
I scoff. “Judge him?! Whatnoblereason would he have for kidnapping a dancer? Hm? Is he lacking in entertainment here in this depressing palace?”
“I can’t answer that for him,” Iphigenia says, and then she and Cassius leave me to my solitude in the room of mirrors.
I dance for several more hours, until my skin is damp with a thin layer of sweat, my muscles ache from overuse, and my stomach cries painfully for food.
I leave the studio and wander through the halls. Empty and barren just like every other room here. These immortals have lived dozens of lifetimes, and it unsettles me that their homes are so lifeless in comparison. They could have beautiful, ancient, ornate architecture, but instead opt for plain walls, plain ceilings, and plain floors.
The outside of this palace is stunning, but the inside is nothing more than a well-polished box.
