Page 43 of The Star's Sword

She sent one last look at Simon, ignoring Cayne, who was trying to get between them. “I’ll see you later, sweetheart.” She blew him a kiss and took off, and Simon sighed, waving his hand so that the door shut behind her as he sunk into a chair nearby. It was silver over wood with a teal cushion, and there were others like it, which he gestured for us to take.

“Usually I’d take you upstairs, but—Vasara left it a mess.”

Cayne was being oddly quiet now, and his jaw looked tense enough to crush walnuts. But whatever was on his mind, he was stubbornly refusing to say it.

So Samael did.

“Simon, what the hell are you doing with her?” he asked, folding his arms as he sat in a chair with his long legs slung over the other side. With his all-black outfit, and his rippling muscles, and that face, I could hardly focus on what he was saying, he was so handsome.

He made my heart race just looking at him.

“It was one thing when you were with her at the ball,” Sam said, folding his arms tightly and distracting me with the flex of his huge pecs. “But then you and her at training, and today you took her to your room?”

Simon folded his arms stubbornly and glared at Samael. “I don’t have to answer to you, pipsqueak. I’m a thousand years old, in case you forgot that.” It was odd to see him that serious.

Cayne sent him a glare, jaw ticking again, but then remained silent.

Simon looked at him, then sighed and looked at me. “So, do you want to see the rest of the commune?”

“Commune?” I asked.

Simon nodded. “This is my own little experimental sanctuary. Kind of like Cayne’s, but for humans who would otherwise be eradicated by the vampires. I protect them, and they all contribute.”

“How?” I asked.

“Blood donation,” he said. “That way they don’t have to be thralls, or get fed on, or risk being ghouls.” He sighed. “Because if the vampires keep killing or turning humans until there are none left, what will we all do then?”

“I’d never let you starve, Simon,” Cayne muttered. “The blood stores I always keep at the sanctuary should tell you that.”

“I know,” Simon said. “But even you can’t draw blood if it doesn’t exist.”

“Can celestials create blood for you?” I asked.

Simon shook his head. “Celestial creation has a limit. Unless they are super high-ranking, eighth realm or higher, they struggle to create and power replicas of anything living, including human blood. That must happen through procreation.”

“I see,” I said.

“Here, I’ll show you around,” Simon said. “I’m fairly proud of this place. I think I have the largest collection of never-fed-on humans. Imagine, humans and vampires living together, incredible!”

“Predator and prey just hanging out all day together,” Cayne said wryly. “Can’t imagine anything going wrong.”

“And the other vampires here don’t try to attack and feed on your humans?” I asked.

Simon gasped, placing a hand on his chest like he was offended. “Someone try to feed? On my humans?” He laughed lightly. “Cleo, I’m the strongest vampire there is.”

I wondered what Mark would say to that. He seemed to dislike Simon, yet he stayed here at his keep. Was it because of his strength?

“Anyway, that’s why I naturally disgust humans. I’m the purest version of their predator. I’ve won over the ones here though, I think.”

Cayne just gave him a doubting look. “Better than when I was here?”

“He’s had this for a while?” I asked.

“Oh yeah,” Cayne said. “While I was working with the celestials to gather blood and hunt for the Morningstar, he was already putting this together.” He looked at Simon. “How is the breeding program going?”

Simon raised his hands somewhat helplessly. “You know, it’s mainly what happens on accident, since many parents here don’t want to bring a child into a world full of predators. I’m trying to make them feel safe enough.” He sighed. “But it’s hard.”

“They’re surrounded by elder vampires,” Cayne said. “I don’t think I blame them.”

---