Page 21 of The Mistress, the Monster and the Marquess

“Lina, I need your help—” A beautiful young girl came running up, then stopped when she saw him.

“I’m sorry, my lord. I did not realize Lina had company.”

He automatically bowed to the young woman, obviously born a lady. Her aristocratic nose, her ramrod straight back, and pale white skin were the most telling signs.

“It’s no bother. I was just heading home,” He turned to his Domme, his vampire, his future. “Two weeks, my lady?” He quirked an eyebrow and waited for her to calm down. He could almost see her struggle not to pick him up and throw him across the room. His lips kicked up at the thought.

“You can come every night, Benedict, you know I would see you.” Her eyes softened as she spoke, and Benedict realized her feelings for him were deepening. She no longer saw him as just a food source.

“I have several things I need to sort out. I will return in two weeks.” He bowed to her, confused but slightly amused at the same time.

Her eyes were flashing mutiny, and her lips were turned down in a frown. Lina opened her mouth to object, then seemed to think better of it and stopped.

Benedict turned away, and then realized he was no longer in his society anymore, not really. He had no rules to follow. Lina had elevated him above it all, time was no longer a barrier. He turned back in an instant and pressed his vampire beauty into the wall with his body, claiming her lips with all the passion in his soul. He used his tongue to pry her lips open and groaned when she relented.

She pressed into him in return and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing tight.

He pulled back, his breath coming out in pants.

Her eyes were glazed over and her lips red and swollen from his kisses.

“Goodbye, my lady,” he breathed.

She nodded.

So, he turned on his heel and walked away, knowing that he had to put his old life to rest before he could start anew.

Chapter Twelve.

“What are you trying to do to us, Benedict?” Mother sobbed, weeping into her kerchief. “Destroy every small creature comfort we poor older folk have left?”

His father stood over her, shaking his head in dismay and disappointment.

Benedict ran his hand down his face, his head throbbing with a monotonous rhythm. It seemed there was no way to get through to them! “I have spent the past week trying to explain this to you both,” he said, his temper flaring. “You have spent all the money you have and most of the money you were likely to make in the next ten years!”

His father flushed, in anger or embarrassment.

Benedict wasn’t sure and he honestly no longer cared.

“We assumed you would fix everything once you inherited,” said his father.

“Fix it?” Benedict leaned forward in his chair and glared at his parents. “If you mean, you thought I would marry some poor woman who had enough money to make our lives bearable, again, then you don’t know your son very well at all.”

His parents shared a long look, one that said they were completely blindsided.

His mother’s tears disappeared as quickly as they had arrived, proving her emotions to be treacherous and false. “What do you mean, Benedict?”

He sighed again, giving his parents his harshest stare. Talking to his parents really was like trying to reason with toddlers. He might as well be arguing with a wall for all the good it seemed to do. “I mean, I am disappearing to Europe shortly, to gain an occupation. I will be gone for a long time. I have sold some shares of mine and have rented out two of the country properties.”

His parents inhaled sharply, clearly devastated that their four homes wouldn’t all be available for a visit at any time. They certainly wouldn’t miss him when he was gone, Benedict was sure.

“I will give you both a strict budget and I will put money into the accounts to ensure the debt is paid off. If all goes to plan, then no matter how long you live, you won’t run out of finance. But you must live within your means. I cannot support you and myself completely, not with the way you’ve been burning money like it grows on trees.”

His mother burst into tears. She was only sorry for herself.

Meanwhile, his father glared at him, his rose-colored cheeks reddening further.

“I leave tomorrow,” Benedict said firmly. “So, please let me know if you have any further questions before then.” Benedict moved to the door.

---