The announcements have been made, and there has been rejoicing throughout the coven, which is filtering to the humans on the street. Our relationships with the humans will go back to what they once were, and we will live peacefully again. I now must visit Claus. There is so much I need to say to him, and I have been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. But first: Evangeline.
I ring for a servant and she arrives shortly. “My Queen?”
“Good afternoon, Celeste. It is good to see you again.”
“Oh, My Queen, it is good to see you where you belong.” She hesitates, looking down at her hands, and then says, “We had some dark days with the king. The women servants were kept in the dungeon with the humans. We were only allowed out if Claus wanted to feed upon us or have his way with us. We were given little blood and food and barely survived. When we saw Claus in shackles and brought to the dungeon, we rejoiced. Thank you.”
“No, Celeste, thank you for your loyalty.” I walk toward her and caress her cheek. “You will never be treated like that again.” I kiss her forehead and say, “Can you see that Evangeline Dumas is taken into custody and brought to the dungeon for me? Ask Kai to find her and ask him to remain in the dungeon until I arrive. Tell him to send word when the task is done please.”
“It would be my pleasure, My Queen.” She curtsies and turns to leave.
I spend the next hour waiting to hear word until finally there is a knock on my door. I open it, and Celeste is standing there.
“My Queen, I am to tell you that Evangeline and Kai are in the dungeon waiting for you.”
“Thank you, Celeste. That will be all.”
I walk to the mirror to take one last look at myself. I am dressed in a long, black, straight-cut gown with a slit all the way up the left side to the top of my thigh. It is low cut in the front, down to my belly button, and the curve of my breasts show just enough to tease. My red locks shine again, and I have to say, I have never looked more beautiful. I take a deep breath and nod at myself. I am pleased.
I turn and leave my bedchamber, then make my way down the two flights of stairs to the elevator on the first floor. It is the only way to access the dungeons below. Once I reach the bottom, the door opens. It is dark and damp, and the only lights are the flames in the sconces adorning the walls. I step into the doorway prison chamber but remain in the shadows so they can’t see me yet.
Oh my, I like what I see. Claus is shackled to the inside of his cage, afforded no movement. I must collar him, for now he is my pet. I look over at Evangeline. She is sitting in a chair and is also chained in silver. I hate to admit it—because I am not usually this kind of person—but I love the sight before me. These two deserve everything they have coming to them.
“My, my, what do we have here?” I say more than ask as I step into the light.
“Serena! You must help me!” Claus calls.
I laugh. “Help you? Are you so blind in your own arrogance to think I am here to free you?” I smirk. “Why on earth would I ever do that? I was the one who put you here.” Just then, I remember Kai. I look for him and see him standing off to the side, waiting further instruction. I walk to him and kiss him full on the mouth. I lean up to his ear and whisper, “You and I need to talk later.”
He nods, and my fangs nip his ear for me to take a few drops of his blood. He moans.
I step away and turn back toward Claus. “So, I have to say, getting my coven back was much easier than I expected. You really are ruled by your dick.”
“You caught me by surprise!”
I laugh. “Yeah, I did. Just like you did with me. But there is a difference between you and me. I have learned something through all this.Youhave learned nothing.” I walk closer to his cage. “You thought you could trust me. That I would play the submissive little pet and cater to your every whim. You were wrong. And I knew all along—even though I had hoped we could make this work somehow—I could never trust you. You’re display with Evangeline proved it to me.” I turn and look at the bitch in question. She looks terrified.She should be.
“You always thought that because you had the bloodline, the throne, and the powers, you were better than me. Well, I have news for you, Serena. You were never better. You were just born with all that.”
I turn my back to him and say softly, “You’re wrong, Claus. I am better and not because I inherited all those things.” I turn back to face him. “I may have been born with the title and the bloodline, but I have earned respect. Without respect, none of that matters and you are a perfect example of that. Our subjects never respected you. They feared you.”
“Yeah, but it was the fear they had that allowed me to take over and get rid of you.”
I nod in agreement. “You’re right, but it was a takeover that would never have lasted. You can’t lead out of fear. Claus.”
“You’re wrong!” he yells. “You are just like me!”
I shake my head. “No, Claus, I am not. I am nothing like you.”
I turn back toward Kai. “Kai, please come here.”
When he gets in front of me, he bows. “Yes, My Queen?”
I turn back toward Claus. “Remember when you ordered Kai to bathe me? That was your first mistake.”
“I don’t understand,” Claus says.
Is he really that stupid?“You ignited a spark between the two of us that I never knew was there. But now, I am awful glad it is. Kai, for services to the queen, you are being rewarded. You will no longer be a servant as you are now. You will no longer be Claus’s whipping boy. Now, you will be my highest council and advisor. You will help me to rule the Blood Empire and bring it back to its original glory. In addition, I gift the gift of light. From this day forward, you will be a day-walker. Do you accept this?”
