I frowned deeply. “No. What endeavor is that?”
She leaned in, excited. “Mr. Hautbois hopes to work with Onyx to abolish bloodletting.”
I jolted back, shocked. “Really?”
She nodded vigorously. “After what he witnessed finding you,” she waved her hand at me, “he’s been on a mission to shame the act in public, and have it abolished.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “We don’t usually talk…..about…..those things.”
Dreya’s face softened in understanding. “I can see how that would be.”
I didn’t ask her what she meant. I was still trying to understand my place of a low blood born among aristocrats.
But that would not be the last visit between Dreya and I. She would soon become my main confidante, and I hers.
Chapter 13
Devareaux’s POV
I may have used the bloodletting incident in my favor in order to persuade Odessa into staying at the estate for the unforeseeable future. The angle I used? She would not be safe in the low blood born section since she lost her job for the missing days during the bloodletting incident. I could have used my influences to get her job back, but considering the owner was one of a handful I was currently targeting, along with Onyx Trudeau, I didn’t want to deal with that matter until I was good and ready. Dreya had been a wealth of information for our plans to realign the stations, to some degree. Odessa was still detached from me, other than when she allowed me to take the blood, which I was now doing to the full limit. Now that I knew I could not hurt her, I would satiate myself to the fullest. Ever since then, I have never felt so energized and so complete. I had two things planned for my blood wife, and I hoped it would finally show her how much she meant to me.
I had to beg her to attend the next gala. She started to argue with me when I told her I needed to present her to society before I could go further with the abolishment of the bloodletting. I would also be using the moment to present her, and her status, to the public. In a very big way. I just hoped she would accept what I had planned.
The night of the gala event, I waited anxiously at the bottom of the stairs for Odessa to come down. I was afraid she would change her mind at the last minute. But she did not. Once she reached the top of the stairs, I was in awe of her. She had foughtwith me about leaving her hair down. She had explained how she felt at the last gala, and I knew that had been my doing. I told her I did not want her looking like the other women present, because she was nothing like the other women.
I had explained myself to Estella, who came rushing to my aid by also persuading Odessa to leave her gorgeous black hair down. Estella even did one better by agreeing to join in, keeping her hair down as well. That was a big step for Estella, because she had never gone to an event with her hair down. Ever.
And there stood my beautiful blood bride, her long black, shiny hair glowing around her. She had on a dress that looked more suited for a mid blood born event, but the dress looked spectacular on Odessa. It was white, flowing to the floor, with a V-neck line. It curved beautifully to her breasts, and flowed down from her waist. As she walked down the stairs, I could just barely see silver high heeled shoes peeking out as she took each step, making the dress swoosh around her. Once she reached the landing, I couldn’t stop staring at her. She had looked a bit irritated when she had been at the top of the stairs, but after staring at her for a few moments, she blushed and turned her head away.
“You’re staring, Devareaux.”
“I cannot look away. You look absolutely stunning, my beautiful blood wife.” I reached out my hand, hoping she would take it. She hesitated, staring at it, hurting my heart, but then she took it, making the pain ease a bit.
I escorted her out to the car. We rode in silence, but she allowed me to hold her hand through the car ride. Once we arrived, I instructed her to stay in the car, as I rushed around to open the door for her. Chauffie had stared at me like I had grown a second head. I simply waved him off. When I had opened the door for her, Odessa appeared to be holding back a smile.
“What are you doing, Devareaux? People are going to notice and start talking.”
I smirked at her. “I hope so. Let them see who my wonderful blood wife is.”
She hesitated, but reached her hand to mine as I helped her out of the car. I immediately looped her hand into the crook of my arm.
“Dreya said she would also be attending tonight.”
I looked to Odessa, and smiled softly at her. Odessa had grown a strong bond with not only Dreya Trudeau but with my sister as well. My father and mother finally met her a couple of weeks back, but they had been restrained. I didn’t care. She was mine to love, and I would, fully, with all I had to give.
“I heard that both Dreya and Estella planned to come with their hair down tonight.”
I watched as her head whipped up to look at me, shocked. “What?”
“And just so you know, Estella has never gone to an event with her hair down. Ever.”
Odessa flushed, and lowered her head, but not before I saw the smile start to spread.
Once we entered the room, heads turned, whispers started, but I ignored everyone. For now. My eyes caught sight of Onyx and Dreya quickly. Onyx stood out like a sore thumb. And not because he wasn’t dressed to impress like everyone else in the room, but because he looked completely out of his element. He stood stiffly, and looked quite uncomfortable. It was the first one he had ventured to come to. He only came because Dreya wanted to come to support Odessa, and I knew Onyx was working to get back in her good graces. Onyx and I had a sit down not to long back, and discussed how we had both messed up with our blood wives. For a similar reason it turned out, unfortunately.
As soon as we reached them, Onyx looked relieved. I wanted to laugh, but I held it back. I had to give the man credit. He worked his way, very persistently, up to a mid born station status and was maintaining it. Not only that, he had been proving himself worthy within the high blood born sectors while working with me to gather enough information to fight the disgusting behaviors of the high blood borns over the low blood borns. That had become another goal that I insisted on after further discussions with both Odessa and Onyx over how the low blood borns lived and were treated. I was ashamed to admit it took being matched to, and damn near almost losing, a low blood born before my eyes were opened. And now there was no going back from what I had seen and heard. I would not go back.
Shortly after their arrival, my parents said a brief hello, but wandered off to keep some distance. Both because of my wife’s status, and because Onyx was still considered a bit of an enigma. No one knew what to do with him, how to respond to him. Estella, on the other hand, looked excited to see us and came to stand with us. She openly gave hugs to both Odessa and Dreya, causing more whispers. At one point, I caught sight of Quinn, wearing another drastically daring dress with a look of disgust on her face. Well, it was about time to wipe that off.
