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"We'll stay with you," Leo said, crossing his arms.
"Healer, it may require a stronger stomach than you have." Regina sauntered over to him and placed one stiletto nail of hers under his chin. "Are you sure you're up to it?"
"He'll manage," Geoffrey said. "He's my day runner. To turn tail would tell me he's the wrong mortal for the job. Isn't that right, Leo?" He gave Leo a look that could only have one answer.
"Of course, Lord Geoffrey." Leo smiled, but I could sense the tension behind his words.
Regina let out a low chuckle. "I promise you safety. With Cicely working for us, and this young lion working for Geoffrey, we will do what we can to ensure you remain untargeted by any member of the Vampire Nation who lives in this area." She paused, then added with a silken smile, "Unless, of course, you issue an invitation."
At that, Lannan reentered the room and Regina was back to business. She held out the contracts to me and I glanced over them again, making sure they hadn't changed anything else without me noticing. But everything looked on the up and up, although I lingered over the promise to give Lannan my blood once a month in return for their help with Heather.
"Pen?" I said.
"Here, consider this the first of many gifts," Lannan said, his fingers lingering on mine as I accepted the Mont Blanc he offered me.
I stared at the pen. Probably worth a good grand, and here he was handing it over to me like it was a stick pen. Slowly, I pulled off the cap. A fountain pen. The contracts were on the coffee table and the dotted line loomed like a demarcation line.
Unsigned, I still owned myself. Signed, and they owned a piece of me. But if I didn't agree . . . too many chances for all of us to get hurt. Too many opportunities for the vampires to prove just how tough they were. And I had no doubt they could back up their threats.
I slowly signed my name and put the pen down.
"Now, just a little more of your blood, please--a single drop, at the end of your name." Regina reached for my hand. She lowered her mouth to my thumb and opened the very end of the wound again, using one fang to pierce the skin. A delicious shiver raced through me and I felt myself rise on wings. Then, she pulled away, and I squeezed one drop onto the paper, at the end of my name.
Lannan held out his hand. I slowly placed mine in his palm and he lifted it to his lips where he slowly licked along my wound with his tongue. Heat rose through my body. I wanted to squirm, to slide into his arms, to feel his lips cover my neck, my breasts, my stomach.
My wolf growled then, deep and angry, and I jerked my eyes open. Lannan smiled, seductive and cunning and wicked all rolled into one.
"Oh yes," he whispered. "This is going to be an interesting partnership."
I gasped, the wind knocked out of me as he leaned down and kissed my cheek, leaving me reeling. Falling back onto the sofa, I desperately tried to control the flood of hunger racing through my body. How could he do that? How could a simple sentence make me want to spread my legs for him? Terrified, realizing how far I'd sold myself into their servitude, I began to shake.
Leo, sitting next to me, placed one hand on my leg and whatever he was doing--whatever energy he was running--began to draw the fear out of me. After a moment, I began to breathe normally again.
Regina handed the contracts to Geoffrey. "Here, we will need a copy for the Court, and one for Cicely. Please have your staff take care of the matter."
He nodded. "By your will, Emissary."
"And now," Regina said, "let's go have ourselves a party."
Lannan wrapped his arm around his sister's waist. As they led us out of the room, I glanced at Geoffrey. He gave me a long, silent look, and then--in the barest of movements--smiled, but the curve of his lips was sad.
An alarm went off inside, and suddenly, I realized what I'd overlooked in the contract. Oh shit! But it was too late to ask for a change.
There'd been no stipulated end date. I was bound to them for as long as they wanted. I'd just indentured myself to the vampires for the rest of my life, if they wanted it that way.
Regina and Lannan led us through the main room, to another set of double doors. She glanced back at us. "Are you sure you're game?"
I swallowed. Now, more than ever, I had to show them I could handle myself. "Yeah, as long as your promise stands."
"It stands," she said, her eyes glimmering. I noticed her fangs were down. She opened the doors and led us into another hallway. We followed the three of them down the corridor until we reached a third set of double doors to the right. They stopped.
Lannan looked us over. "Before we enter, know that you will be safe if you follow some simple rules. No sudden movements. Stick together, unless you prefer to join the fun. You are not to attempt to stop anything you see here--everyone here has agreed to the rules of the game."
That left a lot of room, I thought, considering the vampires' abilities to charm and seduce. Chances were, there were quite a few people around New Forest--or any town, for that matter--who found themselves at vamp parties without really meaning to show up there. Of course, there were the bloodwhores and the fang-girls and the wannabes, but they came with the territory, and from what I'd seen, the vamps enjoyed toying with those who had reservations more than the willing.
I swallowed, wondering just what was going on behind those massive closed doors. "We understand."
"Then enter our world, Cicely, along with your friends, and perhaps you'll wish to do more than just observe," he said, his voice lingering over my name. I shivered and he let out a soft laugh as he cast open the doors.
