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Berith cocked an eyebrow at Leila’s enthusiastic reaction, then looked Sophie up and down. There was still something that unsettled her about this girl, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She had told the Count about her, and he had been eagerly waiting for her arrival since last evening. His impatience even made him lose interest in his guests, which was rare of him. Usually, when new guests arrived at the mansion, which would keep happening until the Spring Celebration, he’d spend the nights with them asking questions about the places they had visited. D’Argyle was almost sure he was the last Ke’let demon left. He rather liked living, even though nowadays it had become quite boring given that he was stuck in these mountains and the only entertainment he got was in March, when demons from all over the world gathered at his mansion for the Spring Equinox. He would have organized more such parties, but he didn’t want his safe haven to become too exposed. He lived through the stories his guests told, so Berith couldn’t believe the Count’s excitement to meet his new toy, Sophie, had topped his excitement to spend some quality time with Marquis Leraje and Marquis Andras, who had arrived at the mansion last evening. He had almost ignored them.
“Come.” She motioned for Sophie to follow her. “I will take you to the Count, but first I need to get you out of those awful clothes. I have something special prepared for you.”
Sophie let go of Leila’s hand. The girl looked like she felt genuinely sorry she was leaving her.
“Something special?” asked Sophie.
“Yes. The Count himself wanted you to wear it.”
“So… I’m not going to work in the kitchen?”
Berith smirked. “Oh no, my dear. Your job is much more important than washing dishes and chopping vegetables.”
Sophie waited for her to continue, although it didn’t take much to guess what the Count wanted from her.
“You’re going to entertain Casimir D’Argyle and his honored guests.”
?
“Come. Allow me to show you the greenhouse.”
Sophie smiled and accepted the Count’s arm. He led her across the room, to a door which opened in a long, narrow corridor. She carefully lifted her dress before stepping over the threshold, then decided to hold it like that, half an inch above her ankles, to prevent her high heels from accidentally catching the hem. She was almost certain the Count didn’t appreciate clumsy women, so she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. She had been so polite, calculated, and rigid in the past hour that she was starting to develop a headache.
“Unfortunately, I can’t travel as much as I used to in my youth. I love the Carpathian Mountains especially because they offer such a wide variety of flora and fauna, but sometimes I m
iss the exotic flowers, trees, and plants which don’t grow in these parts.” He turned towards her as if he needed her approval to continue.
“Oh, yes. I understand,” said Sophie, her bright brown eyes staring up at him as if she were completely charmed. “I have never seen a palm tree!”
The Count laughed indulgently. “Well, I don’t have palm trees, but I do have a couple of lemon trees, a very small avocado tree, and lots of goji berries.”
He led her to the back of the mansion, and Sophie’s eyes grew wide with wonder when she saw a warm beam of light invade the dark corridor through the glass door of the greenhouse. Casimir D’Argyle held the door open for her, and she entered the large room. The walls and ceiling were entirely made of glass, letting the sun shine brightly on the exotic trees and flowers which occupied all the available space.
“This is amazing…” she whispered in awe.
“I knew you’d love it.”
Sophie took her time to admire the beautiful plants. As much as she hated the Count for what he was and what he did, she had to admit he had wonderful tastes. The dress he had offered her was vaguely inspired from Victorian fashion, and the gold necklace around her neck ended in a tear-shaped ruby that had made a nice nest for itself between her round breasts. The ruby earrings matched the necklace, and Sophie could almost moan at their soft touch against her sensitive neck. She had never owned such beautiful things before, and she had never thought she would feel so sexy in a long, rich dress that actually covered her body, leaving almost everything to the imagination. The cleavage wasn’t very deep, and the dress didn’t come with a corset, which surprised Sophie. Apparently, the Count liked women who wore sophisticated gowns, but felt comfortable and relaxed at the same time.
“I will show you my favorite flowers.”
Sophie followed him between the rows and prepared herself for a long lesson in botany. It was clear the Count was very passionate about his greenhouse. In fact, he seemed quite passionate about everything and anything. She had been very nervous when Berith had taken her to the library to meet him. She hadn’t known what to expect, and his simple presence took her by surprise. She had found it impossible to avert her gaze from his beautiful violet irises. He had her mesmerized the moment their eyes met.
Sophie looked at his profile while he talked about the origin of a small plant with large leaves, and still couldn’t believe how handsome he was. His silver hair was tied back with a black ribbon, not one strand hanging loose from the low ponytail. He has a long, straight nose, thin lips, and high cheekbones. His features were noble, and his posture spoke of his wealth and power. The way he looked at her, as if she were so precious to him, the way he touched her arm with the tips of his fingers, the way he talked… All these little details had Sophie confused in a matter of minutes. She could feel his heavy, powerful aura pressing down on her shoulders, and when he got close enough that she could feel the sweet scent of his breath on her face, she almost always forgot how to breathe. Every ten minutes, she had to focus on the demon sigil buried deep within her and make sure she was still in control. Casimir D’Argyle was the most powerful demon she had ever seen.
“Fascinating…” she answered a question her brain hadn’t actually registered. She blinked a couple of times, trying to chase away the fog between her heated temples. The headache had become stronger, and she wondered if it wasn’t, in fact, caused by her constant attempt to stay focused in the Count’s overwhelming presence. She stole a glance around her and realized they had visited the entire greenhouse and now they were back where they started. How much time had passed? Had she blacked out? She didn’t think so because she could remember some of the things the Ke’let demon had told her, but it sure felt like it. Her heart started beating faster when she felt the Count’s hand sneak around her waist.
“I’m sorry, you must be hungry. You probably didn’t have breakfast, and it’s already lunch time. Shall we eat?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me,” she smiled and leaned into his touch. She had to let him know he had complete control over her. “You have such a beautiful house. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“I’m glad you like it here, Sophie.”
“I love it! But tell me…” She looked at her feet and willed her cheeks to blush. She already felt very hot, although she wasn’t sure why, but at least her body’s reaction was in tune with the role she had to play. She soon felt the Count’s fingers on her chin, urging her to look up at him.
“What is it, lovely Sophie? You can tell me.”
“I was just wondering… I mean, it’s silly, but… Why did you choose me? The other girls you hired all work in the kitchen or clean the rooms, and some of them are much more beautiful and well-educated than I am. I don’t… I don’t think I deserve all this attention…” She couldn’t believe the pathetic things she had to say to make him tell her more about what he had in mind for her. The truth was that Sophie was kind of scared. The first thing she noticed when Berith took her to the room she had especially prepared for her was that not all the young men and women who had been recruited to help with the Spring Celebration were there. Yes, Leila was helping in the kitchen, and she saw two or three other girls Father Michael had told her about, but she knew Berith had recruited a lot more humans for the Count. Where were they? Were they kept prisoners somewhere inside the mansion? She was afraid she would soon become one of them.
