AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I groaned as I took more, knowing I was close to the limit but not wanting to stop.
She slipped her fingers under her skirt as the venom in her system tipped her into euphoria. “More,” she said again, and I gave in, sucking hard on her neck, pulling her tighter against me. Her movements slowed, and I stopped. No matter how good it felt, I couldn’t kill her.
Instead, I lay her down on the bench, biting into my wrist and bringing it to her mouth. Slowly, she drank, and the color on her face returned. Usually, I wouldn’t dare break the law here, at least not so openly. Feeding mortals our blood was off-limits, especially when so many of them wanted to become vampires, too—and that was precisely what they needed to become one.
But Sargon wanted to keep a constant stream of food, with the promise of immortality one day. Unfortunately, most of them died before that happened. Often, vampires would be overcome with desire and hunger to stop, draining them. This was why more and more mortals were being taken from the neighboring kingdoms to keep us fed.
The woman I’d fed on, who didn’t look any older than twenty-five, smiled and wiped my blood from her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, her fingers still dancing between her legs.
The promise of vampirism wasn’t the only reason we occasionally had volunteers. They enjoyed the rush of our venom, which, while excruciating in the first several seconds, turned into ecstasy. Better than any drug out there.
She ran her other hand over her breast, the outline visible under the thin fabric of her white dress, and rolled her nipple between her fingers. “Take me,” she offered when she saw me watching.
While tempting, she wasn’t in her right mind. Suddenly, Olivia flashed into my mind, slipping unwanted into my thoughts. She’d hate this, and I wished I didn’t care. More than anything, I wished I could rip my heart from my chest and feel nothing.
“Sorry, love,” I told the woman. “Here, come with me.”
I led her out of the throne room and to one of the secluded bedrooms. She walked inside hazily, then fell onto the bed. I closed the door behind her, leaving her alone and away from the greedy eyes of Jeremiah, then headed for the staircase.
The smell of liquor and blood hung heavy in the air as I removed my jacket. My wings extended through the slits in my shirt, stretching out in the foyer, rolling relief into my back. I flapped them against the bitter air, kicking off from the ground.
A smile crept over my face as I took flight, gliding between the staircases, then landed on the second floor. Only when I spotted Olivia did I pause, the smile falling into a frown.
Good gods.
I caught my breath, the tips of my wings tingling as I watched her move wearing a trailic of all things. Her round ass was covered only with a slice of black lingerie and see-through tulle. I glimpsed her full breasts under her lacy bra, her nipples hard as the cool air circled the staircase. The outfit looked closer to a nightgown than anything else, with a slice of sheer fabric fashioned to appear as a dress.
She walked down the long steps toward the west wing, the opposite direction from where Sargon would hold his war meeting shortly. I stepped back, moving into the shadows of the unlit corridor.
Her red waves swung down her back as she descended. I never thought she would wear a trailic. It was nothing but a ridiculous tradition they forced at court. Still, I licked my lips as desire built inside of me. Before I could pull myself away, my dick pulsed against my pants. The way she slid her fingers down the side of her neck to play with her necklace stole my next breath.
It was physical. Purely physical. That was all I wanted—to bed her. I told myself that repeatedly, tearing myself from the temptation to go to her. I strode in the opposite direction, forcing thoughts of Olivia from my mind, but desire begged me to turn back.
No. I had to find Zach and Erianna. I’d gotten them out of the dungeons before at least Zach’s wings could be removed as punishment for their treason. Unfortunately, Erianna had already suffered her cruel, unjustified torture. Still, they’d remained in hiding ever since, posing as servants, living in the tunnels behind the walls.
When I was prince, that would change. There were some perks to being a royal, even if it was a life shackled by duties I never wanted. I’d chosen to become a Master of Travel back in the City of Nightmares for a reason. I had my freedoms and the luxuries that came with the title.
FOUR
Olivia
“I can’t believe you did this!” I shouted at my mom who sat on the sofa in her bedroom. Fortunately, Sargon wasn’t here. “It’s sick.” I ran my hands down the sides of the trailic, my power seething under my fingertips.
She sighed. “It’s tradition.”
“I hate tradition.” I turned to look in the full-length ornate mirror on her wall. The dress hung over my body. If it wasn’t for the black lingerie underneath, the whole court could see everything. It was the only item of clothing left in my closet when I woke up this morning.
She averted her gaze. “It’s customary for the woman to wear these in the days leading up to a wedding.”
“Yes, you said before.”
“You refused to wear it.”
“I know.” I balled my fists. “That’s why I can’t believe you, of all people, forced my hand.”
“You wouldn’t listen to reason, so wehadto remove all your clothes. I’m trying to protect you.”
Self-consciously, I covered my chest with folded arms. The trailics were made from the thinnest of tulle, with beads and pearls dangling from the ends of the sleeves and bottom of the hem, imitating water droplets. “I won’t wear it in public. It’s bad enough I had to walk to your room with it on.”
