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Chapter. 49

My cheek is pressed against something warm. I sit up and stretch my arms over my head. This is the bedroom. I don’t remember getting up off the couch last night, meaning I may have fallen asleep on his lap a second time.

He’s laying beside me, and the smirk on his face confirms my theory.

I slide my legs out from under the blanket and sit on the side of the bed.

“Sleep comfortably?” he says.

My lips make a thin line.

He brushes the top of my hand. “Come closer. Let me drink.”

Maybe I am getting too comfortable. Maybe I shouldn’t be so complacent. I hop off the bed, stepping away from him and into the morning sunlight.

We stare at one another. His eyebrows draw together when he realizes that I don’t plan to be such easy prey this morning. I fail to hold back my smirk.

The cold air nips at my skin. I’m still in my bra and underwear. My eyes land on my leather pants lying on the chest. Noticing the shift in my attention, he jumps out of bed, ready to catch me if I try lunge for them.

He steps forward, prompting me to spin around and spring for the door. I yank it open and bolt through the living room.

His footsteps thunder behind me. I skid around the corner, bumping into the wall as I shoot down the passage to the servants’ bedrooms.

I glance back. His hand is just inches away! My feet trip over themselves. I brace myself to hit the ground, but he catches my arms and lets me down slowly.

My back tenses as the cold stone touches my skin. He straddles my legs, trapping me under him. The passage has no windows to let the sunlight in, making the air extra chilly. He’s no more dressed than me, so he must be just as cold.

His smirk is back. I’d guess it’s satisfying for him when he has to chase his prey, like a cat after a moth, stimulating his natural instincts.

His hands land on my sides, and I try wiggle away from his ticklish touch.

“You must be disciplined for your insubordination.” His fingers lightly touch my skin, forcing a giggle out of me. He works his hands up and down to tickle my sides.

I clamp my arms down with a laugh to try stop the movement. His hands shoot down along the outsides of my thighs. I tense my arms straight down my sides, shielding everything.

My stomach is off-limits due to the bruise, and I shrug my shoulders up to hide my neck. He tries along the outside of my arms, but I can resist laughing.

Not willing to move my hands and risk exposing my ticklish sides, I blow my hair out of my face. I’m smiling again, both from the tickling and from the fact that I’ve thwarted his plan.

He sits straight. “Arm’s up.”

I shake my head, but claiming victory already may have been overeager on my part.

He leans back and reaches for something. The subsequent feeling under my feet makes me want to explode. I squeal and try to jerk my legs free from his tickling fingers.

He’s too heavy. My arms shoot up over my head in a bid to get the attention off of my soles. He continues on my feet for an extra few seconds before moving forward to tickling under my arms.

The feeling makes me cry out with laughter. My arms snap down against my will, unable to ignore his fingers’ assault. I struggle to resist the urge to clamp my arms tight because I know it’ll just prompt him to return to my feet.

“Sto-” My own squeak cuts me off. I try to contort my torso away from his hands, but he has me pinned.

“Do you wish to be bitten?” he asks.

“Yes!” I shout through my laughing, eager for the tickling to end.

His hands relent, and I can finally stop giggling. My chest is moving up and down with rapid breaths, and my muscles feel like I’ve just run a lap around the castle wall.

He leans in, bringing his mouth to my neck. I close my eyes and let myself relax.


I finish stitching up my tunic after breakfast. Dresses aren’t suitable attire for a human surrounded by vampires.

There’s a knock on the front door when my tunic is halfway over my head. I pull it in place, the familiar weight returning to my shoulders.

Rahlan opens the door, revealing Julke. I hurry to stand beside Rahlan. The more the soldiers see me beside their commander, the less they’ll try challenge me.

“A citizen at the gate requests an audience,” Julke says.

“Bring them in. I’ll see them here,” Rahlan says.

Julke waves to the soldiers on the walls, and Rahlan takes a seat on his throne.

The front door opens wide, and the Maksan twins march a frightened old man inside, each of them holding an arm. At least it’s not Keld. I watch the guards from the sideline as they push the man before Rahlan’s dais. He could’ve walked on his own without their manhandling.

It’s the old man who I tried to calm in the village. The guards take a step back, and the man kneels before Rahlan. Either he’s trying to be respectful, or his knees fell out from under him.

“State your name and matter,” Rahlan says.

The man glances at the three vampire soldiers behind him. His eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open.

“It-it is nothing,” he stutters and turns to leave. The soldiers step together, blocking his path.

Rahlan rubs his brow in frustration. “Name and matter,” he repeats, his voice lower.

The man’s eyes jump around the room looking for an escape. Whatever confidence he had mustered up to make it to the castle gate has evaporated.

I move from my position by the pillar and take his hand.

His nervous gaze lands on me.

“I’m Julia. I live here with Lord Rahlan,” I gesture to the impatient vampire sitting on the raised chair. “Who are you?” I ask with a smile.

“Francis,” he says with a little more confidence. I figure it’s less frightening to talk in front of a group of vampires when there’s another human by your side. If I was in his position, not knowing Rahlan or any vampire, I’d be scared wordless too.

“What matter have you brought?” Rahlan says.

The color drains from the man’s face again.

“We’re here to help,” I say, keeping his hand in mine.

He swallows a lump in his throat. “My son… He fled yesterday and has not yet returned.”

I bet that he ran at the sight of Rahlan approaching the village, and Francis doesn’t have the confidence to add any details that might offend his vampire lord.

Rahlan remains silent, studying the man.

“I fear for his safety,” the man says.

Rahlan rises from his seat. “Show us his path.”

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