Lothaire

He clearly needed her for far more than his throne.

How could she put him off for possibly a month? Perhaps by diverting his attention toward another?

Finding a bedmate for him wouldn’t be difficult. Even she could admit how handsome he appeared in his tailored garments.

His longish blond hair was cleaned of blood and styled with a seemingly careless air—into a perfectly decadent result. He wore sunglasses to hide his eyes and a long coat to cover his physical reaction to her. Both made him look even more the rogue. Especially with that dark gold stubble on his jaw—he’d been frozen forever with it, could shave his face, but it would soon return to the same rakish length.

The women and men here coveted him so intensely she could feel their desire.

He should bed one or all of them. I’ll see to it.

Once the stylist finished, Saroya gazed into the mirror, disdaining the outcome, but what could she expect, considering Lothaire’s constraints?

The soft, flowing curls made her look younger, more innocent. Less powerful. Though she detested sex, she made a point of looking sexually receptive—an illusion of desirability, like that used by a Venus flytrap.

Saroya enjoyed luring her victims with promises of fulfilling their wildest dreams—only to deliver their worst nightmares. She delighted in imagining each one’s last pitiful thought: I believed she wanted me.

His voice a rasp, Lothaire said, “I am pleased.”

Saroya informed him, “Then, by all means, the mortal may live.”

The woman thought she was jesting and giggled, but fell silent at Saroya’s impassive expression.

Then Lothaire began hastening the humans out of the apartment—before Saroya could secure a bedmate for him. He no doubt believed that with his Bride’s objections out of the way, they could begin pleasuring each other in other ways.

When they were alone, he traced back to her, reaching for her—

As if on cue, her stomach growled.

He dropped his hand. “You haven’t eaten all day?”

Another rumble.

He exhaled, seeming begrudgingly amused, as if he found a human trait in her quaint. “I’ve had a meal prepared for you.”

“Eat mortal food?” At the thought, she grew queasy. “I refuse.”

“You can’t refuse.”

“I will eat as soon as you do.” The vampire could eat just as easily as a mortal could drink blood, but he’d be likewise unwilling.

“Saroya, you know that won’t happen.”

“I will feed when I can drink blood once more. I miss it feverishly.”

“You can’t stomach it now?”

She shook her head. “I tried it with Elizabeth. At the first sign of nausea, I receded into the background, overjoyed at the thought of her waking to vomit buckets of blood.” The little things in life . . .

“And after I force her to go dormant, what then? You’ll have to nourish this human body until I can turn you into a vampire.”

Repeating his words, she said, “In this, I will not bend. Let Elizabeth feed it.”

“You want her to rise on occasion?”

Otherwise Saroya would be expected to eat food—and appease his lusts. “Can you keep her prisoner here when I recede? Do you have a guard to protect the body from Dorada while you search for the ring?”

His brow was furrowed, his complicated mind already working through the details. Lothaire might have the urges of a primate, but his mind impressed her. “This apartment is protected from intrusion and escape. It’s hidden from any being in the Lore.”

“How?”

“I know some of the old ways,” he said. “I’ve used a Druid spell to create an invisible boundary around the apartment.”

Even Dorada couldn’t cross that boundary. “So where is the lock?” Somewhere in this dwelling he’d inscribed, etched, or painted symbols—a code of sorts. It might be prudent to know where—as well as the reverse code to unlock it.

“Within my room.” Anticipating her question, he said, “The combination is updated throughout the day, just in case a talented soothsayer set out to scry your existence.”

She’d let this lie for now. “Excellent, vampire.” She was assured by the precautions Lothaire had taken and convinced of his dedication to keeping her safe, to returning her to her former glory.

After all, he was bound to her forever.

Yes, she was confident. Enough that she refused to wallow in this weak mortal shell any longer than necessary. “Then you can deal with Elizabeth. And perhaps make her add flesh? Lothaire, if I could trust you to see this done, I could sleep until my turning, building my strength.” She’d need it to overpower Elizabeth at will.

“Sleep the entire time?” He was incredulous. “I told you it might take a month! I should go without my female for that time?”

Rutting animal! “A month feels like seconds to me, hardly a replenishing rest. And you’ve gone this long. Besides, you shouldn’t have time for a female because you should be working ceaselessly to find that ring!”

She could see him wrestling for control of his temper. “Circumstances are different now. My needs are strong, and my mind seizes on them. I can’t afford to lose my concentration.”

“Very well. I’ll attempt to rise tomorrow night,” she lied.

“Don’t attempt, goddess.” He caught her wrist, forcing her palm to his pulsing erection. “I’m a blooded male. I will have another relieve me of this ache. You or a stranger. Decide.”

Saroya yanked back her hand, parting her lips to tell him to have at a stranger. But then she realized that securing a bedmate could take time away from his search, and his dalliances with another would limit the time he personally remained with this body.

Which wouldn’t do. Not with Dorada in the picture.

An idea arose. Why not let Elizabeth endure his primitive lusts? “You may sate yourself on Elizabeth.” At least, up to a point. Saroya didn’t want her favorite temple defiled by Lothaire’s offspring.

“Sate myself with a human,” he bit out with disgust. “With that human?”

“I give you leave to use her at will. Just save the claiming for me—and don’t mar her skin further with your bites!”

“You ask much of me, female.”

Time to stroke his ego. “This is but temporary, my king. I only want to be yours in all ways, to rule the Horde by your side. You are a great and powerful male. You deserve a queen to match you, Lothaire.” She forced herself to smooth her hand down his chest. “Imagine an eternity of bloodletting together, hunting together, conquering together. . . .”

She knew he’d too long dreamed of these things to go unmoved.

Lothaire’s need to rule over his brethren wasn’t merely obsessive—it was pathological. Which fit into her plans. For the rest of time, she would strive for godhood, but for the present, she would accept ruling a kingdom of creatures who lived in the manner she had set forth. . . .

Feeding on others, claiming the night as her own dominion.

Of course, ultimately she would be the supreme ruler of these creatures, and Lothaire would be her fawning consort. “As your queen, I will lay your crown upon your fair head and rejoice as all night beings tremble before you.”

His brows drew together, his yearning for this nigh palpable.

“Soon, my king,” she murmured, just before another wave of dizziness washed over her. She moved to the edge of the bed, sinking down.