Chapter Two
Mmm. Miss Snow. She looked absolutely delicious, even in that horrific frock, and especially since he’d knocked her completely off-center. Raven-black hair, cream-white skin, rosebud lips that were slightly parted as she tried to catch her breath. He longed to lean forward and open her mouth wider with his own to get a good, long taste.
To say Friedrich was delighted to see her accidentally stumble into the Rose Courtyard was an understatement. And now she looked like a sweet little kitten who’d tumbled into the lion’s den, all bright-eyed and startled. He was more than ready to play.
He knew why she’d come to the castle. She’d been here on at least three other occasions. He’d told Grant what information to let slip to his woman, Sylvia. He wasn’t sure what Miss Snow’s involvement with the Black Lily was, but he sure as hell planned to find out. With his uncle, King Dominik, sending his own spies to watch him, he’d take no chances which side she was on till he was absolutely certain. If she’d been coerced to spy for his uncle—or worse, been bitten and was under the influence of his powerful elixir of persuasion—Friedrich aimed to discover it. A miscalculation could mean his own death.
Two times, he’d visited the schoolhouse in Terrington. Once, a sweet little blonde girl had painted a black lily and mentioned that an unknown “she” would save them all. Miss Snow had tried to swiftly cover for the girl’s wild imagination as she’d called it. The second visit was shortly after he’d left the Glass Tower, seeking more information on this rising resistance. But the only thing he got was an earful of his shortcomings as duke of the region since the children suffered most. Specifically, the many orphans she taught. She was feisty, impertinent, and stubborn. And fine, passionate, and clever. She was also uniquely beautiful. Like a rare night flower that only bloomed under the moon—so cool and dark and white.
And now he’d finally caught her in a position out of her control. He should be merciful and offer her some sort of escape. She wasn’t there to offer herself as a bleeder. But how long would she uphold this pretense to avoid telling him the truth? Would she go through with it? His fangs ached at the thought. He was enjoying this far too much to let her slip through the net easily.
“Are you well, Miss Snow?” He twined a silky lock of hair around his finger, tugging softly to remind her he was there. “Oh, I see.” He took one of her dainty hands in both of his, resting them on his knee as he stroked her knuckles. “I apologize. This will be your first time as a bleeder, won’t it?”
She had the widest, sweetest brown eyes. Warm and innocent, but also intelligent. They suited her well. Always keen and searching. Except now. He’d knocked her senseless with his untoward questions. He might’ve felt guilty if he wasn’t enjoying the sound of her hummingbird heartbeat pulsing in that slender, pale throat of hers.
“Do not worry,” he assured her, brushing the pad of his thumb over her knuckles again, noting that her palm was sweaty against his fingers. “The prick is a little painful. At first. But you’ll only remember the pleasure.” Then he smiled, and those guileless eyes widened even further, her lips forming a surprised O, which made his cock stiffen in his trousers. “And I will be gentle. I promise.” The first time anyway.
She tugged her hand free and shot to her feet, letting her shawl fall to the chaise then paced toward the hearth. “Your Grace. There is something I must tell you.”
“Oh?”
“I—I did not come here to be your bleeder tonight.”
“You didn’t?” He tried to sound surprised.
“No.” She turned to face him and lifted her delicate chin. “It was the only way I thought I could meet with you privately with your busy schedule.”
“Really? I certainly would’ve made time for you if you’d only asked.”
She winced. It was a lame excuse. She stumbled forward anyway.
“I wanted to speak to you…about the children.”
“Your pupils? What about them?”
“They um. I mean, that is, we uh”—she stopped her pacing as if she’d finally figured it out and turned resolutely, eyes bright—“we need a new stove.”
“A new stove.”
“Yes. A new wood stove for warmth.”
He stood and moved toward her with unhurried steps, holding her gaze. Propping an arm on the mantel, he realized how much larger he was than her. So petite yet curvy in the right places. He could wrap both hands around her waist and touch his fingers on both sides. Yet even as he towered over her, she didn’t back away. Rather the opposite, that impertinent chin lifted higher. Wonderful.
“What you’re telling me,” he continued, noting the delicate lines of her collarbone as her breath quickened, “is that you volunteered yourself at the Rose Courtyard in the hopes that I might choose you for the night, because you wanted my undivided attention to ask me to provide the schoolhouse with a new wood stove.”
She squeezed her eyes shut for one second then opened them. “Yes. And, well, to be quite honest, we need new flooring as well. You see, the winters are so cold and the old building is drafty. The children can hardly focus on reading or their sums when they’re freezing.”
While he thought at first this was a ruse, the sincerity in her expression told him it was not. His wayward thoughts flicked to the children, his gut clenching at the idea of them fighting to keep warm. It was his responsibility to maintain and look after the welfare of the village schoolhouse, as well as the post office, the town hall, and the courthouse.
“I’ll send workers at dawn. The renovation will be complete in three days. You’ll instruct the children’s parents not to send them until it is done. Understood?”
Her eyes widened impossibly more. She nodded. “Th-thank you.”
“But know this, kitten.” He lifted his hand and curled his fingers around her delicate neck, resting his thumb on her collarbone. Leaning close to her ear, he grazed his lips on the small shell. “I know this is not the reason you came here tonight.” Unable to resist, he swiped his tongue at the spot below her ear. Her soft whimper made his cock press painfully against his trousers. “I’ll get the words I want from your sweet mouth. I’ll get a whole lot more before we’re finally done.” He opened his lips and gave her a tender, suckling kiss on her rose-in-winter scented skin, stifling a groan.
He stood straight, still improperly close, staring down while visions of her pale, beautiful body writhing beneath him, his fangs and cock deep inside her, threatened to overwhelm him. That wasn’t his original goal when he’d seen her in the courtyard and decided to play with the straight-and-narrow Miss Snow. But now that he’d stolen a brief taste, he knew himself well enough to know she had no chance of escape now.
“Grant!”
The man stepped inside in a blink. “Your Grace?”
Still holding her shocked gaze, he ordered, “Get Mixon to bring a carriage around and escort Miss Snow home safely.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Miss Snow, if you’ll follow me.”
She broke from their trance and turned robotically for the door. Before she reached it, he stopped her.
“Miss Snow.”
She froze but didn’t turn. Lifting her shawl from where it had fallen, he stepped up behind her and wrapped the ends across her chest, squeezing her arms and holding her within his embrace for a moment before he dipped his mouth to her ear again.
“Good night, kitten. Sweet dreams.”
She made not a sound. All he heard was the rapid thrumming of her birdlike pulse, confirming his effect on her was more than she let on.
He released her and watched as she scurried out the door without a backward glance. Grant arched a brow at him. Friedrich chuckled.
“Report back after you see her home.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Then he disappeared after her.
He wanted a full accounting of her life for the hunt ahead. She wasn’t the kind of woman to give herself easily. But she’d never known a man or vampire like him. He always got what he wanted. And right now, he wanted nothing more in the wide world than the complete and absolute submission of the lovely Miss Snow.