By noon, daylight was beginning to filter through the thinning trees as Irene moved closer to a nearby town. She was quickly coming to realize that staying in the shade wasn’t just a preference; it was somewhat of a necessity since too much direct sunlight really hurt. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why.
So, Will was a vampire. And now, she was one too.
Clearly, he had not expected this, since he had left her and Cameron for dead, and she seemed to have a vague memory of him even kissing her good-bye. But that didn’t mean it followed that he would kill her if he discovered she’d remained alive—or whatever this state of existence was. He might decide to keep her around.
Maybe she would be better off to just go back. Her body and mind were waging a war, both with the elements and with her ultimate decision. Her body longed to return to the man who had bitten her last night, but her mind told her that would be a really bad idea. So far, she’d been going with the mind, but now that nightfall drew near once again, her body seemed to be going berserk. She didn’t just want to return to Will; she needed to.
When her fangs began to jut out again, Irene felt a strangling urge to feed. The pain and desire became too intense, and only letting go of it and surrendering to her needs seemed to ease the turmoil. She lost all understanding of time and place, as if she became an animal. She didn’t know if she remained like that for hours or for weeks, but, at that point, she didn’t even care.
Only when a strong pair of arms captured her did she give any thought to herself, and even then, it was only a desire to break free.
*****
Almost a week had gone by and still Will had not managed to use his connection to his fledgling to draw her back to him. Irene seemed to be one of the strongest women he had ever met. Not only had she managed to wake with barely any blood in her body, but she had not been squeamish about replenishing it. In fact, based on the tracks she had left, it seemed that she had even managed to feed again.
And somehow, she had evaded him as well. Once, he could sense that she was quite close, but, even that time, he had not managed to capture her, and she was still running feral in the woods. The longer she was out there on her own, the more he worried for her safety. The vampire clan in charge of these woods was sure to find her, and, if they did, it was certain they’d end her life.
He didn’t fully comprehend why it mattered so much to him, but Irene’s death was the last thing that he wanted. He’d realized that fact as he laid in his bed that first day, thinking that the deed had already been done, and he’d been flooded with relief ever since he knew that she was still in one piece after all.
But obviously, if she was not coming to him, she must be really pissed off. Who could blame her, since he did drain out all her blood and fail to put it back again? Until he could do so, she would remain the wild, feral beast that she had become. He was the only one who would be able to cure her of that fate now, since she had gotten the bite from him.
Tonight, though, he was feeling too tired to spend his night searching for the woman. All of his extra efforts where she was concerned seemed to be draining his vitae more quickly than usual, so that he already needed another infusion of blood. Yet his longing for her left him feeling a decided lack of desire to get that blood in his usual way.
He didn’t head down to Berkeley in search of an unhappy couple, but instead stopped by at a local club in Arcata that he liked to frequent when he was only looking for a snack. In one of the corners, he spotted a Truvian friend of his, and the man beckoned him over as he stepped through the door. Will walked over and had a seat at Carson’s table.
“Hello, Carson, what brings you out this evening?” he said in his smooth accent as he gave Carson a wary look. “Out looking for somebody to serve the group for dinner?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I am,” he said with a nod. “Only, tonight the catch needs to be something special, since Lord Costavo will be coming down to adjudicate a matter of some importance.”
Wincing inwardly, Will asked, “Adjudicate? Has something unusual happened?”
“Aidan caught a feral who’s been haunting the woods for the past week,” he shrugged. “Looks like somebody didn’t finish their food.”
Will’s stomach did a little flip of dismay. “What do you think he will do to her?”
“How do you know it’s a ‘her?’”
“I believe I will need to attend that meeting, Carson,” he replied. “You see, I believe the girl may belong to me. However, she fled before I could feed her properly during the transformation. I’ve been trying to capture her and finish the job all week.”
“Lord Costavo is not going to like this,” said Carson grimly. “Maybe you’d best capture him an appetizer as well.”
“I will observe the necessary customs, of course,” Will agreed, although he found the way the Truvians fed to be cruel and tasteless, kidnapping humans and scaring them until their blood was pumping, then falling upon them several members at a time. They took no care to comfort them, nor to ensure that they were at peace, before they ended their lives. Quite a disgusting habit, in his opinion.
“You’ll even join in the feast?” Carson asked dubiously. “I know how much you dislike such things.”
“If I did not want the girl back so much, believe me, I would refrain,” Will replied.
“This must not be a casual creation, then,” Carson observed slyly.
“Since when have I ever created another vampire casually?”
“So, you have found a bride?” he chuckled. “But she would not have been running wild in the woods if she hadn’t been trying to get away when the frenzy overtook her. Maybe she was not quite so willing herself.”
“No, that’s not it,” Will said, shaking his head. “She could not have survived this long without my blood if she was unwilling. However, I imagine that this whole experience must be quite frightening to her. The pull to return to my side could not possibly have gone unfelt. I have called and called, but, so far, she’s been resisting me.”
“That may be partly because she’s completely out of her mind after this much time,” Carson pointed out. “In either case, we need to find two blood donors each to get through the door. All males and no addicts, as per usual. You know the clan has very particular stipulations about who we should eat.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Will agreed with a shrug. “But first, I could use a stiff drink or two. Facing Costavo is likely to be a very tense evening. I am just hoping that he won’t order the clan to kill Irene.”
“Or you either,” Carson reminded him. “You know how insistent he is about the proper handling of fledglings. A feral in our midst might tip the locals off to our presence here. The last thing we need is for them to find out that vampires are real.”
“I intend to take full responsibility,” Will said glumly, “and find him a pair of guys that should put him in a really good mood.”
“Good plan,” Carson said with a chuckle and a wink. “And it looks like there’s a pair eyeing you right over there.”
“I always wonder when they do that,” Will scoffed as he followed the direction Carson was pointing with his eyes. “I mean, do I look like the kind of guy who is hoping to be their third?”
“We’re in a gay bar,” Carson pointed out.
“That doesn’t automatically mean I’m looking for more than one person in it,” he grumbled. “And you know I’m not actually into sex with men either. I only came in hoping for a meal.”
“Lucky for you, they don’t know that,” Carson said, smirking. “Even as hot as you are, I think that knowledge would definitely diminish your appeal.”
“Well, unless whoever it was wanted to become a ghoul,” Will replied, grinning as well. “At least that way they’d be assured of staying alive.”
“If we don’t stop talking, the crowd will start to think you and I have already hooked up for the night,” Carson reminded him. “Besides, we’re meant to return with the party favors within the hour. Chop, chop.”
With a nod, Will left Carson’s table and headed for the bar. He kept making eyes at the two guys as he sat on one of the stools and throughout the conversation he had with the barkeep who stood waiting as he continued to make his interest known.
“Whiskey sour, please,” he told the man, who then set his drink in front of him.
“Little Truvian action going on tonight?” he asked on the sly.
“I am not a Truvian,” Will replied, casting one of his marks a little smile.
“Carson is,” the bartender pointed out. “And from where I’m standing, it was obvious you two were making plans. Anyway, you know my rules. Don’t try to pick up any of the regulars.”
“What about that pair over there?”
“I heard them talking,” he said. “Rival football team members who came out to play against our boys over at Humboldt University. They’re definitely something you could put on the Truvian menu with ease. Both strong, healthy men. And they’re sure to put up a fight.”
“Why is it you’re always helping the vampires out anyway?”
“Well, isn’t helping what a bartender is supposed to do?” he asked cheekily. “Besides, if I’m useful, I don’t get put on the menu myself. I think you can sympathize when I say that I hope to live a nice, long life.”
“Dave, you’re lucky they didn’t kill you just because you know about them,” Will reminded him, rolling his eyes.
“You dislike their methods, but you’re clearly about to help them too,” he said curiously. “What could possibly be going on that has you intending to attend the blood bath rites?”
“I could tell you, but then I would have to kill you,” Will replied. “Another of the same, please, and then I have some work to do. Those two fish look very willing to bite.”
As Will began to drink his second whiskey sour, one of the football guys was suddenly at his side. He was not surprised.
“You up for a little triple play action tonight?” the young man asked brashly. “It’d be some hard play, but you look like a man who could take it. Unless I’m wrong about why you’ve been making those eyes?”
“Oh no, honey, you’re not wrong,” said Will, looking the man over as though he liked what he saw. “You and your friend look like a tasty pair. I think I could easily accommodate your appetites. But first, there’s a little party I have to attend. If you wanna play with me afterwards, you’ll just have to tag along.”
“A party sounds all right,” he agreed, giving Will’s shoulder a squeeze. “Just let me tell Todd. I’m sure it’s all right.”
*
“What is this, some kind of a rave?” asked Todd as he eyeballed the man who stood guarding the entrance to the door.
Will spotted Carson and brought his two friends over to join him. “So, are you helping me to get inside?”
Carson grinned as he took in the two guys. “Oh yeah, definitely. I see you picked up the eye candy; good job. Costavo has already been informed that you wish to speak with him. He sent me out to wait for your arrival. Right this way, gentlemen.”
Todd glanced over at his partner and said, “This place looks a bit out of our league, don’t you think? You sure you want to go in, Greg?”
“Oh, yeah, it’ll be fun,” the other man insisted. “I heard they had some pretty crazy parties on the coast. I’m curious about them.”
“Don’t worry, gentlemen,” said Carson with a smile. “Nobody slipped LSD into the keg or anything. Our parties are always clean. Come on in and have a real good time.”
If the humans noticed that many of the attendees were staring at them hungrily, they didn’t show any outward signs as they stepped inside of the community hall where the party was being held. The place was done up something like a disco club, with blaring music played by a live band and one of those disco balls casting lights all over the darkened floor.
“Oh, it’s a themed party!” Greg said enthusiastically.
“You two go on ahead and have fun,” said Will to the pair. “I have some business to attend to before we can attend to our own. I’ll come look for you once I’ve taken care of it, and after that, we should be good to go.”
“No hurry,” said Todd with a shrug. “Greg seems happy. That’s all I need to know.”
“Great,” said Will, and then he turned to go. The man’s words sent a shiver of despair down his spine. He never killed happy couples, but how was he supposed to know that this pair actually got along? They drove their own car, following him as he drove his van, so he hadn’t had any time to get to know them at all.
But Will had better things to do than concern himself with that. If he spent all his time worrying about the happiness of others instead of seeing to his own comfort, he would be one hungry supernatural being. He had to just let it go.
He followed Carson and his brother, Aidan, as they headed for the stairwell. One lone, dim light ensured that they did not trip on the steps as they ascended to the top. This portion of the building was made up of a network of hallways, and they took one of them all the way to the end, coming to a large, unmarked door.
As they drew closer, they could hear the muffled sounds of a young woman screaming. Will knew that it had to be Irene, currently suffering a bout of insanity during her full frenzy. He winced guiltily.
When Aidan opened the door, the three men stepped quickly inside, hoping to minimize the sound. No one on the floor below was likely to hear Irene except the other vampires, but it was uncertain if any human had come above. They certainly didn’t want anyone to call the police.
Lord Costavo was standing beside the window, looking out onto the darkened city, his back turned away from the very large cage which contained a ranting and slavering Irene.
“So, you’ve come at last, William Knight,” he commented dryly as he turned to look at him. “Would you mind explaining this to me?”
Will’s eyes trailed briefly over Irene’s writhing form. Her blonde curls were in disarray, tangled into a mass filled with twigs and debris. Dirt covered nearly every inch of her face, which appeared to be covered with deep cuts and scratches as well.
He desperately wanted to run over, unlock the door, and take her into his arms, to tell her that he hadn’t meant for her to be hurt, and he wanted to set things at least a little bit right again. However, he knew that such a display would not be viewed favorably by the unfeeling vampire he was now forced to face.
“An unexpected escapee, my lord,” said Will mildly. “However, I have been attempting to reclaim the prize all week. If I am to feed her, I will first need to feed myself.”
“You so casually assume I intend to let you finish making her your bride,” he scoffed. “You must realize that you have broken the laws of my land. What makes you think either one of you will be allowed to survive?”
Will squared his shoulders and cast the other vampire a quelling glare. “Lord Costavo, we are both quite aware of who my father is—and who he has served for the entirety of his lifetime. Do you really wish to incur the wrath of the Arimathean himself?”
“Your father has not been in the court of the Arimathean in twenty years,” he reminded Will with a scowl. “What makes you think that old bond will still be tight?”
“Rumors have it that, even now, he and my brother are en route to join the Arimathean yet again,” he explained with a slight smile. “A battle appears to be due beneath the Vatican.”
“You think your lord can hope to remove the usurper from his throne?” asked Costavo curiously. “Hugh of the Carpathians is a very powerful foe. Who knows how the tides will flow, should they make the attempt.”
“Well, put it this way,” said Will, arching one brow. “You certainly don’t.”
“I see your point,” Costavo conceded, stepping forward and speaking quietly with Aidan. The young man turned and left again.
“My people are well aware that this feral has been brought for disposition,” he said then. “They will not rest idly if she is not brought before them, and as you’ve said, you also must be fed. You will accompany me to the feasting, and when all are replete, the next order of business will begin. If she feeds from you, the two of you will be free to go. Otherwise, her life will come to an end. In either case, you will be fined and then allowed to go home. And Knight? This had better not happen again.”
“Agreed,” said Will with a slight bow of his head. “Thank you, Lord Costavo, for your understanding. You’ve proven to be a valuable ally, as always.”
The vampire lord rolled his eyes in Carson’s direction as they began walking back toward the door. “Save your brown-nosing for your friend.”
*****
The large crowd of Truvian vampires was predominantly male, though some of them had brought their females along as well. The need for only male blood did not stem from homosexual tendencies, but rather from a belief that they needed powerful sustenance if they wanted powerful bodies. The stronger the prey, the more power could be gained, to their way of thinking.
Will didn’t buy into the idea himself, but at this point, blood was blood. He needed to have enough strength to get Irene to feed, or Costavo would take her away from him. He wasn’t exactly sure when he’d started to realize that this woman was different than any other he’d ever known, but sometime during the week, she had crept into his heart and made it her own. He was not willing, maybe not even able, to simply let her go.
By now, there were well over two hundred people milling around, and the lighting in the room was not quite as dim. The band had stopped playing and were nowhere to be seen. As he milled through the waiting crowd, trying to move nearer to the podium, Will hoped that his two boys wouldn’t notice him and want to talk again.
His mind was so filled with thoughts that he just didn’t want to deal with them. He hadn’t quite reached his destination when the screaming began, and he tried his best to hug one of the walls to stay out of the fray.
Todd showed up. He was covered in blood, and not all of it was his own. His eyes weren’t frightened; they were enraged as he took Will by the shoulders and shook him.
“What the hell did you do to me, man?” he demanded hotly. “This scene is beyond obscene!”
“Sorry, it’s not my party,” Will said, shrugging him off and trying to walk away.
Todd yanked him back again. “Dude, you had to know!”
The scent of blood in the air was getting to be too much for Will, and his desire to feed kicked in. This prey had been brought to this place by him, and he needed to replenish. He gave no further thought to anything else as his fangs slipped down so he could use them, sinking them deep into the man’s throat. Thrash though Todd might, Will was easily able to use his superior strength to subdue him as he drank.
This time, he made certain his victim’s heart had stopped before he let him go. He wasn’t about to get into trouble with Costavo again. He let Todd’s empty husk fall to the floor and grabbed the handkerchief from the man’s pocket to wipe his hands and face, making himself look presentable again. He spared a small thought to just how jaded the action was, but then simply walked away, carelessly tossing the cloth back at the owner. He was ready to reclaim Irene.
Costavo was still drenched in blood when he stepped up front, gesturing for Will to join him there. “We’ve found the owner of the little feral in the woods, it seems. The little lady escaped mid-claim from her own wedding. So, I’ve decided that it’s now our duty to see the deed properly done. But if the bride becomes altar shy this time, you all know what to do. Emil, bring Mr. Knight his prize.”
Irene was still thrashing and screaming and trying to escape. As he stood waiting, Will hoped that she would not break free. He didn’t want to have to fight off well over a dozen vampires to save her, but if it came down to that, he’d be willing. Seeing the lovely woman again was making him feel decidedly reckless and protective. There could be no doubt in his mind that she was destined to be his mate.
When Emil stopped in front of Will with the girl, the others in the room began chanting. “She must feed! She must feed! From feral to fledgling, do the deed!”
A look of vague comprehension crossed Irene’s face as Will stood in front of her, baring his neck and practically setting it into her mouth to ensure she would take a bite. She latched on hungrily and began to feast. Will groaned with pleasure, allowing her to take what she needed.
Then, she suddenly passed out. Will caught her in his arms, pulling her body to his as he held her close, ensuring that she would not fall. He accepted the cloth from Emil and wiped away the blood from Irene and from himself.
“Your van has been brought around out of sight,” said Emil then, handing Will his keys.
“I wish for you to take your bride back to your mansion in Orinda, and let the servants run the resort out here,” Costavo told him then. “I want both of you out of my sight for a very long time.”
“Willingly,” Will replied as he lifted Irene over his shoulder and followed Emil out to his vehicle. He set Irene in the back, then got up front and started to drive. It was still early enough that he knew he would reach his home easily under the cover of night.
*
Will knew that Irene would probably not wake from her slumber for a couple of days, yet he still couldn’t seem to leave her side. He brought her into his Orinda mansion and straight up to the west wing—the family wing, and did his best to clean her completely.
Pulling off the stained dress, he threw the thing in the nearest trash can. He bathed Irene from head to toe, scrubbing her hair clean and removing every single tangle. He dried her gently, then dressed her in a soft negligee and laid her in the bedroom that was meant for the master’s wife. By all accounts, that was precisely where she ought to be.
Although Will had been intimate many times in the past ninety years, not one of the women he’d ever brought to this home had been allowed to stay in this room. It had waited in quiet anticipation for the past thirty years to finally receive a new mistress to call its own, and now it almost felt as if the very walls had begun to rejoice. Any human would have been thought mad to believe something so foolish, but for a vampire, sensing the mood of a place was just as easy as seeing it written upon somebody’s face. It was usually quite clear.
“My Lord William, I thought I sensed you in here,” said his butler, Hiram, as he stepped into the room. “Who is this beauty you have brought with you?”
“This is Irene,” said Will, almost reverently. “I have just taken her as my bride.”
“Your bride, sire?” he repeated excitedly. “At last! We shall soon hear the pitter-patter of children’s feet. I have so longed for this day to arrive.”
“Here now, I don’t think we’re to that point just yet,” Will complained. “Irene was not quite a willing recipient to the marital kiss. I’m not sure how she will react to me.”
“But she drank from you, didn’t she?” Hiram asked, confused. “Not to mention, she is clearly transforming. Why do you believe she would be anything less than charitable to you now?”
“She got away and went feral, Hiram,” said Will with a sigh. “How far back she will come from the experience, we have yet to see.”
“Is there anything you need me to do to help, sir?”
“When she awakens, she will need to feed,” Will said worriedly. “But I do not wish to leave her alone to look for the meal. Could you find something for her?”
“Willingly, sir,” said Hiram with a smile. “Anything to finally see you happy.”
*****
Irene woke up with a splitting headache. She cracked open her eyes and frowned up at the unfamiliar canopy above her. She had no idea where she was, but at least it was no longer the green canopy of the woods, and her hysterical thoughts seemed to have faded.
Groaning, she sat up in the fancy bed and looked around. Her room was tastefully done in deep reds and contrasting pinks. There appeared to be a family crest emblazoned onto the sheets. She gazed at it curiously, then continued her scan of the room.
Sitting in a nearby chair, sound asleep, she spotted Will Knight. So, she hadn’t been dreaming all of this. She really had gone on a crazy rampage out in the woods. She really had been captured by a host of bloodthirsty fiends, and this man really had come there and fed her. She assumed they must be somewhere in his home right now.
“Will?” she called softly, and the man stirred. His eyes opened, the green depths quickly filling with both hope and concern. “Will? Why am I here?”
“You tell me,” he said softly as he gazed at her. “You’re the one who chose to live. I thought I had taken too much—that my own selfishness had lost you to me. But then you did not leave after all. So what made you decide to change into a vampire rather than to fade away?”
“I—don’t know,” she hesitated, even though it was a lie. She knew exactly what had brought her back from the brink. It was the memory of Will’s eyes. The very same emerald orbs she was looking into now. She had been unable to stand the idea of never seeing them again.
“Do not hide your heart from me, Irene,” he chastised her. “We are connected, you see. I can sense your thoughts, and as we grow closer still, I will even be able to hear them, just like my own, when you allow me to. I know you are afraid, so I will tell you more, to show you by example what will become our way.
I looked and looked for you, because my heart would not leave me be. It knew you were meant to be my mate, and so it led me to you at last. And now, it will never let you go.”
“You left me lying there to die, Will,” she pointed out. “How am I supposed to trust you now?”
“I didn’t want to leave you,” he said. “My heart was broken. It believed you were dead to me already. Only think how happy I am to know that I was wrong.”
“So what now?” she asked tiredly.
“Now, we need to feed you again,” he said briskly. “You will be weak for a time as your body continues to transform fully. You’ll need to feed several times a week to keep up with it. My servant, Hiram, has agreed to help provide your meals, but once you are back on your own two feet it will become normal for you to eat with me.”
“And what, exactly, will we be eating?”
“The vampires of popular fiction are inaccurate, at best,” he scoffed. “A vampire rarely needs to ingest blood more than twice a month. My own particular habit is to ensure my victims benefit as well before they must die. That is why I bring them for a bit of pleasure first. Your own case was unusual. I do not have a tendency to hunt and fully devour in the same night, but rather to savor my meal over several days.”
“What happened to Cameron’s body after I left it there?” she asked curiously.
“Hilda, the cleaning woman, probably gave it to the hellhounds,” he shrugged. “They’re a little pet project of hers that she keeps hidden a few miles from the resort. Nasty bunch of creatures, if you ask me, but at least that way I don’t need to worry about burying any bodies.”
“And it doesn’t bother you, taking a life?” Irene continued.
“Sometimes, yes,” Will admitted ruefully. “But I look at it this way: if I don’t feed, then I will suffer. And the people I usually choose to devour are unhappy, simply going through the motions of life instead of living it. Like Cameron—and like you, when you thought you were stuck with him too. If you’d looked even half as vibrant then as you do right now, I never would have indulged.”
“No, that’s not right,” Irene told him. “It’s you who has given me this glow. You freed me from that dull, listless life, and you’ve given me something more. Whenever I am near you, I feel it pulsing all through my body—a heady desire I never would have believed could exist inside of me. It’s something I want to explore.”
“Is that it,” he asked huskily as he drew her into his arms, “or was it that you wanted me to explore it for you?”
“That too,” she admitted, grinning up at him.
“Insatiable wench,” he teased. “I like that in a bride.”
“So, I suppose I’ll have to get used to the night life, huh?”
Will shook his head. “It is possible to go out during the day. I’d just invest in some really hefty sunblock if you want more than fifteen or twenty minutes, okay? Anything else?”
“We can eat normal food?”
“Of course,” he nodded. “Sweetheart, you are just as human as you used to be. You’ve just added a few—enhancements.”
“Like what?”
“Everything will taste better, smell better, feel better—you name it, you will like it more than you ever did before. Of course, that also means there are things you’ll find more uncomfortable as well. Like sunlight and pollen. Lord help me, I have the worst hay fever you could possibly imagine. I hope that one will spare you.”
“What else do I need to know?”
“Vampires each belong to a certain clan, either by birth or by embrace,” he explained as he let go and started to pace, somewhat like a teacher in the midst of a lecture. “Your new clan is called the Arimathea. In antiquity, our leader learned to practice magic from a man called Yeshua the Mage, though you might better know him as the Christ. One of Arimathea’s spells went awry and resulted in creating a curse which is known as the Lamb’s Wrath. For some, it is a burden, while others have come to accept it. As for me, I believe it is a mixed bag. But, regardless, it is what has made me the man I am today.”
“And me what I am too,” Irene added with a sigh. “I don’t suppose the transition is going to be easy, even though, right now, it seems so heavenly. I’m sure at some point I’ll have to jump back down off of cloud nine.”
“Maybe,” Will agreed, catching her hand to draw her near once again. “But it doesn’t have to be tonight. Do you smell it? I believe Hiram must have arrived. The scent of blood can be—overwhelming, pet, but I want you to learn to handle it with smooth expertise. The first lesson you must learn is how to hypnotize your meal so that they will be subdued. It’s much easier to feed on a willing host than a resistant one, wouldn’t you agree?”
“You mean the way you hypnotized me?” she asked, pouting.
“Irene, I did not need to hypnotize you,” he teased. “Your libido did it for me.”
“But you did hypnotize Cameron,” she replied.
“Yes, of course I did,” he said with a nod. “He was beginning to balk. I think that if I had not subdued him, he would have demanded to leave otherwise. And I was not inclined to lose my dinner that night. But then again, after I subdued him, we had our little bit of fun time. You’re not going to tell me that you disliked it, are you? I’ve never been much for tolerating lies.”
Irene chuckled. “I liked it very much, master,” she replied. “In fact, it was so good I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”
“I begin to suspect you’re a very naughty girl,” he grinned. “And we shall try it again, but not tonight. Remember, pet, I told you. You must crawl first before you can walk. And right now, I want you to entrance whatever food Hiram sends through that door. Got it?”
“Got it,” she agreed.