Detrand

I avoided Sophie for a fortnight, unable to thank her for saving me, and she went about business as usual, even though I could see the way her breathing trembled and the way her eyes lit up as I passed by her.

I avoided her in shame. I shouldn’t have gotten so close to Adelade and shouldn’t have used Sophie to control my strigoi. I was master of my own body, and would bend my strigoi to my will if it killed me. And so, I left the house as soon as the day waned, ignoring the call of Adelade’s blood, and I hunted throughout the night. I stalked the streets, consumed with controlling my strigoi. I ate when I wanted to eat, and I ate often, ignoring my strigoi, training it to follow my command.

I was always sick when I awoke in the evenings, but I hid away in the garden and cleaned it out before anyone else awoke.

Rowen kept me appraised of everything happening with the beings we controlled and the goings on in the household. He assured me that the servants were treating Adelade the way I’d instructed, or they would fall under his wrath, which wasn’t necessary, yet.

After practically throwing up from my third human of the night, I lay against the wall of the old tavern, his blood still on my face. Rowan knelt next to me and handed me his handkerchief.

“You can’t live like this, or you may as well be underground again.”

I grabbed his throat, pulling him close. “I’d rather taste the final death than live off rats and worms.”

“I agree.” He choked this out and I released him. He rubbed his neck as I dabbed at my lips.

“But you’re right. I can’t continue like this, and I haven’t yet discovered Agosto’s killer.” I got up and, giving him a moment for his throat to heal, I held my hand to him. “Do any of the Fae owe us a favor?”

He nodded, as I pulled him up. “Find them, and bring them to me when I return tonight.”

He nodded again. “Yes, sir.”

I made to move away but he cleared his throat.

“Yes, Rowan?”

“It’s just that, it’s been too long since you’ve arrived, and have yet to take over Agosto’s businesses. I’ve held them off for a while, but they grow restless. They don’t like paying the higher taxes and complain that it is an injustice. You need to attend to them, or the people will rebel and you will have a war on your hands. You must attend to this before you find his killer.”

My thoughts grew deep as I considered his words. “Finding Agosto’s killer is my priority. Tell them I will lower the tax when his killer is in my hands.”

I walked away, and could feel his eyes on me as I left. I turned back to him once more. “Tell Lula to meet me at the shifter’s home.”

Suddenly he was next to me. “I will not.”

“She is to meet me there, or I will return her to her mother.”

“Her mother hasn’t even come to visit her at the house, her fear keeps her at bay.”

I raised my eyebrow at him, and when he didn’t explain further I barked at him. “What of it, Rowan? Spit it out.”

“I don’t trust her in the shifter home. They’re unpredictable and careless, and she is weak compared to them.”

“So what?”

His hands fumbled with the buckle of his coat, but his eyes grew darker. “I won’t send her into that madhouse.”

I reached forward and pulled him closer to me so that my breath was on his face. “You will do as I command. Do not test me Rowan, or everything that you ever held dear will be ripped from your hands. I can control the shifters, and will protect her. But only because I hold an affection for Lula, who seems to actually long for your touch. I desire your happiness and so I allow you to hold her, but if you displease me, I will take her from you.”

The anger that rippled from his body affected my senses, even though I hadn’t released them, even as his eyes lowered to me. “Sir, she is mine.”

“As I allow it. Now go tell her to meet me at the shifter’s, or I will rip out your throat and hang your tongue from a pole on one of my ships. And then I will take Lula, and she will please me all the days of her father’s penance. After, she will beg me to keep her, but I will not, I will send her to the streets to beg her mother to let her return. Do you understand?”

He gagged, as his inability to defy me choked him, even as he wanted to tear out my throat.

“Go now.”

* * *

I paced outside the gate to the shifter mansion, waiting for Lula. When she arrived by one of our carriages, she rushed out and I commanded my driver to wait for our return.

I frowned. “Is that Adelade’s dress?” It was soft blue and plain, covering her from her neck to her toes. She nodded and I turned away from her and headed towards the gate. I would burn every single one of Adelade’s dresses. She deserved only the finest cut of cloth, not these rags, and I would instruct Sophie to train her how to dress properly.

I put my hand on the gate and turned to Lula. “I have a use for you. Are you willing?”

She nodded slowly and I opened the gate. I walked hastily towards the house. “I need you to keep your eyes on a shifter here.”

She gasped, and I grabbed her hand to keep up with me. “Did you think that there were only strigoi in this dark world? That other beings didn’t hide in the darkness?”

Her feet slipped and I pulled her to help her maintain her balance.

“I supposed there could be, but didn’t let myself think on it too much.”

“There is one, a scar next to his eye, looks like he’s never run a brush through his hair. I need you to watch him.” We were outside the door now and I paused before I knocked. There was a madness behind the door as shifters scrambled to prepare for my presence. “Can you do that? And report back to me once we leave.”

“What am I looking for?”

I knocked once. “His reaction.”

She nodded.

I grabbed her shoulder. “Anything that happens here, you stay far back, you understand?”

* * *

As soon as the door opened, Salina was on my arm. Her dress was cut low, and the tips of her small breasts showed through the thin material. “Welcome, Detrand. We’d been expecting you sooner. Why did you wait to come to me?” She reached up to kiss me but I turned my face away and walked into the house.

Several of the shifters had gathered in the open hallway, although some of the children were still being rounded up by their nursemaids in the upper halls.

The women curtsied to me, and a few of the men gave a low bow. One of them gave me a sly look and winked, while many of the other men stared at me stonily. My eyes passed on Derek only briefly. He contained his anger well, and although his hand was pressed tightly against the wall, his face was open and welcoming.

I turned towards Salina and my eyes followed the shape of her body. “How did you know that I would visit?”

She shrugged, and ran her hand up my chest as she circled me. “One hears things, Detrand, and we have the ears of the wolves.”

I turned towards the dining room and everyone followed behind me. The children, finally captured by their nannies, rushed under my feet playing tag. I led Salina to the table where we sat the last time. The room was large, warmed by a newly renewed fire, and the shifters filled it, staring at me with expectant looks. I yanked her up on the table and stood in between her legs.

She grinned, and pressed herself to me. “How can I be of service, Detrand?”

“I’ve come to announce that I will not be your alpha mate.”

She clicked her tongue and twirled her red hair around her finger. “I already knew that. It doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy certain benefits.” She bit her lip. “We could come to an arrangement, just like Agosto.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “Were you intimate with Agosto?”

She frowned. “Of course not.” Her hands traveled down my shirt and to the buckle of my pants. “But our arrangement doesn’t have to be exactly the same.”

I grabbed her hand and held it tight. “We are not to make any arrangements. I will be your leader.” I looked her in the eyes. “Unequaled in the pack.”

As this revelation descended over them, several in the pack began to growl. I’d just announced that I would be their leader, but wouldn’t join the pack, or allow Salina to continue to lead them. It was the ultimate abasement.

I grabbed her shirt and drew her to me. “Do I make myself clear?”

She shuddered. “You can’t be serious.”

I’m as serious as the being who killed Agosto.” The room fell silent until a shifter stepped forward.

“We need an Alpha who can lead us, who can bond with us. And it won’t be no strigoi.” He spit out the last word. He had tussled brown hair, with dark brown eyes, and his hands were clinched in fists. He was prepared to fight me.

“Jessiah, your leader hasn’t taken care of the pack as she should, only I can control your people. And I will have no rebelliousness among your pack.”

I turned back to Salina. “Now, I need you to bow before me, and then partake of my blood. So that you can always be at my beck and call.”

She was breathing heavily, and I watched as her chest rose up and down; I waited to see what she would do. She slid off of her chair to my feet and the pack began to murmur behind her. Several of the men growled as she kneeled down and pressed her forehead to my shoes. They were filled with the muck from the streets and I hadn’t bothered to clean them off.

“I need you to lick them.”

She looked up at me, disgust shown clearly on her face. “Excuse me?”

I kneeled over. “You heard me, lick my boots.”

She gripped my pants leg and I was afraid for a moment that she would yank me off my feet. I put my hand on her back to steady myself and to maintain a stance of control over her.

Her tongue slipped out and she licked my boot.

Jessiah stepped forward. “I will not have the packmaster’s mate bend at your feet and clean your boots with her spit.”

“I’m the packmaster now.”

He drew closer to me, his face red and sweaty. “You are not a shifter, but a disease that walks the street to feed on the filth.”

I stepped forward to meet him. “I do feed on the darkness that lies in the streets and my hunger is like no other. My power and control is like no other. I will do as I please in this city, and there will be none who dare challenge me and win.”

“I challenge you.” He looked down at Salina who was still on her knees. “I challenge you on behalf of Salina, my true packmaster’s mate. I challenge you to a fight, and if I win, I will lead the shifters and pick a mate of my choosing.”

I smiled, anticipating his threat. “I accept the challenge.”

* * *

We faced each other across the open field behind the house. After a swift glance at Lula to make sure that she was far away from us, I took off my jacket. The shifters formed a circle around us, and the sounds of their animalistic natures roared through the clearing.

As soon as his jacket was off, I blasted Jessiah with my senses and he fell to his knees. I kicked him in the throat and he fell back, yelping, with his hand to his neck. I circled him, waiting for him to recover, and as soon as he was on his feet, I punched him in his ear and he fell to the ground again. The speed with which I was able to move was no match for his human body.

The circle around us began to close in, and growls emerged among them as their instincts to protect their own began to take over. He crawled to his knees, shaking his head, and I sent my senses out to try to calm the pack. Once they shifted, they would attack as a group, and have no mercy.

Crying out from the pain, Jessiah began to shift, and in a moment he was growling before me. He jumped at me, and I shifted to the right and grabbed hold of him. We both fell to the ground and tumbled in the grass. He landed on top and bit down on my arm, which was over my head.

I growled and grabbed his snout, which was slick from my blood and held it tight so that he couldn’t take a chunk out of it. Then I swung my feet up, wrapping them around him and I squeezed him tight. The noise of his ribs cracking began to rile up the shifters again, but Jessiah couldn’t move, or I would crush him. The rumble coming deep from within his throat was deadly; he was ready to kill me.

I shifted to move on top of him, letting go of his snout and he slipped out from under me. Pain shot through my side as he latched on and shook, tearing into my muscles. I hit him with my elbow, but he held tight and my stomach muscles began to rip from my side. Grimacing in pain, I wrapped my arm around his neck, and began to squeeze.

He let go of my stomach and tried to slip out of my arms but I rolled over and pinned him under me. The other shifters were beginning to change and I couldn’t calm them with my senses, or I would lose Jessiah. The quickest shifters jumped on me first and began to bite at my body. I kept my hold on Jessiah, while simultaneously trying kick them off.

I held up my arms and caught a glimpse of Lula in the middle of the pack, trying to pull them off me. Using all the power I could, I blasted her away with my senses. She slammed against a crate, causing it to explode under her. Then there were eight of them all at once, all nipping and tearing at my flesh. I kicked at them, and Jessiah slipped from my hold.

Suddenly, a wolf with reddish hair joined the fray; she was bigger than the others and fought them with an indomitable force. At her intervention, they began to slip away, bowed low with their tails tucked under them. I flipped Jessiah onto his back, pressing him down with my senses, and, baring my teeth, I sunk them into his neck.

As soon as it was obvious that I could tear his throat out in a moment, the wolves began to whine and pace before me. The red-haired wolf growled at them, her back to me as she stared them down. So great was the force of her power, that they bowed to the ground, their paws on their nozzles. One of them snapped at her, and she tore after him. He fell to his back, his paws tucked in, and he showed his throat to her.

Baring her teeth, she growled at his throat and then nipped his nozzle, causing him to whine. Content that her pack was subdued, Salina faced me, and waited for me to kill Jessiah.

I glanced at Lula, who had risen and was holding her hands tightly in front of her, her face tilted towards me in agony.

I growled and released Jessiah, who lay panting, his tail tucked in between his legs. “You do not deserve mercy, but I will give it, as long as you don’t challenge me again. Next time, you will not recover.”

I stood up and Jessiah began to change back which created a wave of magic in the air as the rest of the wolves began the change. My side burned in pain, but I stood proudly over them. A movement from the trees caught my eyes and I turned to see Rowan, his eyes glowing in the night as he watched us. I growled at him, a warning, and then he was gone.

As soon as Salina was dressed, she kneeled at my feet and the rest of the shifters quickly followed suit. I took in a deep breath, focusing on the crow who sat on a tree branch over me, eyeing me carefully and ignoring my pain.

“Stand.”

Salina stood up.

“Pledge your allegiance to me.”

She bowed and mumbled the words that would bind her to me. “I swear under the God above,” the wind picked up, swirling her hair as the magic began to flow around us, “to follow the path that you walk before me, to bow to your judgment at all times, and to serve you willingly and faithfully.”

A bright obit of light surrounded us, and she gripped my wrist. “I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this oath, and put it above all else, excepting my commitment to my God.”

I turned my hand over and exposed my wrist. She swallowed hard, staring at me with eyes that glowed blue from the magic of her oath. I shook my hand, impatient, and she bowed over it, and then bit out a piece of flesh. I winced, sucking the air through my teeth as she pulled my flesh into her mouth. My fangs retracted but I controlled my strigoi, otherwise I would be bound to her as she was to me under the magic that sealed our pact.

When she was done, the wind died down, the magic complete, and I yanked on her arm, pulling her to me. I bit into her neck and she trembled under me as I drew from her. She moaned and I pulled back, licking her neck softly. I could hear her breath shorten and held her tight as tears sparked in her eyes, then I pulled back and presented her to her pack.

“Salina has proven to me to be an effective leader of your pack and she will rule over you unless I am needed.”

Her neck twisted as she looked towards me and I nodded once in acknowledgement. I knew that they weren’t happy with this announcement, that they needed a true Alpha to effectively control their wild natures. But this was a temporary solution that would keep them from killing each other until the situation could be dealt with effectively. They wouldn’t dare defy me now. Not after I’d effectively taken down their most dominant wolf, and held the support of their leader.

“I will leave you to attend to pack business now.” Salina nodded and I held my hand towards Lula. She scrambled to my side and I held her under my arm, as the growls from the pack centered on Jessiah.

“What are they going to do to him?” The tremble in her voice betrayed her fear.

“Shh…”

* * *

We were at the gate now, and the driver stumbled from his seat to open the door for us. I leaned against the side of the carriage, breathing heavily. Pain shot from my side and I gripped the seat in agony, closing my eyes to focus on something else. Adelade came to my mind, and I growled, shutting down the memory of her sleeping in her bed, so warm and sweet, and so close to me.

Suddenly, Lula was next to me, pulling up my shirt. She gasped when she saw the bloody pulp that was left of the side of my stomach.

“You need blood.”

I grunted and then grit my teeth as she pulled the pieces of my shirt out of my wound. “Holy hell, woman!”

“It has to be cleaned if you won’t drink, or it will get infected.”

“I don’t like to drink from the people who work for me, it isn’t good business to eat where you piss.”

She huffed. “I do not work for you.”

I opened my eyes. “I was speaking of my driver.”

She stopped pulling at my wound to stare at my chin. “I was talking about me.”

I clicked my tongue. “Rowan would stake me, and then my wounds would be worse than a little bite.”

“It’s not a little bite, and Rowan isn’t my master.”

“I am not your master, either.”

“Then let me return home, to comfort my mother in her grief.”

I gripped her chin. “I cannot. You must serve in the stead of your father, or others would defy me. I can’t afford the rebellion of the whole city, not when Agosto’s death has left a gap in the control of it.”

Suddenly she looked me in the eyes. “And is that what is most important to you? To trample under the feet of others, in order to dominate them?”

I sighed. “Actually, no. What is important to me is that hundreds of lives are saved by avoiding a war among the beasts that stalk the city. Many of the living would die, and then hundreds more would be slaughtered to keep the talk of magical beings from leaving the city.”

I closed my eyes again and leaned against the carriage, but the sound of her beating heart was in my ears and I opened my eyes. Her wrist was under my nose, and the smell of her blood was making me dizzy. I gripped her wrist and slowly lowered it. “I can manage.” I gasped this out, even as her blood called to my strigoi, and the pain from the bites in my leg began to throb.

Then she was sitting on my lap, making sure to avoid my wound, and I held her hips in an attempt to keep her jostling body from pressing on the bite on my thigh. She put her head on mine and I could hear the throb in her neck, beating a lullaby to my trembling strigoi. I gripped her shoulders to move her back, but was unable to do so.

“I do… like Rowan. But I serve you willingly. You’ve protected me in ways that my father never did, and you only took your vengeance out on him and allowed the rest of my family to live.” I heard her saliva travel down her throat. “I know you could’ve killed them all, and made me become one of your thralls, or tied me to a hungrier strigoi. Rowan is kind, and is as willing to give me as much pleasure as he takes. I want you to drink, as payment for your kindness.”

I raised my head to look at her now and her earnest eyes hooked into my chest.

“I give it to you gladly, with a sincere heart.”

“If I do not use my venom, it will hurt.” I wasn’t willing to break her bond with Rowan, to give her the gift of my erotic poison that would bind her to me, a deadly addiction.

She bared her neck to me, and the call was so sweet and willingly given that I bit into it. She cried out, gripping my arms tight, and I pulled her blood into my mouth. It lit my whole body on fire, and I moaned as her healing powers flooded my body, intoxicating my mind and spirit. Gripping her shoulders tight as her sweet claret rolled over my tongue and down my throat, my side mended, as well as the holes that studded my body.

Licking her wounds closed, I allowed her to lay against me and she began to sleep until we arrived home. Rowan stood outside, pacing near the door, and as soon as we came into view he swiveled to face the carriage, a furious look on his face.

* * *

I got out and put her into his hands. He gave me a scathing look, but carried her inside. I began to walk towards the river, throwing the rest of my shirt off as I descended towards it. Then Rowan was beside me.

“I told you she wasn’t safe.”

I frowned. “She may be a human, but don’t treat her like a china doll. She held herself well.”

“What if they had turned on you, and attacked her? The shifters don’t always have control over their wolf minds.”

I clicked my tongue. “I protected her, as I said I would.”

He gripped my arm. “I know you drank from her.” His eyes were a dark obsidian and his hand was so tight on my arm that it actually hurt.

I raised my eyebrow. “What of it?”

He pulled me close. “She’s mine.”

I showed him my teeth, warning him. “She offered it to me, and I partook because I was wounded.”

“That is not up to you, you should’ve asked me first.”

I growled, and blasted him with my senses. He crashed against one of the trees that lined the bank and slid to the ground. “Go to the docks and find another to drink from tonight. She will be weak for the night and needs to rest.” I towered over him. “You forget who is Master. Don’t ever question me again.”

He groaned, his back injured from the blast. “You will be the death of me, Detrand. I have stalked her since she became a woman, and she haunted me in my dreams. It has been my only desire to have her withering under me, to become united as one, even as her blood ran through my veins. And with one sting from you, it has all slipped away.” His voice caught and he stared towards the river, unwilling to look at me.

“I used no venom.”

He looked at me now, his eyes wide. “You allowed her to suffer so? No wonder she slept.”

I rolled my eyes. “You can never be satisfied.” I held my hand to help him up, he was fully recovered now. “Come, and let her rest tonight, and then tomorrow you will take her into your bed and give her, her every desire. And then you shall have your fantasy, or nightmare, as you see it, and be content.”

He glared at me, and when he didn’t take my hand, I laughed. “Oh, Rowan, you are such a child.” When he stood up, using the tree for support instead of my offered hand, I sighed. “You would think that after you have been given permission to give in to your deepest desire, you would be a lot more enthusiastic. And grateful.”

I began to unbuckle my pants. “Have it your way. But as for me, I’m going to cleanse my body, and my soul, in the river.” He began to walk away. “Whatever happened to the fae I requested?”

“She arrived earlier today.”

I nodded. “Send her outside to me as soon as I arrive home, even if she is sleeping. I also need you to instruct Sophie to order new clothes for Adelade, and burn all of her old rags. She is to receive the finest in town, is that clear?”

Only his back answered my instructions, but I knew that he would follow my command. I turned to him again. “Rowan.” My voice was a command and his feet turned to me even though his will was against it. His face held the scorn and anger that he felt.

“If you lose control with Lula, I will kill you myself.”

* * *

The fae, clutching my clothes to her chest, stared at my naked body as I walked up the path to the house. Her hair was woven in golden strands, with a vine of soft flowers arranged around her head.

I held my hand out and she stared at me in awe.

“My clothes?”

She jumped and shoved them into my hands. “Of course.”

I took them and began to dress. “What is your name? How old are you?”

She jerked her head back. It was impolite to ask an old being their age, and most of the fae in this area was very old, but I was tired and didn’t bother with niceties.

“My name is Raisa. I’m unaware in the times of man, but many moons have passed. Too many to count.”

I touched her elbow, and felt the calming presence of her powers. Satisfied that she could help me, I nodded, and led her towards the garden. “I have a use for you. Are you willing?”

She nodded. “Of course, sir. Agosto saved us from the wrath of King Orin, and I would gladly return the favor, even if I suffer for it. For your suffering will only be kindness compared to his wrath, which would last as many moons as I have lived.”

I chuckled. “I don’t think that you will suffer, but that depends on your magic.”

We’d reached the garden wall now, and I boosted her up on it so that I could see her better. Her body was small, and tiny iridescent scales ran from her cheekbones to her hairline, as well as along her eyelids. It gave her a shimmering look, and I took in a deep breath. She smelled sweet, of flowers and appetite. Her bright blue eyes stared into mine, our powers of compulsion having no affect.

“I have a problem, and I need the help of the fae.”

“Your wish is my command, I will serve you as instructed.”

“There is a woman under my household whose blood lust calls to me with such power that I cannot resist. I need the powers of the Fae to compel my strigoi to follow my command, or I will slowly descend into madness.”

“Why do you not give in to your desires?”

I looked away. “Because I would kill her, I don’t have the required control.”

She tilted her head towards me. “And that is a problem?”

I chuckled. “She is under my protection.”

She bat her long eyelashes. “I see.”

I bit my lip, and trailed my tongue over it. “Will you help me?”

“Of course. But magic requires payment.”

“I can give you all the coins you desire.”

Now she laughed. “I have no need for coins, and neither does my magic. You must give something else, something of yourself to renew my powers, or they will wane.”

My hand traveled up her arms, causing her cheeks to flush, and I raised my eyebrow. “What kind of payment?”

Her eyes studied the house behind me, and I felt a tingle of magic move up my arm. “You have dark powers that protect the home, and have several visitors who know how to use these powers. Allow me to feed from their energy, and this will renew my powers.”

I turned towards the home. “I will allow you to feed from one, and it will be one of my choosing.” I would choose one who knew nothing of the magic that protected our home, so that we would be in no danger.

Her eyes were on me now, and she nodded slowly.

I smiled, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Begin your spell now, that I may enter my home in peace.”

She grinned. “I already have.”

I raised my eyes in surprise. “How did you know I would agree to feed your powers?”

“Because your reputation precedes you.”

I smiled back at her; I liked this fae. “Come,” I held my hand out to guide her. “I will introduce you to Lily.”