Chapter Nine
Alastair sat across from his father. They were lunching on an ocean-front balcony outside of his father’s room. The sea spray tossed his hair about. They had both fed from two female servants, cute pliant little things, proud to be fed upon by the King and the Crown Prince.
They tasted sweet. Alastair knew that he needed to feed on humans other than Avery. He preferred her healthy and strong rather than pale and weak. He had restricted his feeding to their lovemaking, feeding off his servants the rest of the time. Avery had spoiled him. Even these sweet little servants weren’t enough for him anymore. He only wanted one thing.
“You leave for The Sands in a fortnight. How are the preparations going?” his father asked.
“Well,” Alastair said with a nod. “My men are eager to get back out into the field. They are still drunk on their success from the last battle at the borders. It made them all wealthy men, and now they are eager for more.”
“Good,” his father said as he watched the servants pull up their dresses and leave. Once they were alone, his manner changed. He relaxed back in his chair and gave his son a mischievous grin. “Will you bring your new favorite human with you?”
Alastair was shocked. He stared at his father wondering how the old man had heard. He had struggled so hard to keep Avery his secret. She was always in his rooms. Occasionally she would go stir crazy and beg to go out into the streets, so on those days he would dress her as a servant and Sir Reese would sneak her in and out of the palace.
“There are no secrets in the palace,” his father said with a chuckle. “Trying to keep one is a fool's errand. I’ll be honest, my boy. I was surprised to hear she was still here. Normally you grow bored after a few days.
“She’s different,” Alastair said. This was the last thing he wanted to discuss with his father, yet he could not deny the wisdom of the King. He was the only person who knew what Alastair was going through.
“Do you love her?” the King asked.
“I do,” Alastair said quietly. “She is the only thing that I want.”
His father nodded and reached down underneath his chair and pulled up an elaborately carved box. The box was made of deep dark wood with a delicate rose carved in the top. Alastair opened the box and saw a stunning piece of jewelry. It was a necklace, worn high up on the throat. There was a large red gemstone in the center, surrounded by diamonds on gold chains.
“The Flower of the Court,” his father said. “No has worn it since Alisia passed. Give it to your human.”
“I thought the flower was only for vampires,” Alastair said staring down at the expensive jewels beneath him. He ran his hands over the hard gemstone and imagined himself placing it upon Avery’s neck.
His father waved his hand away. “The Flower of the Court is given at the discretion of the King, or the Crown Prince. It is a marker that the woman who wears it is favored by royalty. No one will touch her. She may come and go as she pleases. That’s what this was made for. Human or vampire, she brings you joy. Ours is a difficult role, you should enjoy the few pleasures given to you.”
“Myrcel will not be pleased. She is already unhappy about Avery,” Alastair continued. It felt strange to speak her name in front of his father. She had been his secret, but soon everyone would know her. She would have status and she could come to dinners and events. She would be protected.
“Myrcel is never pleased and she bares you no sons. A woman should not make her bed an icy chamber. It should be kept warm and sweet for her husband. But when your human wears this, she will be untouchable, even by the Princess,” the King shook his head and stared out over the sea. “You and Myrcel were a logical union. It does not surprise me that there is no love there. I was the one who yoked the two of you together. Now I give you this, that you may experience happiness and love. Make it known that she is yours. Claim her, love her.”
“Thank you, father,” Alastair said.
He carried the heavy box back to his chambers, tracing his hand over the rose carved into the lid. He remembered his father’s Flower of the Court, a stunning vampire named Alisia. She had been kind and sweet. In fact, his mother had been fond of Alisia, the courtesan took pressure off of the Queen.
There was no chance Myrcel would feel the same way. But a Flower was the King’s right and Myrcel would have no choice but to accept it.
Was it possible that Avery was growing more beautiful? She seemed even shapelier than she had before. Her breasts seemed bigger and there was a glow about her face that could not be denied. She sat up when he entered, her eyes wide.
“How is your father?” she asked.
“Well,” he answered. She was on the bed and he sat down next to her presenting the heavy box. “I have a gift for you.”
She looked down at the box and then up at him. Even after all of this time, she never asked for or expected extravagant gifts. He could not help but reach out and caress her cheek.
“The gift is inside the box,” he said with a gentle chuckle. “Open it.”
Her eyes went wide and she gasped, placing her hand on her hollow of her throat as she stared at the jewels. He could see the shining red rubies reflected in her grey eyes. She shook her head.
“It is too much, My Lord,” her voice was a gasping breath as she looked between him and jewels over and over again as if she couldn’t believe it.
“You have not called me My Lord in a long time,” he said as he removed the elaborate necklace. “Let’s not fall back on old habits. This is not just any ordinary necklace. This is only worn by The Flower of the Court.” She looked up at him in confusion. “The Flower of the Court is the title of the King or Crown Prince’s official mistress. It protects her. It allows her to go anywhere she wishes in the castle. My father gave it to me. He knows about you and he approves. This is yours now. You are my flower and now everyone will know it.”
“But what about...” it was as if she couldn’t say the name.
“You need not worry about Myrcel. She knows what this means and she has no power over it.”
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “It’s too much. I don’t deserve this.”
“Yes, you do,” he said. He stood up and moved behind her. He brushed her hair aside and leaned down and kissed her, feeling her heartbeat and warmth beneath his lips. He placed the necklace on her, wrapping it around her throat and clasping it at the back of her neck.
She touched the gems with her fingers, parting her lips in the most evocative way.
“Avery,” he said sitting back down in front of her and taking her hands in his. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she said and she leaned towards him. He kissed her deeply, feeling the necklace underneath his hands when he touched her.
“My flower,” he whispered into her ear.
She pulled away from him and opened her mouth as if to say something, but then she just shook her head and pulled him into a hard hug. She clung to him, her hands clutching him and holding him tightly as if she would never let him go.
“I love you,” she whispered over and over again as he kissed the crown of her head.
This was so perfect. This was so right. After Myrcel, he never thought he would experience love. He thought his life would be filled with her cold bed and the occasional night at a brothel. Now he had this wonderful warm woman in his arms and he was never letting her go.