B0089ZO7UC EBOK (19 page)

He kissed my forehead gently before fastening the collar around my neck.
 
It was tight and I felt like I was choking.
 
“You’ll get used to it.”
 
One of his fingers curled through one of the D-rings and he gave it a hard jerk as a test.
 
“
Mmm
…yes,” I heard him whisper, followed by a lick of his lips.
 
“Are you going to behave or should I get a leash?”

When I gulped, my saliva seemed to get hung in my throat, making me swallow again.
 
“No…no.
 
I will be good, I promise.”
 
The vampire hadn’t been this extreme before.
 
Antonio was correct. Dante had gone off the deep end.
 
He was one of the last people on earth I’d consensually give power over me.
 
Hopefully it wouldn’t be for long.

“I’ll be lenient for now.
 
You have much to learn about behavior.”
 
Once more he jerked on the collar and I stood up.
 
Leniency?
 
I didn’t know the word was in his vocabulary.
 
“More surprises are in store for the evening.
 
There’s going to be many chances in the coming weeks for you to prove your loyalty.”

I laced my arm through his as he held it out to me.
 
We walked in time with each other.
 
With each step I kept my posture straight.
 
I didn’t look at any of the people we passed.
 
The Queen may have been the King’s slave, but she was still above everyone else. I knew that much.
 
It had been a long day and it was going to be one hell of a night.

Luck was an evil bitch, I decided.
 
Eventually, I hoped to catch a break, but the only luck I had so far was bad.
 

 
The main gathering hall was packed to capacity, but everyone made way for us to walk through.
 
At the moment we passed by a person, they fell reverently to their knees beside us.
 
It was absurd.
 
They were so brainwashed and fearful.
 
I’d seen rebellions first hand.
 
It only took one person to get them started.

I faltered in my tracks and would have fell to my knees as well if Dante hadn’t squeezed my arm painfully and urged me forward.
 
At the head of the room,
Taya
and Antonio were chained naked to the wall.
 
Antonio had visible marks across his body from recent beatings.
 
Taya
just looked fearful with a tear soaked face.

Dante leaned down and whispered into my ear.
 
“I changed my mind about forgiving him.”
 
A sadistic laugh erupted from him.
 
It lasted until we reached the throne.
 
We turned to face the crowd and his voice carried across the room as everyone hung on his words.
 
“Rise!”
 
He paused to let the people get to their feet.
 
“I introduce to my legion of followers, the long awaited Queen, the soon to be
Evelina
Sanuto
!”

My legs were like rubber but I managed the formal bow to the crowd.
 
I didn’t speak a word.
 
If I had spoken, no one would have heard for the cheers. This was so much worse than I expected.

“One more announcement!”
 
Dante called out over the crowd until they hushed.
 
“I understand your excitement, but hear me.”
 
His loud voice made my wince.
 
“Tomorrow is the wedding and you’re all invited.
 
My Queen had the most wonderful idea for a gift.”
 
He smiled at me and my blood seemed to freeze.
 
“My own son, Antonio, and his whore,
Taya
will be executed!
 
By who?
 
None other than Queen
Evelina
herself!”

The tears threatened to overflow my eyes, but I didn’t shed a single one.
 
That nightmare wasn’t going to happen.
 
I felt reassurance as I looked around the room.
 
Not everyone was cheering.
 
The rebels were there, hiding amongst the loyalists.
 
It’s hard to explain, but I could see hate behind some of their smiles.
 
Either I was seeing the rebels or I was just that desperate to believe it.

“Isn’t that right, my dear?”
 
Dante asked of me when I didn’t say anything.

“Absolutely!
 
My wedding day must be perfect and the most memorable day of my life!”
 
The words came out steady and clear.
 
This crowd seemed like they would cheer for anything.

Dante gracefully sat down on his throne, giving me a push to the floor until I was sitting on my knees.
 
He crossed his leg.
 
The man was no doubt thrilled with himself.
 
 
Taya
and Antonio were on opposing sides of us.

“
Taya
…”
 
I followed his gaze as he spoke to the bound and gagged girl.
 
“Did my Queen tell you why Antonio doesn’t love you?”
 
He asked the girl, pausing as if she could actually respond.
 
She just raised her eyebrow and looked to me.
 
Her eyes held fear and confusion.

This was just cruel.
 
I gave a shake of my head to try to tell her that Dante was just trying to hurt her and turn her against me.
 
It would have been great if such a small motion could convey that much.
 
Once again, I bemoaned my vampire powers wishing I had telepathy or something as myth claimed.
 
Dante looked at me and I put my smiling expression back on.
 

“
Evelina
and Antonio had a great time sneaking around behind my back.
 
I didn’t mind so much that my son was fucking her, many men kept her company.”
 
 
Taya
didn’t seem surprised, not that I could perceive.
 
 
“The part that hurt,”
 
 
Dante placed his hand over heart and patted the area.
 
“It’s that my own son felt he had to sneak around instead of telling me he was in love with
Evelina
.”

The room listened intently on every word he spoke.
 
No one had heard this tale.
 
Even I hung on every word, despite knowing it would no doubt be embellished with lies.

Antonio seemed to be unconscious during the tale.
 
“If not for the overwhelming impact of his betrayal, I wouldn’t have changed
Evelina
.
 
My son searched the streets of Venice for days hunting for his love after she went missing.
 
It was too late by then.
 
She was mine.
 
He’d planned to change her and flee.
 
I found the ring in his room.
 
He planned on marrying the girl whom I paid for entertainment!”

My hand went over my mouth before I could stop the reaction.
 
Guilt again hit me like a brick.
 
I had been angry and hurt, asking why he hadn’t taken me away when we still had a chance.
 
Why didn’t he just tell me?
 
I carefully dotted at the corners of my eyes so I didn’t smear the mascara.
 
I hoped I could tell Antonio I was sorry when this was all over.
 
The sad fate of our love was neither his nor my fault.
 
It was Dante’s.
 
Always Dante.

“Now, four hundred years later he betrays me again.
 
I send him to retrieve my pretty Queen and he tries to take her for his own once more.
 
 
It was his chance at redemption in my eyes and he failed.”
 
With a nearly imperceptible move, he motioned for one of his bodyguards to show
Taya
the piece of paper he was holding.
 
“That is what happened.
 
What will always
happen.
 
Evelina
will kill Antonio tomorrow and it will never happen again.
 
He would never love you anyway,
Taya
.”
 
Dante’s tone was dismissive saying nothing else to her, but telling the crowd.
 
“The Queen will
behead
the girl first just to inflict pain on Antonio.
 
Otherwise, she’s useless.”

Fury and hurt turn the young woman’s face into something sinister.
 
The paper must have been a photo of Antonio and
I
making love.  She hated me now.
 
I wondered if she thought I’d been lying to her the entire time about my motives.
 
Love caused so much hate between people.

A familiar musical number began to play.
 
Dante rose to his feet and took my hand, helping me up.
 
I’d danced many a long night away in the arms of my suitors.
 
A choreographer friend of my mother’s taught me every dance of the time period in exchange for the pleasures of my body.
 
I had never seen another woman who could rival my dance skills, in the 16
th
century anyway.
 
Dancing raised me to a higher standard in men’s eyes almost as much as my sexual prowess.
 

The years had been long since I’d performed something so elaborate.
 
The times of dance like this were lost in the past.
 
Easily, I fell into the comfortable rhythms.
 
The guests moved back and as we danced began to encircle us.
 
Each move was perfect and graceful.
 
This was who I had been and Dante seemed pleased to see it.
 
As I was lost in the dancing, I could almost forget what was going on around me and where I was.
 
For that brief interlude, who I had been and who I am now converged into one.
 

My vampire master pulled me close toward the end of the number and dipped me. Dante leaned over me and pressed his lips against mine kissing me hungrily.
 
The desire to ravage me was building in him.
 
He wanted my blood and my body.
 
Victory was his or was it?
 
My arms wrapped around his neck and he picked me up without another word to his congregation.
 
We made it about halfway down the hallway before he pushed me up against a wall.
 
Kisses showered my neck and chest leaving behind little scratches where his extended fangs had grazed the tender flesh.
 
His nostrils flare and he inhaled deeply the aroma of the miniscule amounts of blood.

“Bedroom, Master.”
 
I begged and it was sincere.
 
I wanted him.
 
Wanted him dead.
 
He struggled with his urges, grinding up against me on the wall before easily carrying me to the bedroom.
 
With a swift kick, he broke down the door, too needy to stop long enough to open it properly.
 
I was tossed roughly on the bed as he started stripping off his clothing.
 
Deadly, fully extended fangs met my gaze when I looked at Dante.
 
If this didn’t go as planned, I would be hurting.
 
Grinning, I worked my way out of my purple gown until I was just in the slip I’d worn underneath.