Read Cortigiana (A Vamp Life Prequel) Online
Authors: Jez Strider
Tags: #romance, #vampires, #paranormal romance, #free, #venice, #courtesan, #romance 1500s, #jez strider, #vamp life
Cortigiana (A Vamp Life Prequel) (3 page)
soon as I walked into the house. “You did so good, girl. We have
you scheduled to keep men company for the rest of the week.”
“
Mr. Sanuto paid me. We need
to improve this place if I am going to entertain anyone. I want a
bed and nice things. This should get us started.” I was done
letting them boss me around. It was my turn to give orders since I
was bringing in the coin.
wide with shock. “Your companionship was complimentary.” Luca
said.
“
Apparently I impressed and
he paid me anyway.” I turned to my aunt. “Shall we go
shopping?”
“
Yes, dear.
Absolutely.”
myself. He was to acquire the furniture while Regina and I bought
clothing and decorations. The plan was great, except that I should
have known better than to trust my lush of an uncle with
money.
Our first stop was to get new dresses. Then,
we were off to buy flowers. I buried my face in the blooms and
inhaled, thinking of past days. When I opened my eyes, I saw
Antonio standing at another stall. Was he following me? It sure
seemed that way, but I could not figure out why. Without saying a
word to me, he paid for my flowers and picked them up.
“
What are you doing?” I
asked.
“
Helping you.”
obnoxiously introduced herself. “Evelina is my favorite niece. We
are so proud of her. I’m Regina Angelis.”
“
I am your only niece.” I
said, wishing I had gone shopping alone.
rambled on about the house and how nice it was to be able to afford
new things. I basically ignored her and I could tell Antonio was
biting his tongue to keep from insulting my family. Not that I
would have cared if he did.
My uncle was passed out drunk and face down
on the kitchen table when we returned home. A bottle of alcohol
stood empty in his grasp. It was mortifying for the severe
dysfunction of my family to be exposed to Antonio. Regina kept her
fake smile on.
“
That silly man of mine. So
sorry.” She said.
“
Join me upstairs with the
flowers, please.” I told Antonio and he followed me.
dead flowers from the pots. They had not been taken care of.
Antonio studied me without speaking and brought the new flowers
over when I asked.
“
Where is your
bed?”
to the corner of the room. “The blanket and pillow on the floor.” I
said sadly as I refilled the window box with living plants.
“
What of the coin? You could
not buy a bed?” He asked.
“
I split the funds with my
uncle. He was supposed to take care of it.”
his hand on my cheek unexpectedly. “I… wish I could do more for
you. Dante is dangerous and I dare not go against his wishes.”
I was confused. “What wishes?”
“
He prefers me to stay away
from his women. I would not dare endanger you.” He said.
“
Is that why you were so
rude earlier?”
“Jealousy. How I longed to be the one to take you for the first
time.” The golden brown of his eyes disappeared briefly when his
lids closed. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “But what must
be, will be. Enjoy your time with others. I will make sure you get
a bed.”
“
Antonio….” I called his
name when he turned to leave.
each other less than twenty-four hours.” I struggled for the right
words. “You make me feel something I have never experienced
before.” My hand curled into a small fist and I held it against my
chest.
“
I am sorry,” was all he
said before leaving me alone to stare after him in a state of
confusion and embarrassment.
Angry screams from my relatives filled the humble home. I slumped
down onto the floor and covered my ears with my hands to block out
the yelling. The opportunity to get out of a life spent with them
was within my grasp. I just had to take it. Make coin from lovers.
Maybe even seduce one into loving me. Good plan. I thought about
the mansion and Dante Sanuto being the man who would lay claim to
me. What did a crush on a bodyguard mean when I had a shot with
nobility?
My eyes were clenched tightly and my
thoughts on a better life, so I didn’t hear my aunt talking to the
merchants delivering my new bed.
“
Evelina!” Regina yelled and
grabbed me by the arm, pulling my hand away from my ears. “You have
a gift.”
my dress. “He said he was going get it… but so quickly?”
“
Who, my dear? Mr. Sanuto?”
She asked.
her no, and then thought better of it. “Right. Yes, of
course.”
She was grinning broadly. “Just as well.
Your first suitor should be arriving soon. The house will be yours
for the evening.”
The sound of her voice angered me. I went to
the window to gaze outside as the men brought my new bed inside. It
would be broken in many times over before the next time I was
requested at Dante’s mansion. I would nearly forget Antonio as I
learned the lifestyle of a courtesan and the craft of pleasure. I
savored the taste of many lips. My popularity rose and with it the
value of the gifts I received. It was a whirling dream of kisses,
sex, and money.
A request came after some time had passed
and I joined Dante at his mansion once again. This time, I had
experience and confidence that I had lacked in our first
meeting.
“
Kind of you to make time in
your busy schedule for me, Evelina Angelis.” Dante said with a sly
smirk. His request was not one that I would have denied even if I
had wanted. I hooked my arm into his as he led me toward his
bedroom without any further formalities.
sensation in my neck akin to pain, but changing so quickly to
pleasure that I wasn’t sure it ever actually hurt. With the other
men, I never experienced anything similar. There were rumors about
Dante. People said he was ageless. Of course, people said a lot of
things that weren’t true. To say I didn’t wonder would be a lie,
though. He was definitely… different than normal men.
He was dressing in front of the mirror after
we had finished while I lay nude on my belly and popped a grape
into my mouth. “What sort of business are you going to do?” I
asked.
His gaze was on my form in the mirror as I
climbed to my knees and wrapped one arm around the large bed post.
I ran my fingers along the wooden pole delicately to entice him to
postpone his departure.
“
The kind little courtesans
are not privy to. Just look at you. You are much sexier than the
virgin that entered my chambers a few short months ago.” He said,
forcing his eyes from my body as he secured his long hair away from
his face.
realized my potential.”
He stole another glance at me in the mirror.
“Are you falling for any of the men you have entertained?”
His question immediately sent my mind racing
back to Antonio before I could stop it. I hadn’t even seen the
bodyguard since the day he’d carried my flowers, crushed my hope of
intimacy with him, and had my bedroom furniture delivered. “I love
them all.” I said, recovering with a smile.
“
You throw the word love
around carelessly.” Dante scolded, turning to me and leaning back
against the dresser.
“
I know little of the word,
Sir. I do know that making them happy, as no other woman can, fills
me with a sense of pride. Have you been in love? Perhaps you can
educate me.” I said.
would grow to fear and eventually hate. Darkness. With the playful
façade dropped, his bright blue-white eyes seemed to cloud and the
side of his lip, that could smirk so attractively, curled into a
sneer. Slowly, I backed away from the foot of the bed and leaned
against the headboard, attempting to get as far from him as I
could.
Then, as quickly as the evil had appeared,
it was gone. Dante reached into the dresser and pulled out a small
strip of dark cloth. He smiled as he stepped closer to me. “I can
show you a whole world of wonders. But love, well, that I cannot
promise.” He said softly as he tied the cloth around my eyes,
blindfolding me.
“
I would hate to be the
cause of you breaking a promise.” I drew in a sharp breath of
anticipation as he guided me lower on the bed and ran his hands
over my body.
spots after he’d forced my legs apart. I was trembling all over and
moaning in response. There was that painful pleasure, this time as
he kissed the flesh of my leg. It was an orgasmic and terrifying
sensation that I didn’t understand. I wanted to jerk the blindfold
away, but I knew without permission he would be infuriated. The
last thing I wanted was to see that evil side again. He groaned
heavily as he licked at my inner thigh.
Dante’s feast was interrupted by a fist
pounding on the bedroom door. “Leave me be.” He said in a guttural
growl.
“
Dante.” A familiar voice
called from the other side of the door.
Antonio
. “The King of France is
here.”
the bed and went to the door, talking in hushed tones to Antonio. I
reached down and rubbed the spot on my thigh that Dante had been so
attentive to. It was strangely numb now.
“
Take Evelina home. I do not
want anyone else of importance taking an interest in
her.”
“
Yes, sir.” Antonio
said.
“
I hate to abandon our fun,
but the more I am away, the greater my appetite for you,
Evelina.”
someone was at my side. I had thought Dante returned. A pair of
lips brushed against mine. The kiss was passionate, and yet, not as
aggressive as I had grown accustomed to from the master of the
house. It was slow, intense, and mind-altering. If a kiss could
align the universe, it would have been that one.
I was breathless and my heart aflutter when
our mouths parted. Hands untied my blindfold. Antonio eyed me
earnestly. “You can keep a secret.” It was a statement, not a
question.
He was right. I would not say a word to
Dante or anyone else about the kiss. All I could manage was a
nod.
Antonio looked pleased with himself for
getting me flustered. “Let’s go.” He gathered my discarded dress
off the floor and offered it to me. The bodyguard needed my nudity
covered. He drank in the sight of my bare flesh.
I reached out for it and noticed my hand.
There was a smear of blood across the palm where I had rubbed my
thigh. Had Dante bitten me that hard? My eyes lifted to Antonio in
question. The sight of blood immediately made me feel lightheaded
even in such small amount.
“
He is not as careful with a
lady as he should be.” Antonio said firmly and I knew I should
leave any further questions unspoken.
mansion. I had thought Antonio was taking me home. Only we were
going in the wrong direction. There were so many things I didn’t
understand. Did Antonio have feelings for me? What was the kiss?
And the blood? It meant something that I couldn’t place.
“
That’s my old home….” I
said softly when we stopped in front of the familiar building. It
was painful to see the place where I had grown up, lived, and
laughed. Since the day I had moved in with my relatives, I had
avoided going back to my old house.
“
It is your
new
home.” He
said.
“
What do you
mean?”
front door. “I bought it.”
“
Why?” I put my free hand
over my mouth and tried to blink away tears. No one had ever done
anything like that for me before.
“
You deserve better than
having to live with that horrid man and woman. They feed off your
success like leeches.”
reached for the door. “I… don’t know what to say.”
“
Thank you will suffice.” He
said with a smile. It made him more handsome than the frequent
serious expression he wore.
a chance to do it myself. My mother was standing there. She pulled
me into a desperate hug. I was stunned. The tears fell then.
“
Mamma….”
“
I am glad you are okay, my
daughter.” She said.
thought I’d never see you again. Or father. Is father home,
too?”
My mother closed her eyes and shook her head
quickly. “No. Your friend was able to clear my name, but it was too
late for your father.”
I turned around to speak to Antonio, but his
boat was already disappearing into the distance. He didn’t allow me
the chance to thank him or ask him about the tremendous act of
kindness.
“
Come inside, child.” Mother
said. I stared after the departing gondola with longing for a
moment before following her inside.
