Beholden (5 page)

Zari?

Cheeks heating up, she stammered,
Y-yes.

Alexandru groaned at the sexy look of embarrassment on his pet’s face.
Goddammit. Too cute. Too fucking cute.
Releasing her breast, he looked up and captured her gaze with his just as he moved his hand back up until his fingers reached under her skirt.

In a second, he had her skirt bunched up around her waist. In another second, he had ripped her panties away and then he was touching the core of her flesh.

Her entire body stiffened at his touch, but just as quickly she melted around him, her lips parting with desire as his fingers stroked her folds until they were soaked with her wetness. His desire rose to nearly uncontrollable proportions as he watched her bite her lip hard, doing her best to keep quiet as he pushed one finger in. As his finger pushed in and out of her, his pet looked like she was about to cry – in pleasure. In desire. In need – for him.

Goddammit, too cute! No one could ever be as cute as his pet right now.

His cock jutted demandingly against his pants, and he realized with disbelief that he was very near to coming himself. The thought had him even more aroused, and he instinctively reached for her hand and placed it on his cock.
 

“Hold me,” he gritted out.

The words had her gasping. While this was not her first time to be with him, today was definitely the first time he had invited her to touch him. She was stunned to find the demand embarrassing and exciting at the same time, and her fingers shook as they wrapped around his cock.

Either her hand was so small or his cock was so massive – whichever the case, her fingers couldn’t meet in a full circle around his cock, and the thought that he was
that
large had her swallowing. Dear Lord, if his thrusting finger already felt this good, how it would feel to have his cock penetrate her?

The thought had her crying out, her hips lifting up to meet the thrust of his finger.

A sly smile touched his lips.
 
Naughty, naughty pet. What are you thinking?

Nothing!

Liar.
Another finger joined in, and he pushed harder and deeper into her pussy.
Tell me.

She shook her head. She tightened her hold of his cock at the same time, making him grit his teeth.

Sneaky, stubborn pet.
He pushed a third finger in, stretching her flesh wide.

Her eyes widened, a gasp escaping her. He hadn’t ever done this before, and the new sensation made her feel even dizzier. Oh God, three fingers now – was it as thick, no, it definitely wasn’t.
 

Throughout her rambling thoughts, he had not stopped fucking her with his fingers, and something inside her started to tighten. Now, she knew what it was. She couldn’t stop herself from moaning, her fingers instinctively moving up and down his length as helpless anticipation burst inside her—

Her Master suddenly pulled his fingers out until only the tips were inside.

She cried out in protest.
Master!

It took him a while to answer because his pet had instinctively learned how to torment him as well, her fingers freezing around his length.
Tell me,
he growled.
What were you thinking?

She lifted her hips up, trying to get his fingers back in, but he moved his fingers at the same time, keeping them out of reach.

This time, his pet really looked like she was about to cry.
Bully!

I know,
he said unsympathetically.
So tell me—

I was thinking of you. Of your cock, and how big it is and how it would feel—

“Aah!” She couldn’t prevent herself from crying out loud as his fingers sank back into her. Zari’s fingers responded reflexively, resuming its movement, and Alexandru’s growl of pleasure bounced around the room as she started stroking him once more. Her movements were clumsy but even so, they were unbearably arousing and he couldn’t help moving forward, wanting more of her touch.

His other hand moved, his thumb finding her burning clit. He started pinching her clit in rhythm with his thrusting fingers. It was all too much, and her body convulsed heavily around her as she came, the creamy moisture of her orgasm streaming down her thighs.

She grasped him hard throughout her orgasm, and Alexandru’s fangs flashed out as he struggled to hold on to his self-control. He wanted to focus on making his pet feel good first, and Alexandru kept his fingers moving until the very last wave of her pleasure shook the frame of her body. He released her only when her eyes drifted closed, and only when her fingers fell away from his cock did he hurriedly unzip himself. Just a few damn strokes, and he was coming in his hand, aroused like a teenage boy by the mere sight of his slumbering pet.

When he was spent, Alexandru couldn’t help but grimace at his state. He couldn’t remember the last time he had to pleasure himself this way, but if he was honest, he couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this good after sex, either.

Standing up, he gazed down at his pet, the exhaustion on her face making his heart clench in a discomfiting way. She was beginning to mean too much to him, and that just wasn’t good at all.

Zari wanted to open her eyes when she felt something faint and soft touch her forehead. Was that a dream…or had her Master just kissed her on the forehead? She wanted to open her eyes, but she was so tired and sleepy. Dimly, she felt her Master leaving her side. She wanted to protest, but before she could, he was back, and she choked in embarrassed protest when she felt him pry her legs open.
 

“Sssh…”

Her Master cleaned her up like he was wont to do, and when he was finished, she felt him putting her clothing to rights before pulling the covers over her. “I’ll come back in a while. Rest well, pet.”

She rested.

When she woke up, she expected her Master to be seated next to her bed, but another man had come to take his place. Hair and eyes the shade of gold, skin almost the shade of ivory, and a body that appeared just as hard, the man looked very familiar—

Oh.

It was the man who had fed from her earlier!

His voice was gentle and beautiful when he spoke. “Hello.”

She croaked out, “Hello.”
 

Feeling weird at the way he was looking at her, Zari made an effort to sit up. She was also tempted to pull the covers up but managed not to, telling herself she was overreacting. It wasn’t that the man felt like a threat. It wasn’t that at all. But the way he looked at her made Zari feel exposed, like he could see a part of herself that should be hers and her Master’s alone.
 

“Thank you for allowing me to drink from you.”

She nodded, unsure if it was right to explain why she did it.

“I came to ask you something.”

When he didn’t say anything else, she asked, “What is it?”

The serious expression on his almost-pretty face didn’t change as he said, “I would like to know if I may claim you as my pet.”

Chapter Four

Leaning back against his seat, Alexandru picked up the latest draft of his pet’s proposal and read aloud her newest amendment.
 

“A Master’s commitment to his or her pet must be shown beyond financial and material means.”

An inelegant snort escaped him, and grabbing his pen from the desk, he began to scribble.

DENIED. THIS IS JUST A FANCY WAY OF SAYING YOU WANT A MASTER TO KEEP SAYING RIDICULOUS THINGS TO HIS PET.

Erou Damaschin, only son of the Earl of Avere, was contemplative when he left the school’s infirmary. There was an
unknown
feeling in his chest, and if he had to use a word for it, then it would be…
curiosity.

Unlike other vampires, the time he spent with humans had not been restricted to feeding or sex. Work had required him to live among humans, eat with them, talk with them, and do everything else that allowed Erou to pretend he was like them.

Surrounded by humans, he had learned one essential thing about them: everyone’s loyalty could be bought for the right price.

Or at least he had always thought so until
that
girl.

The thought made him hesitate for a fraction, his hand on the knob turning still as the last words he had exchanged with the young Zari Baltimore replayed in his mind.

“
Can you…what?”
It was obvious she had heard him perfectly, and it was just as obvious she doubted she had heard him right.

He repeated himself patiently, his face remaining impassive as he made his offer. All the while, his own gaze remained on her. Even though he had drunk so much of the girl’s blood – the only way for him to survive his injuries – he had not been able to retain any clear memory of the episode except for one thing: her scent.

It was what he had clung to the whole time he had been in limbo in that gray world between life and the afterlife, a scent that was an addictive mixture of freshly bloomed primrose and almost-ripe strawberries, a unique fragrance that hinted of innocence and budding sexuality.

When Erou had woken up, his men were eager to tell him about the beautiful girl whose heart was so pure she had fed him despite being the much-envied human pet of their race’s most skilled hunter.

“Alexandru?” he had scoffed then. “He’s never taken a pet before—”

“But he has now. Perhaps like the great Alexandru, you, too, will change your mind and find yourself a pet.” His second-in-command, Mathieu, had given him a sly look. “Perhaps you might even want to steal this one yourself.”

Then, Erou had been dismissive of Mathieu’s words. But now that he had finally met the lady who had saved him?

She had the most interesting face, every feature of it expressive, from her wide gray eyes, pert nose, and pink rosebud lips. He had learned she was eighteen, but her coltish body made her appear younger and boyish even. It was a little hard to believe that someone who appeared as innocent and unsophisticated as this girl could be the human pet of someone as jaded and wicked as Alexandru.

The human girl was shaking her head. “I’m sorry, but…”

“I know you belong to Alexandru, but I thought you should know you have a choice. It would be my honor to have someone as courageous and selfless as you as my pet.”

She started to wring the ends of the bed covers, the action indicating her distress, which he regretted. Seeing it, he came to his feet his gracefully. “I apologize if this has distressed you.”

“It didn’t.” The girl was utterly unconvincing. “It’s just that…” A discomfited expression fell on her face. “I will always belong to Master Alexandru.” This time, she spoke the words simply, but each and every one of them rang with sincerity. When she said her Master’s name, her gaze had also softened, and the look on her face had made Erou stiffen.

He wanted her to look at him like that as well. He did not understand why. All he knew was that he wanted a girl like her to see him with the same eyes.

Remembering that look on Zari Baltimore’s face had Erou expelling his breath. No, he had to be considerate of her condition. He should allow her time to fully recuperate before approaching her again.
 

Turning around, he shut the door, and that was when he noticed another vampire’s presence in the hallway. When he raised his head, he saw none other than Alexandru himself coming to an abrupt halt as he turned around the corner and found Erou standing outside the door of the infirmary.

****

When Alexandru saw the younger vampire coming out from the infirmary, his first instincts were to throw the other man against the wall and demand that he stay away from his pet.
 

One second passed, both of them staring at each other, sizing each other up.

The baby vampire was tall, perhaps only an inch shorter than he was. And pretty. Too damn pretty to be allowed too close to his pet. If he hadn’t known the other guy was a vampire, Alexandru would have been willing to bet the boy had gone as far as dyeing his hair to make it even more eye-catching.

Although more of the same thoughts ran through his head, none of it showed on Alexandru’s face as he started forward.

Erou grimaced when he saw the older vampire had taken the first step to approach him. He had always prided himself in his ability to do everything correctly and according to the rules, but here he was, violating one of the basic rules of courtesy among Chalysians. Alexandru was not only older than him by centuries, but he outranked Erou as well. He should have been the first one to greet the other man, but Erou just couldn’t make himself do it. He felt like if he did, it would be akin to admitting the other man was better than him.