SovereignsChoice (7 page)

The minute he leaves I take off the clamps.
They leave my nipples tender and tingling and so sensitive I can’t even bear to
touch them at once. Goddess—and he expects me to put them back on the minute I
hear him walking through the door? Ugh.

I have the run of the house but it takes me
a good long time to get up the courage to leave my room again. For one thing,
I’m afraid I might run into the creepy old servant—what was his name? Something
with a B but I can’t remember at the moment. Who is he, anyway, and how is he
tied to Aiden? Also, I’d glanced in the kitchen while I was looking for the
dining room and I don’t remember seeing him in there. Either there is another kitchen
in this huge house and I happened to look into the wrong one, or the weird old
guy can move like lightning. I certainly hope my second kitchen theory is the
right one because the idea of him zipping around the house at supernatural
speed makes me shiver. Ugh!

The other thing that keeps me in the room
is how awkward it feels to walk around with something up inside me. And I don’t
care what Aiden says, to me it feels as if I’m being fucked with every step I
take. It slides in and out of my pussy in a way that feels almost deliberate,
as though Aiden’s hand were guiding it somehow. Which is crazy, I know. He’s probably
across town somewhere in his office not even thinking of me. But still, that’s
what it feels like.

Finally I decide that I can’t stay in the
room all day. I consider taking off the harness before leaving but dismiss the
idea at once. Even if Aiden didn’t find out, he’s right in saying I would have
more pain when he moved up a size. I wonder briefly how many of these I’m going
to have to wear. How big is his cock, anyway? How open do I have to be to let
him in?

That particular question brings a vivid
mental picture to mind—me lying on my back with my arms bound over my head and
my legs spread wide, my ankles tied to the bedposts. I can almost see Aiden,
naked and muscular bending over me, fitting the head of his cock to the entrance
of my pussy, only he’s so much thicker and longer than the slim phallus currently
resting deep inside me. I can almost feel him sliding himself in, stretching me
to the limit…

Snap out of it!
I tell myself sternly. I have to get out of this room. I can’t sit
here and fantasize about my new Master all day long, no matter how infuriatingly
hot he is. I need to go explore. Maybe I can find some clue about him—something
that will tell me how to get along in the year I’m stuck in this mirror maze of
a house.

Wrapping the crimson shirt tightly around
me, I venture out into the hallway for the second time that morning. To my
relief, the house seems to be deserted. I make my way with slightly more
confidence this time and find the study easily.

Shelves full of leather-bound books that look
well-worn and often read catch my eye. I wander over, browsing the spines, but
many of them are in different languages and the ones that
are
in English
have dry, esoteric titles like
Paths to the Future
and
Stars: Their
True Faces and Meanings
.I’m about to give up. Clearly Aiden and I
don’t have the same taste in reading material, because there’s not a mystery or
an erotic romance in sight. Then I catch sight of a book I actually know—
Farrow’s
Handbook of Spells and Summonings
.

I take the thick, leather-bound book from
the shelf, feeling a tingle of magic race through my fingertips as I touch it. Just
because I don’t have any magic of my own doesn’t mean I’m immune to the magic
of others. This particular copy of
Farrow’s
is thick with it, as though
it once belonged to a very powerful witch or warlock. Hmm…

Intrigued, I study the book more closely.
There’s a broad crimson ribbon, which looks a little like a hair tie, sticking
out of it. I feel its frayed, satin end with my fingers and get another tingle
of magic. Fascinated, I open the book to the page it’s marking.

Divination Love Potion
reads the title of the spell.
For finding meaningful and lasting
love.
Wow. As I read down the list of ingredients I see that they are exactly
the herbs Aiden came into my shop asking about. Well, all except for the rue,
of course. He must have transposed that from another spell somehow.

Why was Aiden looking for meaningful and
lasting love? Maybe he just wanted to be sure he was compatible with whomever
he chose as his Sacrifice?
Or maybe he wanted some poor girl to fall in love
with him so he could control her better,
whispers a little voice in my
head.
He was going to give her this potion the moment he claimed her and she
wouldn’t have had a chance.

But he didn’t—he put all the ingredients
back. Or rather, had meput them back. What changed his mind? I remember
the jolt I felt when he first touched me and also the way he’d admitted he
wanted me from the moment he laid eyes on me. Did he simply see me in the store
and decide I was the one? Was it some kind of love at first sight?

Don’t be stupid,
I tell myself uneasily.
Aiden’s not in love with you. He wants to
control you—to force you to submit to him. That’s all there is to it.
As
the mutinous thoughts race through my mind, a sudden, painful shock jumps from
the leather covers of the book to my fingertips. I gasp and almost drop it.
What
the hell?
It was almost as though the damn thing could read my mind and was
disagreeing with my assessment of my new Master. Which is, of course, even
stupider than the idea that Aiden loves me. There’s no way a book, even one
imbued with magic from its previous owner, could hear my thoughts.

“Stop being paranoid,” I mutter to myself. Quickly,
I reshelf the leather-bound copy of
Farrow’s
and take a step back. Some
things are better left alone.

I turn from the shelves and survey the rest
of the room. There’s a fireplace at one end and a massive mahogany desk at the
other. Sitting dead center in the middle of the desk is a laptop, which I’m instantly
itching to get my hands on. But on the corner of the desk is something I find
even more intriguing—an old-fashioned telephone. A princess model that appears
to be made out of real mother of pearl and gold with an actual curly phone cord
attached to it. Wow. Who has a landline anymore? Apparently Aiden does. Or maybe
the old-fashioned phone is just a prop? Maybe it doesn’t even work. After all, it
doesn’t even have buttons. It has a rotary dial which I’ve only seen in old
movies.
Well, only one way to find out if it’s real
.

I cross to the desk and sit down in the
plush, black leather chair behind it, which is much too large for me. The
cushion is cold against the backs of my thighs but I don’t care. I reach for
the phone and bring the heavy, old-fashioned handset to my ear. It feels ludicrously
large and bulky but when I listen, I hear a dial tone. Go figure, it actually works!

Immediately I dial Lexy’s number. It seems
to take forever and the phone makes a hollow, ratcheting sound with each sweep
of its ancient dial but finally I hear it ringing. I only hope my cousin will
pick up—this line is going to show up as an unknown number on her cell. I wish
I would have brought my own cell to the Sacrifice Ceremony but I hadn’t had
anywhere to put it and hadn’t wanted to risk losing it in the rowdy crowd.

Lexy answers on the fourth ring, sounding
cautious. “Hello? Who is this?”

“Lexy, it’s me!” I can’t disguise my relief
at hearing her voice.

“Emma?” she squeals. “Oh my Goddess, I was
so worried about you! How are you? Was the Sovereign magnificent? Did he ride
you like a stallion?”

“I’m fine and he’s okay,” I say, deliberately
ignoring the last question. “I’m calling you from his house right now.”

“Is it amazing? Is it fabulous?”

“As a matter of fact it is,” I say. “He’s definitely
not hurting for money.” Then again, what vampire is? The fanged set are
notorious for having more money than God and the Republican party put together.

“Why did he pick you?” Lexy wants to know.
“Did he say?”

“He hasn’t really told me yet. Although he didsay that…” I clear my throat, almost too embarrassed to go on.

Lexy clearly senses some juicy gossip.
“Come on, Emma,” she urges. “What did he say?”

“That he, uh, wanted me from the moment he
first saw me in the store,” I say in a rush. “I mean, I have no idea why. I
tried to tell him I’m a dud but he acts like he doesn’t believe it.”

“Maybe he wants you for more than your
power, did you think of that?” Lexy demands. It’s so exactly like what Aiden
himself said to me that I feel a strange sense of déjà vu.

“Maybe…” I say reluctantly.

“Maybe nothing. You’ve got the figure of a
goddess and he obviously likes women with curves,” Lexy assures me. “So where
is Mr. Mysterious now?”

“At his office, I think. He said he had
work to do and left.”

“So he just left you there all alone after
a night of passion? How rude!” Lexy sounds indignant. “Someone should tell him
he can’t just fuck and run like that.”

“Why not? You do it to guys all the time,”
I point out. “And besides he hasn’t actually, uh, done that yet.”

“
What
?
” Her shriek nearly
deafens me. “You mean he accepted you as his Sacrifice but he still hasn’t claimed
you yet?”

“I wouldn’t say he hasn’t laid claim to
me,” I say, thinking of the collar I’m currently wearing. If that isn’t a mark
of ownership, I don’t know what is.

“Well, why hasn’t he fucked you? Is he gay
or something?”

“Most definitely not,” I assure her.
There’s no doubt that Aiden likes females. “He’s just…taking his time. He seems
to think the anticipation will, uh, heighten the experience.”

“Weird…” Lexy sounds almost thoughtful. Then
she switches gears again. “So can I come over and see his place?” she asks,
sounding as playful as a puppy eager to explore.

I’m tempted to say yes and ask her to bring
me a selection of clothes from my apartment. Aiden promised to fetch them for
me but so far that doesn’t seem to be happening. However, two thoughts stop me.
One, I’m not sure how Aiden would feel about me inviting someone over to his
house without asking his permission first. In fact, I think the odds are that
it would piss him off—a lot. And two, I’m still wearing this stupid harness. If
I sit very still, as I am now, I can almost forget the damn dildo is up inside
me. But the idea of seeing someone I know, even Lexy, while wearing it, is just
too freaking weird. Even if I kept it hidden, I would still be able to feel it
up there and I’m sure she would notice me walking funny and then it would all
come out and…uh-uh, no way.

“Sorry,” I say reluctantly. “But I don’t think
it’s a good idea right now. Maybe I can ask him later.”

“Oh.” She sounds crestfallen. “Well, how
about we just meet for lunch? I can at least pick you up, even if I don’t go
inside, can’t I?”

“Uh, I don’t think I’m allowed to go out,”
I say. The thought that I’m a prisoner in this house gives me a sudden lump in
my throat. “I-I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to stay in the house.”

“
What
?
” Lexy sounds pissed.
“He can’t do that to you—order you around like that!”

“Actually, he can,” I say. “I mean, that’s
pretty much what being the Sacrifice means, doesn’t it? I’m his…his property.” I
swallow hard but the lump won’t go down and suddenly I want to cry. “I’m…I’m stuck
here for a year. I can’t even go out to attend any classes.”

“Oh, Emma!” Lexy sounds genuinely worried
about me. “Honey, please don’t cry! I wish I was there to give you a hug.”

“I wish you were too,” I say, sniffing. “I
could use a hug right about now.”

“I’m sure you could and Mr. Bossypants
Vampire Overlord is too high and mighty to give you one, isn’t he?”

She’s completely serious but her new
nickname for Aiden makes me want to laugh instead of crying. “That’s one way to
put it.” I sigh. “Look, I probably shouldn’t stay on too long. This is one of
those old-fashioned land lines and I’m not sure if he has the phone monitored
or something creepy like that.”

“What are you going to do for the rest of
the day? Just file your nails and wait like a good little girl for Daddy Vamp
to come home?”

“Right now I’m exploring,” I say. “Trying
to figure out a little more about him. I thought maybe if I understood him
things here might be…well, a little easier.”

“Of course they would!” Lexy sounds excited
again. “I’ll try to dig some dirt on my end too.”

“And how will you do that?” I ask. “You
going to start frequenting the blood bars?”

“Of course not, silly. I’ll just sleep with
a few of his fellow vamps. There’s nothing like a little pillow talk for
getting information.”

“That’s very sweet of you, Lexy,” I say.
“But you don’t have to sleep with half the vamps in the Bay Area just for me.”

“Who says it’s just for you? I’m kind of on
a vamp kick right now.” She says casually, as though confessing she’s been
craving a certain type of latte at Starbucks.

“Really? And what happened to the werewolf
you were lusting after last night?” I demand.

“Booooriiiing.” Lexy yawns. “You know he
didn’t even last five minutes before blowing his load? Ugh—at least vampires
are never premature ejaculators. Most of them have had years to learn to get it
right.”

“Whatever you say,” I tell her. “But look,
I really should go now.”

“Okay. Just try to call me when you can.
I’m saving this number under
Emma’s Master’s House
.Okay?”

“What?” I jump as though she stuck me with
a pin. “Why would you call it that? Who say he was my Master?”

“He did, when he claimed you last night,”
Lexy says cheerfully. “Talk to you later, cuz.”