The Sacrifice (35 page)

Riana
worried something had happened to prevent Iggy from reaching her father. She
’
d
passed the time watching the guards’ activity from her window. Looking for a
sign the Protectors were about to make a rescue.

Keys
rattled in the door, and then Ms. Rizzo entered with a tray. A heavily armed
guard followed her inside and stood behind her. “Alpheus was busy with Master
Vind, and asked me to bring you some tea. He thought you might like it, since
you refused your evening meal. It
’
s chamomile. That
’
s always a lovely tea
to relax with.”

She
narrowed her eyes at the old hag. What was with the fake pleasantries? Ms.
Rizzo didn
’
t do nice. She and the woman had never hidden
their disdain for each other.

Ms.
Rizzo placed a silver tray on the table by the window. “
May I pour you a cup?
”

Riana
’
s
temper flared and she rose from the chair to stand eye level with the woman.
“No you may
not
,” she said between clenched teeth. “What you can do is
leave this room and never return. I don
’
t trust you, and I do
not
want you here. If Alpheus is not available, I
’
ll
do without.”

The guard stepped beside Ms. Rizzo.
Her chin rose and her lips slashed into a thin line, slipping past her polite
facade. “If Master Vind commands it, I can do no other. I must obey.”

Riana
leaned closer, making sure to invade the woman
’
s space. “Then if I
were you, I
’
d ask for a change of duties. Because if you come
into my room again, I can do no other than shove that tray right up your ass.”

One
side of Ms. Rizzo
’
s mouth rose in a devious grin. She spun around
and marched toward the door with the guard tight on her heels. The door slammed
and all three deadbolts snapped into place.

Riana
paced the length of the room, consumed by an overwhelming need to get her hands
around the old hag
’
s neck. Eventually, she sat down at the table and
poured a cup of the tea, hoping it would calm her raw nerves. She blew across
the hot beverage and stared out the window. Within minutes the number of guards
doubled. Maybe they had spotted the Protectors. Something had them on
high-alert.

Before
she finished the tea, Riana began feeling tired. Maybe she
’
d
been without blood too long. As she stood, her body felt weak and heavy. She
turned and looked behind her, positive the chair was attached to her rear-end.
Each step became more difficult and her eyelids became heavier. She made it to
the bed and her knees buckled, causing her to fall across the mattress. As she
curled into a ball, one last thought slipped through her mind.

That
bitch drugged me.

***

Someone
tugged on Riana
’
s legs. She forced open her heavy lids. Ms. Rizzo
stood beside her bed with a white-laced garment in her hands. Riana
’
s
heart kicked into high gear. She raised her right leg, aimed her foot for Ms.
Rizzo
’
s rounded gut and kicked. The woman flew across
the room on her ass.

“Guards!” Ms. Rizzo shouted at the top
of her voice.

Riana
wished she had a camera to capture the woman
’
s red-faced,
wide-eyed expression. As the thought flitted through her addled mind, two
guards almost mowed each other down scrambling through the door. One helped the
heifer off the floor, while the other leveled a gun at Riana.

Cool
air hit her skin and she glance down. How did she end up in only her panties
and bra? She yanked the edges of the comforter around her and stood. “What the
hell
were you doing?” She stalked toward Ms. Rizzo.

The
guard with the gun stepped in front of her. “Ma
’
am, you need to back
off.”

“Or,
what?” Riana yelled. “Go ahead and shoot me! I told her not to come into my
room again. And what did she do—drug me and take off my clothes? So if you
’
re
not ready to use that gun, you better get her the hell out of here.”

The guard turned and looked at Ms.
Rizzo, his face a mask of confusion.

“Fine,” Ms. Rizzo yelled. “Master Vind
can put the thing on her himself.” She turned and fled from the room with both
guards fast on her heels.

Once the door locks engaged, Riana
released a breath and slumped onto the bed.

What
was that woman up to? And why did Vind have her drug me to change my clothes?
Riana
looked at the white garment lying on the floor. She picked it up and held it
out in front of her. The floor length, white lace negligée opened down the
front, except for a satin ribbon that tied at the empire waist. Her stomach
churned and she dropped the thing back on the floor.

Oh,
this can
’
t be good.

Riana grabbed her clothes off the
chair and went into the bathroom. She splashed cool water on her face. She was
about to get dressed when keys rattled in the locks. She pulled the blanket
back around her, cracked the bathroom door and peaked out.

Vind and a petite girl with long dark
hair stood in her bedroom.

“
Hello, Riana,
” Vind said. “I heard you attacked Ms. Rizzo.”

Riana
raised her chin. “Yes, I did. The next time I see her, I
’
ll
do worse. No one drugs me and takes off my clothes. What are you up to?” She
pointed toward the negligee on the floor. “
And don
’
t even think you
’
re getting me in
that
thing.”

Vind smiled dismissing her rant, which
only infuriated her more.

“You
’
ve
worked yourself into quite a state. I brought my masseuse in. It
’
s
my birthday, and I want you relaxed when you attend the celebration tonight.”

“I
’
m
not attending any celebration in your honor.”

Vind
’
s
gaze turned threatening. “Yes, you are. And you
will
let Henley give you
a massage. Now lie down on that bed, or I can tie you to it. Which will it be?”

She
stared at the girl
’
s large brown eyes. She appeared almost as
frightened of Vind as Riana felt when he used that tone.

Riana released a heavy sigh, waddled
over and plopped down on the bed.

Vind looked at the girl. “Do you need
me to send a guard in while you work?”

The girl shook her head.

Vind went to the door and stopped.
“The guard will be stationed outside if you need him.”

After he left, the girl came over and
sat a black canvas bag on the table. She took several bottles of massage oil
and a candle from the bag, and then placed the candle on the table and lit it.

Riana studied the girl as she mixed
some oils. She had an Italian accent, dark hair and dark eyes. She was
definitely human. Riana tried to enter her mind and hit a wall. She must have
the same mind-block as the human guards. “What was your name?”

“Henley.”

“Why
would you work for feeders, Henley? I saw the fear in your eyes when Vind was
in the room. They
’
re unpredictable and deadly.”

The
girl visibly stiffened. “I have first-hand knowledge of what they
’
re
capable of. I also have no choice in the matter.”

“I
’
m
being held against my will,” Riana said. “You could save my life by getting
word to my father where I am.”

Guilt
flashed across Henley
’
s face. She looked away and continued preparing
the oils. “I
’
d like to help you…but too many lives depend on my
actions. I
’
m sorry. I can
’
t risk hundreds of
lives to save one.” She poured massage oil into her hands and then moved beside
the bed. “If you will lie on your stomach, we can start the massage.”

Riana
did as she asked. She couldn
’
t really blame the girl for not helping her.
Hundreds to one were pretty bad odds, for her anyway.

Henley
began rubbing the tense muscles in Riana
’
s neck. Her hands
were magic, relaxing every muscle she touched. She hummed a hauntingly
beautiful tune as she worked.

Riana
’
s
eyes began to drift, along with her mind. Everything ceased to exist, as if she
were floating on a carefree cloud. She
’
d never been so
happy, so satisfied. She was about to marry Cy, her one true mate. All her
doubts about becoming queen had vanished. She wanted everything Cy had to
offer—even a child. He would be here soon to take her to the fertility ritual.
Since it would only be the two of them, she could wear the beautiful gown he
’
d
bought for her. And together they
’
d create a perfect little person, the combination
of their souls and their love.

Riana
opened her eyes. She must have fallen asleep during the massage. The masseuse
Cy hired was gone.
She
’
d never had a massage that relaxed her so much.
She headed to the bathroom to shower the oil off and noticed her beautiful
fertility gown lying on the floor.

How
on Earth did it get there?
She jerked
the gown up and inspected the white lace for dirt, relieved when she found
none. She grabbed the white lace G-string that went with it and took them into
the bathroom to put on after her bath.