“Sit up higher,” the guard ordered, and I shifted until I was sitting upright on my knees.
I watched him materialize and place thin cuffs much like the ones on my wrists, around my legs, just above my knees. The chain he attached to those cuffs was then secured to the two posts at the foot of the bed. I swallowed as I realized what they were for. The other guard came in, also dressed in the same black armor, his face hidden for the most part behind a black cloth.
“Ready?” He asked the first guard.
“She’s ready,” he replied, flashing me a look with those gray and aqua eyes. I’d never seen eyes like his, but they looked as if they belonged in this silvery room. “This is only temporary; running is a bad idea where he is concerned,” the guard told me softly.
One guard pulled, and then the other. They pulled until my arms were high above my head, but there wasn’t pain from it. Then, they started to pull on the chains attached to my legs, and didn’t stop until my legs were spread wide apart, and I was completely helpless to do anything but watch them.
“He will be in momentarily to feed,” the second guard said as they left me, dressed in all of my finery on the bed, and sifted from the room.
I felt hot tears rush to my eyes, but I refused to allow them to fall. Instead, I raised my eyes to a huge chandelier that had crystals hanging from it that reflected the candlelight into every imaginable color of gorgeous, dancing prismatic patterns. It was beautiful, and could easily be a focal point while I endured the Horde King’s attention.
I would have to endure him long enough for him to think I was subdued. Hopefully he would forget all about me once he had his way, and I could leave this place and never look back. First, I had to gain his trust to ditch the chains, since, like the necklace, they probably kept me from sifting.
There was nothing else inside the room; not at first glance, anyway. I could just make out shelves, but couldn’t bring the items on them into focus. I was squinting when Alazander sifted in.
He stopped briefly to examine me, and then held his hand up, and a glass goblet rimmed in gold and filled with a light blue liquid appeared in it. He smiled and took a long sip before he brought it down and held it against my lips.
“You will drink,” he said after I just stared at him blankly.
“Okay, but shouldn’t we get to know one another before you tie me to your bed?” I asked, hoping to find a clue as to his intention beyond his need to abuse my body.
“What would you like to know?” he asked.
“Why me?”
“Why you, what?” he asked me back.
“Why did it have to be the first born daughter of the Blood King that you took?”
There was more to this than I was seeing. The Horde King wasn’t stupid, and this wasn’t about petty grudges. If it had been, he could have easily demanded my sister, but he hadn’t. He had waited until I’d been found, which spoke volumes about what he needed me specifically for.
“What if I took you because I could, and because you were his first daughter? There were other reasons, but nothing you need to worry yourself with,” he replied as he sat on the bed and glamoured away his black silk pants effortlessly. I blanched as he sat naked before me. The man was freaking huge. I was fighting to keep my eyes from revealing my inner panic. I had to remind myself to breathe as he moved closer to me.
“So, you took me because you could?”
“Essentially, as I said, there were other reasons,” he replied, and held the goblet of blue liquid up to my mouth. I took a sip willingly, and inhaled as he continued to hold the glass up with the intention of me smelling it. The flavor exploded in my mouth, fruity and faintly bubbly. “It is what Humans would call Ambrosia. The nectar of the gods, supposedly. Do you like it?”
“It’s very nice,” I replied honestly. Maybe if I got drunk I could make it through tonight.
“How long has it been since you have fed?”
“Two days,” I replied easily.
“So you are hungry then, yes?” he asked with knowing eyes.
I was. I had been fighting off the hunger in hopes that Ryder could save me. I’d been injured in the explosion, and even though my father had healed it, I really needed to feed. Soon.
“I am going to feed from you, soon, so if you have any more questions, ask them now.”
“Don’t you want to know about me?” I asked, licking my lips nervously.
“Do you like to fuck?” His question made me blush, and a little angry.
“Yes,” I replied, unable to lie.
“Good, because I plan to use you—at every opportunity. Tell me, are you looking forward to being my concubine, or do you dream of escaping me soon?”
Fuck a rubber duck! “I don’t look forward to becoming anyone’s sex slave.”
“So you plan on escaping?” he asked as he reached up and pinched my nipple through the dress. I hissed and felt a flash of fear, and anger that I wasn’t angry enough. Instead, heat was flooding my body, and my cheeks.