Olivia stepped into the kitchen in her red halter dress with a low skirt, and black shoes. Her dark hair pulled to the nape with a red wrap around headband. She was the epitome of pinup woman, and she loved it. She knew her men would as well.
She pulled out a few mixing bowls and considered making chocolate cupcakes with shots of her blood in vials.
Did it sound disgusting?
Absolutely.
Would her men love it?
Hell to the yes.
She opened the fridge and pulled out her eggs, milk, and spied the vials of blood she'd drawn earlier. When she closed the door, she saw a magnet on the top, the King of Hearts. She had a thought, pull the King card and the four Jacks. King Jared on top, with his four stallions. In the center of it all, the Queen of Hearts, herself.
Giggling to herself, she cracked the eggs, poured in the milk, and started to whisk. A throat clearing caught her attention. She turned to find her sexy King of Hearts stepping into the kitchen.
Jared wore a dark gray suit, white button-down shirt, and a black tie he was in the process of straightening. “Don’t you look like sex on legs?” he grinned and pulled her into his arms. “I could eat you alive.” His lips slanted over hers and tilted her back. He squeezed her ass in his hands. “I would lick the cakes off your body if it meant having you once more before we leave.”
Her pussy heated and throbbed with need. She pressed her legs together to quench the fire he ignited. “As much as I would love you to do that, you have a meeting with the coven to go to.” She tapped his nose. “I have a surprise for you five when you get home.”
“Does it involve you being naked?” asked Jake when he entered the kitchen, followed by Ethan, Landon, and Aidan. Each of them wore dark suit colors and damn, she wanted to take them all to her bedroom. Whether it was feeding, fucking, or a combination of all three, she was ready for more.
All her stallions in one room.
Mine.
“Absolutely,” she said and leaned her back against the counter. Palms pressed against it, a thought came to mind, something she had not considered, or even realized. The men did not have a release of their own. “Can I ask a question…maybe TMI?”
Landon chuckled. “Nothing is TMI at this point in our relationship with you, Mi amore.”
She nodded and crossed one ankle over the other. “Do you not climax?” She raised her sight first to Jared.
Her vampire raised his brows. “In all my years as a vampire, no one has ever asked me if I experience an orgasm.”
She bit her lip. “I meant no offense.”
He shook his head. “None taken. Actually, I think I’m flattered you asked.”
“Well,” she shrugged. “I noticed no one, except me, had an orgasm.”
“I would like to add in there were multiple,” Jake said with a chuckle.
She felt her face and ears flush. “Yes, very true.”
“It’s hard to explain. We do not have orgasms in the traditional sense. Our release is being able to feed during sex. That gives us the fulfillment we desire.”
“Well, that explains a lot, then.”
“How’s that?” Ethan asked.
“Well? No heartbeat, so no blood to pump. No orgasm. But,” she paused, then frowned. “How do you get an erection?”
“It’s like the feeling you get when something pokes you,” Aidan answered. “Imagine a pin pricking your skin. It would hurt, right?” Olivia nodded. “It’s the same concept with us. We think what we need, and bam,” he used both hands to point to his nether regions. “Erection.”
She raised a brow. “So, if you wanted wings, you think them and bam, they appear?”
“Smart ass,” he growled, then chuckled. “No. No wings. Just on our body.”
“Like insta-viagra!” she said with a smile.
Jared chuckled. “Sure, you could say that.”
“All right, my loves, you should be off. When you return, I’ll have dessert ready. Oh, and cupcakes,” she winked.
The men chuckled, then one by one, each pulled Olivia into an embrace.
Jared pressed his lips to her forehead. “I hate to leave you alone, but we will be back before you know it.”
“Don’t worry about me. I have your phone, and if I get lonely, I’ll give Megan a call.”
He nodded. “I’m glad you made a friend. Oh, speaking of friends…” He released her and took a step back. “Sherlock is on his way.”
She squealed and jumped into his arms. She brushed her lips across his forehead, cheeks, nose, and his lips. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, I miss him so much!”
He chuckled and held her in his arms. “You’re welcome. He should be here sometime today.”
She let him go and clapped her hands, bouncing in her step. “Oh, I’m so excited!”
Ethan chuckled. “I can see that.”
“So, how long do you think y’all will be gone?” She thought about what she would do after the cupcakes were made and decorated. Long, hot bath, maybe paint her nails, or better yet, take a nap. She’d need her energy. Maybe Sherlock would be here with her. Definitely one on one playtime with him.
Jared tugged on the sleeves under his sports coat. “I’m not sure. Aidan,” he turned to his adopted brother. “Did we confirm if we’re finalizing the pairing? I can’t imagine what else they would need us for.”
Aidan shrugged. “That’s my assumption. All I got was we’re needed.”
Jared nodded and turned back to Olivia. “You’ll be fine here alone?”
“Of course,” she beamed. “I’ll keep myself busy. However, it may benefit the entire house to hire help? Not that we need someone to cook—”
“You have me for that, my love,” Jake added.
She smiled at him. “Well, I was going to say, someone like Jesse, the bodyguard I had before the pairing. That way, when you do need to leave, I won’t be alone. Someone will always be here.”
Jared chuckled and lifted a brow. “We’ve not had a reason to have someone here when we were gone.”
“Until now,” she added.
“Until now,” he agreed. “As you said, you have my phone. It’s untraceable so if you need me, or any of us, do not hesitate to call.”
She nodded. “Have fun and I’ll see you soon.” She watched her men as they left the kitchen and heard their chatter fade in the distance.
Olivia retrieved the last of the cupcakes from the oven and turned it off. She checked the time. It was just after ten in the evening. She sat the icing to the side and rolled out the fondant she'd made earlier. Picking up the fondant knife, she traced on the suits in a deck of cards; two hearts, spade, club, and diamond. Then carved a crown.
Maybe they would enjoy the sentiment. Maybe she could get Landon to paint them in a portrait, the king, his Jacks, and their Queen.
The doorbell chimed. She put the knife down and wiped her hands on a towel, then headed out of the kitchen.
Her heels echoed with each step she took. The house was empty. It felt almost haunted in a way.
She leaned against the door. “Who is it?” she asked and peeked out the hole. A deliveryman stood on the other side, and he held a crate. Excitement spilled over and she squealed. Sherlock was here.
“Delivery. I have a cat in a crate. He needs to be signed for.”
She opened the door with a grin. “Ooh, where is my baby?”
The man handed over a tablet and she signed her name. He then picked up the crate and handed it over.
“Thanks, have a great day,” the man told her.
“Thank you. You as well.” She closed the door and sat the crate down, opening it. Sherlock meowed and padded out onto the marble floor, then to her arms. She picked him up and he rubbed his face on hers.
“Oh, baby boy, I missed you so much!”
A knock sounded on the door. She put Sherlock down and stood. “Did you come with brothers or something?” she teased her cat. He merely meowed up to her. She opened the door, not looking see who may be on the other side.
“Did you forget something?” she started when she opened the door. The man on the other side removed a cover as dark as midnight from his head. She gasped. She did not expect him to be on the other side of the door. Dressed in a dark gray suit, tailored to him, blood red tie, and white button-down shirt, stood the evil man from the claiming ceremony. She pushed the door partially closed. “Victor. What are you doing here?”
He tugged the leather gloves from his hands and pushed them into his pockets. “Are your men home? Do they have time for an audience with me?” he asked and leered as he leaned into the doorjamb.
Wasn’t that convenient. He shows up when the men are gone.
Olivia didn't believe in coincidences, but right now she was willing to make an exception for Victor’s appearance to their home.
“Well, actually, no. But you can—”
“Then, I’ll wait for them,” Victor said and pushed past her.
“I didn’t invite you in.”
“You know that doesn’t work on us? That’s Hollywood shit. I can come and go as I please.”
Anger peaked and she reached out for him, grabbing his arm. She tugged on his arm. “Not in this house you can’t. You need to leave. I’ll let them know you stopped by.”
“Well, actually,” he turned to face her and took her hand off his arm. He squeezed it tight and she wanted to scream out. She also did not want to give him the satisfaction of crying out. “I came for you. Bonus for me, you’re alone.”
“No, you need to leave. Now. I don’t want you here alone with me.” Fear rose alongside her anger, as well as adrenaline. Was this a fight or flight moment? Could she outrun him if he tried to attack her? “You can either wait outside for them to return, or you can leave. Either way, they will be back soon.”
A devious grin tugged the corners of his mouth. “Not if I can help it they won’t be.”
“What?” she whispered and took a step back. She yanked her hand free and massaged the pain from it that he'd caused. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged with a malevolent chuckle. “They have something I want. And when I want something, I always get it.”
She shook her head and Sherlock hissed. Victor spied her cat and sneered. She took advantage of his distraction and sprinted down the hall.
A force hit her from behind, knocking the breath from her lungs. She hit the ground hard and weight bared down on her. Her hair was pulled, forcing her head back. A hiss next to her ear, “Mine,” he growled and licked her neck. “Filthy blood whore!” He spit on the floor and yanked her head once more. “They fed on you already?”
She coughed, air rushing back to her lungs. “Fuck you!” she screamed.
“Did you drink from them?”
“Fuck you!”
He growled and pulled her hair, forcing her head to the side, her cheek on the floor. “Answer me!”
“Fuck you!” she screamed again. Sherlock hissed and growled in the background. Maybe her cat would jump on the man attacking her, but if he did, Victor would kill him. She prayed he would stay back.
“What do you want from me?” she cried, her eyes blurred with tears.
Would she live through this evening?
Did he plan on keeping her alive?
Did he set up this shit to trap her?
“You, Olivia. I want you.” Then, Victor pressed a rag over her face. Dizziness overcame her and her vision blurred and began to darken.
Shit, was this chloroform?
Panic shot through her veins like ice water. She could not move and her vision darkened until everything turned black.
Olivia blinked and groaned. She lifted her head and pain erupted in her neck, causing her head to thump in agony. She hissed and her throat stung like she'd swallowed liquid fire. She tried to move her arms but couldn’t. She began to panic, her breathing coming in erratic pants. Waking from zero to adrenaline was not a smart move. Dizziness and nausea plagued her.
She took a deep breath, trying to force herself to calm and to gain an understanding of her surroundings. Lifting her gaze to the ceiling, she noted her arms were bound above her head. She hung like a limp doll. Her wrists burned and fatigue set in. Her arms ached. Her skin was chaffed from the metal. She swallowed the dryness in her throat and lowered her gaze.
She gasped at the dried blood crusted on her body, her arms, her breasts. She still had some clothes on, but not much was left. Further down, her legs were also bound with metal shackles around her ankles. Her legs, like her arms, had slash marks on them.
Shit, where the hell am I?
She inspected her surroundings. She appeared to be in a dungeon of sorts. The walls were cold and felt like cement. A slow drip echoed in the background. The stir of wind was heard, but nothing else. Images of King Arthur’s castle came to mind from the storybooks she read.
Did Victor do this?
Victor!
Shit!
She was gone and her men would not know where she was, or how to find her.
Jared’s phone!
It was in her pocket before. She pressed her backside to the wall in hopes of feeling the phone in her pocket, but nothing.
No phone.
No fucking phone.
Sherlock.
Was her cat okay?
“Ahh, sleeping beauty lives,” came Victor’s voice. She heard footsteps and the shadows moved. He stepped into the light with a sadistic grin. His shirt was tainted with blood, probably hers. He had dried blood around his mouth that ran down his neck. Her neck throbbed with ever thump of her heartbeat.
Shit, if he bit me, and drained my blood, he could very well kill me.
Dammit, Jared, my stable, I’m sorry.
Victor rested his foot on something. In the shadows it was hard to tell what it was, but Olivia was positive it was a body. But of who?
As if answering her question, he kicked the form forward. A man rolled a few feet from her, his eyes open, deadpanned. He did not breathe or move. He was dead. Her breathing hitched and she muddled a scream.
“Who was that?” she cried out.
“My messenger boy. He was in on the plan with me to get you here. Well, that is, until you arrived. He then had a change of heart, so I had to kill him.”
“You’re a monster,” she whispered and closed her eyes. She needed water. She needed blood. She needed her stable.
“Did you know I had a contract on you?”
She looked up at him. “What? You couldn’t have had a contract on me. You’re an idiot. Let me go.”
“Sure.” He stepped toward her and lifted her chin with his finger. “Be mine and I’ll give you your freedom.”
She chuffed a laughed. “Right. Be yours by becoming your prisoner. How is that freedom?”
He bent down to her, his nose grazing hers. He rested a palm on the wall next to her head. “Be mine.”
He smelled foul. His entire being reeked of the odor of death. “No, fuck you.” She swallowed the bile climbing up her throat. “Let me go! My stable will find me and when they do—”
“What?” He chuckled. “Your stable? Kill me? No, I don’t think so.” Victor placed his hands on her breasts and squeezed them together.
The bile rose and threatened to spew vomit on his chest. “Do not touch me!”
“Oh, but I already did.” He leaned in and licked her neck.
Her neck stung from pain before, but with his touch, it erupted in pain. “Did you feed from me without permission?”
“You were knocked out,” he whispered. “I couldn’t exactly ask you. There was no need to anesthetize you, either.”
He bit her like a damn savage. She growled, and using all her strength, she thrust her head forward and head butted him. The pain that erupted was nothing compared to the triumph she felt in giving him what he deserved.
“You bitch!” he yelled out. Victor slapped her face. It stung like hell. He grabbed her by the cheek and forced her face forward. “You will be mine!”
“You are no better than a man who drugs a woman with the intention of raping her!”
He chuckled, patted her cheek, and forced his lips on hers.
She opened her mouth and when his tongue slipped in, she bit it.
Hard.
“Fuck,” he growled and pulled away. He spit blood on the floor. Victor raised his hand again.
“It takes a real man to strike a woman who’s bound with no way to defend herself. Go you,” she spoke.
He snarled and leaned in. He squeezed her cheeks and he opened his mouth to speak when someone cleared their throat. Victor smirked and pulled away. He licked his lips.
She felt sick.
“You said you would keep me. Why do you need her if you have me?”
Olivia recognized the familiar voice, a voice she did not expect to hear. Out of the shadows stepped Candace. Olivia snarled at her. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Candace laughed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Your men were hot and, damn, the fucking I could have received.” She shook her head. “I had a choice; them or Victor. Honestly, I wanted Victor. He was a sure thing. I want to serve, not be served. There is a difference, you know?”
“And, there’s a difference in being a bitch and being a nasty, overused cunt, no one would ever touch!” Olivia retorted.
Candace screamed and leapt toward her. Victor caught the blood demon mid-jump and thrust her body against the wall. His hand grabbed Candace’s throat. “You touch her, I kill you. Understand?”
Olivia watched as the reality of the situation Candace put herself in, choosing this masochist over a new life, dawned on the woman. Or maybe it was the realization of the mistake she had just made. Or it was Candace seeing the error of her ways. Or maybe Candace simply hurt her precious little head.
A tear slipped down Candace’s cheek. She nodded and lowered her gaze, submitting. Victor released her and Candace dropped to her knees.
“Leave us,” Victor told her. “Now!”
She flinched and met Olivia’s gaze. Candace stood and let her gaze drop to the floor, then left the room.
Olivia closed her eyes and redirected her focus to how to alert her men. She recalled what they'd told her about their blood bond. If she were scared, even on the other side of the earth, they would know. Well, right now, she feared her own life and needed them to find her.
Is it like following a beacon?
Would they know to come here?
Please, come find me.
I’m in a dungeon with Victor.
Please.
She opened her eyes and met Victor’s gaze. She needed to stall him, if possible. She needed to keep herself alive and buy her stable time to find her. “Tell me about this contract,” she asked.
“The contract?” Victor crossed the room to her. “It was with your mother.”
Olivia’s eyes and mouth widened. To say she was shocked was an understatement.
My mother?
No, not possible.
No way.
“Lies,” she yelled.
“Would you like to see it? I was there when your father fucked her and you were created. Every child Lucious made, I have ownership over.”
“You watched them? What are you, some kind of voyeur sadist?” She furrowed her brows. “Who the hell is Lucious?”
He smirked. “Let’s just say I enjoy watching. As for Lucious? He’s your father.” Victor leaned into her and ran a finger over her check, down her neck, and circled her nipple.
“For fuck sake, Victor, don’t touch me!”
He grinned and cupped her breast with his hand. “When he told me about your mother...” He squeezed it, pinching her nipple once more. “I approached her. I promised her she would be set for life. She eagerly agreed to the contract. However, when you reached of age, her being set for life was unfortunately short lived.” Victor smirked.
Olivia shook her head. Her mother sold her unborn child for a life of luxury. Then, before she could actually ‘cash in’, she died.
“Ahh, so you understand?” he asked.
She met his glare. “You…you killed my mother?”
He smirked and grabbed her cheek again. “My love...” His nose grazed against her cheek. “I simply put the motions into place. Poison can sometimes take a long time to process when it needs to be undetected.”
A breath rushed from her lips and bile rose again. This time, she dry heaved. Victor pushed her face away and he stepped back with a manic-filled laugh.
She needed to escape.
She needed her stable.
She needed to fight for her life.