“Oh, very well,” she snapped petulantly.
Then, like the sun breaking through a cloud, a sly, cunning grin transformed her face. It was an expression that promised mischief of the worst kind and it made Kaitlyn’s blood run cold.
“But before I give you some of our precious Love Vine to take home, I think it’s only prudent that you try some. To be certain it is to your liking and worth the inconvenience of your journey.”
Before Kaitlyn could respond, the Empress clapped her hands twice, sharply.
“Servants! Some Love Vine tea for our guests! And make it extra strong!”
Panic, cold and slick, coiled in Kaitlyn’s gut. This was a trap—it had to be.
Within moments, a servant approached with a delicate porcelain cup on a tray. The liquid inside was a pale, translucent pink, like diluted rose quartz. It steamed gently, emitting a peculiar, cloyingly sweet floral scent with an undertone of something earthier…muskier. It must be the smell of the vine itself, concentrated, Kaitlyn thought. Or had something been added to it?
She reached for it, her mind racing. Should she pretend to take a sip? Refuse outright?
“No, no, my dear Ambassadress,” Shatezarra chided, waving a finger. “This tea is for your husband. Think of it as a reward for his bravery. Let the warrior drink.”
Kaitlyn’s eyes flew to Braze. Don’t, she wanted to scream. It could be poison!
Braze looked from the cup to her face. His nostrils flared, widening as he took in the scent from a few feet away. The red had faded from his eyes, replaced by intense concentration. After a moment, he gave a single, almost imperceptible nod.
“It’s all right, Mistress,” he murmured, the words for her alone. “I don’t smell any poison. No toxins. Just the vine.”
Of course. All Kindred had extremely sharp senses and with Beast Kindred their sense of smell was legendary. If he said it was safe, it must be safe.
Reluctantly, she nodded her permission. If it wasn’t a life-or-death situation, they couldn’t risk offending the Empress by refusing her special gift.
Braze took the cup and brought it to his lips for a cautious sip. His throat worked as he swallowed. He paused, as if assessing the flavor…the effect. Then, with a resolve that made Kaitlyn’s heart pound, he lifted the cup and drained it in three long gulps. He handed the empty cup back to the servant, his face impassive.
The Empress’s grin widened into something distinctly evil and triumphant. She clapped her hands again in excitement.
“Servants! Bring the punishment frame! And hurry—he drank the whole cup!”
Dread, cold and heavy, settled in Kaitlyn’s bones.
“What?” she demanded, her diplomatic composure cracking. “What are you talking about? Who’s getting punished?”
“Why, your dear, sweet husband, of course.” Shatezarra’s eyes sparkled with malicious glee. “He refused my generous offer to service and protect me. In our society, such a refusal from a male—even a bonded one—requires a public correction. A lesson in obedience.”
She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that somehow carried across the silent court.
“But don’t worry, my dear Ambassadress. You will be the one administering the punishment. Isn’t that delightful? Now, first…unlock his cock.”
The command hung in the air and Kaitlyn’s mind went blank for a second. The punishment frame? Unlock him? Why?
Oh God—what was about to happen?
Whatever it was, she was sure it wasn’t good.
26
BRAZE
Braze’s world had narrowed to a single, screaming point of sensation deep inside him.
It started as a warmth in his gut—a pleasant, tingling heat that spread outward from the first sip of the pale pink tea. But now, a few minutes after he’d drained the cup, it was no longer pleasant. It was a deep, visceral pull low in his abdomen—a hollow, aching need that had nothing to do with his own erection, (which was painfully hard now that Kaitlyn had unlocked him and removed the cage)—and everything to do with an emptiness he had never known before.
Shat in the Seven Hells is wrong with me? he thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow even as his skin burned.
