And closed the door so hard, it made her insides jump.
She sagged against the wall, muscles trembling, need pulsing thick in her lower torso. Her heart beat so hard it felt like it might leave bruises from the inside. He hadn’t touched her, hadn’t threatened her, but her entire body reacted like prey — except the parts that didn’t want to run at all.
Spence leaned down, kissed Felix just above his temple, and told him, “I look forward to being hurt alongside you. Is there anything else you need before we leave you alone with your books?”
“I’m good,” Felix told him. “Better than good. Thanks for the food.”
Spence turned to Emmy. “I need to set everything up in the statue garden, so I can’t walk you out, but make sure you aren’t late. In fact, maybe aim for five minutes early.”
Chapter 15
Zander turned and strode out, the door slamming behind him with a boom that shook the hinges.
He didn’t move vampire-fast because there were too many people in the hallways. Also, he needed every footstep to keep the beast inside from ripping free. He couldn’t afford to come face-to-face with his top people when his control hung by threads. Not like this.
Steel against silk. She’d stood up to him with the same iron will she’d had at three years old, but then immediately handed over the memory when reminded of her obligations.
Because she had honor. Ethics.
To have a low-powered vampire of little means treatanyonein his flock that way would be infuriating, but treating a valued dragon as he had meant he could no longer be trusted with any decisions. He would be moved out of the underground to a light-proof room attached to the stables.Zander didn’t want him in the coterie house at all until the motherfucker could prove himself trustworthy.
He told himself it was merely because he’d treated a valuable dragon as he had, but deep down, he knew the rage roaring through him had to do with the fact he’d done it to Emerald.
Kendra happened to be in town, and he skipped the courtesy of a telepathic knock and went straight to issuing orders.Take custody of Alistair, strip him and string him up in the statue garden to be whipped. I’ll want the steel barbed lash. Get with Spencer if you need more information.
He shut down the connection before she could ask questions. She’d obey because he was her Master, but she’d want to know what Alistair had done, and he wasn’t up for explaining himself at the moment. Spencer had the details and could handle questions.
His jaw clenched as Emerald’s memory replayed unbidden. Kneeling obediently and trotting out a bunch of humiliating nonsense. Folding his shirt like a servant. Used as if she didn’t matter and then left bleeding.
Left bleeding.
One always seals the holes after feeding. It was a Concilio rule, and now a Senatus law.
Not only that, but there are rules about how the flock is treated, and that every contract be respected. Emerald’s contract is clear she isn’t to be given pain, and the bastard hadn’t respected a blood-signed contract.
Zander growled low in his throat. Every muscle locked against the fury in his chest, the urge to tear through thewalls, to find Alistair and snap his fangs off with his bare hands. He’d known Emmy’s time as food for his vampires wouldn’t always be ideal, but this was different. This was deliberate disregard. Callous use without honor.
Lucien had hurt her badly, but he’d paid handsomely for his time with her, and he’d abided by the contract she’d agreed to.
Zander may have been personally pissed, but there was no cause for punishments because Lucien had followed vampire law and standards.
But Alistair was a low-level vampire trying to pretend he had power by abusing the flock.
And Emerald was a motherfucking dragon princess. He’d been clear at the coterie meeting just before she arrived that anyone gifted with dragon blood should be fucking appreciative of the fact they had this luxurious decadence in their coterie.
And god, what had made him agree to put her in his fucking flock to start with. She was a fucking genius, capable of so damned much.
And, he reminded himself, in need of figuring out how to stop being a rebellious teen. Her father was convinced she needed a kick in the ass to help her become a responsible adult, and he’d asked his old friend for help.
Zander had honored Aaron’s request, but the Dragon King’s daughter deserved better than this.
Also, he hadn’t seen rebellion since she’d arrived. Hadn’t received any reports of such.
And someone in their third fucking century with illusions of grandeur had looked at her and seen only a warm hole and a blood source.
Unacceptable.
Worse still was the complication of her response to him. The way her body had bloomed with heat the moment he touched her. Her scent shifting so it screamed her arousal, pupils widening, chest rising. Dozens of signs she’dwantedto be handled.
