Emmy didn’t move as he neared her, didn’t recoil when he knelt at her feet, his breathing ragged.
“I regret the grievous disrespect I showed a mighty dragon, one who honored me with the blood of her body and the use of her flesh. I sought to invert what cannot be inverted, to elevate myself above my station, to treat a vessel of power as if she were mine to command.
“This lowly creature of the night is unworthy. I am beneath your notice, lower than the lowest, and I kneel now in abject remorse. I lower myself before your unmatched lineage and strength, as is proper when one of base blood fails one of exalted station.
“Forgive me, great one, if such a thing is within your mercy. I beg forgiveness not as an equal — for I am not — but as a wretched soul who dared overstep. I humbly acknowledge your superiority, and the honor you bestowed despite my failure to deserve it.
“May this public abasement serve as testament to my shame, and may your mercy temper justice if you see fit.”
Zander almost regretted how well Alistair debased himself and groveled. He’d have enjoyed tearing the man’s dick and balls apart with a short whip.
He also went into the man’s mind and saw him on stage performing Shakespeare as a human. He supposed that explained the wording and the drama.
Zander watched Emerald’s face carefully. She breathed deeply, her gaze unflinching, and said, “Only pathetically weak individuals with a serious personality or psychological disorder believe pushing others down lifts them up. Healthy people with functioning psyches understand a person’s true value lies not in their power, but in…” She shook her head. “I’m not here to lecture. You were forgiven before I had a chance to be upset because you aren’t worth the time or energy for angst. I accept your apology, not because you deserve it, but because you aren’t important enough to warrant my anger with your paltry little displays of false power.”
Her gaze lifted and slammed into Zander. “It was easier to go along with his inconsequential little commands than to report him edging over contractual lines. I’m not petty, andI heal fast. You are Master here, and it isn’t for me to understand your response, but I admit I do not.”
Her words to Alistair had been sharp and clean, and had cut deeper than any whip or knife.
In contrast, she spoke to Zander with respect and deference, her voice soft, so he gave her an answer.
“Every flock member who oaths to me is mine to use, to consume, and to protect. I share them with the coterie because the vampires oathed to me are also mine to use and to protect. With the advent of a camera in every human’s hand,andcameras covering the majority of populated areas, a flock has become a necessity, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t valued.”
He looked around and met the eyes of the flock who were present. “All of you. Every one. The masochists as well as those who are not. Every vampire oathed to me knows better than to go beyond what flock members have agreed to. Those who wish for pain are given pain. Those who wish to be debased are often taken to low places. But those who only wish to feed us without pain? Without debasement? Doing so will bring my wrath.”
He’d checked Alistair’s net worth earlier and been disappointed to see it was only around fifty-thousand dollars. The idiot had lived two and a half centuries without accumulating wealth. Normally, the fine would be a thousand dollars for every lash, but he’d go with the custom here, so he turned in a slow circle until he could meet Fawn’s gaze. “The malefactor is hereby fined one-third of his net worth. Half will go to the injured party, the rest into thecoterie’s general funds. Once allowed to feed again, Alistair will pay a chaperone out of his own funds, and will only have chaperoned access to the flock until he proves to me he’s trustworthy with valued flock members. Alternately, he can purchase bagged blood if he doesn’t wish to pay an approved chaperone.”
Fawn gave a slight bow. “I shall see your word is made real, Master Zander.”
He turned back to Alistair. “And if there is even an ounce of retribution toward our valued dragon, you’ll go in a box for a decade.” He looked back to Kendra.Please see him back to the pillory, and assign security to watch over him until time to secure him into the dungeon’s wall manacles.
And with that, he turned and walked away, rage banked.
But the scent of Emerald’s arousal from earlier, in Felix’s room, still clung to his senses, and that unsettled him most.
He told himself it was a complication he didn’t need. An unfortunate infatuation was a complication he didn’t need, especially if she was going to Mordnik.
An hour later, Zander was back in his office, freshly showered and looking over the proposed security team for Mordnik when Spencer stepped to his door.
Zander wanted to tell his boy to just shut up, even before he started talking, but that wasn’t the kind of relationship they had.
His boy was encouraged to express his opinion in all things. Even when Zander didn’t want to hear it.
“She thought you hated her, before. Now she doesn’t know what to think. You should talk to her.”
“I don’t hate her.”
“Then whatdoyou feel?”
Zander shook his head. “She’s Aaron’s daughter, and I’ve been tasked with watching over her while she gets a degree and learns the lessons her parents wish her to learn.”
“She’s also a grown woman who’s been sexually active for a decade, and you’re miserable.”
Zander merely lifted a brow. “She’s here to learn responsibility, not to service my dark appetites. I’ll survive.”
“Of that, I have no doubt. Whether everyone else will, though? Not so sure about that.”
Zander narrowed his eyes at his boy, and Spencer raised his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger, Sir. You know I’m right.”
