Emmy handed the leash to Zander, who held it casually. Spence walked a half-step behind and to the left, his posture perfect, his erection clearly evident beneath the tight fabric.
Heads turned.
Conversations paused mid-sentence.
The three of them — Zander in royal splendor, Emmy in consort purple with a jeweled ornament in her hair, and Spence nearly naked and leashed — were impossible to ignore.
“Master Zander,” a vampire in an elaborate powdered wig called out, raising a glass. “What a magnificent display.”
“Thank you, Henri.” Zander gave him a polite nod and moved them deeper into the crowd.
They passed a platform where a flock member kneeled before a vampire, slowly blowing him while the vampire talked to others. It reminded Emmy this event was about excess, about displaying power and beauty and desire without shame.
Felix and Rhea peeled off toward a group of flock members, and Toby headed for the musicians, likely wanting to examine the period instruments up close.
That left Emmy, Zander, and Spence.
Zander led them to a platform near the far side, elevated slightly above the others and draped in midnight blue silk. He settled onto the cushioned bench, pulling Emmy down beside him. Spence knelt gracefully at their feet on a tapestry cushion, the leash pooling on the silk like a silver snake.
From this vantage point, they could see everything.
A juggler performed near the musicians, maneuvering five crystal balls in impossible patterns. On another platform, two vampires engaged in an elaborate verbal sparring match that was clearly scripted, their insults so flowery and excessive that nearby guests laughed and applauded particularly cutting lines.
Closer to the stage, someone had set up an easel where an artist sketched quick portraits of guests in charcoal,capturing the absurdity of the elaborate costumes with skilled strokes.
“This is incredible,” Emmy told Zander, watching a dance troupe in the center of the floor, their movements perfectly synchronized.
“Versailles was about spectacle,” Zander said, accepting two glasses of wine from a passing servant and handing one to Emmy. He sipped his own and continued. “About showing wealth and power through excess. Everyone performing for everyone else.” He took a sip. “We’ve recreated it rather well, I believe.”
A vampire approached their platform, her gown so elaborate it must’ve weighed even more than Emmy’s. “May I admire your pet?”
Zander’s hand tightened fractionally. “You may look. Don’t touch.”
The vampire’s eyes raked over Spence with undisguised hunger. “Beautiful. Will he be loaned out or shared, later?”
“No.” Emmy’s voice came out before she’d consciously decided to speak. “Not tonight.”
The vampire’s gaze shifted to Emmy, reassessing. She took in the jeweled hair ornament, the way Emmy sat beside Zander rather than at his feet.
“I see,” she said slowly. “Congratulations on your … acquisition.” She inclined her head to Zander and melted back into the crowd.
Zander’s hand found Emmy’s knee, squeezing once. “I enjoy sharing him with friends, but I agree that tonight he’sexclusively ours. Feel free to speak up like that as much as you wish. I find I quite enjoy it.”
Emmy looked down at Spence, who gazed up at her with such open adoration it made her chest tight. His cock hadn’t flagged at all. If anything, the attention had made him harder.
“Good boy,” she told him with a smile, and watched his eyes flutter closed with pleasure at the praise.
More vampires circulated past, some stopping to admire, others simply noting the new arrangement with calculating looks.
The musicians transitioned to a new piece, something with a driving rhythm that made the dancers on the floor move faster. On the stage, the actors began a new pantomime, this one involving exaggerated seduction and pratfalls that had the audience roaring with laughter.
She noted various flock members leaned over tables, skirts up and breeches down, a vampire’s cock plowing them.
Felix was naked from the waist down, leaned over and being caned.
A servant approached with a tray of tiny savory pastries, candied fruits, and chocolates dusted with gold leaf. Zander selected a chocolate and held it to Emmy’s lips. She took it, the sweet richness exploding on her tongue.
Then he chose a candied fruit and offered it to Spence, who opened his mouth obediently. Zander’s fingers lingered at his lips a moment, possessive and tender at once.
