“Hello, Commander Thorne. Are you here to join me?” I teased, slurring slightly.
He knelt beside the tub. Unfazed, I continued my task and rubbed the paste across each shoulder before moving to my collarbone. The cool substance gave a delicious contrast to the heat of the bath.
“The regent isn’t keen on other vampires touching his things.” Dommik sighed and Rhazien’s blood sang in a chorus of agreement.
“So many rules.” I flicked water over the curved edge at him.
He wiped the soapy beads from his cheeks. “Enjoyed a bit of blood, have we?”
Popping the large bubbles floating across the bath surface was extra satisfying. “Against my will, but yes.”
He huffed.
“It doesn’t like you,” I said, avoiding eye contact. The blood whispered to make him leave. I fought it. Dommik had protected me from Vaspar and he’d kept his promises not to feed from me. Some part of me, however foolish, liked having him near.
A muscle feathered in his jaw. “I imagine not.” More serious now, he leaned back, giving me the space my tone demanded. “I came here with a purpose, you know. Not just to chat.”
“Was it to apologize?” I gently scrubbed the pumice stone on my arm’s freshly healed skin.
His brow furrowed and he laughed out, “Whatever for?”
“For lying to me.” I switched my focus to the other arm.
“Lovely.”
Thatgot my attention. Rhazien’s blood drew claws beneath my skin. I froze and slid my gaze to meet his.
“I may have bent the truth, but I didn’t lie.”
Water dripped from the pumice stone as I shook it at him. “You said I was brought here to help find something, that I belonged to the regent,notthat he intended to court me. That is an entirely different purpose. And a grave omission, sir.”
I giggled maniacally at that. At the whole situation. Set within the ancient stone of the Irriset mountain range—rocks and caverns as old as Atoris itself—I was naked, scolding a vampire like we were old friends.
It all felt ridiculous.
“You’re right.” He nodded in surrender.
“I know,” I said and sank below the surface. When I emerged, Dommik had repositioned himself, sitting with his legs bent and elbows resting on his knees.
“Listen. Things are…delicate here,” he began. Worry etched into the creases of his brow. “It’s not every day a vampiric regent brings a prospect to the Hive. It's a highly coveted position. And beyond that, yourtalentscould bring big changes to our way of life soon. Some of us want that change, and others are…less enthusiastic.”
My breath hitched. I’d lost myself to the blood’s lullaby and the luxury of the tub and, if only for a brief time, had forgotten that I wasn’t a person to the immortals. I was a tool. A pawn.
I wasn’t in the least surprised by his warning. I’d seen it before at court. The new lady-in-waiting or recently blossomed daughter of a high lord would inevitably become fodder for gossip and sport for married and unmarried men of society.
The role’s full weight was held at bay by Razien’s blood. For now, it told me to relax. To focus on the warmth of the water. The smells of the oils. To be present.
“I understand.” Flat. Simple. Dismissive.
“Good.” He stood to leave. Beneath my skin, Rhazien’s blood exhaled in relief only to groan again when the Commander stopped at the doorway. “One last thing. I’ve been informed I have the honor of being your personal guard.”
“An honor indeed.” I grinned, pleased that he would in fact be nearby. Like a safety net. Like my own personal mercenary. Like…a friend.
“If that’s the case…” I helped myself to more of the luxurious oils, pouring them into my palm above the water. “You need to be careful too.”
He leaned against the door frame and arched a brow. “Why’s that?”
“You’re jealous.” I ran my fingers across my collarbone and perched my chin over the edge of the tub.
