Page 26 of Battle for the Shadow Prince (A Bargain with the Shadow Prince #2)

26

Marabella’s Secret

ELOISE

M arabella’s secret, I learn, is a shake that all the donors are given to drink with lunch. The girl who delivers it tells me it’s charmed to help replenish my blood supply. The drink tastes like berries but revives me better than any espresso.

“Marabella is incredibly pleased,” the girl says through a smile. “Apparently Commander Marcel was particularly taken with you—even offered to buy you. She refused, of course. She’s anxious to introduce you to other clients and wants to keep you strong.”

“Introduce me?” I scoff. “Is that what she calls giving my room key to anyone willing to pay?”

The girl offers a conciliatory smile. “We all knew what we were in for when we signed up for this.”

I school my features. This unassuming young woman in a kimono is currently my only access to another human being and the outside world. I need a friend right now, and complaining isn’t going to earn me one. “You’re right. Sorry for the negativity. I’m Eloise. I should have introduced myself this morning, but I was too…”

“Nervous?” she asks. “We all are at the start.”

“Oh, then you’ve been a donor before?”

“Still am. I’m Ren.” She offers her hand.

I shake it and give her my first genuine smile of the day. “So you’re a donor and you deliver food?”

She nods. “Yes, all of us who deliver trays are also donors. We do this on our days off. It’s a way to earn money when we can’t give blood.” Her eyes shift to the door. “If they ever offer you a position, you should take it. It helps toward your debt and allows you to meet the other girls. You know, get outside your room.”

“How long have you been here?”

“Three years. I’m one good tip away from buying my freedom though.”

“Three years!” The schedules of income and expenses are unbalanced, but certainly a beautiful woman like Ren would make enough tips to make it out quicker than that. Unless I’m missing something.

She holds up a hand. “When I came here, I had a health condition that Marabella cured. My debt started out higher than yours.”

“You’re better now?” It would be rude to ask what was wrong with her, but I’m painfully curious.

She nods. “Three years sober.”

Oh. I look her over again. She’s the picture of health with dewy skin, clear eyes, and straight white teeth. “The past three years seem to have agreed with you.”

She nods. “It was the right choice for me.”

I take another bite of food. “Thanks for staying with me while I eat. I think I’m going to go crazy in here for three days with nothing to do and no one to talk to. I tried to call my friend last night and couldn’t get any reception.”

“We’re too far underground.” She reaches into her kimono and pulls out a paperback novel. “Something to help pass the time.”

I look down at the shirtless man with a sword on the cover. “Thanks for this.” I have books on my phone I can read without a connection, but there’s nothing like the feel of a paperback.

“Anytime. Oh, and it might not be three full days. They’ll check you tomorrow, and if the shake works, you’ll get another client the next day. Some girls take up to three a day, but Marcel told Marabella he took too much from you for you to see anyone else today. Wild that he admitted that.”

“Yeah. Wild.” I finish off my shake. “Um, is he really commander of the guard?”

“Sure is. Most of the girls in here would give their left tit to donate to that guy. Attractive, wealthy, and powerful. You got hella lucky to have him be your first.”

I eat the last bite on my plate.

Ren picks up the tray, looking disappointed. “I guess I should get back to work. Don’t take this the wrong way, Eloise, but once they start letting you out more, be careful. Let’s just say you are the nicest person working here right now.”

I laugh. “You’ve known me for like five minutes.”

“You can learn a lot about someone in five minutes.” She’s halfway out the door when I realize I’m allowing a wealth of information to slip through my fingers. “Oh, Ren, can I ask you since you’ve been here for a while, do you know if the queen ever makes public appearances?”

She squints over her shoulder at me. “Why do you want to know?.”

I shrug. “I’ve never seen a queen before, human or otherwise. Call it a dream.”

Ren’s brows lift. “When you put it in human terms like that, I guess it makes sense, but Valeska isn’t that kind of queen. I’ve heard she comes out when they have military parades in her honor, and sometimes she visits the masters of the different covens to solidify support, but I’ve never seen her in person myself. Honestly, if you have your heart set on it, you might be disappointed. She rarely bothers with anyone but the elite. Well, unless you’re chosen as one of her personal blood donors, and I don’t envy anyone in that position.”

“Why not?”

She sniffs. “Because in the three years I’ve been here, I’ve known a lot of girls who were sent to the palace. None of them ever came out again.”

A woman named Holly visits the following morning, dressed in a lab coat. She draws my blood. I must pass whatever test they run, because Ren tells me at dinner I’ll have a client the following day. On schedule, a key slides into my lock and another vampire enters my room.

This one isn’t in uniform like the commander. He’s dressed in a bespoke suit tailored in a fabric that drapes elegantly over his tall, distinguished form. A diamond-encrusted watch glints from his wrist, and a gold ring sparkles on his finger. He’s brunette like Marcel, but his eyes are lighter, almost golden.

I check the position of my daggers under the guise of straightening my robe and make sure my belt is tied tight. I might have to wear the robe, but I’m wearing it in the most conservative way possible. “Hello. I’m Eloise.”

His eyes flick over me. “Marabella tells me you’re the best she has.”

Despite my desire to please this vampire and earn an enormous tip, I can’t help but take offense. “I’m not sure what that means. We’re women, not bottles of wine.”

He offers me a charming smile, seemingly entertained by my response. “You only say that because you’re human. If you were a vampire, you would understand that blood varies from human to human, usually based on their health or where they were raised. It’s hard to find pure blood anymore. Harder still to find something new. Marabella tells me you’re different.”

I lick my lips and swallow. “You’ll have judge for yourself. I wouldn’t know.” I brush my hair to the side. “What’s your name?”

He moves in closer, lowering his face toward my throat. He’s taller than Marcel but narrower. He has to bend his knees to be on my level. His breath brushes my skin as he inhales over my jugular. “Everald,” he finally answers.

My lips part to say something trite like it’s nice to meet him, but I don’t get a chance. He strikes. This time I’m more prepared. I stare at a spot on the wall, allowing my mind to drift as he drinks and drinks and drinks.

I’m about to command him to stop when he draws back and seals the wound of his own accord. He wipes under his full lower lip with his thumb.

“I’m not disappointed.” He sounds almost surprised.

“In that case, a tip would be greatly appreciated,” I say. “I’m trying to pay off a large debt?—”

“I’ll pay it off. Whatever it is.” He points at the door. “Let me negotiate with Marabella. I’ll have you out of here by morning. You can come home with me.”

I look down at my fingers, knotted in front of my hips. “She’ll never sell me, but with a tip, I can make sure there’s room for you on my schedule.” I press a hand to my heart. “Please. If you can give me anything… whatever you have on you.”

His eyes glaze as I speak, and he pulls his wallet from his pocket, handing me two thousand dollars from within its folds. I’ve never seen anyone carry that much cash. Not even Tony. “What exactly do you do for Night Haven, Everald?” I ask as I slide the significant wad into my pocket.

He sways on his feet like he’s buzzed, a goofy smile on his face. “I own the marketplace.”

“You… own it. Like a few of the shops or something?”

He shakes his head. “No. I own the entire thing. I rent the stalls to the shop owners. Nothing comes into Night Haven without going through me.” He leans forward and whispers in my ear. “I’m a very powerful vampire, Eloise. I can get you anything you want. Anything you ask for.”

I help steady him when he almost falls into me and find myself giving a genuine laugh at his confused expression. Everald is not a vampire used to tipping his hand, and right now he’s not only showing me his cards, he’s telling me how to play mine. He offers me a wild grin.

“Oh? Can you introduce me to the queen?” I say with a sassily raised chin.

His smile dissolves. “Don’t joke about that, Eloise. The last place for you is with the queen. If I have anything to do with it, you’ll never be within a mile of her.” He slides the key into the lock and then he’s gone.

“You did it again,” Ren says, leaning her back against the door while she watches me eat. “Marabella told me to wait in here and make sure you eat every bite and drink your entire shake to replenish your blood. Apparently it’s more valuable than gold. Everald absolutely begged her to sell you to him, and that vampire is not used to being told no.”

I return the book she lent me and smile when she pulls the sequel out like she had it at the ready. “Thanks, Ren. These are keeping me sane.”

“I’ll bring you more if you tell me how you do it. Marabella is charging $500 a slot for you already. You’re the highest-priced girl in the house, and you’ve served two vampires. Tell me the truth, are you taking it up the ass?”

I toss my spoon at her. “No! I only offer blood. That’s it.”

She looks at me skeptically and tips her head. “Seriously?”

I have to tell her something to appease her curiosity. She’s studying me like the mystery might keep her up at night. “I grew up in a little town in Virginia with superclean air and water and never went anywhere. I guess my blood has less pollutants or something.”

She snorts. “Damn it. So it’s nothing I can change about myself.”

I frown. “You don’t need to change anything about yourself, Ren. You’re beautiful and the kindest person I’ve met since I arrived.”

Her laugh lights up the room. “I’m the only person you’ve met since you’ve arrived.”

Our laughter dies slowly, and I toy with the fork on my plate. “How long do you think before I can leave this room?”

She scratches behind her ear. “I don’t know, El. Normally a couple of weeks, but the way Marabella talks about you… It’s like she’s found her golden goose. I think she’s going to be damned careful before she lets you out of your cage.”