Page 28 of Blood Day (Blood Alliance #7)

Lily

“Follow me, Prospect. One step out of line and I’ll assume that means you prefer to be carried.” Master Cedric’s words wrapped around me like a noose, yanking me forward as though he held the end of my leash.

Mostly because I was too busy processing his earlier words to fight my instinct to obey.

“I came back to this hellhole specifically to play with you.”

He’d mentioned that once before as well, but it hadn’t really registered until his last comment.

If he hadn’t been here, then where had he gone?

And why had he returned for me?

Did torture mean play in his warped vampire mind?

“I’m claiming her for the month.”

That was what he’d said to Master Khalid. What does that even mean?

I nearly asked now, but we were already by a side door of the wall. Master Cedric pressed his finger to a panel, causing a series of beeps to register before the door hissed open.

It wasn’t like the doors we’d used to exit into the desert. This one was a single entryway with only a foot of clearance over Master Cedric’s head.

And it opened into a stairway that led downward, not to the courtyard.

Master Cedric stepped inside with a gesture for me to follow.

The air-conditioning hit me full force, nearly toppling me with the abrupt temperature change. It was unlike anything I’d experienced in the buildings here.

I started to tremble, my fighting clothes too thin for this environment.

Master Cedric didn’t seem to notice, his steps clipped as he led the way downward.

I jumped as the door sealed behind me, then skipped forward to catch up to him, my teeth already beginning to chatter. I tried to stop them, aware that displaying such a humanlike reaction would infuriate him, but I couldn’t seem to stop the shudder working through me.

His blood wasn’t helping.

My senses were heightening more and more with each passing second, making the air down here almost unbearable. Each inhale felt like knives prickling my lungs.

Master Cedric stopped abruptly at the bottom, his dark gaze assessing as he glanced back at me.

I almost apologized.

Except my tongue resembled an ice block.

His eyes narrowed. “You’re cold.” Not a question, but a statement.

I blinked.

He grabbed me in the next second, lifting me into his arms and cradling me against his chest.

And then we were flying.

Well, not flying, exactly. But teleporting . I vaguely recalled the first time he’d done that to me. I’d been so out of it that I hadn’t really understood the sensations.

But I felt them now.

The whirlwind of energy whipping around me.

The tunnel-like sound of air in my ears.

The dizzying feeling of surpassing space and time.

My body was not meant for this sort of transport. Something my stomach told me as it churned violently inside me.

Fortunately, the journey ended almost as quickly as it’d begun. My back hit something smooth, my mind slowly registering that he’d set me in his car as the door closed beside me.

Then he was there, buckling me in as he took the driver’s side.

The engine roared to life.

And we left in a blink, speeding out of the gates and down the road I’d been desperate to find when this test had begun.

My mind spun with questions and accusations, my world turning inside out and upside down in an instant.

This was what I’d craved for months.

But now I wasn’t sure I desired it anymore.

He just wanted to hurt me. To torture me. To fail me when it suited him, just to subject me to a lifetime of pain.

The moon chase.

Becoming a lycan’s pet.

Then the breeding farm.

Fuck, I was going to be sick.

All my anger and despair from earlier came roaring back, making me dizzy with fury.

I loathed this vampire. I didn’t understand why he’d chosen me as the object of his torment, but I would give anything to make it stop .

He’d returned for me from wherever the hell he’d gone. And I’d pined for him.

Which was probably exactly what he’d wanted.

Goddess, how could I have been so stupid? Vampires loved to play with their food.

And I’d fallen right into his trap.

“Your fury is intoxicating,” he murmured, his hand resting on the stick thing between us. “It’s been a long time since I witnessed such emotion in a human. I’m rather pleased it’s coming from you.”

I gaped at him. “So you want me to be angry? To show emotion? To break decorum so you have a reason to punish me?” To what point? Vampires could do whatever they wanted. Why did he need a reason?

“Oh, I don’t intend to punish you, Lily. I intend to reward you.”

“By what? Failing me again?” I couldn’t help the sarcastic reply. It was so unlike me. It broke a thousand rules. But I was done caring. Done playing this game. Done being the perfect prospect.

What was the point in cooperating when my compliance only led to pain?

“I won’t be grading you on emotional performance, little flower. If I did, the others would kill you.”

“They’re going to kill me anyway,” I muttered.

“Yes,” he agreed, his voice holding an emotion I couldn’t define. Probably because I didn’t bother trying. He’d likely be there to watch the hunt, just to enjoy my suffering.

We didn’t speak again for the rest of the drive.

Which was fine by me.

I didn’t want to talk to him or be anywhere near him.

A complete contradiction to the last eight months .

Goddess, I’m a failure in every way. Maybe I deserved this fate after all.

He parked his car outside the palace, the exterior just as grandiose as I remembered.

Soft light illuminated the siding and highlighted various palm trees throughout the exterior landscaping. Stone steps led up to the opulent doors and the bejeweled interior.

I followed Master Cedric in a daze, my feet moving without my brain processing the action.

He led me through the interior courtyard, alongside a lightly flowing fountain, and through another door. Then up a set of stairs. Down a wide hall. And into a sitting room I recognized.

His quarters.

A human waited for us inside in a bowed position that made him sigh. “I didn’t request blood. Just food. You may go.”

The female shuddered and moved to stand, only to stumble part of the way. He blurred before me as he caught her by the elbow and helped her to her feet.

She swayed, her face paling as she mumbled an unintelligible sentence that sort of sounded like an apology.

“It’s fine,” he replied, his tone clipped. But his touch remained gentle in nature as he helped her move toward the door. “Take a moment to sit in the hallway and stretch your legs. If Mistress Adrienne questions you, tell her I commanded it.”

“Yes, Sire,” she whispered.

“Lily,” he said from the doorway. “Grab the water from the table.” He jerked his head toward the seating area, where a tray of food was waiting on the coffee table.

I did as he asked and brought it to him, my body still moving without my mind processing the actions .

He took it and handed it to the girl. “Drink this between stretches. Don’t go back to Mistress Adrienne until you feel better. Understand?”

“Yes, Sire.”

“Good.” He guided her into the hallway and disappeared from view. He murmured something else to her that I didn’t quite catch before returning and shutting the door.

It seemed quite odd to be so caring of a human. Maybe this one meant something to him. Or perhaps she was another player in his games.

“Go sit, Lily. You need to eat. Then we’ll deal with the sand.” He pointed at the couch and then to the tray of food before disappearing into his bedroom.

I frowned but did as he demanded.

Chicken. Green beans. Rice. Strawberries . My mouth salivated over that last item, my finger automatically grabbing it first. But Master Cedric appeared out of thin air, taking it from me and putting it back in the bowl.

“Eat your other food first.” He set a bottle of water down to replace the one he’d given to the human. “I’ll handle the strawberries.”

My mouth tightened, my taste buds not in the mood to engage in whatever cruel game he intended to begin. I just wanted to eat the berries. They were sweet and unlike anything else the university fed me.

But I didn’t want him to see my disappointment.

So I stuffed a green bean into my mouth instead.

Then I used the water to swallow it down.

Master Cedric sat beside me, his thigh brushing mine as he picked up a knife. My heart skipped a beat, my skin breaking out in goose bumps.

Except he didn’t bring the blade anywhere near me.

Instead, he started removing the strawberry stems .

I ate my chicken while he worked, my gaze glued to his athletic hands and the long fingers wielding the knife. Each slice was precise, the strawberries remaining mostly whole as he removed the green part.

My green beans and chicken were gone by the time he finished, only the rice left. I nibbled my lip, my stomach feeling rather full already from the larger-than-usual meal.

“Do you want the rice?” he asked softly.

“I… I want the strawberries more,” I admitted.

He nodded and handed me the bowl. “You’ll enjoy them more this time.”

I’d liked them just fine last time, but I didn’t tell him that. Instead, I popped one of the berries into my mouth and nearly groaned at the sweetness of the fruit.

Sweet yet tart.

Juicy.

Perfect.

He was right—I did like them more this time. He said nothing as I devoured the bowl, his dark eyes on me the whole time. I couldn’t even be bothered by his intrigue; my mouth was too pleased to let anything taint the moment.

When I finished, he stood with the tray and took it to the hallway. I heard him speaking again and assumed it was to the servant.

Her soft response confirmed it.

He gave a nod and returned to the room, then held out his hand for me. “Stand up and follow me. We need to wash the sand out of your hair.”

My insides flipped over at what that meant— another bath.

Except he walked right past the tub when we entered his bathroom.

And went to the giant walk-in shower instead.

Three showerheads came on at once, the rainfall effect rather hypnotic. I watched the droplets flow for a beat, my mind oddly at ease.

Until Master Cedric interrupted my view.

His eyes reminded me of a thunderstorm, all dark and ominous. Yet his touch was deceptively gentle as he brushed his knuckles across my cheek. “Take off your clothes, Lily.”

I almost reminded him that my name wasn’t Lily anymore, but it felt pointless to say. He enjoyed tormenting me and would probably reply with something to give me hope just so he could rip it away again later.

Sighing, I bent to remove my shoes. Then I slid off my athletic pants and stood upright to remove my shirt, leaving me naked before him.

Lightning flashed in his gaze as he surveyed my nude state.

I half expected him to try to eat me.

However, he surprised me by unbuttoning his dress shirt and laying it over a marble counter. He placed his shoes and socks beside mine. Then he unfastened his belt and pulled off his trousers before folding them both over his shirt.

His body was a work of art, all athletic, lean lines that flexed and moved in a manner that hypnotized me more than the showerheads had.

Then his thumbs hooked into the thin fabric hiding his groin and began to inch it down.

My mouth went dry.

He hadn’t done this the last time we’d been in here. He’d kept that small barrier between us.

But not anymore.

Now it was dragging down his strong thighs and long, muscular legs.

I swallowed .

Master Cedric was already hard to admire in a clothed state. Naked? He was like a god demanding to be worshipped.

My knees wobbled with the need to bend, to kneel, to pray for his touch.

I couldn’t stop staring.

I couldn’t stop studying.

I couldn’t stop craving .

This was the worst kind of trick. Vampires were alluring by nature. It was how they subdued their prey. Even knowing that, I was a slave to my urges.

His stomach flexed as he added his boxers to his clothing pile, his arms bulging with power and tangible strength. I tried to focus on that perfection, to not follow the light dusting of hair from his navel downward, but my innate desire to see him coerced my gaze into dropping.

Long. Proud. Hard.

Oh, Goddess .

I swallowed again for an entirely different reason. My throat courses had prepared me for a male of his size. But I suddenly wondered if I’d been prepared enough.

He reached for me, his fingers grasping my chin to tug my gaze upward.

“Looking at me like that is going to lead to activities we’re not ready for yet.

” His fingers danced along my jaw, then down my neck, before grazing my nipple in a light caress that made my toes curl on his way to grabbing my hand.

That touch might not have been on purpose, but it certainly felt intentional. And the underlying amusement in his dark irises confirmed that suspicion.

He tugged me toward the shower, leading me inside, and directly under the rainfall.

I closed my eyes.

His hand left mine, his fingertips trailing up my arm to my shoulder and into my hair to brush the dampening strands.

“I missed you, Lily,” he whispered, his breath a kiss against my cheek as his opposite hand went to my hip. “This shower is for you. You make the rules. You tell me what you need, what you want. And I’ll give it to you, Lily, no matter the ask.”