Page 39 of Blood Day (Blood Alliance #7)

Cedric

Lily’s form had improved while I’d been gone, as had her stamina.

Khalid moved in a circle around her and the other female, his expression borderline lethal. He scrutinized every kick and punch, correcting both of them before making them do it again.

And again.

And again.

They’d been sparring for nearly three hours, which was far longer than their usual course time. It showed in the way they were both beginning to lag now.

Lily tripped, nearly falling, but Khalid caught her by the arm and righted her, the touch making me want to growl. However, he promptly released her and took a step back.

“Again,” he said.

Both girls visibly flinched. Then they did as he demanded, executing the movements in near-perfect synchronization.

“Again. ”

Prospect One Hundred and Thirty-Nine straightened, her eyes going directly to him. “No, Khalid. I need water. And food.”

My eyebrows hit my hairline. She’d been perfectly obedient since the moment we’d stepped out here, doing exactly what he’d demanded without a single comment. Yet she spoke to him now with an authority that very few others would ever dream of using in his presence.

Khalid paused and canted his head at the female. Then he smiled. “All right, habibi . I’ll give you some sustenance.”

Her gaze narrowed. “Food, Khalid. And water.”

“You’ll swallow whatever I provide.”

She folded her arms. “I’m not a puppet.”

“Wrong, pet.” He grabbed her by the back of the neck and yanked her into him. “You’re my puppet, darling mirage. And you’re misbehaving.”

“So bite me.”

“Maybe I’ll push you to your knees and make you eat Lily instead,” he replied. “Would that satisfy your need for sustenance?”

“That’s not food, Khalid.”

“Some would say it provides life and joy,” he countered.

She sighed. “I’m tired. I’m human. And I need a break. Please.”

His thumb skimmed her pulse. “Only because you said the magic word, my darling mirage.” He spun her around in his arms, his gaze meeting mine. “Evening breakfast tomorrow. Eight o’clock. Bring Lily.”

They disappeared before I could agree or say a word.

Not that I knew what to say.

Because that had been unexpected.

“Have you ever heard her speak like that?” I asked Lily .

She stared back at me with wide eyes, her head shaking back and forth. “Is he going to hurt her?”

“Maybe. But I suspect he’ll make sure she likes it.” Because he definitely hadn’t seemed angry with her, just amused.

Which was shocking, considering she’d behaved that way in front of me.

Except he knew about my name for Lily, suggesting he likely knew I’d given her other liberties as well. Such as my blood , I thought, recalling his words from earlier where he’d told me to heal her.

Was he treating his “mirage” similarly?

She never did say her name. Perhaps I would ask for it tomorrow and see what happened.

“Well, it seems your female-on-female course for this evening has been rescheduled,” I said conversationally, somewhat relieved to be dismissed by Khalid. “Perhaps I’ll test your oral skills for myself instead.”

Lily’s lips parted as though she was already prepared to perform, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink.

“Let’s have dinner first,” I suggested, taking her hand and leading her out of the sapphire courtyard—which was a slab of marble framed by statues adorned in sapphire gems.

We moved past the fountain beside it and through an arch into another courtyard area, this one decorated in pillars embellished with opal stars.

I could have phased with Lily back to my quarters, but she didn’t appear to be a fan of the motion. And I liked watching her admire her surroundings.

“You did well with Khalid,” I praised her. “You didn’t formally address him at all.”

“You told me not to,” she replied, her blue-green eyes finding mine. “You said he doesn’t like to be acknowledged.”

She was right. I had told her that while eating midnight lunch. However… “I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to turn off your programming.”

Her attention shifted to the outdoor swimming pool as we started down the long path around it. “I thought of him as Master Khalid instead of Prince Khalid. Which helped.”

“And how do you think of me?” I wondered aloud, my gaze following hers to the waterfall in the middle of the pool. She seemed to be entranced by it.

“As Master Cedric,” she whispered.

“What if I want to be just Cedric?”

Her nose scrunched. “You’ll never be just Cedric.”

“Why is that?” I asked, pausing midstep to pull her around to face me. “Why can’t you think of me without the Master title?”

“Because you’re Master Cedric.” She swallowed, her eyes finding mine. “I… I like thinking of you that way.”

“Why?”

She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. It’s…” Her brow furrowed a little. “It’s comforting in a way that I can’t explain.”

“Because you’ve been taught to think of all vampires as superiors.”

“You are superior,” she replied. “But no, it’s not that. It’s respectful?” She seemed to be struggling to explain herself, the question in her voice coming through. “Do you not like me thinking of you as Master Cedric?”

“I would like you to think of me as your Cedric.” A dangerous request, one that could cause confusion and harm later on. Yet it was the truth. “I don’t want you to call me Master or Sire or Sir. Just Cedric. ”

“While alone,” she clarified.

“While here.” I cupped her cheek. “You can call me Cedric anywhere you want on these grounds, even in front of Khalid.” As he’d made it very clear this evening that he didn’t mind dropping any and all formalities.

“If there is someone visiting, we can review the title again. But for right now, I want to be Lily and Cedric.”

Which wasn’t even remotely fair, given what would happen in a few weeks.

But life wasn’t fair.

Sometimes one just had to live in the present and take advantage of the moment.

Such as now.

“Are you hungry?” I asked her softly.

She considered and shook her head. “I’m more thirsty than hungry.”

I nodded and used my free hand to pull up a screen from my wrist. Her gaze widened at the display of technology as I typed out a quick note to the palace staff.

“We’ll do a snack and drinks out here,” I said, noting the nearby tables and lounge chairs. “It’s such a waste to have these amenities and not use them.” I glanced at the pool. “And I believe I promised you a swimming lesson.”

Her lips parted. “N-now?”

With a reaction like that? “Yes. Strip.”

A sweet little flush started at her neck and moved upward into her cheeks. My darling little flower enjoyed my demanding side, which was good, as I had no intention of changing for her or anyone else.

Her sweet tongue snuck out to dampen her lips, then she pulled the shirt up and over her head, exposing her gorgeous tits. They were pale beneath the moon, making her resemble a goddess of the night .

An image that only strengthened by removing her shoes and pants, leaving her gloriously naked before me.

“Stunning,” I whispered. It didn’t matter that I was exquisitely familiar with her body; every time I saw it felt like the first time. “Now undress me.”

Lily stepped forward, her hands going to my belt first. I observed her as she worked, enjoying the way her blush seemed to spread across her skin as she unfastened my pants.

I helped her with my shoes, lifting my foot slightly as she knelt to slip them off with my socks. Then she remained there to pull down my trousers.

She stood, taking them over to a chair and folding them neatly before returning for my shirt, which she added to the pile. My shoes went under the chair, where she added her own as well. Then she fetched her garments to pile them beside mine.

It was meticulous and beautifully done.

And ended with her going to her knees before me, her head bowed.

“We’re not having our oral lesson yet, sweet Lily,” I said, even though I was hard for her and very ready to feel those velvety lips around my cock. “I want to swim first.”

I held out my hand for her, my desire clear.

She gave me her palm and allowed me to pull her up from the ground.

This would be a good exercise in trust.

I led her to the stairs near the center of the pool and started downward with her at my side.

Her grip tightened as we reached the bottom, the water already reaching her neck.

“This is the shallowest area,” I warned her. “But the waterfall in the middle has a ledge. We’re going to swim to that. ”

Well, I would swim.

And I’d be taking her with me.

I slipped through the water to stand in front of her, my hand releasing hers to grab her hips.

“I d-don’t know how to swim, Cedric,” she stammered, grabbing my shoulders.

“I know.” I pressed a kiss to her thundering pulse and inhaled deeply, loving the fragrance of terror surrounding her. “Your fear is intoxicating, Lily.” I wanted more of it, my predatory side growling with excitement.

She didn’t disappoint, her gasp a beautiful sound in the still night as I pulled her deeper into the pool and away from where she could stand.

Her arms circled my neck, her heart thudding rapidly against my chest.

“So alluring,” I whispered, my mouth still near her pulse as I used my legs to keep us afloat.

“You would scream if I shoved you away right now, all your programming fracturing in your brilliant need to survive. That’s what my kind truly craves—that ultimate realization when a human realizes she’s going to die and her natural response to it.

No amount of teaching can kill that instinct, Lily. ”

Humans were trained not to react.

But it didn’t matter.

When faced with a terrible death, they always begged.

“The reason some stay silent is simply that they can’t speak.” My fangs skimmed her throat. “They’re either too far gone or drunk on pleasure, but inside, they’re screaming, begging to be saved.”

I kicked us to a deeper section where I could no longer touch the ground. She trembled violently against me. “Cedric…”