Page 94 of Wicked Magik

Chapter 31

Vesper

It was daytime, yet the room remained silent. Oryx laid asleep on my lap, his hair entwined in my fingers. He hadn't stirred since I awoke, and I had no intention of disturbing him. His stomach was distended. It looked like he had consumed a lot of blood.

My hand ran across it, and it made a gurgling sound.

Hopefully that was a satisfied sound, not indigestion. Wait—could he even get indigestion?

I brushed my hair away from my face and carefully raised Oryx's massive head. I took the pillow I'd been resting on forwho knows how long and placed it near Oryx's nose. He grasped it firmly and snuggled into it, drifting into a deeper slumber.

He had just been fed, or had engorged himself with someone’s blood.

I’m hoping it was Veylor’s. He deserved it.

He was the biggest fae douche in history.

Even if I had only met two fae.

I freed myself from the twisted sheets and shuffled to the bathroom, the cool tiles waking up my feet. After using the toilet, I noticed a neatly folded dress waiting for me on the counter. Although I felt fresh and my skin was still smooth from whatever cleaning Oryx had done, I decided to step under the warm spray of the shower to rinse off nonetheless.

The water danced on my skin, and as I toweled off, I caught the lingering scent of the rich oils in my hair, which gleamed and flowed smoothly from the recent brushing.

I was certainly taken care of, and I knew it was all due to Oryx. He loved simple tasks of brushing my hair, even washing and this was his work.

I slipped into the simple gown, its soft fabric hugging my curves as it cinched snugly at the waist and across my breasts. The delicate ties at the back pulled the material taut, accentuating the natural shape of my body. As the gown settled into place, my stomach let out a low growl, reminding me of my hunger.

I glanced over at Oryx, who remained peacefully asleep on the bed. I quietly decided to make my way to the kitchen.

Surprisingly, I had a lot more energy. Maybe I would have been better earlier if I wasn’t impaled by a tongue on my previous waking. I pressed my fingers to my lips and shook my head. Oryx was impatient; he didn’t hurt anything, but for a brief time after I fell asleep, I did return to nightmares.

The clicking.

The claws.

The ripping of skin.

I attempted to shove the swirling thoughts from my mind as my bare feet touched the cool, polished stone floor. The chill of the surface anchored me firmly in the present moment as I stepped into the kitchen.

A kettle, gleaming with a soft sheen, sat quietly on the stove, its metallic surface catching the morning light. In the center of the preparation island, a plate piled with golden-brown biscuits awaited, their buttery aroma mingling with the faint hint of brewing tea.

Benedict closed the cabinet furthest from me. “My lady, you are awake.”

I raised an eyebrow.My lady?

"You must be hungry. Please sit, I’ll get the jellies and honey. Humans have those, correct?”

I scoffed. “Of course, we aren’t barbarians.”

Benedict pulled up a stool for me as he rushed around the kitchen. I pressed my cheek to my fist and frowned.

"My lady, I must offer my sincerest apologies." Benedict's hands trembled as he placed a saucer and an elegantly adorned ceramic teacup with gold embellishments in front of me. I glanced up at him, puzzled.

"I left you outside," he confessed. "I didn't even consider the possibility of vampires in the stables. It completely slipped my mind; I assumed my lord had fed them. They would have been docile if that had been the case..." Benedict went on, his voice quivering and his hands shaking.

I reached out my hand to steady him, and he gasped for breath. “When they brought you back. I thought the worst.”

I frowned and squeezed his hand.