“You could have acted like you were forcing yourself to swallow a medicine you knew you had to take for your own good. Instead, you gave yourself to the moment, took pleasure in it, let yourself get swept away by it. That’s what a true submissive will do, if she believes it’s her Master’s will. And though I’m far beyond the gentle, beautiful feelings you and Willis had just started to share, watching you tonight, I was overwhelmed to have you in my life, bound to me as a third-mark. I have never wanted a woman at my side more than I want you to be there. You are brave, beautiful and mine. And the vampires in that room are quite aware that not a one of us could have done what you did tonight. That is the gift you give us. That you gave me.”

He stopped, obviously feeling he’d gone over the line of usual vampire etiquette for expressing feelings, but Elisa was now the overwhelmed one. She’d be replaying those words in her head when she finally took herself off to bed.

When I finally take you off to bed, he amended.

The ripple of pleasure was real, a reinforcement. With a determined set of her chin, she rose then. Standing between his splayed thighs, she took the jacket off, but he surprised her. Sliding an arm around her waist, he pressed his cheek against her midriff, beneath the weight of her breasts. As he stayed that way for several moments, it gripped her heart. Resting her fingers on the shining ebony wings of his queued back hair, his coat held in her other hand, draped down his back, she bent over him, holding him to her.

“You may be a vampire,” she said. “And some of this . . . it’s what you feel. But it isn’t how you feel it, or show it. You’re different. I do know that. And that helps, too.”

“It helps me that you know it.” He rose then, her Master back, but she knew for certain they were in this together. It was a bolstering reminder that he was doing this for her.

“No. I’m doing this because of you, Elisa. What you showed all of us. We’re doing it for them. For the fledglings.”

As he put the coat back on, she helped him straighten it, smooth and brush off the shoulders. He tucked his shirttails deeper into his trousers, adjusted his belt. It was such a tempting male movement it made her hands itch to follow the same track. Lord in Heaven, as if she needed more of such activity. But then, she never seemed to get enough of him.

Determinedly, she gave herself a quick look in the mirror, taking the time to brush out her hair with the brush on the counter while he watched with quiet interest. Taking the brush from her when she got self-conscious, he finished it, making the curls shine like silk on her shoulders. “Leave it down. I like it this way.”

It was silly, how it made her stomach flop, but it did. She couldn’t smile, but the promise of it was in her heart. “I expect we should get back to the party, sir. God knows what they’ll want to do next.”

“I believe it’s going to be charades.” He tugged a lock of her hair. “Vampires enjoy their party games just like humans. And considering they use their servants . . . their very naked servants”—his gaze roved over her—“to handle the physical part of the game, it’s very entertaining.”

“You all have turned the corner,” she informed him.

“Kangaroos loose in the top paddock?”

“A whole herd.”

35

GUSTAV was right, though. Despite the fact the charades did result in Jonathan deciding he wanted his large servant to kneel in front of him and suck his cock there in front of everyone during after-dinner drinks, things were a little less intense. During Gustav’s task, which he handled with remarkable grace for his size, his large hand gripping his Master’s sizeable cock to take him deep in his throat, Elisa returned to Mal. Folding her legs beneath her, she sat at his knee on the floor while he, Lord Marshall and Cynthia discussed various issues. Their business interests, tidbits about the cat sanctuary. Jonathan threw in a comment here or there until his voice got strained and he moved to a corner. When they got there, instead of resuming, Gustav turned away from the vampire, bracing himself on hands and knees, putting his face to the floor so his Master could slam into him, fucking him to a fast completion.

While the three vampires talked, Elisa couldn’t help but keep a fascinated eye on them under lowered lashes. Gustav’s cock was enormous, leaking seed, the cock harness biting hard into his flesh. In the Viking’s face, she saw the grip of mindless passion she was sure that had been on hers earlier, and knew he wasn’t even aware of them anymore, only of his Master’s desires. When Jonathan finished, Gustav straightened, pivoted on his knees once more and cleaned the vampire with the bowl of water, damp towel and soap brought by a quietly efficient servant. Afterward, Jonathan tucked himself back into his trousers and returned to the group, calling for another drink. Gustav, still hard and erect, returned to stand at the wall with Christophe, eyes down. Her pussy was aching and wet again.

Remarkable. She was going to have many things to discuss with Dev, next time she saw him. Or maybe not. For all that he was approachable, Dev was station manager after all, next in charge after Danny herself.

Be sure and ask if he’s ever had to pantomime The Wizard of Oz as a charade choice.

You are an evil man. You just wanted to see me skip arm in arm with Christophe and see all sorts of . . . things . . . move.

At least on you. Of course, I think that’s when Kreager started getting worked up again.

It didn’t seem to work you up.

Mal took a sip of the iced tea he’d been brought. As he did, he closed his other hand over hers and casually brought her palm to his lap, resting it on the sizeable erection his seated position, the shadowed lighting and his tailored trousers were hiding. She drew in a breath, but he tightened his hand over hers, moved her palm in a slow glide down the full length, until she could feel the firm nest of testicles at the base. If I wanted to take you on all fours right here, just like Gustav, you would do it without hesitation, wouldn’t you?

Yes. Her gaze lifted to his, then swept down, but not before she saw the fierce satisfaction in his face, felt an answering response to it in her own body.

Good. But next time I take you, I want to have you all to myself. When we are alone, near dawn, I plan to possess you quite fiercely. You might be a little sore from earlier, but I’ll relish that, easing into you, hearing you whimper but seeing the desire in your eyes to take all of me, feel me come where Christophe did, burning that memory away . . .

Will you do it that way because I’m yours, your property?

His gaze stilled upon her. She wasn’t sure what her expression was, since she hardly knew what she was feeling, but she held her breath until he responded.

And if my answer is yes?

She stared back at him. Then her eyes lowered once more, her other hand curling on her thigh. As incomprehensible as it might be, she knew her answer, down to the level of her soul.

Good.

She could feel the slipperiness of her pussy against her calf, folded beneath her. Cynthia turned an amused eye to Mal, her nostrils flaring. “Whatever conversation you’re having seems to be affecting your servant. Would that we could all listen in.” Her gaze lingered on Elisa’s hand, still curled over Mal’s cock, defining it in the pants. Despite having just climaxed, Kreager had a similar avidity to his gaze.

Mal put Elisa’s hand aside with a reassuring squeeze and gave a faint, disarming smile, but it was Lord Marshall who came to the rescue. “You’ve been doing your own teasing, Cynthia. Christophe’s cock hasn’t taken a rest from its high position most of the night. Same goes for your servant, Jonathan.”

“I find the cock harness keeps his mind focused there.” Jonathan shrugged, but glanced fondly back at Gustav. However, Elisa noted a bit of challenge in the look that suggested Gustav’s mind was not as docile as his actions suggested. “He’s a bear to manage when he’s not reined in, but when I take it off at dawn, he fair explodes.”

Cynthia gave him a feral smile. “Now you’re just teasing me. Perhaps we will swap servants at dawn, Jonathan. I’d like to try handling your bear. And I know you can scarcely contain your interest in my pretty servant.”

“A negotiation we can save for the drive back home.” Jonathan flashed fang at her. “We don’t want to make others of our group feel excluded.”

Lord Marshall gave a dry chuckle, though Elisa noted the humor sounded a bit forced. “I’ve no problem leaving such activity to the two of you. Malachi and I have some business to conduct before the dawn hour, and given his earlier protectiveness, I expect he cannot wait to have his servant safely away from you both.”

During the exchange, household staff freshened their drinks. Katrine met Elisa’s gaze, gave her a nod. It had been strange and unsettling at first, domestic servants coming and going while she knelt naked at Mal’s feet, but Elisa found she was almost getting used to it. In fact, with him stroking her hair, occasionally teasing the line of her shoulder, she almost felt . . . Well, comfortable wasn’t the best word, but she wasn’t as unsettled as she’d been before. Gustav, Mal, even Cynthia and Jonathan, maybe had been right. Something in her, with him as her Master, worked with this. It was probably best not to think too much further on it. At least tonight.

The night was drawing to a blissful close. The staff had brought in coffee. When Mal chose a dark Colombian, he lifted Elisa’s wrist to his mouth, nuzzled her there, a sensual warning before he pricked her gently, drained some of her blood into the cup, flavoring the brew. She saw that Cynthia had done the same, bringing Christophe forward so he pressed against the back of her chair, his arm over her shoulder, forearm resting with casual intimacy on it. She dipped her head to rub against his skin after she made the puncture.

For all that she’d just experienced, and even what she’d experienced up to now with Mal, this was still the most intimate thing about being his servant, because it was the one thing that was never shared. Since third-marking her, Mal would only use her blood for nourishment, only allow her to provide for his needs in this way. To be able to bring pleasure to his life, protection, sustenance . . . Elisa shivered as if his breath had moved over her skin. It really would be better if she thought about this at some other time, when she wasn’t in some half-dream state, in the middle of a decadent, macabre fairy tale in the altogether.