Chapter 15

Damien’s POV

Rose’s shoulders slumped, and her chin dropped to her chest. Both of these were clear indicators to me that she was no longer willing to defend herself, and that she had been lying.

Sophia had spoken the truth, then. This meant that my pet needed to be punished.

“Trespassing in a forbidden place carries a sentence of one hundred lashes with the whip,” I said allowed, wanting my pet to know how serious this error in her judgement was, and how deeply she was now expected to pay for it.

“That she went so blatantly against your authority only shows how much she despises you, Duke,” Sophia added. “I believe this punishment should be doubled.”

I kept my gaze on my Rose’s face, looking for any indicator of apology or regret. Instead, as before, when I had gazed into her eyes in my room, she seemed empty. Vacant.

I had wanted an obedient pet, but this one seemed… broken.

I didn’t enjoy that as much as I had thought I would. Perhaps the fear of the whip would return her to life.

“Follow,” I commanded her. I had thought I might have to force her, but instead, she fell into step behind me.

The other slaves fled from the room. Sophia closed the door behind us and then followed Rose and I into a stairwell and down, down, into the lowest levels of the castle where the dungeons were located.

Even in a castle with few windows, the light down here was dim, merely flickering firelight from the nearby torches.

I didn’t turn, but I could hear Rose’s heartbeat quicken with fear. Good. She could still be effected after all, even if she was attempting to hide it.

I lead her into one of the open chambers, then grabbed a whip from the wall of torturous implements. Turning back around, I commanded my pet, “Kneel in center of this room.”

Rose hesitated only for a moment before she did as I demanded. She moved to the center of the room and then carefully went to her knees.

Walking closer to her, I started to unravel the whip.

Sophia watched from the doorway, poorly attempting to hide her grin.

Rose lowered her head.

I raised the whip, ready to strike.

Yet… I couldn’t make myself follow through. Keeping my arm aloft, I tried to make it fall, to swing the whip to tear into Rose’s back.

Sophia seemed to notice my hesitation. “She has disobeyed you, Duke Damien. She deserves to be punished.”

I knew that. I agreed.

But I could not make myself hurt her.

Finally, I surrendered to my body’s rejection of this act and lowered the whip once more. “Whipping her would leave scars on my pet. My pet should be perfect.”

“But, Duke –”

I didn’t want to hear whatever she had to say, so I interrupted with, “Take my pet to one of the confinement chambers. That will be punishment enough.”

As Sophia stepped forward to obey my commands, I threw the whip down onto the ground and stormed from the room, not glancing at my pet even once.

I allowed my feet to lead me and was soon surprised to find myself standing in the forbidden room, just inside the door. Looking around briefly, I had no memory of this place or whom it could have belonged to. But being here, and having seen Rose here, made me so deeply furious…

I couldn’t explain why, not even to myself.

I only knew that this was a room that should have never been opened.

Standing in there too long, my head started to ache, a strange occurrence for a vampire as old and as powerful as me. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to feel pain.

I felt moderately better leaving the room, yet a persistent annoyance stuck in my mind. I had the strangest feeling as if I had forgotten something very important, but the more I tried to think on what it could be, the further it felt from my grasp.

Suddenly I felt completely exhausted. As I had no more duties for the day, I returned to my room and crawled into my bed.

The minute my eyes were closed, I was pulled into a deep sleep.

Usually, my nights were dreamless, but tonight I imagined I was standing at the end of a hallway. There was a figure on the other end, facing away from me. A woman, wearing a regal blue gown. She felt familiar to me so I approached her.

More gently than I had touched anyone in a very long time, I pressed my hand to the small of her back.

She turned to face me, and my breath caught. She smiled at me happily, as if the sight of me pleased her.

Strangely, she looked just like my pet.

I blinked and I was awake again, staring at the ceiling of my room.

The way I had touched that woman in my dream, as if she had been familiar to me, as if I had some affection for her…

How could I not remember her at all?

Yet, even thinking of her now, my heart stirred in a way it never had before. It was subtle, a barely noticeable twitch. But for someone like me, who felt so very little anymore, this twitch felt like an earthquake.

Olivia’s POV

I wasn’t sure how long I was in this dark cell. I was surrounded on all sides by sheet metal walls, without an inch of light getting through. The only time for the past… however long it had been… that I could see was when a small slat opened in the door and some crusts of bread and old fruit were chucked in.

Days must have passed. I had no way of knowing that, besides the ache in my ones and the hunger in my stomach. I thought they were only giving me enough food to keep me alive.

Then, suddenly, with a searing flash of light, the door opened and the silhouette of Sophia stepped into my doorway.

“Slave. Look lively. All vampire pets are required to attend the banquet tonight with their masters,” she snapped.

Obediently, I tried to push myself upright, but my legs were weak from misuse.

As I shambled toward the door, she scoffed, “Don’t look so eager. When I say vampire pets, I don’t mean you. Damien no longer has any interest in you, after what you’ve done. I wouldn’t be surprised if he fully abandons you this time.”

My blood drained from my face at her words. If I no longer belonged to Damien, did that mean I was going to be killed?

Still, having no choice but to obey, I followed Sophia out of the hallway of cells and up into the main part of the building. Having been here before, I knew she was leading me toward the slave chambers.

“Sophia,” Damien barked from behind us. We both froze.

Sophia turned to face him first. “I’m merely taking care of this wretch, Duke Damien. She will not be an eyesore to you for very long.”

“Take her to my chambers and have the slaves clean her there,” Damien said. “I am to take her to the banquet tonight.”

This time, Sophia was the one to pale. As she was already deathly white, she now looked ashen.

“You would take this lowly wolfless to the vampire banquet? How could she possible be worthy to attend you?” Sophia demanded, disbelief in her voice.

I half turned my head, watching the ground as Damien approached. His voice ice cold, he told Sophia, “When did it become your duty to interfere in my affairs?”

“I…” Sophia had no answer, and stumbled over her words.

“Get out of my sight,” Damien demanded. “Send the slaves to assist Rose, but do not show your face to me again unless I call for it.”

“Yes, Duke,” Sophia said. I looked up just as she turned away, and our eyes locked. She glared at me fiercely, the jealousy raging in her eyes.

I was stunned.