Page 70 of Stalk the Dark
She laughed, the sound rich and full. “Too many. But none as lovely as you, and that dress…such intricate workmanship. A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman.” Her gaze slid to Ezekiel. “Don’t you think so, Ezekiel?”
“Undoubtedly,” Ezekiel said flatly.
I’d have been insulted, but considering he’d hadme pressed to the wall with his cock rammed up against me less than ten minutes ago, I was merely confused.
“You must give me the name of your seamstress,” Zafrina continued.
I returned her smile. “Agatha’s Emporium in the parade.”
She made an ‘o’ with her mouth. “I must pay her a visit.”
A young male vampire joined us, his expression almost reverent as he took in Ezekiel. He bowed his head. “Your Majesty. It is truly an honor to meet you.”
“Who are you?” Ezekiel asked bluntly.
Zafrina smiled thinly. “This is Christian Constrange, the new leader of the House of Spirit.”
Ezekiel’s brows shot up. “Malcolm stepped down?”
“I’m afraid he took to the sun a decade ago,” Christian said.
“A shame.” Ezekiel sounded like he meant it, and the look on Zafrina’s face told me that she felt the same. Malcolm must be one of the old ones mention in my dossier.
“My father spoke fondly of you,” Christian said. “After his death, we set up Heartsblood, a charity to aid the less fortunate. We operate from the Church of Blood Saints.” His eyes lit up with fervor. “It’s a place to give thanks to the first.”
The first? He was referring to Ezekiel. And the wayhe was looking at him, as if he was some kind of god, made my skin crawl.
“It would mean so much to the parishioners if you could come and?—”
“No,” Ezekiel said. “I’m no god. Keep your church but remove me from it.”
Christian balked. “But, but I?—”
Ezekiel walked away, taking me with him. Ordell and Hemlock followed a step behind.
I squeezed his arm. “That was rude.”
“Do I look like I give a shit, Miss Lighthart?”
We spent the next half hour mingling with vampires of all ages. Several had humans in tow who were offered to Ezekiel, but the king declined each one. I tried to catch each human’s eye, but they either avoided looking directly at me or seemed dazed.
At one point, Ezekiel handed me over to Ordell and instructed us to stay close as he joined a group of vampires dressed in black. Their voices dropped low as they spoke conspiratorially for a moment.
“House of Shadows,” Ordell said, even though I hadn’t asked.
But I was more interested in the humans standing a little to one side of the group. Two men each sporting a black ribbon around his neck.
“Are they here willingly?”
“I doubt it,” Hemlock said. “Their veins belong to the elite. They go and do as they are told.”
“But they’re well taken care of,” Ordell added. “Fed,clothed, and coddled. The elite are extremely particular about their veins.”
“Crossbreeding them carefully to produce the perfect vintage,” Hemlock added, not bothering to temper his bitter tone.
Like cattle…except, these humans were trussed up in finery and topped with ribbons to identify which house they belonged to.
Several were being fed on—short feedings—tastings that took place in groups where the other vampires chatted amiably.
