LITMIR.BIZ

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it did not belong with my thoughts, so to save my sanity I was going to assume it was my subconscious.

      Running back up the stairs two at a time, I bolted back into Kaspar’s room to find Annie finishing off and tying a knot in the bag that carried the empty boxes.

      ‘Are you sure he won’t just go ahead anyway?’ I asked.

      ‘No, ’cause if anything goes wrong, then he’s in trouble.’

      I nodded and scrawled a note out on a slip of paper I had found on the mantle – ‘Always use protection, sucker!’

      I placed it into the one remaining empty condom box and slipped it back into the drawer of his bedside cabinet, before darting back into my room to wait.

      It was near midnight when I heard the first giggles and, peeking out from my door, I could see it was the same leggy blonde who had been over a few times. Charity, I think she was called – she was anything but.

      About fifteen minutes slipped by before I heard movement and frustrated exclamations followed by a roar as my door was flung open. Kaspar stormed into my room and glared, his eyes a bottomless black.

      ‘Recognize this?’ he said between heavy breaths, holding the condom box up, the note scrunched in his hand. I shook my head, trying to focus on that action rather than his eyes, or worse, on Annie, in case he tried to get in my head and read my thoughts.

      Charity came in behind him, dishevelled as though she had dressed in a hurry. Her bleached hair stuck out at odd angles and her bright pink lipstick was smudged across the corners of her lips. She glared at me through narrowed eyes. ‘What the heck is your problem?’ she whined, like a child who had lost her favourite toy.

      ‘No problems. Why, do you have one?’ I pulled my most innocent smile, aware that Kaspar looked a little more than angry.

      In a blur he had launched himself across the room. He collided with my side to take me with him and I was sent rolling across the bed, coming to a halt when my head hit the bedside cabinet. I let out a scream as he landed on top of me, pinning me to the bed. I winced through gritted teeth as the corner of the cabinet dug into my spine.

      ‘Get off me, you horny git!’ I screeched, kicking and flailing, revolted at his closeness.

      ‘Why, am I making you uncomfortable? Maybe I will use you instead!’ he snarled, a tormenting smirk twisting his face. His eyes were devoid of any emotion – he meant it. Straddling me with one leg either side of my stomach, he forced me deeper into the mattress, pinning my hands above my head. He began to pull my shirt up and I heard squeals of protest from Charity, which merged with the protests of the mattress as I tried to fight free.

      But then he was gone. I raised my head a little to see Fabian and Charlie wrestling him away, gaining quite a few scratches. With the tiniest sigh of relief, I scrabbled back up and pulled my shirt down back over my stomach, blushing and full of more anger than ever.

      ‘What the hell is going on?’ Fabian bellowed. He looked Kaspar and Charity in the eye, as though daring them to lie. ‘Are you all right?’ he added, glancing in my direction. I nodded, wrapping my arms around my middle without thinking.

      ‘Never mind if she’s all right, she stole Kaspar’s condoms!’ Charity accused, pointing at me.

      At that moment, Lyla entered, laughing. ‘Tragic,’ she muttered, but everyone heard. Kaspar shot her a furious look and shook himself free of Charlie’s grasp.

      ‘Is that true, Violet?’ Fabian asked, assuming the role of the diplomat. My expression of guilt must have answered his question, because he continued. ‘Where are they?’

      I shook my head, refusing to answer. A second later, several very powerful, very intrusive minds entered mine and my thoughts became displaced and chaotic. I fought to hide everything, but somehow, the details of my plan slipped through. I could do nothing but hope they hadn’t realized a maid had helped.

      ‘Kitchen,’ Fabian grunted and Kaspar raced out, followed by Charity. I didn’t plan to follow, but Fabian’s look of indignation corrected that.

      ‘You idiot,’ he scolded. ‘Why couldn’t you just keep your head down? You’re going to make your life here hell.’

      I pushed past him as he held the door open for me. ‘I don’t want a life here,’ I muttered. Not waiting to see if he replied, I headed down the stairs and towards the kitchen. But maybe he’s right. Maybe I have gone too far.

      When I got to the kitchen, they were pulling the bottle from the back of the fridge. Fabian tipped it upside down over the sink and a few drops of blood dribbled out. The condoms collected around the neck, ruined.

      Charity turned to me, her expression moving from stunned to disappointed to murderous and it was at that point that I knew I was in for it. I turned to run, but she was already flying towards me, razor-sharp pink-acrylic nails bared. Grabbing my shirt she yanked me back and swiped at my face. I felt her nails gouge my skin and howled as she went to take another shot, but came to my senses long enough to throw my full body weight at her. It didn’t do much, but it was enough for Charlie and Lyla to grab her.

      ‘You’re just a fat jealous cow,’ she spat, wiping her eyes and smudging her make-up so she had a grey ring around each eye.

      ‘Excuse me?’ I hissed.

      ‘I said, you’re a fat jealous cow!’

      ‘I heard what you said,’ I jeered back.

      She shrugged free from Lyla’s grip and straightened her skirt, which had ridden up. ‘Whatever. Just keep out of other people’s business, will you? Come on, Kaspar.’

      ‘Wow. I didn’t know they made bitches and whores rolled into one,’ I muttered as she was just about to pass through the door, Kaspar following like an obedient dog. She froze.

      ‘Take that back,’ she snarled, her eyes moving from blue to black.

      ‘No,’ I said coolly and she let out a cry, lunging for me with her eyes transfixed on my neck. I yelled, trying to throw her off. She scratched me once more, but, before she could do any more, we were being yanked apart – Fabian’s strong arms were wrapped around my stomach, as Kaspar pulled Charity away. She wasn’t struggling, but she threw insult after insult at me, which I ignored until she struck where it hurt.

      ‘You should have killed her while you had the chance, Kaspar. I know what these human girls are like. They’ll come on to anything with legs.’

      I surged forward, but Fabian held me firm. ‘Don’t worry; I wouldn’t touch your kind with a bargepole.’

      ‘Yeah, right,’ she replied, squirming into Kaspar’s arms, stroking the side of his face. Kaspar didn’t respond with the same affection, but pulled her closer, in a mechanical fashion. She didn’t seem to notice. ‘Come on, baby, let’s go hunt for humans; I’m sick of animal blood.’ She eyed me as she said it, knowing what effect it would have.

      ‘You’re sick.’ My voice was becoming hoarse. ‘Sick parasites.’

      Charity didn’t notice. She was staring at the door as the King entered. With downturned faces, the vampires bowed and curtsied. Fabian stood straight with difficulty, his arms still clenched around me.

      I did nothing, turning away. Why should I curtsey?

      He turned to Charity first, who extracted herself from Kaspar’s grasp and hung her head, managing to throw me a scathing look every few seconds.

      ‘I will remind you, Miss Faunder, that your father’s position in the council and court is subject to the actions of both himself and his family.’ His deep voice did not waver with anger, but contained a clear menace. ‘Go,’ he instructed, and she disappeared, not waiting to be told twice.

      Then he turned to me and I shrunk, pierced by his grey eyes, so cold they sent a shiver running down my spine. Fabian loosened his grip, realizing I was not going to try anything

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