Submitting to the Bloodlust

Temptations

Mauri POV

I've tried on six different outfits since I received notice from Jade that I would be attending a meeting with the king in an hour. I look in the mirror at myself in the little black dress that I pulled from my stocked closet. This is not me. This dress shows way too much skin for my taste. I look like a call girl who is about to attend a funeral... yeah, hard pass. Just as I'm about to pull it off, Jade walks back into my room.

"Ma'am, you will be leaving in five minutes."

"I'm not going, Jade!" I scream at the poor girl in frustration. Immediately, I apologize before she runs away and tattle-tales.

It's been a rough day and I immediately feel bad for lashing out on her.

After the weird encounter with Seth, I just haven't felt right. I keep reliving the scene in my head, and every time I notice something new about the incident. When he found me at the boutique with my mom, he seemed relieved, like he was worried that I was gone. But then, when we got behind closed doors, he turned into this obsessive monster who wanted to hurt me. Then we almost kissed. Talk about whiplash.

I honestly don't want to go anywhere with him.

Last week I was putting applications in for college as a human. Today I am getting ready to go to a secret meeting with the king of vampires as a freaking transitioning monster.

And oh my god, I'm so hungry. No amount of food or water is getting rid of the aching in my belly. I could eat an entire cow and still be starving.

I'm sitting on the edge of my bed with my face buried in my palms when I feel a presence and glance up through my fingers. Seth is standing in my doorway leaning against the frame, chewing on a toothpick casually. He's wearing dark blue jeans and a dress shirt that is only buttoned halfway. A neck tattoo connected to a chest piece peeks out from the misheaved fabric, and I find myself very curious as to what it could be.

With his right hand, he rolls up the sleeve of his shirt, his tattoo sleeves showing for the first time. I can make out a few details about the art. On his left forearm is a woman crying. Her tears are not normal though; they are blood. I wonder what other tattoos he is hiding beneath his clothes.

"You're not going, huh?" his voice is low, but not threatening like usual.

"No, I'm not." I'm firm and I try my best to keep my tone even. Immediately, I regret saying it when he stops chewing on his toothpick. His eyes piercing into mine. Clearly, he is displeased.

He walks into my room and disappears into my closet. I hear him rummaging around in boxes. I try to peek past the door to see what he is doing, but I cannot see him from my bed. He emerges holding a bundle of clothes in one hand and high heels in the other. He sets the stack next to me and places the pair of red stilettos on the top.

"I taught you how to feed, now I need you to do something for me. I will let them know we will be fifteen minutes late, that gives you ten minutes to change and five minutes to sulk." He strolls past me and out my door, shutting it behind him to give me privacy.

I want to sit here and sulk as he teased. I want to be mad that my time is no longer free, but I don't want him to win. He did break a rule and feed me; the least I can do is do whatever he needs me to do. I lay out the clothes from the stack and can't help but feel a sense of worry. The lace bra and panty set he had in the stack match the heels to a T. I hope he does not expect me to show anybody that they match.

I put the set on and look in the mirror; it's hot. I pull the jeans on and the shirt he picked out. I look good. He has good taste, and I may just let him pick out my clothes from now on.

The jeans he chose are dark like his and are skin-tight, showing off my slight curves. The shirt is a white silk top that swoops low enough in the back to show a sliver of the red lace bra I wear beneath it that matches my heels. I decide to leave my hair down since it will cover the open part of the shirt in the back. I pull the heels onto my feet and tighten the little strap around my ankle. I grab my phone and stick it in my back pocket before I leave my room.

I freeze when I stroll into his mass living area and see him feeding from Jade. She is laid out on the table beneath him. Her legs are spread and he is in between them. Her hands are on each side of her and her palms are flush to the table. Her eyes are scrunched closed like she is trying to think of anything else. His body is draped over hers, and his fangs are submerged in her neck.

The metallic smell of blood tickles my nostrils and that deep hunger creeps back into the pit of my stomach. I stand there and watch as he feeds from her. She does not touch him, she does not make a sound, or even look at him. He does not touch her either, only where his hand holds her in place by the back of her neck. His other hand is placed on the table beside her just like hers. When she rubs her leg on his hip, he comes up from the feed. “Jade…” he warns her in a stern voice. He is displeased that she touched him.

“I’m sorry sir.” She slurs like she is in a drunken trance.

He notices me out of the corner of his eye and calls me to him. I go to him, but very slowly. I’m cautious due to the intoxicating smell and the hunger it brings me. I don’t want to be a vampire; I don’t want to drink blood… but it smells so damn good. I cannot take my eyes off the stream of blood oozing from his fang punctures. I feel his chest press against my shoulder as he leans into me, “Are you hungry baby?” he asks, whispering into my ear. I shake my head no, lying to him, but I cannot peel my eyes from her wound. He comes closer, his breath tickling my ear, “Seal her wound for me, baby.” I peek over at him, he is inches from me, which makes my hunger grow even more ravenous.

“Does it hurt her?” I ask him sheepishly.

He shakes his head slowly and grins, “She enjoys it.”

I bend towards the wound, ready to seal it. I look into his eyes before I do, waiting for instructions. I only did this once; he will need to guide me. As soon as we lock eyes he smiles. “First you clean up the mess.” His instructions are soft but there is a hint of something heavy beneath his words.

I lick the stream of blood coming from her wound and accidentally let out a tiny whimper when the blood hits my tongue. “Feed if you need to.” His warm breath coaches me against my neck. The urge to feed is so sudden and strong that I have to grasp onto something to control myself. I don’t want to feed.

I run my tongue up her neck and twirl the tip around the tiny fang holes left in her flesh by the king. I want to put mine into the place his just were, but I don’t. I lick at her wound until I feel it close beneath my lips. I pull away from her, breathless, and glance up into his eyes. “Good girl.” He exclaims, in a husky voice. He pulls his hand up, showing me that I grabbed ahold of his. He chuckles at our intertwined fingers. God, I want him. Why do I want him? "Come, we need to go." he says and pulls me towards the back door of the castle. I smile to myself when I realize he still has ahold of my hand.

We get into the back of a black Suv that is completely blacked out. The rims, windows, lights, are all dark just like this city at night. Garret is in the driver's seat and another man who I have never seen before is in the passenger seat. Seth scrolls through his phone while we drive. I can't shake the antsy sensations that I feel sitting in silence. I try to stay still so I don't draw attention to myself but i either pick at my clothes or bounce my knee. I am a mess.

“Mario, water please.” Seth’s voice booms beside me, making me jump. The man in the passenger seat pulls a water bottle from his bag and tosses it to Seth. Seth set it on my lap and leans over to whisper into my ear, “You should have fed. The hunger will not go away without blood.” He sets back up and goes back to his phone. I chug the water in what feels like one gulp. Garrett's eyes keep wandering to me from the rearview mirror. He is probably curious as to why I am with the King.

“Where are we going?” I finally find the courage to ask. Garrett gives me a look in the rearview mirror, a warning to not ask questions, but I’m not afraid of the King. Seth is usually nice to me. I don't understand why others fear him so much.

Not taking his eyes from his phone, he shrugs his shoulders, “We are going to the human city.” His answer is quick, obviously uninterested in my question.

“Why?” I ask and this time Mario turns around and glares at me.

Seth looks up from his phone, first to Mario and then to me. He studies my face for a moment, taking a deep breath. “I have a meeting. I told you I needed your assistance.”

“What are you going to have me d-“

Before I can finish my sentence, Seth interrupts me. “Stop the car!” he demands. Garrett is quick to pull the car to the side of the road. We stop and everyone waits in silence. The only thing you can hear is the clicking of the blinker that is still on. “You two out!” His tone is demanding and the men in the front do not hesitate to fall out of the car. Seth leans up into the front and flicks the dial to the radio, turning the music up so the men outside the car won't hear him. He slides over next to me and grabs my chin with his hand. He pulls my face up to look into his eyes. I feel that submissive ripple run through me when his eyes flicker. He’s going to compel me.

“Please don’t compel me,” I whisper. “Just tell me what you want.” I don’t know what I did to upset him, but I know he’s upset. Despite his anger, I feel that sensation vanish.

“I want you to shut your f*****g mouth, Maurianna.” He almost growls when he speaks.

“Why? What did I do to upset you?” I can't help but ask. I don’t know what I did…

He lowers his head onto my neck and takes a deep breath in. He looks back up into my eyes and exhales. His chest vibrates as he lets out his breath and growls. “It is none of their f*****g business why you are with me, what we are doing or what your training consists of. I see the eyes Garrett keeps giving you, he’s curious and it's none of his business. Don’t ask any more questions that I have to answer around them. I don’t like questions as is, I tolerate yours because I’m your mentor. If you do it again, I will compel you. Do you understand?”

His body is still pressed against mine. My chin in his warm hands. It's dangerous to feel aroused by a man who is technically threatening me, but I am. f**k, I want him. I want to please him, so I do the one thing that I know will please him in this moment. I agree, “Yes sir.”