MasukWhat does he mean by “Now, undress”?
Does he intend to have his way with me before sucking my blood? Jeez… why can’t he just get it over with instead of keeping me on tenterhooks? I grumbled inwardly, my heart pounding against my ribs. I had no idea where the sudden surge of courage came from. Before I could bite my tongue, the words slipped out. "Just finish me off at once!" I cried, my voice echoing through the room. What did I just utter?! Did I just fuel his rage and give him a reason to kill me on the spot? His crimson eyes suddenly blazed a terrifying shade of scarlet. “I-I… I-I’m s-s-so sorry,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to anger you.” Without a word, he began stalking toward me, his sharp fangs slowly descending from behind his lips. He pulled me closer until I was pressed against him, as though he was about to sink his fangs into my neck and drain every last drop of my blood. "I-I... I..." Then everything went black, and I fainted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I slowly fluttered my eyes open, only to notice that I was still alive. I immediately ran my trembling hands over every inch of my body, searching for any sign of a vampire bite, but to my utter disbelief, there wasn’t a single mark. Am I dreaming? I wondered, struggling to wrap my head around it. Before I could wrap my head around it, the door suddenly swung open. Zyren strode in, carrying a silver tray laden with a steaming plate of crispy golden fried chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and a glass of fresh juice. “Good afternoon, little one. I brought you lunch,” he said, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “I’m not hungry,” I said. Not after what happened a few hours ago. He’s probably feeding me so I’ll taste even sweeter before he finally eats me, I thought to myself. “If you starve yourself, you’ll only be giving me the perfect opportunity to suck your blood and drain you dry. By then, you’ll be far too weak to put up a fight,” he said, a teasing grin tugging at the corners of his lips. I snatched the tray from his hands and immediately began devouring the food like a starving wolf, barely stopping to breathe between bites. He moved closer to me, gently patted my head, and smiled. "There you go, little one." He looks so calm... Does he genuinely care about me, or is he merely putting on an act? I murmured to myself, trying to read between the lines. I should just play along for now. Dead men tell no tales, and I have no intention of dying here. I'll survive first... then I'll figure out a way to escape this place. My train of thought was cut short by the sound of his voice. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Caught red-handed, I quickly masked my expression and simply shook my head. "Nothing," I muttered. He studied me for a brief moment, as though trying to read between the lines. "Ruby, I have business to attend to, and I won't be back until tonight," he said as he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. Then his expression turned serious. "Stay indoors. Don't wander around the mansion. Curiosity killed the cat, and this place is far more dangerous than it looks," he warned, his tone leaving no room for argument. With that, he turned on his heel and walked out, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts. I waited for a few minutes before quietly tiptoeing outside, careful not to make a sound. What he doesn't know won't hurt him, I mumbled to myself. I strode through the winding corridors and broad hallways until I finally stepped outside. There, naked men and women flaunted their bodies without shame, flirting openly and teasing one another with every glance and gesture. I saw a tall woman with full breasts leaned back against a stone pillar, legs spread wide as a man knelt between them and licked her pussy in slow, deliberate strokes. Her fingers tangled in his hair while another woman stepped close and sucked on her nipples, drawing soft moans from her throat. I cautiously weaved my way between the two men facing each other, one gripping the other's cock and stroking it firmly while they kissed hard. A third person dropped to their knees right there on the grass and took the first man's length into their mouth, sucking with wet, eager sounds. “I kept my head down and my footsteps light, hoping to slip by unnoticed.” "Is this how vampires truly live their lives?" Do they have no shame at all? I murmured under my breath, shaking my head in disbelief. Further along the path, two men stood facing each other, one gripping the other's cock and stroking it firmly while they kissed hard. A third person dropped to their knees right there on the grass and took the first man's length into their mouth, sucking with wet, eager sounds. I passed a group of four—two women and two men—arranged in a loose circle in a pool. One woman rode a thick cock reverse, her ass bouncing with each thrust, while the man beside her fingered her clit. The second woman lay back with her legs over the shoulders of the remaining man, who fucked her steadily, his hips slapping against her thighs. Their eyes met mine as I walked by, and one of the women licked her lips in clear invitation. Eww!!!!!!! How the hell was that? I whispered under my breath. A short distance away, a man sat on the grass with a woman straddling his face, grinding her pussy against his tongue while she leaned forward to suck another man's cock. Saliva dripped down her chin as she took him deeper, her hips rolling in rhythm with the licks between her legs. Everywhere I looked, skin glistened under the sun, hands explored freely, and moans mixed with laughter. People changed partners without pause, some watching openly while others joined in. The air felt thick with the sounds and scents of sex happening in plain view. I couldn't care less about them. My mind was solely focused on one thing: finding a way out of this place before it was too late. “Hey, bitch.” A man with piercing blue eyes and an intense gaze stopped me in my tracks. His presence was intimidating enough to make my entire body stiffen. I froze like ice, unable to move. “Are you here for fun?” His voice cut through the noise around me. The man with piercing blue eyes stared at me with a confidence that made my instincts scream to run. Before I could step away, his hand settled around my waist, pulling me slightly closer. “You’re not one of us,” he murmured. “Your blood scent is different… much different, his eyes narrowed.” “You’re human, aren’t you?” “Ohhh…” He tilted his head, realization dawning in his expression. “You must be the boss’s new toy.” My stomach tightened at his words. “Fascinating,” he whispered, looking me over with curiosity. “A human inside our world… now that’s something I don’t see every day.” He revealed his fangs, making an attempt to sink them into my neck. I stood there trembling, my entire body frozen with fear, already whispering my final prayers as I prepared for the worst. But then— A voice cut through the air, making everyone and everything come to a standstill. “How dare you.”RUBY POV I just stood there, completely dumbfounded.“You’re just like your mom,” she said. “Nothing more than a coward who married a human thinking everything was going to end up well… like some fairytale. But look at her. She met her death at the hands of a human.And vampires? They’re no different. Evil. Greedy. Stupid. Way more stupid than humans.”Zyren was already losing it. You could see it in the way his shoulders locked up, the way his hands kept curling into fists.“Then why the fuck are you here?” he yelled. “You manipulated my father and you think that’s going to work on me? You lied. No freaking way. Just get the hell out of here and leave us alone.”She didn’t even flinch. She just kept walking closer to me.“You think getting married to him will spare you the suffering? You must be a child if you think that way. Vampires are the most cunning creatures on earth.Why don’t you come with me? Join me. You can take revenge on the ones who made you suffer… the ones who kille
RUBY POVThere was a woman in her late thirties, wearing the same veiled hat as the one I'd seen earlier. Who is she? How did she know my name? And why did Andrew suddenly look like a boy caught doing something he shouldn't have?I didn't know what to say or how to react to hearing her say my name so easily, but something told me to choose my words carefully. She didn't look ordinary. I didn't need a soothsayer or a seer to tell me her intentions toward me weren't good."Ruby," she said, voice smooth, almost amused. "You look surprised to hear me call you by name, even though we've never met before today."I said nothing. Andrew, surprisingly, said nothing either — didn't step in, didn't try to stop whatever this was from happening."Your aura." She tilted her head beneath the veil. "Not human. Not vampire. Then what, exactly, are you?"She moved closer, the brim of her hat still shadowing her face completely, and reached for my hands. The moment her fingers touched mine, something sh
RUBY POVI was helping prepare for the marriage ceremony when Isolde , one of the slaves, called me into her room."So. You. Tell me more about yourself — how did you end up so fucked up that you landed in Zyren's arms?""Miss, nothing about me is really important," I said, and turned to leave."And who do you think you are, walking out on me? Huh? A princess? Someone from the royal family or what?""I'm sorry, Miss Isolde," I said, bowing slightly."Well, I'm sure you're aware that by noon, me and your master will tie the knot. After that, you'll have no place here — not you, not that stupid family of yours.""Yes, I know, miss," I replied."Nah. You should correct yourself better. I am your master's wife, and very soon, I'll be queen of all vampires." She smiled, clearly pleased with herself."Yes, I know, my queen," I said."Good girl." She looked me over. "So tell me — how did you end up here, and what exactly did you do to make Zyren so glued to you?""I did nothing to Zy— to my
RUBY Three days have passed in a blur, and we've all been busy preparing for Zyren's marriage to Isolde. Though I've had days where I cried, I keep hoping everything goes the way Zyren planned. Cecilia is still locked up in her cell, and her mother hasn't done much either — just quiet and silent in the wing they put her in.Isabella and Ana's master brought them along, and strange faces have been coming in and out of the estate ever since. Zyren's parents haven't set foot in the estate or his private wing, and I'm sure it's because they don't care who he marries — all they want is the vampire throne, the title of Lord. Andrew came two days ago, but he didn't stay long. Just his usual shenanigans, bragging about how he's going to make me his, whether I want him or not.I don't know what to think about me and Zyren anymore. I trust his decisions, whatever plan he has for us. But what if it backfires? What if they actually get married for real? Then I'd have no reason to stay by his sid
“Huh, hey.I called Joel. Hey, are you sure you’re fine ? He studied me for a long moment before speaking. "I'm glad you found your fated mate. Truly. But do you think your father — the elders — are just going to let this slide? Marrying a human instead of a noble vampire could seriously damage your standing for the Lord title." He paused, letting that sink in. "I know you understand what that means. The only reason none of this has escalated faster is because of your blood — pureblood, and not just any pureblood. A bloodline the vampire world hasn't seen in centuries. That's the only leverage keeping the wolves back right now." He crossed his arms. "Marrying her only slows you down further. Gives every rival watching — your father, your brother, Isolde's father, and plenty of others you don't even know exist yet — exactly the opening they've been waiting for." "I know," I said quietly. "But I never wanted the title. Not from the beginning." I looked away, out toward the window.
ZYREN…I left the den without giving Isolde an answer, her offer trailing after me like smoke I couldn't quite shake off. Marry me. The nerve of it, even now, even from behind bars, still trying to bargain her way into a life I'd never wanted her in.I was halfway down the hall when Kai came jogging toward me, and one look at his face told me everything had changed."Boss — it's Ruby. She's awake."I didn't remember moving. One second I was standing in the corridor, the next I was pushing through the door to her room, chest tight with something too big to name — relief and fear tangled together so completely I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.She was sitting up, propped against a mountain of pillows, pale but awake, her eyes finding mine the moment I stepped inside. Joel was hovering near the window, and the doctor stood at the foot of the bed, quietly packing away his instruments like he'd been waiting for this exact moment to make his exit."Zyren," she breathed.I







