Chapter 7 Lady Vespera
CHAPTER 7: Lady Vespera
Seraphine's POV
I lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, wide awake and my brain wouldn’t shut up.
Aric Draven had just told me very clearly that he had no time for romance, no patience for feelings and no interest in anything beyond politics and stability. So why the hell was he next door having sex?
It didn’t make sense! I rolled onto my side and groaned quietly.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Another sound slipped through the wall… a breathy moan quite loud and shameless and my face burned.
“This is not my problem,” I muttered. “Not my problem at all.”
I squeezed my eyes shut but that didn’t help. The sounds were still there and clearer now.. too clear.
I stared at the door. Don’t do it, Seraphine.. my brain kept telling me but I sat up. Don’t. I still stood..
“Curiosity killed the cat,” I whispered. Still… I crept to the door.
There was a small gap where the door didn’t sit fully flush.. just enough to see a slice of the other room. I leaned forward and peeked. Instant regret..
Aric was there on his bed with a woman straddling him and her head thrown back with her voice loud and proud like the whole building needed to hear. I froze.
She was beautiful with long dark hair, smooth skin, very confident and very naked.
Aric’s hands were on her waist with his head tilted back like he didn’t have a care in the world.
My chest tightened and I pulled back fast like the door had burned me.
“Nope,” I whispered. “Absolutely not.”
I backed away and dropped onto the floor again, pulling my cloak up over my head like that would somehow block the noise but still it didn’t.
I clenched my jaw with anger bubbling in my chest for reasons I didn’t want to think too hard about. This was stupid.. I didn’t care who he slept with. I didn’t..
The only reason this bothered me was because of that stupid, cursed, one-sided bond. That was it and nothing else! There was just no way I'd be attracted to a monster like that.. a monster who I watched order the massacre of my family and tear my own father limb by limb..
Eventually... after what felt like forever... the sounds stopped and silence settled in. My body finally relaxed and this time, when sleep came, it dragged me down hard.
The next morning, the sound of my door opening jolted me awake and I shot upright with my heart racing as Aric walked in like he owned the place.. because he did. Behind him was a young Lycan girl carrying folded clothes and she looked nervous and kept her eyes low.
“Maya,” Aric said, not looking at her. “Make sure the human is fed and clothed.”
Human… I bit my tongue.
“Yes, my king,” the girl said softly.
Aric turned his gaze to me and my mind betrayed me immediately. The bed.. the woman and the sounds. Heat rushed up my neck and anger followed right after and something ugly and sharp that felt a lot like jealousy. I hated it!
Aric’s eyes narrowed and slowly, one brow lifted.
“So,” he said calmly, “you saw.”
I stiffened.
“Saw what?”
His lips curved.
“Don’t play dumb. You’re bad at it.”
“I wasn’t spying,” I snapped. “You and whoever that was were being ridiculously loud.”
He chuckled darkly like there was anything funny about the situation.
“You crept to my door,” he said. “That makes you a creep.”
My jaw dropped.
“Excuse me?”
“Next time,” he went on lazily, “I’ll keep the door wide open. That way you can enjoy the view properly.”
My face went hot.
“You’re a jerk you know that?”
“And that makes you a saint?” he shot back and I glared at him.
“You told me you had no time for love.”
“I don’t,” he said easily. “That wasn’t love.”
I hated how calm he sounded.. I hated that my chest hurt. He turned toward the door.
“Behave yourself, little human.”
Then he left and the door shut behind him. I let out a long breath. Maya stood frozen and clearly unsure what to do.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered suddenly. “He can be… like that.”
I blinked at her.
“You’re apologizing?”
She nodded with her eyes still down.
“Yes my lady.”
That caught me off guard.
“You don’t have to,” I said slowly.
She offered a small smile.
“I know. But still.”
Well. That was new. She moved toward the bed and began pulling off the dirty sheets, wrinkling her nose slightly.
“Thank you,” I added quietly.
“For what?”
“For not being rude.”
She laughed softly.
“You’re the first human I’ve met who didn’t scream or cry being in the midst of Lycans.”
“Give me time,” I muttered and She smiled wider and then the door opened again.
The woman from last night stepped in like she owned the room. She was fully dressed now.. dark red gown.. sharp eyes and a smirk already in place.
“Well,” she said, looking me up and down.
“So this is the human.”
I didn’t bother standing.
“And you are?”
She laughed.
“Bold. For trash.”
Maya stiffened beside me.
“I’ve been called worse,” I said coolly.
The woman’s smile sharpened.
“Careful. You’re in no position to run your mouth.”
“Funny,” I said. “You were louder with your mouth last night.”
Her eyes flashed and then she chuckled.
“Enjoy the floor, little human. You won’t last long here.”
“Neither will you,” I replied.
She leaned closer. “You’ll regret that.”
Then she turned and swept out of the room and Maya swallowed.
“You really don’t want her as an enemy.”
“Who was that?” I asked.
She hesitated.
“Lady Vespera Nightfall.”
The name landed hard even though I didn't know who she was.
“She was meant to be the king’s bride,” Maya continued quietly. “Before you.”
Oh. That explained a lot. We were still talking when suddenly...
“Watch out!” someone shouted from the doorway and I barely had time to turn before...