Annabelle was sitting by the window on the settee waiting for Zane.He said he’d deal with her later, but how much time did he mean by ‘later’? Every minute seemed to tick by as if they were hours.She’d look at the little alarm clock with its old fashioned bells on top, thinking that an hour had passed and it had only been twenty minutes.She didn’t know why she was so earnestly anticipating Zane’s visit to her room, maybe it was because she just wanted to get it over with.Dreading her punishment seemed more frightening than actually receiving it would be.
Annabelle sighed deeply as she looked out the window.She slumped in her place as she studied the view outside.Zane’s quarters were up on the highest levels of one of the castle towers, spanning wide and a few stories tall.Annabelle could not see the river since she was on the other side of the wide tower.Her view wasn’t bad, though.It overlooked the front lawns.She could never frolic down there, but she could watch as the vampires did.There was a thick forest beyond, Zane owned a large portion of it as well, it was gated all the way around.Privacy, protection, whatever reason he chose to do that she didn’t know.Or, maybe to exercise his power, a way of saying… come near to me uninvited? Prepare to be punished.
Bree had said that Zane had good in him.Annabelle did believe it.Even when he was angry with Bree, even as he was biting her out on the balcony, his face had in it, seeping through the expression of anger, a strong sorrow.But, she was his beloved wife.Annabelle was just a slave – one who had disobeyed.
There was a quiet knock at the door.It startled Annabelle and she stood up.She smoothed her apron, glad that she had donned her uniform as she didn’t want Zane to see her again in her robe and night dress. She had tied back her hair, fearful that Zane would use it to throw her across the room or something.But, that was silly.If he wanted to throw her, he’d do it with or without her hair.
The knock sounded again.It was too soft to be Zane, she assumed that he would be nearly breaking her door down.“Come in, the door is open.”
The door opened a crack and Zane’s voice spoke into it.“Are you decent?”
“Yes, Master.I am dressed.” Annabelle couldn’t hide the trembling in her voice.Zane then entered her room and lightly closed the door behind him.“It must be this room,” he looked around him, “it evokes love or something.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Just thinking out loud.” This is the very room where Mitzi had accepted Zane’s show of compassion with a huge hug and complete forgiveness.In this room, he had learned the nature of that girl, so kind and giving, and he had realized how much he had really cared about her.“Annabelle, you were warned about this kind of behavior, associating with my wife as an equal.”He walked to her and sat on a chair in the corner near her bed.She stood looking down and fidgeted with her apron.“And yet, you still did it.Granted, my wife probably invited you, but you should have declined.In time, she will get used to it.And eventually, when she is a vampire herself, she will have many friends to – ‘share the moonscape with.’”
“Master, she wanted to show me I think because it excited her, the beauty of it.She wanted to share it with someone tonight.”
“Are you making excuses for her, Annabelle?”
Annabelle lowered her eyes and said nothing.What should she say, anyway?Was it good to make excuses for a woman who invited her to disobey her master’s orders?Orders that he had made very clear?“Annabelle, I asked you a question.”
“I am, I guess.It wasn’t her fault.Your wife is so kind.But I should have declined, said I was too tired or that I wasn’t feeling well.”
“No, you should have declined by telling her the truth.That you did not want to disobey.” Zane sighed as he looked toward the window. “My wife, she is truly kind and thinks so much of the happiness of others, but I am still her superior, her Emperor, just as I am yours or anyone’s.She needs to understand that she is safer if she just follows the rules I lay out for her.It is because I love her so much.Also, I need to be careful running an empire filled with more humans than vampires.Things are good now, but when my wife disobeys me, it can really upset the balance of things.And you,” he pointed at her, “could be a part of upsetting the balance if you don’t obey me when it comes to her.”
