The Vampire's Crimson Kiss (Editing)

Chapter 23/When you sleep with wolves you're a feast for fleas

I sat in my rooms on my bed in the black keep. Having removed my dust worn riding clothes, I  had changed into my nightshirt. The vampires had this odd habit of dressing for bed.

Mary returned with a washing bowl. I was disappointed. disappointed not to have reached the point where Sadismann had broken his promise to the King. This was also tinged with the regret it was such a bad idea and some guilt over Lady Valeria's attack. I was a bad girl. I sat on my bed, folded up my chin on my knees my arms embracing my legs like I was some flat packed furniture from Ikea.

"So how was your habas with Lord Sadismann" said Mary masquerading being happy.

"I don't know what you mean and even if I did know what you mean, I don't know how you know what you mean," I said. 

"I clean your clothes milady and I was in his personal stock, you think I don't know the smell and taste of him?"

I looked at her "You lick my clothes?" I'm like a salt lick for my servants how disgusting. 

"How do you think the Cub and I get them so clean?" Mary said jokingly.

I looked away "I'm sorry, I can't carry on. I know you're trying to raise my sprits. Any news of Lady Velencia?"

Mary continued to pick things up and straighten things away "Well the goodnews is that Lady Velencia is apparently rescued by a party of long coats lead by Sadismann him self. She's in some safe house until sunset."

I looked at my knees "and the bad news"

"Well she might have decided to break the rule of abstinence,"

I felt so guilty. He had done this whole hunt for me. I had spent ages wondering if he really wanted me. Out of the keep he had shown his true colors. He was afraid of spies even in his own bed room. Now what should have been a moment of showing true feelings had been stained with the death of the inocent. "I can hardly say I could blame her" I said.

"Rightly so, but she bleed a number of the First Earth Army in the process. Kirack and party got the blood lust and managed to leave a carpet of blood through the city looking for her. Like she couldn't protect her self." said Mary handing something to Cub.

"That's terrible" I said. People had died out there, but all I felt was how much I had missed the only opportunity with him "How many died?"

"Wolfheads, long coats and familiars? No, but you mean the number of commonalty don't you? No one knows with surety. A few score perhaps more. No one will go out to count before nightfall the locals will take bodies away"

"A few score that's terrible" the ultimate blood party.

"No what's terrible is that you were seen on the jetty waiting to get back. Silver neck they call you, know that?'

I nodded my head.

"Well you were covered in Fox blood and particularly impatient to get back to the keep. So the city council has gotten the idea that it was a flesh hunt and you were blooded in it. They might even think the Lady Velencia is you and you've kill many of the commonalty even first earth army."

"I would never do anything like that. I was the one that made sure it was animal only" I said. This was terrible.

"I know princess." Mary continued bringing me a cup of Tea "Drink this it helps with schok. He made the rule of abstinence to favour you. Now the blood lord who knows how many immortals to punish, the coven views punishing immortals for consuming human flesh is like punishing you for breathing. Fortunately Harkman is a supporter of the High priestesses fraction the grey guard. Sadismann would be counciled to use this as an excuse to stake his sorry ass, blood god for give me for saying ill of my masters"

" So I'm seen as the Princess of midnight held as bad as the coven, but worse so because I'm still mortal." I said. My dad used to say sleep with wolves wake up with flees. I was a feast for them

"I guess you know how I feel. But I think your feeling as guilty about this I am" said Victoria.

'Well it could have been better managed' admitted Mary. 'All this because Sadismann wanted to send a message to your farther that you were alive and well treated he hoped there would be spies watching the parade'

'Will he take you from me?'

'He's more adept at court politics, plot and counter plot. He's good in a crisis but don't hold anything he says in passing as iron bond after sober reflection'

"Oh Mered" I said the "I've just noticed I don't have my Matercrine I must have left it in the building I was in"

"Urad it's his sign on it." Mary said rushing over "If anyone finds it they will see your stiletto marks and his foot marks in the dust, the blood of the fox, the Matercrine and know what happened. The Matercrine will be the perfect evidence to your farther of bond break. If it fell into the wrong hands he would have to declare insurrection"

"Dam, look it's probably sitting around there." I said.

"Your right, I'll send message to Aarin, he loyal to the master. He can ask his wolfheads and knows Bodkin street well enough to look"

Mary felt short at the news and set Cub off with a message for Aarin.

She came back "Hey how about cheering you up ? A change of clothes, a tighter corset, new shoes, some wine, a few drops of Venom you make a night of it what do you think? But keep the oxblood colour I like it, its a good colour on you."

I was weak. I was a bad girl. f**k yeah.