Sinjin, A Vampire Romance

Chapter Sixteen

Bryn

The very next evening, I had two unexpected visitors. Holed up in my room, I was reading Sun Tzu's The Art of War, but not paying much attention to it. Instead, my thoughts kept alternating between Luce's visit and my sexual escapades with Sinjin. I was both mortified and stimulated by the thought of coming so close to losing my virginity to Sinjin. Although I wished I could deny it, there was a part of me that sorely wished I had.

As to Luce's visit, I was still processing it. I hated the fact that Luce hadn't taken me back with him, because it would have been the easiest way to escape—not only from my jailers, but also from the onslaught of feelings that were suddenly awakened in me, sensations I had no business feeling.

I didn't know what to think about the idea of befriending my enemies. I wasn't even sure how to go about doing it. The entire time I'd been here, my protective walls were up. I didn't know how to drop them, or if that were even possible. And my other problem was how to befriend these people cunningly—no one would buy it if I went from being the ice princess one day to warm and friendly the next. No, I would have to work on my approach. I had to come up with a plan to win my sister and her people over. And that task wasn't going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination.

I exhaled a deep breath of angst and worry as I glanced around, finding myself alone yet again. The vampire, meanwhile, was in the living room, busying himself by incessantly clicking through the channels on the television. In the course of the evening, which was now nine p.m., we'd barely managed to say two words to one another. To say things were uncomfortable and strained between us was an understatement.

"Ah, what a surprise," I heard him announce, in a slightly muffled voice. I was sitting on my bed with my door closed. I could hear him turning off the television before the sounds of shuffling of multiple feet, which were obviously not his since he ordinarily moved without making any sound.

"We've come to speak with the prisoner," Mercedes announced and I cringed in response.

"The prisoner?" Sinjin repeated, like he had no idea what she was talking about. "Hmmm," he stalled, and I could just imagine him tapping his fingers against his mouth as he persisted in the charade.

"Sinjin, I'm not in the mood to play any of your games," Mercedes replied impatiently.

"I believe the queen issued an order whereby we were prohibited from referring to her sister as anything but," Sinjin said, his tone feigning innocence.

I heard someone clearing her throat and figured it was Mercedes. "Yes, well, regardless of Bryn's title, we've come to speak to her."

"Ah, yes, there is another with you, isn't there?" Sinjin said with a smile in his voice. "Good evening, Mathilda, how are you faring?"

"Oh, very well, Sinjin, thank you," the elderly fae woman answered in her tinkling, bell-like voice.

I didn't hear anything more for a few seconds before there was a strident knock on my door. "Medusa, my dear," Sinjin called through the door, while I just shook my head and sighed. "It appears you have two lady visitors who would very much like to speak with you." I put my book down and stood up from where I was sitting on my bed. Starting for the door, I heard more of Sinjin's conversation with Mercedes and Mathilda. "I would advise that you avoid looking at her directly in the eyes," he warned.

Mathilda laughed a sweet sounding giggle, but she was the only one. I reached the door just as Mercedes said to Sinjin, "Perhaps I should remind you of the queen's edict regarding her sister's title?"

"Well, of course, our dear queen did not think to include me in her dictate as my pseudonyms are ever so clever and charming," Sinjin quipped just as I pulled the door open and he faced me with a beaming smile. "Bête noire, your presence is humbly requested."