Highness?”
“I’m familiar with the guest areas,” Damien cut in. “If you provide us with the codes, I’ll see to it that everything is taken care of for our stay. Just as I will be overseeing the overhaul of the penthouse.”
“Of course,” Benita replied. “Then dinner first?”
Ryder shifted slightly as Damien moved closer to my opposite side. I didn’t dare look up but suspected they were communicating silently through their eyes. The two of them were obviously old friends. I could feel the loyalty between them, their silence seeming to speak volumes about whatever they were planning.
“Yes,” Damien said slowly. “Dinner first.”
“I agree,” Ryder replied. “But we can show ourselves in, Benita. You’ve done enough for us, and your assistance will not be forgotten.”
The female curtsied in response, a platitude falling from her lips before she handed an electronic device over to Damien. “Everything you requested is on this tablet.”
“Excellent,” he murmured. “We’ll take it from here, Benita.”
“Of course,” she repeated, her voice no longer holding the chipper note she’d displayed upon arrival. She curtsied once more, then walked away with a sway to her curvy hips.
I chanced a glance at the rest of her, noting her hourglass shape and reddish-brown hair. She wore a very short dress that revealed almost as much as my gown, except her fabric was opaque, while mine showcased every detail beneath the lace.
“Remember the rules,” Damien breathed against my ear, causing goose bumps to pebble down my neck.
Ryder kissed my temple. “Maybe she wants to be punished.”
I swallowed and immediately dropped my gaze again.
“Come, pet,” Ryder whispered. “The fun part is about to begin.”
11
Ryder
Oh, how I adored silence.
Particularly, the kind of silence that followed a shocking event.
Such as my unexpected arrival in Silvano’s notorious dining hall.
Human bodies littered the tables, each surrounded by vampires enjoying their chosen vein. Most of the mortals were on their last threads of life, their eyes holding a glassy gleam that my kind often ignored in this reformed society.
In my day, we used to leave our victims alive, not wanting word of vampires to spread. But that all changed after the revolution.
While I understood the need for evolving humankind, I didn’t quite respect how it all had come about. We required blood to survive. Somewhere along the way, vampires had become gluttonous and forgotten that fact.
I paused just over the threshold of the room, taking in the scene of gawking patrons.
They’d all expected me to arrive next week, thanks to Damien’s well-placed whispers. Even Benita had helped spread the rumors, making everyone here feel safe under the assumption that I wasn’t scheduled to appear for several more days.
That’d been the point—I wanted them comfortable. It made it so much easier to encourage their congregation tonight. Particularly when I’d provoked the need for this meeting.
Number Twelve, whom I now knew as Julian, had delivered a very specific message on my behalf yesterday. From what I could see of the attendees now, he’d done exactly as I’d requested.
Seems the kid will live after all, I thought, pleased.
I stepped farther into the room with Willow beside me and Damien at my back. That seemed to be the motion that caused everyone to react, sending several vampires to their feet as they prepared themselves to greet me formally.
I played along, wandering from table to table, shaking hands, exchanging cheek kisses, and generally acting as though I didn’t have any other agenda than to be social.
Willow remained by my side, her obedience resolute as I paraded her around the dining hall. Several eyed her with interest, their hungry gleams rivaling my own.
No one touched her, but I sensed their interest in enjoying my pet. Two even mentioned it after complimenting her assets. I neither confirmed nor denied their request, mostly because I didn’t expect them to stay alive very long.
When we reached the final table—the one I desired to reach all along—I smiled. “Mind if I join you, Janet?”
“Of course not, Your Highness,” she replied, doing an admirable job of appearing honored to accept my request. That served as another indicator that Julian had done his job. If she knew I was aware of her recent assassination attempt, she would have tried to run upon my arrival rather than wait patiently for me to approach her table.
I pulled out one of two available chairs and sat down while Damien took the other seat. Willow went to her knees between us with her head bowed. I ran my fingers through her hair, wanting her to feel