His to Serve

Chapter Eighteen - Tension

I tried to slow down my heart rate as Bethany pulled me along the corridors, her grip on my wrist extremely tight, as if she knew I would run away the first second I got. As we got closer and closer to the dining room, I felt my palms become sweaty and my stomach turn as I bit my lip, my discomfort growing.

Bethany silently chuckled in front of me, as if she could sense how nervous I was as we reached the doors leading to the dining room. I halted suddenly, my feet not moving from the floor as I began to breathe deeply, feeling sick as the room swayed slightly.

Bethany turned to me rolling her eyes as she let my wrist go gently, "Good gods above Lillian, you have lived possibly one of the most dangerous lives in history, killed thousands of men and only a few days ago, you stood up to the entire vampire council, but you are shit scared to enter a room in a dress with a man you fancy inside?" she said a look of pure bewilderment on her face,

I rubbed my hands on my dress as I growled "Bethany shut the fuck up. This is very different, and you know it" I said as I composed myself, calming the small tremble in my hand. She smiled as she took a step forward towards me, "Come on, hey, its going to be okay, nothing bad is going to happen. And if it does I'm here right with you? It's just a dress and it's just a meal, you will survive" she said as I let out a deep breath nodding,

"Okay fine let's go in before I change my mind" I said hardening my face as she smirked opening the door and waltzing in, the conversation in the room immediately dying out as the three of them turned their heads to watch us from the table,

Hyde stood up quickly, immediately pulling out the chair next to him as Bethany shyly walked up and sat down, a small blush forming across her face. I kept my face emotionless as I turned to meet Brand's eyes, his gaze hardening as he slowly looked me up and down repeatedly. I felt my core clench at the darkness now filling his stare as his fists clenched slightly.

I walked up to the table, swaying my hips ever so slightly to tease him a little more as I arrived at the opposite end of the table to him. I moved my gaze to Evelyn as I watched her turn her head, looking at Brand as she failed to hide her smirk, her fake cough echoing throughout the dining hall.

I silently let out my breath as I lifted my head and returned Brand's stare but before I could lean over to grab my chair he had left seat, moving from the other end of the room smirking at me as he pulled it out gently.

He looked at me curiously waiting for my reaction as I calmly turned my head forwards, looking away from him as I sat down at the table, completely dismissing him. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him clench his fists again and I hid my smirk. Bethany was right, it was payback time arsehole.

Evelyn cleared her throat again, attempting to diffuse the growing tension as the food was brought in and Brand walked normally back to his seat, Evelyn watching him go as she sipped her wine. As the wine was poured around the table, she quickly sparked up a conversation with Bethany.

"So then Bethany, to start I would like to get awkward part out of the way and deeply apologise for what happened a few days ago, I was only doing my job, it was never personal" she said as Bethany smiled waving her hand in understanding,

"Please don't worry about it, I'm just glad I didn't actually try to kill you and I just cooperated, it would have been more awkward with you being dead" she said smiling sweetly as Evelyn frowned at the cheerful tone as I chuckled lightly, knowing Bethany was deadly serious.

"Despite our first interaction, I mean who thought both of you were destined to be the mates of those two idiots" she said calmly picking up her glass as she stared, as if she was trying to understand Bethany. Bethany turned to her smiling sweetly again as she replied,

"It is weird isn't it, however it definitely kind of makes sense for her at least. I couldn't see the ice queen over there being with anybody normal" she said as I glared at her over my cup and she chuckled, "see my point" she waved as I rolled my eyes picking up the goblet.

I took a sip as I noticed Brand's eyes were following my every move. I slowly put the goblet down as I licked my lips, the rich wine warming me up inside as his eyes darkened at the small movement and my stomach curled at the feel of his heavy gaze,

I smirked at him as he glared at me, turning his head down to look at his food as I watched his grip tighten on his cutlery. Bethany shook her head at me as I returned to my food and she continued the conversation, ignoring the growing tension in the air, "So Evelyn, what is it you do around here?" she said calmly as Evelyn tapped her nails on the glass, glancing between me and Brand.

"I tend to do the dirty work, mainly cleaning up after these two, you know how men are. But my title here is first in command. Everything Brand decides or wants to do has to go through me, and I can tell him if he's being stupid or not. I also oversee the Kingdom if he is away or busy, although your sister has very much informed us that she feels we have not been doing our job properly" she said as Bethany smiled nodding and I clenched my jaw, ignoring her little comment.

Hyde turned to look at Bethany sipping from his glass as Bethany continued eating, "Bethany, how about you tell us about yourself" I heard Brand say from the end of the table, before Hyde could open his mouth. I felt his voice run straight through me, my body instantly reacting as I cursed mentally,

I shifted in my chair feeling heat rush through me, gods Lillian pull yourself together. Brand caught my small movement as he smirked slightly, leaning back in his chair, clearly enjoying the fact that I wasn't the only one suffering.