The Vampire's Slave

Chapter 9

"Your Lordship, His Highness Prince Trelane wishes your presence at his table this evening."

Zavier sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Tell him that I'll be there."

The messenger left, and Zavier groaned. The council session that morning had been the worst, most grueling, most tiring council session he'd ever attended. He felt exhausted and drained, and found himself dimly wondering if this awfulness was what Rex had to go through every night.

The last thing he wanted do was attend dinner with Trelane, who seemed to be showing a marked interest in his slave, which was bad, seeing as the prince was known for taking slaves.

He stood up and was preparing to change to something slightly more fitting for a few hours of recreation when his phone buzzed. A text message from Rex, he thought with a yawn.

"What time are you getting back tonight?" it asked.

He sighed. Rex was the only slave who would ask that question in the entire vampire kingdom, wasn't she? "Probably around midnight. Why?"

"I just wanted to make sure I'd be there when you got back. Don't want my head bit off," came the saucy reply.

"Where are you going?" he texted back.

"Well, Mr. Nosy, if you must know, I'm going out on a hunting expedition with Mannix this afternoon."

He growled and his fangs slid out. "Do you have too?" He stuck a frowning emoji on the end.

"Of course. Later." She sent a vampire emoji followed by a goofy-faced one.

"You are the worst slave in the entire history of the vampire race, aren't you?" he said aloud, scowling and putting his phone on the nightstand.

"Who is?" asked a sudden voice, startling him.

He glanced around the room until a beautiful woman appeared. Her hair was as black as Rex's, but her eyes were a dark shade of red, as were her lips. Her complexion was almost white; her body well proportioned with sensuous curves around her hips and bust; her legs were long and graceful. Her dress highlighted her body well.

"Rex, of course, Circe," he replied. "I hate it when you do that."

"Sorry, Zavier. It's so much fun." She giggled and walked over to him.

Zavier bit his lip. Circe was annoying, but she was occasionally useful. "How are your lessons going?" he asked, hoping to distract her from noticing he was sans shirt.

"Top witch in the class, as always. I hope His Highness will take the throne soon. I'm certain he'd put me as head witch."

"You're certainly qualified for the job. But haven't you heard his plans?"

"About finding the long lost princess?" She laughed. "Yeah, right. She's been missing for over a decade. She's probably untraceable by now. He just doesn't want to seem greedy. Of course," she continued, smiling suggestively, "all the talk among the female inhabitants of the castle is who he's going to begin his new dynasty with."

Zavier chuckled. "Let's hope he picks the right lady."

"Who do you think the best candidate is, hmm?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Dunno. Never thought about it." He was glad Circe was only a human witch who couldn't read his mind, for he thought the best candidate for the throne was Rex, period.

Mannix's jeep came to a bumping halt outside of a quaint long cabin.

"We're here," he said to Rex, who was in the passenger seat. "Sorry for the bumpy ride. Oh, and before we get out, these guys can think up some pretty raunchy jokes, just to let you know."