[Selene, the arrogant and jealous concubine of Dracula!]

  Selene sat in her given room, having just sent her provided serving girl to inform Countess Elizabeth that she would not be coming to the opening ceremony of her game. Naturally, The Countess would win whatever plot she had, and then, when all the ruckus was done with, she’d seek out her company.

  Alone in her room since Aurora had ditched her, going to some mysterious rendezvous, likely with the hare everyone was so upset over. It wasn’t uncommon for the woman to become obsessed with a particular man or woman, and she had to wonder if this really was a task given to her by her king or Adele.

  “How dull,” she sighed, leaning against the side of her chair and not enjoying herself on this rather overly long trip. “Why did someone so important decide to get themselves killed?”

  Plucking the small, extravagant coffin that Aurora had shrunk from the chair-side table, she examined its handiwork. It wasn’t anything special like hers, a wedding gift Dracula had given her. Yes, she may be the twelfth concubine he’d made, but she was special; twelve was his favorite number, which meant it had to be her.

  Verona, Aleera, Marishka, and all the other concubines can eat their hearts out. Damn sluts. I was the one chosen for this mission because I was the best suited to it. Once this is complete, we shall finally share a room with one another. When is this spy going to show, though? Must I wait the full week? Maybe I should have brought treats…

  Her gaze lifted to the doors as she felt the heartbeat of a mortal man enter the hallway, the scent of his sweat carried along the air pressure sweeping down the corridor and through the cracks of the door.

  Finally. Sitting straighter, Selene’s eyes illuminated, speaking to her personally turned attendants outside, the slave vampire women shivering as her touch caressed their minds. Allow him inside.

  It wasn’t long before the door swung open, revealing a handsome blond-haired man in a three-piece suit; tucked under his arm was a cherry-colored bottle and, in his other hand, a letter. “Lady Selene, my most humble apologies for keeping you waiting.”

  “Soon to be Countess Selene, Lord Leopold,” she mused, remaining seated while the showy human tickled her fancy; it was so hard to save herself for Dracula, but he was worth the wait. “Welcoming gifts from The Countess?”

  “Of course, Countess,” he smoothly replied, sky-blue eyes lifting to show a smile that made her undead heart quiver. “And no. Would you be angered to hear this is from The Company? The Count has been quite gracious. Please, enjoy. Ah, and I heard that you would be refraining from joining the masquerade. Perhaps…you would enjoy some company yourself? I could free up my schedule.”

  Her hungry red eyes lifted to his slow-pumping veins at his neck, looking ever so inviting. “As much as I would love that, My Lord, I have a duty to perform.”

  “Naturally. Should you reconsider, my door is always open. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be ready for when the bell tolls. I will leave these here.”

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Have fun,” she said with her best charming wave, and with that, he was gone.

  Saddened by the loss of entertainment and temptation, she rose to her feet, smoothed out her dress, and moved to the letter and bottle. Fingernail extending, she sliced the seal and unfolded the letter, a small twist lifting her lips at the hand-painted welcome card. The sway of the golden trim looping around each other on the outer edges painted a new picture within Selene’s mind as she mentally deciphered the code.

  Is that The Countess’ plot? Naughty, naughty, naughty. How crafty she is. So, her surprise meeting with Empress Wu wasn’t her only deviation from Adele’s plan. I should leave before things become…too chaotic. What an interesting painting, though… The ocean at twilight?

  “Humph.”

  Her gaze drifted to the bottle of blood, curiosity sparking within her breast. A drink or two shouldn’t hurt. It would be a shame not to partake in this world’s finer things. Perhaps I should bring some back for My Love… It would make for a wonderful wedding gift, but first, a small sample.

  Popping the cork, she winced as the potent scent punched her in the nose. “Mmm! Well, I have not smelled anything so enticing… Such a shame to lose its source.”

  Pouring the devil’s brew into the crystal glass, she brought it up to swirl in front of her face, sampling the intoxicating scent that brought giddy jolts of electricity bouncing through her thighs, spine, and breast. The liquid touched her lips, and her mind melted into ecstasy.

  My Love…take me into your dream…

  [Scarlet, Our Little Fang!]

  Bouncing through the halls, being careful so as not to be seen, Scarlet felt like a ninja as she teleported through shadows. Cássia was right beside her, keeping close. Making it to the grand ballroom, she noticed several figures dressed in fancy attire and wearing party masks.

  Traveling through the limited sight she had in this stupidly complex, gigantic, and blood-laced palace, Scarlet was surprised that they didn’t have to travel far to get to the hallway where Selene had supposedly been given a room. Even better, not once did she let the Crimson Moon touch her skin.

  “Up that hall?” Scarlet whispered, drawing in shadows around them.

  Cássia nodded, sounding a little nervous now. “Yes, but…I don’t know if we should be doing this, Lady Scarlet. We’re not supposed to take guests to each others’ rooms until the bell rings. It’s for all of your own safety.”

  “We’ll be quick,” she promised. “We gotta be fast before Illa wakes up; five minutes tops. Okay, we’re—”

  “Scarlet? What’s—oh, no.”

  A shiver ran through Scarlet’s entire frame as a bell rolled through the entire castle like thunder, each gong rattling the floor.

  The brunette’s crimson eyes grew big. “No. No, it’s not time—not this soon… Not everyone would be ready.”

  “Well, it rang,” Scarlet muttered, steeling herself to make a decision rather than sitting still and worrying for Rachel to help her. “We’re going—how many halls down?”

  “Umm. Two, and at the end of it.”

  “Got it! Two, and… Cássia, why…are there ashes everywhere? Hey!” She shouted as a crimson-cloaked figure vanished in a swirl of rose petals just before she could activate her vampiric vision to filter it out, but it wasn’t hard to guess. “Dammit, Red! Selene, where—”

  Teleporting to the doorway, her mind froze, and she stumbled back, falling to her butt and carrying Cássia with her. The entire hall was covered in the ashes of dead vampires, the door half-broken off its hinges, and in the middle of the room was the crumbling figure of a beautiful 17-year-old girl, her visible body littered with spike-like holes that brought her mind back to the night she’d killed her father—Selene was dead.

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