The Alpha's Jewel

Playing With Fire

I would have expected to see Evander come up those steps since he stated he would be receiving me after his meeting. But knowing the effort he takes into avoiding this attic, it could not have been him. With there being no sun to shine through the windows of the attic, the only other option could be another member of the clan. But yet no one likes to come up here, even if there is no sun to scare off the others.

As I stood by and waited to see who it was, Elena's blond locks showed over the stairs. She took the last few steps up and stood at the top of the stairs, not moving any further. It was as if she didn't want to take another step into the room. If she was afraid, then I couldn't tell with her face being so stoic. Then again, her face was always stoic.

She broke the silence. "Evander has asked me to bring you to his office."

"I did not realize you were his pet now," I said. She would deny that she belonged to him, but ever since she was brought into the clan all those years back, she has been playing guard dog better than a bullmastiff would have.

"We all have a role to play and me following his orders does not make me his pet," she glared.

Elena stayed in her spot as I walked to the wine I had yet to drink. The glass cup was already filled with liquor from earlier, so I took it and finally sipped. Ah, delicious.

I showed her my glass of wine and asked, "Would you like some?" I only share my stuff with my father but I asked because I knew she would say no.

She blinked and said, "Evander has asked me to bring you to his off--"

"Yes, yes, you said that already." I groaned and went to take another sip, "A simple no would have sufficed."

She watched me take a sip of the wine, her eyes leaving a cold trail down the side of my neck.

"You shouldn't keep him waiting. You've already angered him enough tonight," she warned.

I pretended to frown, "Have I? I can't imagine what could have caused that."

She didn't respond, instead, she watched me take another sip, but this time I took it slower, smacking my lips together, "Ah, a true delicacy. You can't rush these things, Elena, drinking takes time."

I swirled the wine around in the glass cup, when she said, "Like your beauty sleep?"

I grinned at her, "Exactly."

She rolled her eyes.

I looked away. Now finished with my game of teasing her, I placed the wine glass down on the table.

Looking at father, I said, "I'll be back father. Like the pet said. We must not keep the Master waiting."

I was expecting to get a rise out of her when I turned back to her when I noticed her staring at my father. A frown on her face, "I don't understand why you keep that thing. It stinks up the room."

"I have you know that that thing is Thomason Victor. One of the greatest men that ever lived on this planet and my father." I glared at her.

She frowned even more, "I thought he was a farmer."

"Don't listen to her father. Her Master has not taken the time to show her manners yet." I reassured him but had said it to just piss her off even more.

Elena narrowed her eyes at me and turned to stomp down the stairs, assuming that I would follow. I snickered at her back. She was too easy to rile up. Probably why Evander and her got along so well.

I took one last glance at father and went to follow suit. She was waiting for me outside the attic door, and at the sight of me, she began to walk ahead, leading me to the office.

I shut the door behind me and moved to walk beside her. I can feel her anger now. Her heated pulls vibrated her body to where I even felt it. I wasn't sure if it was because of how drastically annoying I could be or for being the one to have to bring me along like some butler who brought in the guests to meet their host.

The dinner must have been over because the others of the clan were now walking down the halls of the castle, going about their morning routine. I tried making conversation with the butler, "Have the Lycans left?"

Elena stared forward as she walked, saying, "Yes, Evander escorted them out himself. Their Alpha seemed to leave with the pack on a good note, so I assume all went well between him and Evander."

I took note of that as well. Them two becoming friends would be a bad thing if I was already making plans to play a risky game with the Alpha and his pack. I understood that Evander wanted to leave an impression on the Council by showing favor in the treaty but I did not worry about him getting so much in the way. It was the Council I would be most afraid of. Evander would just do a few mad grunts and leave it at that, but if I never wanted to see the elders of the council again, then I would have to tread lightly.

This meeting between Evander and me was just another slap of the wrist, that's all. His bark was scarer than his bite.

Back to our walking, I asked, "Who was with the girl in the meantime? I can't imagine that the Alpha would leave his daughter in a room fool of untamed vampires."

"After you left, Evander assigned Luas and Sara to protect the girl in case of any misfits happened," said Elena. "Though truly it was not needed. The Alpha had his Bata and a group of Lycians surrounding her the whole time."

Luas and Sara were one of the rare few who had completed the blood oath. Binding themselves to each other for eternity. Though it was a prize to find someone you trusted with everything they were, it was also something I have never envied. Evander must have paired them as guard duties because they were less likely to drink from the girl. Because in their case, they would rather drink from each other. Vampires don't do that unless they are intimate, though you really needn't have a binding spell to do it.

We passed a couple more clan members, one of them being Allen. He looked as if he was in pain with his face scrunched up. It was probably due to the amount of restraint he had to endure to keep from locking on to the little girl's neck. Though even if he or any of them had attempted to, they would have been ripped to shreds by the Lycans.

Evander took a big risk by putting all of them in the same room. I wondered if he even knew the Alpha was bringing her here. I'll be sure to bring that up during our discussion.

"He will not be happy to see you in bloodlust."

I looked over at Elena. I'm not sure when she noticed my red eyes, because she kept her eyes focused ahead, but really you never know with Elena. She could have noticed in the attic earlier.

"Why? I don't see it offending him." I said to her.

"It's not him he will think you were offending tonight. He will perceive it as you defying him and his right of power, but also that you tried to insult the Alpha by stating that you are not afraid of them."

"Hmm." I hummed in thought, "So I'm assuming it worked then."

She glanced at me then, her eyes wide with the realization of what I was insinuating. "Why would you want to insult the Lycans, Mila? Do you want to start a war?"

I scuffed, "Of course not. Besides, I believe the Alpha received my bloodlust as respect."

If you haven't noticed already, a vampire under bloodlust is very similar to a human being drunk. You have less control of your hunger and are more of a danger than others because of your lack of control. However, I have been on this Earth for a very long time and have learned to control my bloodlust's hunger. I'm sure Evander could control his as well, but people like Elena, Luas, and Sara might not be as strong as to resist its temptation. Allen was just a kid, he was forbidden to even try bloodlusting.

As we reached the doors to Evander's office, Elena signed and said, "You play with fire, Mila. I wouldn't be so eager as to dive head first, knowing how Evander would get. The risks it would put me in."

When we made eye contact, I noticed something strange that I had never seen on Elena's face before. It was fear.

But fear of what?

Thinking nothing of it then, I grinned and said, "And that is the difference between you and me."

Before any more could be said, I knocked and pushed the door open, leaving Elena outside.