The Vampyre Venture

Chapter I.XVI

After having a bath with her husband, Becca went on to get dressed with the help of her maid. She was humming a lullaby as she was staring at herself in the mirror. She looked happy and Becca knew that her happiness was because her husband shared the secret with her. Becca cannot be happier than that.

“Is there anything else I can help with, Your Grace?” the maid said before Becca was looking at the day gown in the soft color. She shook her head before waving her hand dismissively as the maid was bobbing her head and exiting the dressing chambers. Becca was smiling at her reflection before Niklaus was making his way into the chamber with his black suit.

He looked dashing and I wanted to jump on him, she mused before Becca shook her head slightly, wanting to control her sudden desire to tackle her husband to bed. It was only an hour after their lovemaking when Niklaus claimed her. Was this what Niklas was struggling with every day in his life? She thought that Niklaus was coming behind her as he was kissing her nape.

“Are you ready, my love?” he asked before Becca turned to look at him. She smiled before perking his lips.

“As I could ever be. Shall we go now?” she asked, putting her hand on the crook of his elbow. Niklaus put his hand on top of hers before they were making their way to the parlor. The butler was waiting for them with their outer coats as the night can be chilly even when they were traveling in a carriage. Niklaus took the coats and put them on himself before helping Becca to put on hers. She was smiling at her husband as Niklaus’ eyes fell on the choker that she chose to wear to cover the claimed mark on her neck. He nodded approvingly before the footman was opening the door as their carriage stopped in front of the foyer.

“After you, my dear,” Niklaus said as he was offering his hand to her. Becca took it as the electrics were running through her veins as she was holding his hand. Niklaus smirked before she gathered her skirts and went inside the carriage. Niklaus came in after her before the footman was closing the door. Her husband tapped his cane on the rooftop before the horses neighed as the coachman was whipping the reins. The carriage moved forward.

“I am sure you have lots of questions since you are now one of us,” Niklaus said as Becca was smoothing her skirts. She nodded. “You might talk to me or if you’re feeling uncomfortable asking about some of the aspects that are different from mine, you could ask my cousin,” her husband said, as Becca was arching her eyebrows.

“Your cousin? The young queen?” she asked before Niklaus nodded.

“That’s right. I don’t think you know that I am related to the royal family,” he said before Becca was rolling her eyes.

“Of course I know, it was stated in the Tome of Niapachad Island’s Peerage. I know my studies, my love,” she said before she was smirking at her husband. Niklaus shook his head before he was looking outside the carriage. Belikov estate was located on the outskirts of Royal Molftus, so it might take a while for them to arrive at the Stone Tower.

“So, are your friends…do they all like it?“

“Yes,” Niklaus said as Becca was twisting her hands in her lap. Niklaus leaned forward, taking her hands into his. It was warm enough that Becca wanted to snuggle against his hard chest, but she knew that she had to act like a lady when she was in polite society with her husband. She sighed.

“What is it?” Niklaus whispered, rubbing his thumbs against her knuckles before she turned to look at his handsome face. His blonde hair was shining against the gaslights that were lighted up on the outside of the carriage and his blue orbs were focusing on her. Becca felt her heart soar at the sight. She shook her head.

“You know you can tell me anything, right? No more secrets between us, remember?” he said before Niklaus slid to the couch next to her, his thigh hitting hers underneath the layers of petticoats that she wore. Becca bit her lips.

“It’s just…” she sighed before she turned to look at his face, “I cannot act wantonly with you when we’re in polite society. I just wish that I could…you know when I want to and…oh God, this is humiliating,” she said before she was leaning forward, her face was buried inside his shoulder before Niklaus was smoothing his hand against her hair. The coronet on her hair was immaculate, thanks to her maid.

“Well, I think you can wait for a few hours before you unleash your wantonness with me in the bed chambers, my love,” Niklaus said huskily before Becca turned to lean forward as their hot breaths mingled. “And I promise you, it will be worth it,” he said before she leaned closer and Niklaus did the same.

“Promise?” she asked before she slid her arms around his neck, pulling her husband closer to her lithe body.

“Stake my heart and hope to die,” he said before Becca shook her head.

“Not on my watch,” she said before she kissed her husband as the carriage carried them to the Stone Tower where the Higher Court resided for a meeting.

*****

“I’ll see you in a few hours, my love. I’m sure my cousin will be delighted to meet you at the Royal Castle. She would usually be in her private study room,” Niklaus said as he was looking at his wife. Becca was sitting at the edge of the carriage as Niklaus was putting his gloves on while she was biting her lower lips.

The lips that Nick devoured on the way to the Stone Tower and he did not want to cause a scene in polite society where his wife would be condemned for being a wanton lady. Not that Nick cared for such a thing when his wife was being passionate about her love.

“I’ll be waiting for you then,” she said as she was kissing his cheeks, not wanting to forego the rules and manners of a lady in polite society. But Nick knew firsthand when she was breaking the rules. And he loved it when she did it.

“I see you then. Have a nice trip,” he said before he was kissing her knuckles and Becca smiled. She slipped inside the carriage as the footman was closing the door. The coachman was whipping the reins before the horses moved forward. Nick was looking at his family carriage, carrying his bride to the Royal Castle as his cousin would be waiting for her. He smiled before a presence came up from his behind.

“Well, aren’t you happy with your marriage life, Dragomir?” Ian’s voice hit his eardrum before Nick turned to look at him. The marquis was smiling as he was staring at the carriage as well. Nick was pulling on his gloves before a smirk was plastered on his lips.

“I won the bet,” he said simply before Ian turned to look at him, arching his eyebrows.

“Do you mean to tell me—“

“Yes, I told her and she decided to stay with me, Ian. And yes, I had converted my wife to be a part of me. She’s a Vampyre now,” Nick said as Ian was blinking his eyes at him. He loved to render the marquis speechless sometimes. “Got nothing to say, did you?” Nick said before he was walking toward the entrance of the Stone Tower. I cannot wait to learn more about my wife and her newly discovered strength and agility, he mused as Niklaus was making his way to the courtroom. Ian followed his pursuit.

“Wait! Are you to tell me that Lady Rebecca Davis—“

“Lady Rebecca Dragomir. Remember, she’s married to me, Ian,” Nick corrected his peer before Ian was shaking his head.

“I cannot imagine it. A lady, staying with a Vampyre and you changed her to join us. What are you thinking, Nick?” Ian whispered to him as they couldn't discuss the conversion or the Lesser Gentry would feel threatened by the sheer power that the Higher Court had over them. They have been trying to keep that secret forever and if the Lesser Gentry knew that they could be converted to join the Higher Court, a riot could happen.

“She’s my soulmate, Ian. Of course, I would encourage her to join me. I knew it, here,” Nick said as he was touching his chest, showing her his heartbeat for Becca now. “We completed the bond last night and it cannot be undone. No matter what you have to say about it,” Nick said before he was striding toward the courtroom. He could hear that the marquis was cursing under his breath but when Nick turned to look at him, Ian was sighing, knowing that he had been defeated. He patted his shoulder.

“One day you will understand when you find your mate, Ian. And I think it is due to you getting married as well,” Nick said as he was smirking at his peer. Ian blanched.

“I hope the queen will not notice that sooner. I rather it would be later,” he said before Niklaus was laughing as they went into the chamber and greeted the lords of the Higher Court available there. All except for Baron of Fell. He was still away on a mission from the young queen.

“Well met,” Nick said as he was shaking hands with the Earl of Raine, Tom, and Viscount of Vyckos, Dan. They nodded at him before turning toward Ian.

“Well met,” the marquis said before they were taking their places to discuss the issue that was rising to get their attention.

“So, what is it that you want to talk about?” Nick asked before Tom was putting some parchments on the table. Nick started to read what was written on it before he turned to look at the earl.

“We have heard rumors that some of the other supernatural was terrorizing the citizens and there has been a sighting that it was a shadow that can form any shape,” he said before Nick furrowed his eyebrows.

“Shadows? But what creatures can control shadows? As long as we’re here, there hasn’t been—“

“This thing happened after the trip to the Forbidden Land,” Tom said before the silence filled the room. Ian turned to look at Nick. He clenched his jaws.

“Are you sure about this?” Nick asked Tom before the earl was nodding at him. He then pulled out a parchment that was small enough to be a telegram. And maybe it was, but Nick did not know who it was from.

“I have contacted the expert on that and he said that he will investigate it,” Tom said before Niklaus was arching his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair.

“He?” he asked before the earl was smirking.

“Don’t you remember? A few years ago, when an expedition went south in Cantersea. Did you forget who led the expedition?” he asked Nick before he was rubbing his dry mouth.

“Ivashkov, wasn’t it? The lord that went there to resume his father’s work?” Ian asked before Tom nodded. Dan was sipping on his wine.

“Well, if he volunteered to investigate it, I think we’re in good hands then. It would seem that his father’s research was not a waste at all,” Dan said before Nick was tapping his fingers on the table.

“I wasn’t sure if it was a waste or not, but if Ivashkov proves to be a good source, then we’re going to take it,” Nick said before Tom was smiling at him.

“I let him know immediately,” he said before the earl was ringing for a servant as he was passing a new parchment. So, he has come prepared for that, huh? Just waiting for my approval, Nick mused before he smiled and shook his head.

The Higher Court was something.

“Now that we have gone over the serious issue, I think we can discuss the boring stuff such as taxes and tenants’ hardship, right?” Dan said before Nick was taking his goblet and drained the wine laced with blood. It was one thing to get control of the Court, but if the tenants were not satisfied, no lords would be and it was the Higher Court’s responsibility to maintain that everyone was happy.

Especially when Nick had just found his soulmate, he intended to spend as long as he could with Becca, no matter what the cost of it.