The Lost Mate

Lillian

After another long evening of smiling at sick and twisted sadists, I left my station, but my night wasn’t yet over.

The other girls knew where I was going and cast me sympathetic looks. As hostesses, we were only required to feed guests if one found us particularly appealing and requested us, and since we were werewolves, it was a rare occurrence for them.

But thanks to Wulfric’s fixation on torturing me, I had to endure it more often than the other werewolves. I wasn’t sure why he was so set on causing me suffering, other than that he seemed to get off on my fear. But the others were afraid, too, so I wasn’t sure what made my misery so much more appealing to him. It wasn’t as if he explained himself.

I made my way through a hidden servants’ door and swiftly walked to the feeding area. There were already a few vampires back there, those who had already gotten bored with drinking pre-drained blood and from watching the shows. I respectfully curtseyed and smiled at every vampire who crossed my path. It wasn’t worth the risk to Jonas if I pissed any of them off.

I took an empty spot past the cages filled with terrified slaves. Like always, they were mostly human, because humans were easily replaceable. There were a couple of the more rebellious non-human slaves amongst their number for vampires who were looking for something more unique to satisfy their palate. From my vantage point I could see a fae, demeanour somewhere between furious and desperate, but he’d be out soon enough once Montgomery figured out how to manipulate him into compliance.

I sat along with the other well-behaved feeders and waited, trying to block out the sounds emanating from the private feeding areas nearby. They were large and comfortable and spacious, but only blocked from the view of onlookers by silky curtains, so the sounds had free range to escape into the waiting area and even beyond. Scents flowed out, blood, fear, sex, a mixture so strong it threatened to send me into a panic.

Vampires seemed to like it that way.

With my excellent hearing, it was impossible to shut out the horrible cacophony. I’d heard it all, squelching, smacking, screaming, the cries of helplessness and despair. My wolf was gentle by temperament, but to get through these nights without her protective instincts rearing up, I drugged myself with low dose wolfsbane. It weakened me, but it was necessary. If I ever lost control of my wolf instincts it was Jonas who would pay the price.

And above all I couldn’t allow that.

I wasn’t the only werewolf to use wolfsbane that way.

I maintained my smile of fake contentment while moans and slaps drifted out from one of the nearest rooms. At least the victim wasn’t screaming this time. Was it stoic endurance, or had his or her mind finally broke?

For one fool-hardly moment, I allowed myself to leave this terrible place and imagine what it would be like if Max really did somehow save Jonas and me and even my father from this nightmare. Before I could even properly lose myself in such unlikely dreams, I was interrupted.

And not by my mate like in my fantasies, coming in like a hero to rescue me from these monsters hiding in this remote corner of the world. It was instead one of the latter, Wulfric, come for me just like he had promised. His smirk was cruel as he ran his eyes over me, and then offered me his arm in a mockery of courtesy.

“Come, walk with me, pretty mutt.”

I inclined my head and took his arm, although touching the leech even through his clothing revolted me. It was another reason it was good my wolf was too out of it to react.

“It really is a shame that your stench renders me entirely unaroused,” he commented, like he was talking about the weather.

“I’m sorry, my lord,” I lied, trying to hide my relief at the reminder. He had tried to take our encounters towards sex a couple of times, but even when he had come to me already aroused, he quickly lost his rigidity. I had never felt more grateful about my ‘foul scent’.

Since he had given up on that, he just dragged out other ways of tormenting me as long as possible. It wasn’t like there was anyone to help me. I was an asset to Montgomery, but he wasn’t going to cross the powerful vampire for my sake. It didn’t matter to him if Wulfric monopolized my time, it wasn’t as if there was a line of other vampires vying for my company.

Currying favour with the ancient vampire was far higher on his priority list than my productivity, and it wasn’t like he couldn’t blame me for the loss of it even if it wasn’t my fault.

Montgomery was also clearly intimidated by Wulfric, no matter how hard he tried to have a pretence of friendship with the ancient one through his constant boot licking. Even if he had enough empathy to have an objection, he would never voice it.

Tonight, Lord Wulfric led me from the waiting room full of victims and in the direction of the attractions. This didn’t surprise me, either. Almost nothing surprised me anymore, especially when it came to the unpredictable vampire. Sometimes he fed quickly and roughly, other times he forced me to socialize with him as if we had some sort of relationship, although even then his hatred for me never left his eyes. Apparently tonight was the latter.

I silently watched as the vampire led me around the hall. Amy had finished her high wire strip show, although her night was likely far from over if the new guest had anything to say about it. I pushed aside my revulsion, and watched as a human witch painted scenes with coloured smoke hanging in the air. With the wisps, he formed a rhinoceros and sent the beast charging into the opposite wall, dissolving into plumes of smoke, catching the attention and scattered applaud from the guests mingling about.

As I watched the show, I silently endured, keeping my head down with my false smile frozen on my face. Every night I quietly got through was another night that Jonas remained safe in his bed. And that was what mattered. Not Lord Wulfric, not Montgomery, and not even me and Max. Only Jonas.

So, I followed my tormentor around, listening to the frivolous idle conversations between these monsters who drew their pleasure from the pain of others, only speaking when directly spoken to. My tormentor seemed to know everything about everyone, and I suspected he was just as much a sadist when dealing with his own kind. He seemed to be a mysterious figure even amongst them, because it seemed that not even the other vampires really knew anything about him beyond the superficial surface.

And, of course, a number of times throughout the night, Montgomery sidled up to him and tried to be friendly. I mostly ignored them, until Montgomery turned the conversation to me in a pathetic attempt to be more relatable to Wulfric.

“Lillian was a great find. She’s a very dutiful worker. I should thank you for her again.” Montgomery spoke as if I were just an object present in the room, but I didn’t mind. I preferred to be ignored. My smile didn’t falter even then, thanks to long practice.

“No need, it was my pleasure. And this way, I get a taste every now and again of my favourite werewolf when the mood strikes me.”

I tried to hide the shiver his words sent running down my spine. It was no honour to be Wulfric’s favourite. He turned his attention to the poor terrified human following around Montgomery. “And I believe you’ve had that feeder for a while. Is she so delicious that you haven’t bored of her yet?”

Montgomery chuckled. “Indeed. That fool Chandler owed me money and he thought snagging a human snack would be sufficient to buy him some time. Lucky for him, little Marissa here is enough of a treat I ignored the fact he caught her nearby, breaking my rules. Last thing we need is to give the royal whore’s minions a reason for sniffing around here again. That last incident was exactly what I meant to prevent. It brought way too much attention. The hunters came poking their noses into what doesn’t concern them, too.”

“Indeed. Grabbing a politician’s daughter was a risky move.”

“Well, they didn’t know the identity of the humans until it was far too late.”

“Regardless, I trust they were punished?” Wulfric’s calm voice went up just the slightest bit at the thought of another vampire being punished, like the true sadist he was.

“Of course, they’re not a problem any longer.”

They both laughed at the thought, and then Montgomery continued jovially. “But that daughter did turn out to be quite a morsel. If you’re interested in taking a little bite out of politics, she’s currently available,” Montgomery offered, chuckling at his own bad pun. The human in question was currently locked in one of the cages, if no one had already taken her out. Unfortunately for her, being a senator’s daughter didn’t give the girl any valuable entertainment skills, so she was no better than a bag of blood as far as they were concerned. I tried not to wonder how long she would last.

“Then, if you’re interested, I’d be happy to lend Marissa to you for the night, if you so desire, my lord.” The human beside him shuddered at the thought. She was right to be wary. For all his faults, Montgomery’s cruelty was absentminded at best or pragmatic at worst. If everyone was perfectly obeying him, he considered punishments a waste of his time.

Wulfric bared his fangs slightly. “Tempting, my friend, but I’m going to have to refuse your kind gesture. Lillian will serve me well enough, won’t you, pretty little mutt?” His eyes found me and swept along my body, coming to rest on my neck.

I felt sick. “Of course, my lord,” I agreed, smiling to distract from my shudder.

“And speaking of which, I am starving. Come along, Lillian, you’ll accompany me back to my room now. I’m in the mood for quiet privacy more than spectacle this night.”

I nodded, not that my agreement was actually required. But it pleased Montgomery, so it was good for my baby. For the millionth time, I reminded myself of that crucial fact, even though the light of hope that seeing my mate had so briefly sparked only made submitting myself again to this degradation more difficult.

The walk to Lord Wulfric’s rooms was short, and I knew the way well, because he had a specific set of rooms that were used only by him when he visited, remaining empty the rest of the time. Over the years of his torture, I’d learned a lot about him, although I didn’t know any useful information I could tell the hunters like where he went or who he associated with outside of the Cirque du Sang.

Instead I knew little things. I was well acquainted with his sadism. I knew his loathing of werewolves although I didn’t know why, how violence amused him, the way he got off on flexing his power over defenceless victims. I could tell when he was in a particularly bad mood, because he would bring along a young human to abuse while I watched helplessly. Even if I were strong and brave enough to kill someone like him—and I doubted it, I had never been a fighter like some females in my pack—I had to think about Jonas, and Montgomery wouldn’t let me get away with harming his backer without retribution.

I couldn’t let myself imagine the poor humans’ mothers out there somewhere, not even knowing where their daughters or sons were, because it wrapped up my insides in knots.

At least this night it was only me he planned to torment. It was a good thing, because I would survive it, and no other innocents would be hurt.

—————

Author’s Note:

Is this part getting too long? I’m doing that thing where I worry about pacing again.

(Anyways, things will be moving soon... 😉)

Thanks for reading!