Chapter 32

DANDRIDGE~~~~


"Sir Dandridge," a guard said as he bowed low until his head touched the ground.

"Speak," I said as I lay sprawled across my bed with my head resting on the bare tits of one of my slave girls while another rode on my dick.

"There is someone here to see you, sir," he said not daring to look up.

"Who is he?" I asked.

"No name, sir," he replied.

"What do you mean by no name?" I asked. "Go ask him to name himself."

"He killed everyone who asked him for that, sir," the guard replied. "He said to tell you that he'll kill one vampire for every second he waits."

I froze. "Get off," I said to the girl riding me. She obeyed immediately and I quickly wore my robes. There's only one person who kills like a mad man even among us vampires.

Once I was done, I pulled one of the girls closer and bit into her neck, draining her completely of blood. I would need my strength to be at its peak if I were facing that monster. I do hope he's not here for a fight though.

"Hey," I said to the guard. "Take care of the body and tell everyone to leave the mansion. I don't want anyone within ten miles of this place. Anyone who steps even an inch of ten miles to this place would be killed immediately."

"Yes, sir!" he answered with vigor before whistling for the other guards as I left the room.

As I walked down the stairs to the living room, I could already feel his presence and his bloodlust. This bastard dared show his face here, after betraying us and letting a taboo loose on us. I can't believe he has the guts to step within an inch of vampire territory.

"Welcome," I jumped as I heard his voice say as a pair of red eyes glowed beside me, scaring me shitless. He was standing with his back rested against the wall at the foot of the stairs.

"What the fuck!" I hissed. "Would you not do that?"

"Or what?" he asked with a grin. "What would our little Dandridge do?"

I sighed as I walked away from him to go take a seat in the living room. I need to keep my cool when I'm around someone as dangerous as him. "I never said I would do anything. I'm just saying I would appreciate it if you don't startle me like that."

"I smell fresh blood on you," he smiled. "Do you perhaps wanna fight me?"

"Of course not," I said quickly. "I don't remember needing a reason to feed and I am not stupid enough to fight with you in my own house. We'll end up destroying it anyway."

"Or it might as well be your grave," he laughed as he walked back to sit comfortably on my couch.

"What are you doing here, Elder Noel," I asked. "You of all people should know that you aren't welcome in vampire territory after your betrayal."

"Don't mistake it, Dandridge boy," he smiled. "I wasn't thrown out or rejected by the clan. I chose to leave. I'm pretty sure your Lord Frederick would want me with open arms if I came back."

I gritted my teeth. "You left the clan when we needed you the most and even awakened a calamity. I doubt anyone would want a traitor like you back here."

"Guess who created that monster?" he smiled.

"He killed Spike!"

"That's what a killing machine does, isn't it? They kill."

"What do you want?" I asked taking in a deep breath. I can't let myself lose control with him. I would be dead before I know it. It took being back in his presence for me to realize what kind of a monster he was. Even at my full strength, I still stand no chance against him.

"What did Frederick say about your friend's death?" he asked looking around the house. "You've done some fine work here. I'm glad y'all are beginning to grasp civilization."

"Lord Frederick said nothing about Spike's death," I replied.

"Frederick gave you an order to find and kill me, right?" I asked.

I was surprised. That was a confidential assignment. The only one who knew of this is Spike who is dead now. "How did you....?"

"Don't be too agitated," he laughed. "I just guessed knowing Frederick's personality. Remember that I served under him for a while too. He was Aldo at the time but you get the picture. You basically just confirmed my suspicion with your reaction to it."

I glared at him in anger. I really wanted to rip his throat out, but now is not the right time. Even with the Neonates, he's still quite formidable and right now I have no means of communicating with them since they're on a reconnaissance mission.

"You are quite an interesting guy, Dandridge," he said still laughing. "That's why I like you."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how to survive," he smiled. "I called your Lord Frederick by his name repeatedly without the honorifics and you said nothing. I am directly disrespecting your lord in front of you and I'm also a traitor. Yet you do nothing. You probably figured out that you'd die the moment you try."

"I'm just being calculative," I said, making sure to keep my voice normal. "It doesn't mean I'm scared of you. We haven't fought before so there's no way to measure our strength against each other. I agree that a fight would be disastrous for both of us so I want to avoid unnecessary combat."

"Eloquent as ever," he laughed. "You make me laugh so much, Dandridge. That's why I like you the most of all the people that used to be under me."

"That was in the past," I replied. "Now you are nothing but a traitor to me."

"You said a fight would be disastrous for the both of us though," he said as he released his suffocating bloodlust. "Wanna test that theory? Because I'm pretty sure I would be the living daylights out of you with a little effort."

I gulped and cleared my throat. This is going way off the course I want. I can't fall for his provocations.

"You can't fight me here," I said relaxing my tensed-up body. "Lord Frederick is close by. You might be able to defeat me but Lord Frederick is a whole different matter. You wouldn't want him to find out you are here."

He scoffed. "Ha. You really have no idea who Aldo is," he laughed and brought his face close to mine until our noses were just an inch apart. "Do you honestly think that with all of the bloodlust I've been oozing, your Lord Frederick doesn't know I am here? I'm pretty sure he's waiting for you to bring my head or heart."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"A youngster like you wouldn't know," he sighed. "Aldo only recognizes power. He would readily trade your life for mine if I requested for it as a condition to get in the pack. He has no care for loyalty or camaraderie. All he cares about is power. Betraying him doesn't matter to him because, in the end, you can't hurt him."

"Why are you here?" I asked. *Surely you aren't here to give me a lesson on my Lord's personality. Go straight to the point."

"Oh, about that," he stood up. "I want to make a deal with your Lord Frederick.

"What?"

"I want to make a deal with your......"

"I heard you the first time," I interrupted.

"Hey," he snapped, his voice cold and his eyes turning red. This was a pissed Noel, the one I've witnessed in battle all too often. To my surprise, I forgot that he hated being interrupted. "Don't you ever interrupt me again."

"Okay," I sighed, trying to contain my emotions. "Fine, you can keep talking."

"Apologize," he said walking at me as I stared at him defiantly. He was leaking more bloodlust than before. "I won't say it again."

"Fine," I sighed, still trying to keep my cool. "I'm sorry for my offensive words."

"Do it properly," he ordered. "Get on your knees, bow until your head touches the ground, and apologize."

"What?" I stood up. "I bow to no one other than Lord Frederick."

"I was hoping you would say that," he said baring his fangs and his fingers sharpening into claws. "I would make sure your Lord knows that you died a loyal man. Not that he would care though."

"Wait, wait!" I said quickly going down on my knees. He wants to kill me this time. I bow my head as he instructed and he stepped on it.

"Now say the words, respectfully."

"I'm sorry for my rudeness, Elder Noel," I said, making sure to resist the urge to grit my teeth."

He laughed hard after that as I stood up. "You are pathetic, you know?"

"Anyway, inform Aldo or Frederick that I would be back to discuss the deal," He said as he headed for the door. He stood just before the door and looked back at me with a smile. "Forget about the Neonates you sent to track Bonnie. He killed them all before I came here."