Hell's Consort

Some women were napping this early afternoon while young slave girls with huge fans adorned with peacock feathers moved to cool the humid air.

A current of excitement had swept through their ranks, leaving them wide-eyed and alert and whispering among themselves in the harem's enclosed garden while having muscles massaged by the eunuchs.

The outsiders must envy this kind of lifestyle, but once the consortium doors were shut, it was clear as day that their freedom was only an illusion.

They might be pampered and spoiled, but they were much as captives to the Vampire royalties as servants.

No matter their rank, they each had only one purpose.

They existed solely to serve the King and his cronies.

To see to their needs and provide for their pleasure then be doomed to spend the rest of their lives beating frantically against the bar of this gilded cage.

Luna feared she'll become like them, always waiting for the summons of the Consortium just to break the soul-sucking monotony of long, languid hours.

As she and Lady Clarence began to walk their way through the chamber, several of the women cast furtive glances at her behind their lashes.

"Well. Well, Well. Look who is here?" A woman suddenly uncurled herself from a purple couch with the sleek grace of a jungle cat and sauntered over to plant herself directly into their path.

Lady Clarence was forced into a halt while Luna huddled behind her.

She bobbed into a curtsy in the direction of this new lady.

She winced.

She was doing a miserable job at this consort thing.

Luna eyed Lady Catriona, her gaze coolly appraising.

With her pouting, plum-colored lips, her waist-length fall of glossy midnight-black hair, and her dancing dark eyes, she was truly one of the most stunning women in the harem.

Her lush curves were covered by little more than scraps of translucent silk fashioned to draw a man's eyes to her chest and the juncture of her thighs.

Luna liked to shield her eyes from the image in front of her because she wasn't used to it.

It was blinding.

After this, she's going to search for virginal robes for her to wear.

"You're a new one, silver hair. I can't seem to identify your species." The lady clutched her hair and tugged sharply, sending tiny sharp needles prickling her scalp.

Luna had to curl her twitching hand into a fist to keep it from slapping her smug expression from her face.

Luna also doesn't want Cederic to rain down on them like some avenging angel if she created trouble.

Luna did not want to be a blood slave, anyway. "What creature are you?"

Now, the women openly stared at her long silver hair like she's some rare albino monkey, not bothering to hide their wonder and resentment simmering in their kohl-rimmed eyes.

"You should not torture recruits, Lady Catriona." Lady Clarence glared daggers at the lady as she pulled Luna behind her protection.

Yes, it's sweet, but Lady Clarence is drawing all the unnecessary attention to herself.

"My, my, Lady Clarence." She smirked. "I admire your bravery for showing up here on the crime scene. Aren't you afraid you are going to be a victim of poisoning again?"

The other harem girls sat up straighter and leaned closer like sharks scenting fresh blood in the water.

Lady Catriona cast a glance over her shoulder, making sure her audience has their avid attention.

"This isn't your territory, were-leopard. Remember that this place is a sanctuary for all the girls in the Consortium. If you don't like to see me, you should have gone back home in the forest, be a savage like you are."

The women behind Lady Catriona collapsed in their couches in fits of giggles.

Luna suppressed a triumphant smile while Lady Catriona scowled at them.

Lady Clarence might be all bark and no bite and, what's more, a human.

Luna admired her for her fearlessness despite her belonging to the weakest race.

Lady Catriona planted her hands on her shapely hips and lifted her chin to an even haughtier angle as she surveyed them with contempt.

"You are a mere human, Lady Clarence, even if you are favored by one of the Dukes. That wouldn't give you the advantage over me since I have a higher rank than you." Lady Catriona said as she gave a dismissive wave of her hand as if they are insignificant.

"You don't want to make a High Consort angry. But since I'm in a rather good mood today, I'll let it slide."

Really?

This is her 'good mood' acting all insulting and confrontational all of a sudden?

How much more if Lady Catriona is in a 'bad mood'?

"Don't act so haughty yet, Catriona." Lady Clarence sighed as if she's done with her. "You are acting like an empress when you aren't a concubine yet."

"Oh, wait for it, human. If I become one of the Concubines and be the empress in the future, a three-day comatose and a stomach ache will not be enough punishment for your impertinence. I'll let you rot in the dungeons without food and water. The rats wouldn't starve anymore with you there."

Lady Catriona gave them a cold smile.

Although her sultry voice was still clearly audible throughout the chamber, she drew closer. "If I'm feeling generous that day, I'll just tear you to pieces with my claws while your cadaver is hung in a wooden pole in front of the castle gates. Wouldn't it be nice if your spilled blood will tempt the vampires enough to drink it from the ground instead?"

"Stop threatening me, or I'll tell the Vali what you have done!"

"Then, drop out from the Concubine list. " Leaning closer to Lady Clarence, she lowered her voice to an actual whisper, one intended only for her ears. "You are a Consort. If you want to have power so much, why don't you become a High Priestess? You are a virgin, so I'm sure you'd be qualified. All you have to do is to pass the test. Touch the Delphi staff on the Blood Moon Ceremony tonight and see if you have the potential to learn magic. You just have to break the Vampire King's curse in a year, and he would grant anything you wish."

Luna's ears picked up at what she said.

If she became a High Priestess, learn forbidden magic, and break the King's curse in one year, she can wish for anything Luna wanted?

Isn't that killing all the birds in one stone?

"You are convincing me to drop out so that you'll get the position, aren't you? You thought one less concubine would not hurt. The lesser harem girls in the competition, the better your chances of being the Empress." Lady Clarence shot back. "Nice try, Lady Catriona, but I won't be fooled. I knew you were the one who put poison in my drink while I was relaxing and rubbing volcanic ashes on my body to prepare for the festivities tonight. You might be prettier than me, but you're just one insecure little bitch."

Lady Clarence set her feet into motion, sidestepping Lady Catriona and sweeping the rest of the way across the chamber.

When Lady Clarence glanced over her shoulder, Lady Catriona shifted into a snow leopard and attacked.