June 18th - Evening

"Well, that was a disgusting display." Lady Brook sneered to Pharon.

Pharon quietly glanced at her. He actually thought that the brief game of tag had looked fun.

Blaize walked over and flopped down onto the picnic blanket. He was Lady Brook's partner for the day.

Lady Brook instantly straightened, "I am sure you agree, your Highness, that that display was obscene."

Blaize snarled, "That Cow is vile. Everyone knows that!"

Lady Brook smiled, "Of course! So, why Mr. Essenvir would stoop so low is beyond me. He's actually handsome from certain angles." Lady Brook continued, "Where has Lord Rhanna been these past few days? He needs to take his cousin into hand."

Pharon stiffened, "Lord Rhanna is dead." He told her quietly. Blaize turned to stare at him.

"What?" Lord Glade's voice came from above and to Pharon's right. It seemed that he and his partner for the day we're joining them.

Lady Brook used Lord Glade arrival to scoot closer to Blaize.

"My father told me. I'm not certain how, but Kane Essenvir has become the next head of his clan. Rhanna, the Duke, and the Marquis are all dead." Pharon said to Lord Glade.

Lord Glade's expression became grim as he sat beside his partner. Smiling stiffly, he said, "My father is going to love that."

Lady Brook snorted, "Yes, he's always talking about Miss Adamare and her accomplishments. She did this and then she did that. Honestly, meeting her has been a huge let down. After all his talk, I thought she was going to be some sort of goddess." Blaize scoffed and Lord Glade's partner giggled behind her hand.

"Maybe she has other qualities than those that are typically associated with femininity." Pharon protested faintly.

Blaize shot him a confused look, "Like her ability to blackmail Princes?" he sneered.

Lord Glade watched Blaize for a moment, then smiled wryly, "Yes, that probably would appeal to him. He'd most likely find it amusing. What did she blackmail you with?"

Blaize's expression became haunted he raised his hands in front of his chest innocently, "I- she didn't. Of course, she didn't! She has nothing on me." He protested.

Lady Brook's expression became angry, "How dare you accuse him brother!"

Lord Glade laughed and shrugged, "Well, it would take some major stones to do something like that, but it sounds like something she would do."

Pharon looked seriously at Lord Glade, "you sound as if you admire her, Lord Glade."

Lord Glade's eyes widened, then he laughed again, "Really? I wouldn't call it admiration, but she hasn't made me endure a shopping trip yet so there's that ."

Pharon smiled slightly as Blaize glowered.

"That just means she's unnatural!" Blaize sneered. His eyes roved over the other groups of participants. "Where the hell is Lord Alecai?" he demanded.

Everyone turned to look at the empty blanket across the Meadow.

Pharon frowned. He hadn't told Lord Alecai about Kylara being part Tethessia but maybe Lord Alecai had realized it on his own. A feeling of uneasiness settled into Pharon's stomach.

***

June 18th - evening - in the Queen's sitting room

Pharon's mother was angry. Her mouth was set into a tight line and her hand was white knuckled around her wine glass.

"What progress have you made, Lord Alecai?" she asked coldly.

Lord Alecai smiled and shrugged, "I'm working on it."

The Queen scoffed, "it's been two days and, according to Blaize, you have only spoken to her once."

"It takes time, cousin." Lady Vivian said. The Queen's eyes flashed and her lips quirked down.

"Exactly what takes time?" The Queen snapped.

"Alec must observe her and find out her preferences." Lady Vivian replied evenly.

"That girl is an attention seeking cow! She doesn't have preferences." Blaize snapped, "you saw her today! She will take anyone who will have her. All you have to do is say you need a little incentive to claim her, and she'll do anything."

Pharon's fists clenched. He knew his brother was wrong. For some reason, he was finding it uncomfortable to hear Kylara spoken about in such a manner.

"If I do that, and you're wrong, I will lose my chance. It is very hard to make a female you proposition like you again, if she isn't a whore." Lord Alecai said irritably.

Pharon lowered his head and kept his mouth shut. If he told them of his experiences with Kylara, Lord Alecai would have a better shot, but Pharon wasn't sure that's what he wanted.

Lord Alecai continued, "I will watch her and learn her preferences. Then I will make my move."

"You will ruin her?" the Queen pressed.

Lord Alecai smiled beautifully, "I will take everything from her. Then, I will destroy her. She will be a mere husk, when I'm finished."

The Queen returned his smile. Hers was less beautiful and more vicious than his though, "good." she said.

Pharon glanced at Blaize. His smile was a mirror of their mothers. Pharon hid a grimace as his hands tightened further. He saw his mother about to dismiss them all and couldn't stop himself.

"She doesn't care about her honor at all!" Pharon practically shouted. Everyone turned to look at him in surprise "I- I told her I was thinking claim her, but I wasn't sure I wanted to and she-" Pharon cut off and swallowed hard. His cheeks flushed as he began to try to find the right words.

"If it's too embarrassing, you don't have to say it, Dear." the Queen offered.

Pharon shook his head, "she teased me, right then and there. Blaize wasn't- she isn't like the other females. She's not proper or demure." Pharon finished. He was shaking from the effort it took not to lie to Lord Alecai and Lady Vivian.

His mother had told him and Blaize that Lord Alecai and Lady Vivian could actually hear lies. It had been very difficult to twist his words to make it seem like Kylara had not rejected him that day by the stream.

Lord Alecai watched him with hard eyes as Lady Vivian smiled, "He is telling the truth." she said laughingly as she turned to Lord Alecai. "I guess you can get started right away, after all. I'm jealous. You get to have a real meal." She pouted and sent a significant look at Blaize.

The Queen paled, then quickly cleared her throat, "we agreed that my sons were off the table. You can have anyone else." she said hurriedly.

"What about that male from earlier, the one who played tag? You said you liked how aggressive he was." Lord Alec I suggested. Lady Vivian brightened at once as Blaize's expression darkened.

"That sounds fantastic! Let's go eat then, Alec." Lady Vivian said looping her arm through his and nodding to the Queen. They exited the room.

***

Kane grimaced into his wine glass, then downed it. Kylara had already gone back to her rooms for the night. He was thinking of doing the same, but he was hesitating because, per his agreement with Ishmael, tomorrow was Ishmael's day with Kylara. Ishmael would take her to training and Ishmael would spend the mating event with her. They would switch back at night.

This was so that Kylara could get to know Ishmael as well. Ishmael had agreed not to be aggressive with her but Kane still didn't trust him.

Kane looked around the room for another tray-laden servant, when he saw Lady Vivian and Lord Alecai entering the room arm in arm. He stiffened as Ishmael started in again with what he'd been saying all day, 'they are demons In disguise. Do not trust them!'

Kane grimaced again as he met Lady Vivian's eyes through the throng surrounding her. She smiled brilliantly at him. Kane was forced to admit to himself that she was quite beautiful.

'So, what if she's beautiful? She has nothing on Kylara.' Ishmael sneered.

Kane smirked as he exchanged his empty glass for a full one from a passing servant. For once, he in Ishmael were in agreement.

'Damn it! She's coming over. Don't fall for her tricks!' Ishmael said hurriedly.

Kane blinked and saw that he was right. Lady Vivian was a few feet away and coming closer.

"Hello," she purred, getting far closer to him then Kane liked. His expression became grim as a wave of desire hit him. His eyes fell to Lady Vivian's deep neckline as she lightly drew her hand across her chest.

An image of Kylara leaning back against a tree, fast asleep flash into Kane's mind. Her coat was open, and her loose, white shirt clung to her generous bosom.

Kane took a deep breath, feeling like he'd just gotten his head above water, "Lady Vivian," He said coolly.

'Hey Kane, what do you think Kylara wears to bed?' Ishmael asked in Kane's mind. Kane flushed and immediately started thinking about the different garments females wore to sleep.

A few seconds later, he was interrupted by a loud 'hey!' He returned to the attention to Lady Vivian with a forced smile.

She was pouting sexily although her eyes flashed with irritation.

"I'm sorry, Lady Vivian," Kane said, "my attention was elsewhere."

Lady Vivian let out sharp breath and irritably flipped her blonde hair over her right shoulder. Her finger then slipped under the chain of her long necklace that dangled in the valley between her breasts.

"Do I have your attention now, Mr. Essenvir?" she purred. Kane smiled coolly and nodded. Running her finger along the chain, she said, "I was very impressed with you today. Believe it or not, aggression is one of my favorite traits in a male." Kane took a sip of his wine to hide his grimace. "It can be so much fun." she added with a wink when he remained silent.

"Then you should tell some of your followers that. I'm sure they'd be happy to get aggressive with you, if you truly like that sort of behavior." Kane said. He looked at his wine glass as the corners of his mouth twitched down.

Lady Vivian stepped even closer to him. Placing her right palm on Kane's chest, she leaned into him.

"I'd really like you to be aggressive with me, Mr. Essenvir." She whispered huskily into his ear. Her moist, warm breath on his skin made Kane feel uncomfortable. Heat flowed from her hand into Kane's chest and he gasped as his body heated. His pulse started racing. "Why don't we go back to your room and you can show me how aggressive you can be?" she offered.

Kane's jaw clenched. In his mind, he saw Lady Vivian lying naked below him. He grabbed her hair and she cried his name. Mid-cry her sultry voice changed to Kylara's clear tones, although Kylara's voice still had a husky edge to it.

The vision changed. Kylara now lay on the bed below. Her eyes were hot as she gazed at him and her cheeks were flushed with lust.

'I want you to claim me, Kane.' she said.

Kane gasped as he threw himself out of the vision in his surprise. He realized that it wasn't him that had been picturing Kylara on the bed. Ishmael had conjured that vision.

Ishmael snarled angrily in his mind, 'I did that to help you. You are falling to Demoness. Give me control now, Kane. You can't handle this.' Ishmael's tone was urgent.

Kane swallowed hard as a new wave have energy shot through his chest. The image of Kylara flashed into his mind again, but this time her hair was blond. He relaxed and allowed Ishmael to force him out of control of their body.

Ishmael grabbed Lady Vivian's wrist and pulled her hand off his chest.

Through gritted teeth, he said, "I had an affair with a succubus once, Demoness. It was quite enjoyable until she tried to enslave me. I burned her to ashes on the spot." Ishmael smiled as he allowed the temperature of his hand holding her wrist to increase to just before it would burn her.

Lady Vivian gasped and tried to pull her hand back, but Ishmael didn't let it go.

"Don't try this again. We're not interested in you." Ishmael sneered. He finally released her, roughly. "If you make another attempt at feeding on my partner and I, I will show you aggression." He promised with blazing eyes.

Lady Vivian paled and stepped back as the air around Ishmael grew stiflingly hot.

Ishmael finished the rest of his, now boiling, wine and dropped the glass to the floor. The shattered pieces melted into a glowing puddle. Then he gave Lady Vivian a razor like smile and walked out.