Read Online Forbidden Blood: A House of Comarré Novella by Kristen Painter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristen Painter
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an angry hiss. “Lord Arnaud says you were taken in flagrante delicto .”
“Worse than that,” Arnaud added. “I believe he’s fed from her. And all the while doing nothing to fulfill the task I’d given him.”
“How do you know?” Dominic asked. “Were you watching us?”
“Yes. I almost lost you when you went to Venice, but my comarré is easy to track.”
Marissa lifted her head. “How?”
With a snort, Arnaud’s gaze dropped to her hands. “Your ring. Did you think I would give you a gift for no reason? I am no fool. I actually expected you to run.”
Rennata tsked. “I do apologize, Lord Arnaud.”
Arnaud stood. “It’s not your concern, Madame Rennata. From you, all I expect is that this comarré is dealt with. I did not pay good money for her blood rights only to have my authority disregarded. She is—”
Rennata spun. “As I told you when you arrived, Lord Arnaud, I am sorry for your troubles, but you signed a contract agreeing not to return her. If she has caused you a problem, deal with it as you see fit.”
Silver gleamed in his eyes. “I do not believe you will care for my solution.”
Marissa struggled to her feet. “You would give me over to his whims, Rennata? Do you know what he wanted done with me? To have my blood—”
Arnaud flashed to her side and backhanded her. “From now on, you will not speak unless you are spoken to. Is that understood?”
Rage propelled Dominic forward. He caught Arnaud by the waist and took him to the ground, rearing back to strike him. “Touch her again and I’ll kill you myself.”
Marissa gasped.
“Enough!” The shush of metal punctuated Rennata’s command. A long ornate sword glimmered in the space between Dominic and Arnaud. This close, Dominic could feel the weapon was hot with holy magic. “This is my house,” she continued. “If you want to kill each other, do so on your own property. I do not wish to breathe ash for the next week.”
Neither vampire moved for a moment. Then slowly, Dominic retreated. He struggled not to show the residual effects of whatever he’d been drugged with, but his head swam and he knew his leap across the room had taxed his strength. He held his hands up in surrender for Rennata’s sake. “As you wish.”
Arnaud jumped to his feet and brushed himself off, his eyes never leaving Dominic. “You’ve made a fatal mistake, Falconetti.”
“No,” Marissa said. “You have, Arnaud. Because one way or another, I’m done with you.”
Arnaud looked past Dominic and laughed. “I own you, comarré.”
Dominic turned to see her. Even after their abduction, with her hair wild about her face and her eyes like shards of blue ice, she looked like a goddess. Like Bellona come to life.
“You don’t own me, vampire, just my blood rights. And I’m about to change that.” With hard purpose, she glared at Rennata. “In front of you and Lord Falconetti as my witnesses, I claim libertas.”
Dominic wished he could go to her and tell her how proud she made him, but any show of emotion between them would serve no purpose at this point. He stayed quiet but hoped she saw the pride in his eyes.
Rennata’s face blanked, then twisted into contempt. “You cannot be serious.”
Marissa straightened. “I am.” Her voice was eerily quiet. “How soon can the challenge take place?”
“Challenge? Libertas?” Arnaud pushed past Dominic to stand beside Rennata. “What is this bloody nonsense?”
Rennata raised her brows and pursed her lips, her look coolly appraising. “Marissa has claimed libertas. It is every comarré’s right, although I’ve never known one to do it.” She glanced at Marissa before turning back to Arnaud. “It means that she believes she has the right to her freedom.”
“Like hell she does—”
Rennata held her hand up. “This is all detailed in the contract every vampire signs upon purchase of a comarré’s blood rights. Not that any of you bother to read the fine
“Worse than that,” Arnaud added. “I believe he’s fed from her. And all the while doing nothing to fulfill the task I’d given him.”
“How do you know?” Dominic asked. “Were you watching us?”
“Yes. I almost lost you when you went to Venice, but my comarré is easy to track.”
Marissa lifted her head. “How?”
With a snort, Arnaud’s gaze dropped to her hands. “Your ring. Did you think I would give you a gift for no reason? I am no fool. I actually expected you to run.”
Rennata tsked. “I do apologize, Lord Arnaud.”
Arnaud stood. “It’s not your concern, Madame Rennata. From you, all I expect is that this comarré is dealt with. I did not pay good money for her blood rights only to have my authority disregarded. She is—”
Rennata spun. “As I told you when you arrived, Lord Arnaud, I am sorry for your troubles, but you signed a contract agreeing not to return her. If she has caused you a problem, deal with it as you see fit.”
Silver gleamed in his eyes. “I do not believe you will care for my solution.”
Marissa struggled to her feet. “You would give me over to his whims, Rennata? Do you know what he wanted done with me? To have my blood—”
Arnaud flashed to her side and backhanded her. “From now on, you will not speak unless you are spoken to. Is that understood?”
Rage propelled Dominic forward. He caught Arnaud by the waist and took him to the ground, rearing back to strike him. “Touch her again and I’ll kill you myself.”
Marissa gasped.
“Enough!” The shush of metal punctuated Rennata’s command. A long ornate sword glimmered in the space between Dominic and Arnaud. This close, Dominic could feel the weapon was hot with holy magic. “This is my house,” she continued. “If you want to kill each other, do so on your own property. I do not wish to breathe ash for the next week.”
Neither vampire moved for a moment. Then slowly, Dominic retreated. He struggled not to show the residual effects of whatever he’d been drugged with, but his head swam and he knew his leap across the room had taxed his strength. He held his hands up in surrender for Rennata’s sake. “As you wish.”
Arnaud jumped to his feet and brushed himself off, his eyes never leaving Dominic. “You’ve made a fatal mistake, Falconetti.”
“No,” Marissa said. “You have, Arnaud. Because one way or another, I’m done with you.”
Arnaud looked past Dominic and laughed. “I own you, comarré.”
Dominic turned to see her. Even after their abduction, with her hair wild about her face and her eyes like shards of blue ice, she looked like a goddess. Like Bellona come to life.
“You don’t own me, vampire, just my blood rights. And I’m about to change that.” With hard purpose, she glared at Rennata. “In front of you and Lord Falconetti as my witnesses, I claim libertas.”
Dominic wished he could go to her and tell her how proud she made him, but any show of emotion between them would serve no purpose at this point. He stayed quiet but hoped she saw the pride in his eyes.
Rennata’s face blanked, then twisted into contempt. “You cannot be serious.”
Marissa straightened. “I am.” Her voice was eerily quiet. “How soon can the challenge take place?”
“Challenge? Libertas?” Arnaud pushed past Dominic to stand beside Rennata. “What is this bloody nonsense?”
Rennata raised her brows and pursed her lips, her look coolly appraising. “Marissa has claimed libertas. It is every comarré’s right, although I’ve never known one to do it.” She glanced at Marissa before turning back to Arnaud. “It means that she believes she has the right to her freedom.”
“Like hell she does—”
Rennata held her hand up. “This is all detailed in the contract every vampire signs upon purchase of a comarré’s blood rights. Not that any of you bother to read the fine
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