The Pride of a Slave Ch. 06

I gave Ophelia one more caress and then pushed the door open, the smell of aging books assaulting my senses immediately. The palace library was second in size, its rival being the universal public library, which was located north, and was jealously guarded by the residents there.

I walked in feeling a sense of nostalgia as I did so and walked to the card catalog and pulled a few cards based on subject and went about finding the three books. I managed to find one only to sigh and put it back, it wasn't what I was looking for at all. I had to climb the library ladder for the second book, and I looked around hoping to spot a servant to do it for me. I hated heights, it was my weakness, so when I was faced with this dilemma I didn't know what to do.

I decided to try and find the other book, and succeeded only to put it back, again not the right type of book. I looked forlornly at the ladder and kicked my shoes off, I wanted to feel the wood underneath my feet. I focused on the high shelf I needed and began to climb. Each step took me closer to the book and further from comfort, by the time I reached the shelf I was out of breath and shaking with fear.

My body had frozen and I couldn't move, not up, nor down. All I could do was grip the book I had managed to grab before I fell apart and then grip the wooden ladder. I felt the urge to sob start to take over and only managed to hold it back by sheer will power.

Time passed far to quickly and I began to feel fatigued, the shaking and terror taking all the energy right out of me.

"You know, if I didn't know how horrible it was for you up there, I might think of leaving you up there for a while longer, just to enjoy the view." Dimitri's cool voice worked through my fear and I whimpered to him, "Please get me down."

I felt him carefully climb the ladder and with the strength I envied him, he reached an arm around my waist and pressed me to him and carried me back down the ladder. I felt my knees go out when we were back on the ground, and Dimitri caught me, smiling the entire time. My fingers were locked onto his shirt, and I was still shaking. He picked me up like a child and walked over to a chair and sat down holding me tightly and waiting for me to calm down.

It took some time but eventually I stopped shaking, then a little while longer I released my death grip on Dimitri's shirt. I leaned back and looked at him and smiled weakly, "Thanks." He leaned forward and ran his lips softly down the nape of my neck and then with a soft kiss on my shoulder he whispered to me, "You are most welcome."

I shuddered, this time my shiver coming from an entirely different emotion. He sighed and stood up, letting me get off his lap before he stood up entirely. I looked at him confused and let him grab the book out of my hand and read the title. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he looked at me expectantly.

"Your father and Isadorre thought I would benefit from private study for the position."

"You mean, he plans on making you my and Ryder's advisor?"

I nodded looking at him to gauge his reaction. He revealed nothing as he stared at the book. I reached up and touched his cheek snapping him out, instantly, of his musings.

"Does it bother you?"

He looked at my sharply, "Would it matter if it bothered me or Ryder? It seems my father and you have already decided on this."

I sighed dramatically, "You know as well as I that the legislative congress will protest me being in the position."

He grabbed my shoulders tightly, "and what is your plan if they do?"

I looked at him confused, "There is a law that says if you, Ryder, Victor and Mariah approved of the assigned person then it doesn't matter what the congress says, they have to respect it."

His eyebrows shot up and he looked closer at the book, "How did you now about that and I didn't?"

I smirked, "I was actually at the lecture that day, you were busy helping your father with some business."

He sighed and nodded, "Its hard to pay attention to that class anyway, it is rare that they discuss things I haven't already been taught when I was much younger."

I smiled and looked up at him, "So, what do you think about me being your advisor."

He shrugged, "Its better than that old codger being our advisor, and you already are. More often than not you are calming one or both of us down and getting us to listen to each other."

I beamed up at him, "Its weird but I feel, kind of, like I was raised to be your advisor just as much as you and Ryder were raised to be rulers."

He pondered my comment with a soft smile on his face, "Its true, you have been our advisor since toddlers. Did my father say when he was going to announce you as the heir?"

I nodded, "After finals, I think he's hoping that if I get the top of my class than it will ease the disagreements a bit."

He shook his head, "He's dreaming, but if you have your mind set on this, than I know it will happen regardless of the protests."

I turned his comment over in my head, "How have you been hearing complaints about me and I haven't?"

He looked at me pointedly, "Have you been going to many parties?"

I shook my head, "Of course not."

"Exactly, no one will speak openly in class, it would be questioning the Deans decision to accept you into the university, and this dean is very strict, he would expel protesters with little provocation."

"Oh, so they keep it quiet at school."

He nodded, "But at parties it is easy to listen to them complain. I'm somewhat glad my father forbade me to go to the parties, it was getting aggravating listening to those pampered Immortals complain about you. It usually ended in Ryder breaking someone's bones when the complaining really started to get out of hand."

I sighed and shook my head, "You both are stupid to take what people say about me to such heart. It always can get worse and going around being a snob or fighting people who just have a separate opinion, that is usually based on the views of their parents, is irrational. You have to let people vent out their worries and frustrations, and unless you want to calmly debate with them about the things they are complaining about, it is best to turn a deaf ear to it."

Dimitri chuckled and handed me the book, "You were defiantly raised to be our advisor. Now, go and study, I need the library alone for a bit."

I looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

He chuckled, "I need to make a conference call and my father is using the other conference phone."

"Ah, got you, and I gather I cannot hear the nature of the call?"

He nodded then winked, "That is, until you are announced as the heir advisor. Then you get to suffer through these atrocious meetings along with Ryder and me."

I winced playfully and waved at him as I walked out. I gripped the book to me as I walked back to my room, and laid down on my bed and with my legs kicked up I began to read. The first chapter was very dry and I found myself yawning and falling asleep before I got to the second chapter. I felt cool hands on my arms and opened my eyes to see Dimitri's face.

"Hey, my father wanted me to let you know that he will not be showing for dinner, so the staff is taking the night off. I thought you would like to come to the kitchen with me and find something to eat."

I yawned and stretched, "You can just be honest and say that you want me there so that I can fix you something because you have no idea how to cook."

Dimitri snorted, "To be fair, I was never allowed in the kitchen after you convinced me that the flour bomb would be funny."

I noticed that Dimitri's light hearted tone was forced but I left it alone, he seemed upset by something, "Well, lets go then, what do you want?"

He helped me stand and brought me into his arms, holding me tightly for a few moments. I rested my face onto his chest and squeezed him back, breathing in his clean scent. He pushed me back and looked down into my face. I smiled and reached up and tucked his hair behind one ear, he smiled.

I pulled away when I realized he wouldn't but kept my hand on him, running it down his arm and to his hand, lacing my fingers with his. He was in a very strange mood, and I couldn't help but to ponder it in focused silence as I walked with him to the kitchen.

When we arrived I realized he hadn't told me what he wanted, "So, what will you have?"

He smiled and sat down on one of the stools at the counter, "Anything you want to make me."

I laughed, "Oh please, you are the pickiest eater alive, I need direction or you will be eating sunny side up eggs with toast."

He made a disgusted look, and I laughed knowing that he hated eggs and that I had used the proper threat to get him to direct me, "Make me a sandwich, steak sandwich, like you used to when we were studying really late during high school."

I chuckled, "Hopefully the cook wont try to beat me to death with her spoon when she sees some of the steaks gone this time."

He smiled at me but his smile didn't reach his eyes, "I made sure it would be alright if we used anything."

I nodded and walked into the huge freezer and found the steaks that I knew Dimitri loved and pulled them out. I threw them into boiling water so they would defrost and I began to make the mayonnaise, which was what made the sandwiches special.

I made it a point to face Dimitri as I cut the sun dried tomatoes and basil into fine, thin slices, hoping that he would talk to me. As I added the olive oil to the mixture and stirred so the herbs and tomatoes would give the oil their essence I heard Dimitri sigh, "I will miss this."

My had frozen in mid mix and looked up at him, a sense of worry seizing my chest, "What will you miss?"

He looked at me and shook his head slightly and sighed, "I have to go soon."

I started to stir again, this time with renewed vigor, letting the nervous energy out through my hand, "What do you mean?"

He watched me silently for a few minutes and I finished the mix by adding mayonnaise and a few different seasonings. I stirred it together and then put it in a small bowl and put it in the walk in refrigeration and grabbed a knife and cut the bone out of the steak. When I was finished and set the knife down and looked up at him waiting.

"I am going to have to take my tests the day before Ryder comes back, and then once he is back, I am going to have to travel." He spoke softly but his voice had an edge.

I resumed cutting the steak until I had a thinly cut, tenderized steak. I put the pan on the stove and turned the heat on and then turned to Dimitri, "For how long?"

"Until your announcement ball."

I looked at him disgusted, "I didn't know my announcement had to be a ball."

Dimitri's smile flashed briefly before once again disappearing, "Yes, well my Aunt thought the announcement would go better if it were made in to an elaborate party."

I sighed and put the steaks onto the now hot pan, I seared Dimitri's steak and seasoned it before quickly taking it off, leaving it very rare, just like he liked it. I covered my steak and let it cook while I finished his sandwich, cutting the home made rolls and putting the mayonnaise and steak onto it. I closed it and cut it in half then dug through the cupboard and pulled out the small preserves jar.

I opened the home canned jar of jalapeño slices and put nice pile on his plate. No one besides perhaps the cook and I knew that Dimitri adored the pickled jalapeños, and that my mother was to blame for getting him hooked on them for life. They were impossible to find on this side of the border and during jalapeño season the Palace would send a human servant out to buy pretty much every canned jalapeño they could find, just so Dimitri could have his fix.

I handed him the sandwich and poured him a glass of water then returned to finish my sandwich and sat across from him at the counter. We both ate in silence until I couldn't stand it anymore, "Okay, so why do you have to travel? And where are you traveling to?"

He popped a few slices of jalapeños into his mouth and chewed pensively, which I didn't think was possible while eating ones favorite food, "I have to travel to the other countries."

"Okay, and why do you have to do that?"

He cleared his throat, "Because your announcement isn't the only reason for the ball. I am going to be personally inviting the Immortal, eligible, princesses of the various royalties to attend the ball."

I sighed and took a deep drink of my own water, "Already? Your father is pushing all of this rather fast." I tried to sound professional, but my stomach and heart squeezed when I processed what he was saying, Dimitri was officially on the hunt for his queen now.

He nodded, "I believe it is because my father believes that if Ryder and I are actively courting young ladies it will lessen the shock of the announcement of your heir status."

"Basically, he's hoping that if you and Ryder are busing chasing princesses and mates that people wont freak out because I'm a female."

He nodded and I couldn't help but to chuckle, "I figured everyone's biggest worry would be that I'm a slave, but I guess it is pretty scandalous that both of you are princes and a girl is being made your advisor."

"The fact you are a slave will be another hardship but Ryder and myself have already added our names to my father and Mariah's to the veto of congressional option."

I nodded, "I remember that in class, the veto of congressional option basically means you are telling the congress that they can't make decisions above your own when the two ruling houses are unanimous in the decision. When was the last time you guys had to use that?" Dimitri made a face, "Its been a while."

I nodded and finished my water and food then cleaned both of our dishes and put them away. Dimitri helped with the cleaning and when it was all done we both walked out of the kitchen and decided on a walk around the Palace halls.

"So, I don't understand why you seem so frustrated with having to travel."

Dimitri squeezed my hand, "I'm not ready to give this up yet, not when I just started to explore it."

I smiled at him, "This meaning us?"

He nodded, "I cannot imagine many women vampires agreeing to a marriage with an heir that is in love with his advisor."

I felt heat cascade through me at his words and I blushed but I kept my face as neutral as possible, "You have the added bonus of being THIS countries heir. We hold most of the power in the world, that alone will entice a princess."

"I can't imagine what type of girl will agree to marry me like this, though."

I rubbed my thumb across the top of his hand thinking, "Well, just invite every available princess you can get your hands on. When the announcement is made I'm positive some of them will leave. From the ones that don't then we can go from there."

"Yes, well there's another reason I don't like this whole situation. The travel."

"The traveling? Why?"

He stopped and pulled me to him and leaned forward and brushed his lips gently against mine, "You will be left alone with my main competition." I pulled back and rolled my eyes, "He is not competition, I will not chose between the two of you which should eliminate this whole absurd competition idea. And you will only be gone for a few weeks."

"You are trying to make it sound like less time but it's a couple of months Sera, don't try to break it down into weeks."

I sighed, "I'm sorry, I wish..." I let the sentence hang but I knew that he understood what I wished because he pulled me to his side briefly before we returned to walking.

"The only satisfaction I will have is that he will not be around all the time. Mariah wants him to do the same as I am doing, but on a much smaller scale. He will be gone a lot but he will still get to see you more often than I will."

I kissed the top of his hand and we silently walked through the halls until we reached his rooms. I tried to let his hand go but he wouldn't let me go and instead pulled me into his rooms. I tried to protest lightly but his mouth locked onto mine before I could form any words.

He pressed me to the door and continued to kiss me, his kisses hungry and passionate. I stood on the tips of my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck kissing him as deeply as I could. My tongue slipped out of my mouth and ran across his lips only briefly before his mouth opened and invited me in.

Our tongues danced in and out of each others mouths, my breathing ragged as we continued to kiss. At some point he picked me up and relocated to his room. He closed the door firmly behind him as he carried me to his bed, our lips never leaving each others.

He set me on the bed and I scrambled to my knees while he stood at the side of the bed. I broke the kiss first as I pulled his shirt over his head and off of him. I returned to kissing him and kissed slowly down his neck and collar bone. I kissed down his chest running my hands along his bare torso, my hands hot against his cold skin.

He let me kiss down to his navel before he moaned and yanked me back up and kissed me with more ferocity. I met his kissing, coaxing the intensity away leaving the loving passion in its wake. I pulled away again and pulled my shirt up and over my head. My white cotton bra came into view and I made quick work of pulling that off as well.

I knelt on the bed in front of Dimitri and felt his stare on my bare skin. His stare felt hot on me and I felt my body warm and send small waves of heat to my center. He leaned forward and kissed the nape of my neck, pressing me back into the soft blanket of his bed. His hands ran down my sides, each finger leaving a trail of cold pleasure in their wake.

He reached down and unbuttoned my skirt and made quick work of getting it off of me. I ran my hands up and down his back until his mouth slid further down my body and rested just above my breast. I felt him breath his cool breath onto each nipple, pausing to watch them harden before locking his mouth onto one. I moaned softly and felt my center become warmer and grow moist.

He switched from one nipple to the other, his hand reaching up and tweaking and pinching the damp nipple while he sucked and nipped on the other. I felt my need for him growing and arched into him. He responded by his hand leaving my nipple and dripping to my hips. Never breaking his kiss on my nipple he pulled my underwear off of my hips and down my legs.

I worked the panties off and he ran his hands up my legs and across my hips, my skin so sensitive that it felt like electricity running over me. He nipped my nipple soundly before releasing it and kissing the rest of my breast before kissing down my chest and down my stomach. I shuddered and heard his belt buckle clink then his zipper and finally the sound of his pants hitting the ground.

By now I was sopping wet and the electricity was doing nothing more than drive me insane with a carnal need. I pulled Dimitri back to me and locked his lips to mine and arched my body against his. He responded by pressing himself and me back down into the bed.

I let him lift one of my legs and open me to him and I wrapped it around his hip as I felt the hard head of him stroke gently against me. I reached down and grabbed it and pulled him to my opening.

He broke the kiss and looked down at me with amusement and I moaned in response, "Dimitri..."

He touched my face and staring at me he thrust into me in one stroke, burying himself to he hilt into me. I felt myself invaded, my walls stretch just enough to allow him entrance. I was snug against him and flexed around him eliciting a moan from him. He kissed me briefly before he began to stroke in and out of me. It was like fire every time he moved, the friction of him inside of me driving me insane.

I exploded in a cry after only two slow strokes, but Dimitri wasn't done with me and my now sensitive body responded even more to him. He stroked deeply and slowly into me and I responded to each thrust, my legs wrapped around his waist and squeezing him to me.