Rona retrieved her a few moments later and dragged her back to one of the kitchens. Silvia was starving, so she ate with the other slaves, but her stomach was turning as she thought about what had unfolded in front of her. How had Neil gotten word that they were infiltrating Angelus? And if he had, why had he given her away? Now they would be looking on her with suspicion, and she wasn't trained to remain calm under scrutiny. The mission had been hinging on her secrecy.

Perhaps the other vampires had known already, and he was doing damage control.

Brit flanked her as she sat down with her own food, and Silvia looked over several other girls. With the increase in vampires in the compound, there were more blood slaves. The ones here seemed much chattier than the ones in Neil's care, but after listening to them, she knew why.

These were prized possessions, humans who would rip out the throat of another blood slave before they let them harm their master. While it was all giggling and swooning to her face, Silvia could see the programming wound through them. They were either enamored with the idea of serving vampires, or lusted after the eternal life they could give them.

Her eggs tasted like crap next to the obnoxious volume of iron laid out before her. Steak and chicken were cooked next to the spinach and broccoli salads, and even her eggs had little shrimps fried into them. Silvia had never been one for the clams and liver that were baked on the side, and staring at all the blood rejuvenating foods made her sicker than she already was.

"So, what do you guys think about Neil Arc?" Silvia asked her two wing men and they gave each other nervous stares before returning to her.

"I would not want to end up in bed with him if I could avoid it." Brit groaned. "I can get pleasure from a good deal of pain, but death is usually about my line. Vincent Arc didn't have a single blood slave that he bedded that didn't eventually end up drained to death or too broken to repair. I wouldn't trust his son to do any better. Their house is pretty vicious, and I'm going to do my best not to be on his radar."

"There is a way to do that?" Silvia asked.

"There is always something vampires don't like," Rona said, though she sank into her hands as she leaned on them. "It's difficult with the Arcs though. Their finicky and proud, but they prefer fear and rejection in slaves. So, if you run, they chase. Even then though, if they are having a bad day, I've seen Vincent grab a girl who was reverent to him and beat her until she was terrified. Not a lot of winning. The best way to avoid them is to avoid them. Once they set their eyes on you, there is no escape."

"Well, that bodes well for me." Silvia sighed.

"It's better for you." Brit nudged her. "Accept Master Lorenzo as your master. We saw the way you had him wrapped around your finger. I've never seen Lorenzo turned on by a human before. The man is super reserved, and when he drinks blood, he does so out of the bedroom and prefers to rotate blood slaves so none get attached to him. If a master owns you, Neil Arc can't touch you by vampire law."

"I saw them squabble over you, and as much as Master Neil wanted to antagonize him, Master Lorenzo is the most committed vampire to Angelus. If he favors you, he doesn't think you're a spy. The Fleurs are no more friendly with mages than the rest of vampire society. If you accept him as your master, it will stop that. Master Neil won't be thrilled, but he'll be powerless. Vampires honor ownership law of kin and property over everything."

"Silvia Copse," a man called her name, and she turned in her chair. It had been only a little over an hour since the vampires had gone to the conference room, and she didn't know who this one was. With his short sky blue hair that rolled over his head to tickle his ears, she could take a guess though.

"Master Asmodeus!" Brit jumped up and went to his side, running her hands down his chest and not even stopping as she gripped the front of his pants.

Silvia turned a bright shade of red as Asmodeus's eyes left hers to look down at Brit. His fangs lengthened, and a growl rolled out of his throat as he leaned down to her panting.

"Brit, not now." He hissed, pressing his hands on either side of the wall that he pushed her to by the door.

"Now." Brit leaned in and nibbled his ear.

Asmodeus shook with desire, and dark energy flooded the kitchen, drawing every eye in the room toward them. With a deft slip of his hand, Asmodeus pulled down Brit's underwear and dropped them to the floor as he undid his pants. It was impossible for Silvia to tear her eyes away as the man hoisted Brit up against the wall and plunged himself into her faster than Silvia could drop her fork in astonishment.

"I fucking hate the control you have over me," Asmodeus said in a growl that was anything but hushed as he thrust into her in earnest. To him, it was as if there weren't a dozen or so blood slaves gaping at them.

"Oz... Oz... Oz!" Brit's voice climbed as they writhed against the wall, and the girl sounded worse than a badly staged porno.

Silvia had to stick her face in her arms and cover her ears as the girl moaned and started to beg him to move harder and faster. No matter how Silvia pressed her hands to the side of her head, she couldn't block out the wails of pleasure that she knew turned into pain as the vampire lost control of himself. That part she definitely couldn't bear to see.

When there was finally silence, Silvia sluggishly turned her head back to find Asmodeus' fangs inside of Brit's inner thigh as she lay on the floor. For hell's sake, could the man be any lewder? A moan escaped both of them as he sucked on her skin, inhaling the smell between her legs, and Silvia was going to lose her breakfast.

It took a good half a minute before Asmodeus licked his lips, the inside of Brit's thigh, and then stood and buttoned up his pants. When he turned to her, Silvia was about ready to sell herself to any vampire in here to get away from him.

"Excuse me," Asmodeus said, shifting to Silvia's side, and she pressed her back to the table from the high stool she was facing him on now. The man said it like he'd bumped into someone, not just fucked a chick in front of her and then fed from inside of her legs. "I need you to come with me."

"Like hell you do," Silvia spat, but as the other blood slaves around her narrowed their eyes, she realized that she was too close to blowing her cover. Apparently, one of them being fucked in plain sight wasn't as abnormal as she thought. "Forgive me, Master Asmodeus. It was just startling... watching... um."

"I realize. I did not intend to do any such thing when I came for you, but I have poor control of myself when a human filled with lust presses against me. Older vampires have better control, but those of us unused to certain sensations succumb to them a bit too easily." Asmodeus held out his hand to her, and she slid from the stool and accepted it reluctantly.

She was going to wash it vigorously the first chance she got.

Before she touched the ground, she fell into a transportation spell and was standing in grass outside of a castle. Flinching out of Asmodeus' grip, she took a step back and looked around to what was a deeper part of the battlegrounds. They were buried in pines and this castle was isolated from the rest of the world on a hill surrounded by gentle slopes.

"Please, calm. This is the Fleur territory, and Master Lorenzo wished to talk to you without Neil Arc butting his head in. That is why I didn't mention anything aloud before I took you. The man would have intercepted and stopped us. As it is, he will not risk invading our territory for one human, so you are safe for the time being."

"You didn't have enough time to explain, but you had ample to split open a girl's legs and scar me," Silvia stuttered and Asmodeus frowned.

"I'm sorry that happened." Asmodeus cheeks flushed to show he was, but she was still stunned that he could feel that way after how he'd just dropped his pants in a heartbeat. "We aren't allowed to sleep with blood slaves in the Fleur territory unless they ask, and most don't. They know they don't have to, and so the blood slaves keep as much distance as they can.

"Brit's downright lust for me is overpowering when I'm used to rejection most every day. Lorenzo won't even let me take her back with us because he fears that it will tempt the other men here to take what they want if it's not offered."

"So, it's like a celibate monk having a naked harem rubbing up all over him." Silvia smiled, and Asmodeus ran a hand over his eyes and groaned.

"Yes. Please, come this way. You are in no danger. Quite the opposite, really. This is a remote estate of Lorenzo's that is off the grid and not manned at the moment. It will just be the three of us, so you needn't worry about anything wandering to the wrong ears."

"Like what?" Silvia crossed her arms as they walked down a narrow hallway. The castle was certainly smaller than Neil's and less decorated with normal stone walls, a tapestry here or there, but overall, it was empty.

"Like being a mage infiltrator." Asmodeus rolled his eyes over to her with a teasing smile, and Silvia stopped. "Come on, come on, we're not your enemies."

Unsure if she could trust the physically alluring, blue-eyed, blue-haired, general of the Fleurs, there wasn't much of a way for her to run, seeing as she couldn't make her own transportation spells. Not only that, most castles had magic jamming for light magic, like their complexes blocked dark magic.

Asmodeus led her to a large meeting room, and she was sat down on one side of a table, while Lorenzo sat on the other. Next to him, Asmodeus seated himself, and she mulled over just how she could get out of this situation. The Fleurs weren't even close to the Copse or Arc territories, so she was alone here.

"I know you are wondering why you're here," Lorenzo said, crossing his fingers on the table and wearing a serious expression.

"If it's about the suspicion on me being a spy–"

"It's not... entirely." Lorenzo assured her, sort of. "I already knew you were an infiltrator sent by the east complex; that has never been questioned."

"I'm not–"

"Don't bother, Silvia." Lorenzo raised his hand and silenced her. "I have operatives in most mage complexes. It's easier to hide mine than it is to hide Angelus' deranged power-hungry ones. They are like-minded in support of an integrated peaceful world, so they fit right in. I know you were sent here to root out Angelus' key players, but I didn't expect you.

"I thought the mage operative would be more... fanatic about the charade. It's easiest to blend in as a blood slave craving the bed of a vampire and many idiots will take a human begging to fuck them without a second question.

"You however, you're sincere in your positive bias toward my kind. I did not expect that, and while I knew you were an operative, I was also sincere in taking you into my service, Silvia Copse. If you want the same world as we do, we can always use a mage."

"I'm not dignifying anything you say with a response." Silvia growled, annoyed that this man had had his talons in her even before she'd arrived. If she didn't go along with him, would he out her?

"I'm not here to take advantage of you. I want the mages help. As you may have figured out, I am Lorenzo de Fleur, and I am the leader of the Angelus organization. Vincent Arc was the previous leader, and I took his place when he was killed. I was the second most powerful house lead amongst the vampires, and I was trusted, so they heeded me... for a time."

Lorenzo lowered his eyebrows, and she swallowed in nervousness.

"With Neil Arc coming back into the fold, they are looking at him for leadership. They want Vincent back and will take whatever bastardization they can get. There are a lot of houses and vampires involved with Angelus, as well as radical elements that I have no control of. I want to weed them out, the ones that want violence and domination, and figure out who I can trust to promote peace and help the group become something worth fighting for.

"I'm more powerful than the Arc head, but my influence is a third of his at best. The Arc name drives with it cruelty, dominance, and unfortunately a harmful pride in vampires. With his appearance, the ones who have been operating in the background will surely emerge to support him. It will be dangerous around the castle."

"Let's say hypothetically I was an infiltrator," Silvia said carefully, unsure if she could trust him. "All you just told me was that your ownership of me will keep me from getting to the root of power around here. It would be better to appeal to Neil Arc and remain with him until I am well received enough to be among those in power."

"No." Lorenzo hissed. "You will more likely die than succeed in your mission if you accept Neil Arc as your master. And if you ever meet anyone in power, they will make sure you don't remember or that you haven't the capability to talk about it. Not to mention that if Neil Arc catches wind of your treachery, he'll string you up, torture, and rape you until you tell him everything. After that, he'll drain you only if he bores of your screams in his dungeons. I suppose Vincent was notorious for boring of his women quickly, so you'll at least have that solace once he's used you up."

"You don't know Vincent's power structure," Silvia said quietly, and Lorenzo lightened his gaze and rubbed one side of his forehead.

"No. I don't know all of the pieces involved in my own organization. Their communication is incognito, and they don't trust me with their agenda."

"Then I have no choice but to go deeper," Silvia said, and Lorenzo stood, slamming his hands on the table.

"It's not safe!" he snapped, and she thrummed her fingers on her crossed arms.

"If I wanted to be safe, I wouldn't have embarked on this mission. I need to make the people who killed my friends and family pay, and I can't get it doting on you. I get that you like me for your cause, and I am sincere about wanting a world where I am welcome with both sides of this war, but I have to undergo some risk to reap the reward I desire."

"Neil will rape you the moment you accept him, even if he doesn't kill you. The man is hungry for what was allowed under his father and has been forbidden by Darc Aurion who has a leash around his neck. The beast likes to be uncollared and roaming around on his own."

It wasn't her place to say anything about Neil. The man had his own hidden agenda, and she wouldn't out him to this man, even if they might be allies. It was something she would have to discuss with Neil, but there was nowhere safe to converse like this in the complex, and no way to get away with Neil. Even in his castle, there were spies from his old father's regime, according to Damien.

"You can't seriously be considering him? You cried when I had my lips at your throat!" Lorenzo argued. "How do you expect to maintain a façade under his cruelty?"

"From what you tell me, it will be expected for me to cry. The Arc's even enjoy it, so what is your concern?" Silvia tightened her crossed arms, but she trembled as Lorenzo's eyes darkened.

"You are. You're willing to let yourself be raped, beaten, and used just to help the mages agenda?" Lorenzo looked sickened.

"To get my revenge for the people I lost, yes I will suffer through pain. I don't care about the mages agenda so much as I want the people who killed those close to me to pay with their lives."

"Revenge is a cruel master to submit to, Silvia, crueler than any Arc."

"I know. Just leave it be, Lorenzo." There was nothing else she could say to convince him.

"The more Neil Arc shows his face, the more I have to take a secondary roll. I've been falling into it like a good member, showing that I will yield to the Arcs. Even if they know I fought about you with Neil, they'll brush it off like a possessive vampire desire, so I'm not suspected. The deeper you go, the less I can help you."

"Lorenzo, I like you." Silvia sighed, and his gaze softened. "You are kind, decent, and I feel badly that you want the world that I want but are being thwarted from within. But I have to do this. I am part of the mage organization. I always have been, and I knew what it meant when I committed to this mission. Trust me. I will get to the bottom of this, and perhaps afterward, we can talk again about the future."

"At least, sleep with one of my human slaves," Lorenzo urged, and she flushed in color.

"What?" Silvia cringed from the thought.

"You're a virgin, Silvia Copse. Neil Arc will not be gentle with you. It will be easier in his bed if you've experienced it before. My human slaves wouldn't be forced. I assure you, I could find a man who would be open to sleeping with you for just the pleasure of it."

"Not going to happen." Silvia pursed her lips as she thought of some man crawling over her for just the pleasure of having her virginity.

"You'd rather be raped for your first encounter?"

"Yep." Silvia was resolute.

Lorenzo growled and ran his hands into his hair. Really, she'd rather her first time be with Neil, even if he had poor control of himself and would hurt. It was better to be hurt by someone who loved her, than to have some empty man pant on her skin as he took her and then cast her aside. No to mention that she didn't want anyone else's lips on her.

She would figure it out with Neil, though it would have to be done wordlessly. This mission had gotten more and less complicated at the same time. She trusted Neil to keep her safe, but also knew that he was on a mission of his own and might have to do things he didn't want to if she asked him to be her master. It was better it be him though. She could further his agenda by suffering at his hands, and her own by being obedient and loyal to him despite it.

Lorenzo stood angrily, but there was nothing she could say to him right now. She wanted to, to defend Neil's honor, to let this man know that they were fighting for the same side and that Neil was as gentle with her as he could manage. Instead, she turned away from Lorenzo, and he stalked off in silence.

They were at an impasse, but he wouldn't out her. If all he could do was use her, he would take what he could get to protect Angelus and his own. That was one thing about vampires that she could rely on, their protective instinct for their kin and their hunger for their desires.

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Word Count: 3430