Alvaro struggled the moment they entered the candy shop. He didn’t want to go there at all. Besides, Amos might be inside, and he didn’t want to be put on display like an object for others to see.
"No! I don’t want to be here!" Alvaro squirmed with all his might as Vlad carried him into the store. The vampire walked through the door and down the aisle as if nothing was wrong.
"Please... take me away," Alvaro said in panic. Deep down he had already prepared himself in case Vlad refused to listen. He had prepared himself to be humiliated again if necessary.
But Vlad suddenly stopped and stared at the beautiful man in his arms. A small smile curled on his lips.
"You’re so cute when you beg like that," he said. His words made Alvaro, who had been panicking, feel both annoyed and embarrassed.
Alvaro squirmed again, this time wearing a sour expression. "Have you ever listened to me?" he grumbled in frustration.
"Okay, I’m listening to you now. I know you don’t want to meet that cunning witch, but I’m not taking you anywhere else. We’ll stay here tonight. I have a special room for us, so you don’t need to worry."
Alvaro wanted to protest, but the vampire was already moving at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, they were standing in front of a closed door.
Alvaro noticed it was the only door in sight. As soon as Vlad approached, the door opened on its own.
The thought of what might happen inside made Alvaro’s heart pound wildly. Even though he was used to it, the idea of making love to the vampire again made his body tense with nervous anticipation.
Vlad lowered Alvaro carefully onto his feet.
Alvaro looked around the room. There was nothing but a blood-red bed with beautifully carved pillars. The walls were painted in shades of red and black. The air felt comfortable, not too hot, not too cold. There were no windows or balconies, which made the space feel more private and closed off.
The magnificent bed in the middle of the room seemed both inviting and frightening. Alvaro swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.
"Do you see Amos here?" Alvaro asked quickly, trying to hide his nervousness by bringing up any question that came to mind. Besides, he was genuinely curious about Amos’s whereabouts.
"Who? The wizard?" Vlad asked casually.
Alvaro nodded. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
Vlad shrugged. "Why should I care where he is?" he said, stepping closer. Without hesitation, his hand grabbed Alvaro’s robe and pulled it off. He snatched Alvaro’s sword and tossed it carelessly into the middle of the room.
Alvaro instinctively stepped back.
Vlad grinned at him, his eyes glowing faintly. "Why? Are you still afraid of me?"
Alvaro gasped in surprise as he suddenly felt his body pulled forward. Vlad’s hands wrapped tightly around his waist, pressing their bodies together.
Shit, Alvaro thought, swallowing nervously. His heart was racing even faster now.
"W-wait!" Alvaro quickly stopped Vlad’s hands from stripping away more of his clothes. He took a deep breath to calm himself.
"Why?" Vlad asked, tilting his head slightly, clearly curious.
Alvaro stared at him intently, making the vampire even more intrigued.
"What is it? Tell me," Vlad said. He stepped back just enough to give Alvaro space, even though his impatience was obvious. He wanted him badly but forced himself to wait.
Alvaro hesitated, his lips pressed together. Finally, he forced himself to speak.
"Since when have you known General Huron?" Alvaro asked. He seemed to forget that vampires could live for centuries, even thousands of years. He was simply too shocked when he had heard Vlad speak to Huron earlier.
Vlad grinned slightly. "Are you curious?"
Alvaro pouted, not wanting to look interested, but his curiosity burned inside him. When Vlad mentioned that Huron had been handsome in his youth, Alvaro had felt unexpectedly uncomfortable.
"I just want to know how old you are," Alvaro muttered.
Vlad chuckled at his expression. "I’m approaching 400 years old. Did you know that?"
Alvaro’s eyes widened. "That old?"
"Well, you don’t have to call it old," Vlad replied, pretending to be offended.
Alvaro was still gaping. "Four hundred years?"
"Less than 400. Three hundred seventy-eight, to be exact."
"Still old. I didn’t think you were as old as my great-grandfather."
Vlad looked at him with irritation. "I still look thirty, you know."
Alvaro studied him and had to admit the vampire’s face was very handsome and young-looking, only paler than most.
"So you like General Huron?" Alvaro asked suddenly.
Vlad smiled. "Why that question? If you’re jealous, don’t be. I’ve never liked him."
"No, you have to answer honestly."
Vlad chuckled. "No. I’ve never been interested in palace slaves, except for you."
"They serve loyally, working themselves to death in the palace. They’re slaves to it. I’ve never cared for that."
Alvaro frowned, clearly offended by being lumped into that description. But before he could speak, Vlad moved closer again.
"What do you want to know? Ask me anything, and I’ll answer," Vlad whispered softly.
Alvaro turned his face away. "No. I was just curious. You said he was handsome when he was young, so I wanted to know why you weren’t with him."
"I told you already, I wasn’t interested. I first saw him when he was just a guard. Are you that jealous? You’re much more handsome, Alvaro."
"I don’t need your compliments," Alvaro muttered, avoiding his eyes.
Vlad smiled and began unbuttoning his clothes. But Alvaro stopped him again.
Vlad looked at him seriously. "What is it now? Do you still want to ask something?"
"You once said you would be my slave if I wanted. Then let me do it to you," Alvaro said, his face burning red as he spoke. He hated how embarrassed he felt, but he didn’t want to be intimidated anymore. The vampire needed to understand what it felt like to be dominated.
To Alvaro’s shock, Vlad laughed loudly. He thought the vampire would refuse. Instead, Vlad stripped off his clothes until he was completely naked.
"W-what are you doing?!" Alvaro cried out in shock.
"Didn’t you want me as your slave? Go ahead," Vlad replied calmly.
His smile made Alvaro even more nervous. His panic grew worse when Vlad knelt before him and gently took his hand.
Alvaro tried to stay calm, but his chest tightened when Vlad kissed his hand with deliberate slowness.
"What should I do, myMaster?" Vlad asked with a teasing smile.
Alvaro cringed at the sight. Seeing the vampire’s smug face and hearing his playful tone made his legs feel weak.