My Kingdom Come book 1: The Saints We See

661 standard years after the signing of the Alliance treaty

Valenna looked into the cooler. There was only one bag of blood left. She giggled. “Well, I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.”

She scooped the last bag up and punctured it with her fangs. She drank it languidly, relishing every rich drop. No matter how much human blood she drank, she never got tired of its decedent flavor and heady after effects. Her insides warmed as she took swallow after slow swallow of the chilled liquid.

The headlights of a car appeared and grew closer, finally pulling up opposite her. Valenna climbed out of the van as she drained the last blood out of the bag. She casually tossed the bag over her shoulder and waved, keeping one hand on the door of the van to keep her steady.

Mavehn stepped out of the car. He stared at her for a long moment. “Are you blood-drunk again?”

“Of course I am! How could I not be blood-drunk, living on this planet?”

Mavehn’s nose wrinkled with distaste. “Is the shipment ready?”

“Ah, the shipment. About that.” Valenna’s hand tightened on the van door. It didn’t seem so funny now when she was face to face with Mavehn. “It seems I’ve drunk it all.”

“Drunk all…?” One corner of his nose wrinkled in confusion.

“Again.”

“Again?” He stared at her for a moment, then strode forward and jerked the back door of the van open. He stared in horror at the open coolers and hundreds of empty blood bags strewn around the interior. He blinked then turned to look at her, disgust clearly written on his face. “You are pathetic.”

Valenna laughed. “Maybe. But I feel amazing!”

Mavehn grabbed her forearm. “We’ll see how amazing you’re feeling when you have to explain the loss of this shipment to Lord Karek.” He began to drag her towards his car.

“Lord Karek? Now?” Things had definitely stopped being funny now. Valenna’s head suddenly cleared, she closed her eyes and began to relax into the weave of space-time.

“Oh no you don’t,” Mavehn’s hand tightened on her arm. “You can’t slip out from under me.” He slapped a cold cuff on her arm that jerked her abruptly back into normal space-time.

Valenna’s stomach lurched. “Uh-oh,” she muttered.

“Don’t, Valenna. Don’t-” Mavehn began.

Valenna leaned over and vomited blood all over Mavehn’s shoes and pant cuffs. Mavehn’s grip on her arm didn’t lessen at all. Valenna straightened and sighed. “Shit. I thought that would work. You men are always so squeamish about these sorts of things.”

Mavehn’s jaw was tight. He jerked Valenna forward. “Get in the car.”

* * *

Valenna sank to her knees in front of the dais where Lord Karek sat on his throne. “My lord.”

Lord Karek stared down at her in silence. Valenna didn’t dare raise her eyes from the floor. She would be lucky to leave this room alive. I’ve got to make a change. I can’t keep doing this.

“So. You drank your entire delivery.” Lord Karek finally said. His voice emotionless.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Again.”

Valenna swallowed. It had seemed so much funnier when she had said that to Mavehn. “Yes, my lord.”

Silence.

Help me this time, gods, and I swear, I’ll get clean.

“I should have you killed, Valenna.”

“Yes, my lord.” Her heart rose slightly. Did ‘should’ mean she wouldn’t be dying today?

“You need to get your thirst under control. I don’t care how you do it. If you can’t, I’ll take you as a blood slave. Do you understand?”

Valenna swallowed hard. Death would be preferable to being taken as a blood slave. “Yes, my lord.”

“This is your last chance. If you miss one more shipment, you’re done.”

“Thank you, my lord.” She bowed down and touched the floor with her forehead.

“I’m only doing this because I hold your father in high esteem. You don’t deserve this second chance.”

For some reason that hurt her more than anything else he had said. She bit the inside of her cheek. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Get her out of here, Mavehn.”