“You are right,” Aefre exclaims, throwing her hands out to the sides. “Volatile doesn’t even begin to describe how the next few weeks are going to go. I get it. I do, but please, send me Remiel.”
Dracul nods and snaps his fingers and Aefre’s sire appears looking surprised. She launches herself into his arms in tears, spluttering out what has happened to her, seeking his comfort in a way that she promised she never would. Constantine turns away, unable to look at this display of neediness from her. It tears through him. She is supposed to need only him.
“Do not move,” she suddenly snaps, and he turns back around to see Carlotta trying to sneak out of the room.
“I will leave you to your business,” Dracul says. “I will check in on you soon. If you need anything in the meantime, please call me.”
“Okay,” Aefre says weakly. “Wait, how am I meant to call…”
But he is already gone.
In the next second, Remiel, who has no fucking clue who she even is, but senses the threat to his charge, is at Carlotta’s throat, throttling her to within an inch of her life.
“No!” Aefre shouts at him.
“Yes,” he replies. “I don’t know this one.” He gives Carlotta a vicious shake, making her gag. “We cannot allow anyone to know about this vulnerability you have acquired. It is dangerous. Once people find out that you are no longer all-powerful, they will come after you, and our daughter. She dies, end of story.”
“I am still powerful!” she snaps, her indignation at its fullest.
“Not as much as you were when you were a Dragon. You have to face it, Aefre. It is gone now, and you are no longer Queen of the Underworld and Dragon Realms. All of that power has gone.”
They argue so Constantine tunes them out. He owes a debt to Carlotta, despite how much he dislikes her. If it weren’t for Carlotta, his blind spot for his love would have clouded his judgment for even longer over her betrayal.
Castellum Aquapontanus, 1501 - Constantine
“Enter!” he called out to the knock on the door. He was in no mood for interruptions. All he wanted was to find Aefre and to get this over with.
Carlotta sashayed through the door and he sighed. He disliked this woman and her influence over Aefre. He was of half a mind to set her free of her duties here at the castle, but most of the men enjoyed her company as everything went with her. She had no boundaries. He himself knew she would take whatever was given to her, but he was no longer interested in pursuing such activities, at this time. Especially with such a low-class whore.
“What is it?” he barked at her.
“Sir, I believe that I have some news that you might be willing to pay for,” she responded slyly.
He sighed again. He should have expected that.
“Doubtful,” he snapped. “Get out.”
“Not even if it is about the Lady Aefre and her secret lover?” Carlotta asked with a small raise of her eyebrow.
Constantine paused. Any news about Aefre and her activities was of interest to him. She was very secretive and while he could not ask her to cease, he did like to keep in the know so that he could protect her, if necessary. And, of course, ensure that he had more lovers than she did at any one time. It would not do to be out-rutted by his dear charge.
“Oh?” he asked, as calmly as he could.
“Gold first,” Carlotta replied.
“If you think you are the only one with information to share, you are sadly mistaken. Speak or get out,” he commanded her.
She gave him an annoyed look. “Well, I do not claim to know all the details,” she said with a look that told him otherwise. “But I do know she is out in the barn right now with him.”
“And?” he asked. Catching her in the act would be a win, no doubt. Not that he would be angry with her. How can he be when he asked her to follow her nature? But it would let her know that she cannot hide anything from him.
“See for yourself,” Carlotta said with a wicked gleam in her eye.
He raised his own eyebrow at her. He was under the assumption that she and Aefre were friends. The venom in this woman’s voice piqued his interest and now he had to go and see who she was cavorting with.
He stalked past her, ignoring her request for recompense. She should have known better than to try and extort him.
His heart started to pound as he made his way to the barn in the dead of night. Who could it possibly be?