The Vampire King's Pet-Chapter 346: Torture

Aira was deeply worried.

Her sister was yet to be found, regardless of how many people were out there looking for her. Riders had been sent in every direction, scouts dispatched to the surrounding villages and forests, yet nothing concrete had come back. Every passing hour weighed heavier on her chest, tightening the knot of fear she tried so desperately to ignore.

Even worse was the news that reached them the next morning—that Zyren’s family, whom he had locked away in the dungeons, had broken out.

The information spread quickly through the castle, whispered in hushed voices by servants and guards alike. Aira hadn’t even been aware that his family were alive until that very moment, and the revelation left her unsettled. She sat at breakfast in the main hall with the others, barely tasting the food in front of her.

Unable to take her eyes off Zyren even as she ate.

It was something he noticed almost immediately. He leaned toward her, his presence warm and familiar, and kissed the side of her face gently. His gaze was soft, almost amused, as though her concern was transparent to him.

"You’ve been staring," he whispered.

Aira shrugged lightly and turned her gaze back to her plate, forcing herself to eat. What surprised her most was that Zyren didn’t seem the least bit worried. His posture was relaxed, shoulders loose, expression unreadable in a way that made her uneasy.

He clearly does not like them if he locked them in jail for so long, she thought to herself.

She continued eating until she was full, deliberately ignoring the fact that Zyren barely touched his food. Instead, most of his attention was focused on the wine in his cup—wine that was unmistakably mixed with blood. The metallic scent lingered faintly in the air every time he lifted it to his lips.

She stood the moment she was done, subtly hinting for him to do the same. Zyren found it amusing, a small smirk tugging at his lips as he slowly got to his feet. Wrapping an arm around her, he guided her out of the hall with an ease that suggested he had not a care in the world.

Neither of them noticed Lady Vivian—though she noticed them.

Vivian looked as though she were about to explode, fists clenched tightly enough that her spoon bent in her grasp as she watched them leave. It was the glow on Aira’s face that made her want to rip her to pieces, and worse was Zyren himself, who looked content.

Content.

Something she had never seen on his face before.

It was enough to make her furious, enough to make her want to dash across the table and tear Aira apart where she stood.

"Watch out," Lord Lythari sighed, seated beside her, a low chuckle escaping her lips as she continued munching on her food. "Your jealousy is seeping out."

Lady Vivian stiffened before bowing her head slightly, lowering it beside Lythari in forced respect. Lythari smiled faintly, glancing across the hall toward Drehk—the man she had desired for years. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Had yearned for.

But she knew she could never have him.

Even worse, he had settled for a werewolf. If she wanted to, ripping Aira away from him would be the easiest thing in the world. But she knew it wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t make him love her. He would only loathe her more than the indifference he already gave her.

Biting hard into the blood-coated meat on her plate—blood being the only reason she could even taste it—Lythari’s thoughts drifted.

Maybe I can keep trying to seduce him?

The idea flashed through her mind, only to be crushed just as quickly. She knew better. She would only waste her years, and she would have better luck with his wife dead and him mourning.

Lythari let out a long sigh.

Is that really how I want to start my love story?

She shook her head almost imperceptibly.

No.

I guess I want a man who would fall head over heels in love with me without me having to beg or kill for it.

She took another bite of her food, continuing to ignore Lady Vivian, who sat beside her boiling in anger. Vivian stared at the doors of the hall instead of eating, the food on her plate completely untouched.

Finally, she couldn’t take it any longer.

Lady Vivian rose slowly to her feet, bowed toward Lythari—the closest to her—then stormed out of the hall in a fit of anger she could barely contain.

Outside, Aira stayed close to Zyren as he led her upstairs. Instead of moving away as she normally would, she remained at his side, something he seemed to find amusing. He walked closer to her, their arms brushing as they ascended the stairs.

The moment they stepped into his study and he closed the door behind them, Aira opened her mouth to speak.

She wanted answers.

"Why did you lock them in the dungeon—"

She barely got the words out before Zyren lowered his face to hers, kissing her with a hunger that stole the breath from her lungs. The kiss was deep and consuming, leaving no room for protest. Her hands instinctively clutched at his clothes even as she tried—and failed—to pull away.

His hands slid down her thighs, slipping beneath her gown, and she gasped softly. Before she could react, he lifted her effortlessly off the ground.

"I’ll answer all your questions after," he said, his voice urgent and hoarse.

He placed her on top of the table, wiping everything off it in one swift motion. His red eyes burned with a heat that made it clear he wanted her more than usual, and Aira couldn’t deny that she felt the same.

This time was different.

I want this, she realized.

Knowing that she fully consented made it even more intoxicating than before—enough to make her crave him constantly. He didn’t fully remove her clothes, only undoing them enough to reveal her breasts and bunch the fabric around her waist, exposing her legs as he positioned himself between them.

Undoing his pants, he pushed himself inside her with a groan of satisfaction. Deeper than usual. Both of them gasped as pleasure washed over them, his hands gripping her tightly as he began to move.

Time blurred.

By the time he finished, Aira had had more than enough. She had come too many times to count, her legs trembling as she felt his warmth fill her completely. Breathing heavily, she leaned against him, feeling him hesitate before pulling away.

"Zyren," she murmured firmly.

Only then did he withdraw.

She straightened her gown carefully before finally speaking, her voice steadier than she felt.

"Your family... were they that bad?" she asked, meeting his gaze.

She half-expected him to deflect the question.

Instead, he answered honestly.

"My father was obsessed with power, and my brothers were the same. If you think I’m a monster—then they’re much worse than I am."

"They get off on torture," he continued. "I would know, because they did it to me."

His gaze was fierce, unyielding, and made it clear he wasn’t looking for pity.

Aira didn’t dare give it to him.