The Little Imp

As the king and queen and their court continued toward their destination, Ryden, Gabriel, and I made good time getting home.

We arrived at the castle swiftly and parted ways. Ryden said she needed to get cleaned up. I wanted to do that, as well. It was too long since I bathed. Gabriel went to report to Sharra that I was found, and all was well.

When I entered my room, two male humans greeted me. Neither wore clothing on their top halves, and their trousers hung low on their hips.

My mouth watered.

"Well-kept humans," I muttered, taking my fill of one and then the other.

No doubt, they were a gift from my sister, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

I'd be doing more than that soon enough when I proved to her once and for all I was and would always remain ruler of the vampires - when I possessed the power of all magics inside the gem Abernathy had given me.

That would be soon. I still needed the essence of a vampire and the blood of a hunter.

I wondered if I would have to slay