The Pride of a Slave

Thank you to my editor SkepticalHeratic for his hard work in editing, which isn't easy, so take it easy on us everyone. I hope you like this one. Please rate and message me with your thoughts.

*********

I stood in the parlor looking at the portraits and thinking about what Joseph had said. I was starting to feel bitter when I saw how stupidly devoted Dimitri was to Delilah, never seeing her flaws. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and turned to see Ryder staring at me, his eyes a bright green.

"They are really good, you know." He nodded to the paintings and

I smiled, "Thanks, his is better though."

Ryder shrugged, "He's the teacher, his technique is supposed to be good, but you gave him a run for his money, so to speak. It also helps that he had the better subject."

I chuckled, "I figured you would be like Dimitri and would still be pinning after Delilah."

Ryder snorted, "I never really wanted her, I guess I just didn't want Di to have something that I couldn't. And come to find out, I was having it as often as he was, so..."

I shook my head and turned back to the paintings, "Why is he so obsessed with her?"

Ryder walked until he was standing next to me, "I don't know, to be honest. But, it wasn't worth it to me. I saw how upset she made you, maybe I didn't see it soon enough, but our fist fight wasn't fighting over Delilah, exactly."

I looked at Ryder confused and he looked at me, his face serious, "I saw you not eating, I saw you hurting. I didn't know how to help, I've never lost someone as important as your mom was to you. Maybe, I shoulda kept trying, but I really thought Di would be there for you. I remembered, after his mom died, you sitting with him until you were sore, and stiff. I remember you getting sick a couple of times, because you didn't sleep or eat taking care of him.

"Then I realized the reason why he wasn't there was because of Delilah, I told him to stop seeing her. He flipped out, probably because he knew she was coming over to my rooms and trying to sleep with me night after night. It became hard to get her to leave sometimes, but I told him to leave her be. I did it hoping he would remember he needed to help you. But he just, I dunno, Sera, he just didn't, and when I saw him not getting it, I snapped.

You two have always been thicker than thieves and sometimes I felt like the third wheel. You and Di, you were like two creatures made right next to each other, and I came along further down the line. And it pissed me off that he let you drown like that, and I didn't know what he was doing in your classes Sera, or I woulda switched classes."

Ryder grabbed me and hugged me, leaning down to kiss my forehead, "I know I'm not as helpful as Dimitri, Sera, but I'm here for you, okay? It isn't just Di that loves you."

I grabbed Ryder's shirt and pulled him back into a hug, feeling soothed by his warm embrace. Dimitri smelled clean but Ryder's smell always reminded me of the earth, it was rich, and dark, like the forest at night.

Ryder pulled away and slung his arm over my shoulders, "So, I'm moving out of my apartment. I know I'm supposed to be close to Di and all, but I cant stand Delilah sneaking into my bed all the time. It scares the hell outta me, because she just tries to jump my bones right then and there."

I groaned and shook my head and Ryder shook his head too, "yeah, well while you were in there with your professor, Di and his dad went round and round about Delilah, and it looks like Delilah is going to be here a lot. That being said, I'm moving the hell outta the area. If its alright I'm going to move across the hall from you."

I groaned, "Alright, but no multiple girls past one in the morning."

Ryder laughed and agreed then sobered, "I should warn you though, Delilah got here a few minutes ago, she's having dinner with us again."

I groaned, "I'm going to bed then."

"Nope, you are going to eat like the rest of it. And anyway, you can't leave me alone with her anymore, she's scary since I told her to go suck an Administrator." Ryder looked mischievous and I laughed.

We walked like that into the dinning room, both of us already knowing dinner had started a few minutes ago. Ryder didn't move his arm off of my shoulder as we walked to the other end of the table and sat down. Mariah, surprised at the move, shrugged at Victor and moved herself to our end of the table, sitting across from Ryder and me.

"I'm glad to see you two made up." Mariah had the same twinkle in her eye as Ryder did when she thought something was funny.

I smiled and nodded, "Yeah, but are you alright with him moving across the hall from me?"

Mariah nodded, "Yes well he explained in graphic detail why it was essential he moved. As an Alpha I am reluctant to let him move but as his mother I would drag him out of there by the scruff of his neck if I had to."

We laughed, ignoring Delilah's whiney voice at the other end of the table and ate, joking with each other. When dinner was done I excused myself and walked over to Victor who looked completely annoyed with the situation.

"Um, excuse me sire?" Victor smiled and motioned for me to sit next to him. I pulled out the chair and sat, hearing Delilah stop talking when she realized that the King wasn't listening.

"Yes Seraphina?"

"I needed to ask. My professor, the one from today, he offered to give me a private lesson again tomorrow, and I was wondering if we could use the Lilac room and the gardens tomorrow. I know they were originally Madam Alekzaner's room...but they have the best lighting because of the windows." I felt nervous for some reason as Victor considered the idea.

"On one condition. I would like to see any of the artwork you do, I find that I have started to enjoy art in both the royal gallery and out, and for an old King, small pleasures keep me healthy."

I laughed and nodded, "You can have those paintings if you want."

The King nodded, "The one your professor made is already hanging up in the cherry wood study, it was a beautiful rendering of you my dear, however, I do not care for the inspiration of the other one."

I choked for a moment then released a small trill of nervous giggles and turned to see Dimitri staring at me, his look distant and distracted. Delilah sat forward blocking my view and giving me a sharp, narrow look, "Perhaps the guest would like it?"

I offered and heard Ryder roar with laughter, "Oh this will be rich. SERVANTS!!"

A servant ran in and Ryder murmured something to him and the servant nodded and ran out quickly returning with my still drying painting. He sat it in a chair in front of Delilah and Dimitri and quickly departed as if there were fire on his heels.

I sat and watched Delilah's face go from surprised, to critical, and slowly turn into fury. She was shaking with anger when she stood up and took a step towards me. I stood up and took a step towards her, feeling the manic energy I got when I was going to fight with Ryder and Dimitri build up, I glared at her and she stopped, "Got something to say?" I said in my deep throaty voice.

She hissed, "You are not worthy of making a likeness of me, pathetic, bastard of an Administrator."

Now, I like to think that on most occasions I am a pretty even tempered girl, especially considered I was raised with a vampire and werewolf, both creatures having legendarily short, violent, tempers. But when the insult to my mother passed over those toxic lips I stopped seeing any color other than blood red.

I lunged at her at the same time she lunged at me. Immortals are naturally stronger and faster than humans, but one thing that is failed to be told was that it is only male vampires that are invulnerable. The females are build just like a human female, in that they feel every blow.

And feel every blow I intended Delilah to feel. I grabbed her hair as she grabbed mine, but as she tried to slap me, I balled up my fist and connected with her face. I felt pain blossom in my hand as I pulled it back and slammed it into her face again. Her fingers went slack a bit on my hair and I shoved her and was on top of her, swinging one fist after another into her face.

It was quick when I felt cold arms wrap around me and yank me off of Delilah. I cried out in surprise as I was literally flung across the room by Dimitri. Ryder jumped up and caught me like a large football, and with his green eyes turning the reflective black color of fury he set me down and in two large bounds was grabbing Dimitri by the back of the neck and throwing him into the opposite wall.

I dodged the fighting boys and went straight for Delilah again, this time the girl kicking me soundly in the stomach. I oofed as the wind was blasted out of me, but having taken many beatings before now I landed on her and began to punch her ribs, feeling her pulling my hair as hard as she could and slapping at my body.

I was too far gone in my rage to hear Mariah or Victor trying to stop the two Princes from killing each other for the second time that day, all I was focused on was Delilah screaming beneath me. I felt a resounding smack across my cheek and froze, looking up and seeing Isadorre shaking and panting.

She yanked me off of Delilah, enabling the immortal girl to slap me soundly across the face, her nails raking cuts across my cheeks. Isadorre shook me frantically, "Seraphina!! Stop, you have to stop! Please, you have to stop Dimitri and Ryder, they are going to kill each other."

I looked at her confused then heard the roaring from the other side of the room and turned to see Ryder changed into a werewolf pinned underneath Dimitri. Ryder's eyes were entirely black and Dimitri's eyes were entirely white and I stumbled over to them, knowing that they were trying to kill each other in earnest this time.

The manic energy in me built to a point of pain and I screamed at them, "STOP!!"

Neither heard and I jumped onto Dimitri's back and yanked with all of my strength, managing to pull him off of Ryder and even put distance between the two. Ryder was up in a flash and I spun to stand in front of Dimitri and Ryder crashed into me. I winced but didn't feel anything break as Ryder pinned me down and his teeth grabbed onto my shoulder.

"Ryder stop please!!" My voice was deep and husky and his teeth stopped short of puncturing my skin and his eyes faded away from back to their green, the fur dropping off as quickly.

Dimitri was on Ryder's back and he flung him off then backed up looking down at me horrified before Mariah jumped in front of him and the two of them ran out of the room. Victor held Dimitri back for a few moments before he broke free and tried to run to the door. I, however, got up and put myself in the doorway, blocking him.

Dimitri's cold fingers grabbed onto my throat and he picked me up and slammed me into the wall holding me up off of my feet. I stared into his completely white eyes gasping for breath as his fingers began to close slowly. I reached up and rested my hand on the back of his neck, "Di...come back."

It was all I could manage before my air supply was cut off. It was enough, though, because his fingers loosened just enough for me to gasp in a gulp of air, and I watched as the white slowly turned blue. He looked at me confused then cried out and dropped me and backed up. I landed hard on the floor and stayed knelt down gasping for breath, holding my throat with my good hand, my bitten arm pressed against my chest.

Water poured out of my stinging eyes and dripped down my cheeks as I looked up, still gasping for air, which had never tasted so absolutely wonderful until this moment. The manic energy was still humming just underneath my skin, my mom had called it my "Prince Mode" because it was something that happened every time the Princes fought.

I vaguely heard my name being called, all I could hear was the hum of the energy and my gasping breathing in my ears. I noticed Isadorre reach down to touch me and then recoiled back with a yelp. My senses were starting to come back as the energy began to subside, and I watched Victor call in guards and had them take Delilah away, banishing her and her family from the city, under the pretext that she had been trying to kill the Prince heirs and nearly succeeded tonight.

Dimitri was gone and Victor looked shaken and out of energy as he walked to me. I tracked his movements and saw Isadorre hesitate to touch me again and Victor looked at her and the two exchanged looks. Victor nodded grimly and turned to go. I grabbed his hand and he jumped, startled and surprised before he relaxed and pulled me up. He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"You saved my sons life, and you saved us from war by saving Mariah's son. Thank you Seraphina."

I sagged in his grip exhausted as the last of the manic energy left me. Victor sent Isadorre after a doctor for his son and me and I felt myself picked up and carried into the familiar room of Dimitri. I heard him yelling in his room and lifted my head worried.

"It's the werewolf venom, it's a well guarded secret. But werewolves and vampires are venomous, the venom does nothing to the human body, but when bit too many times it can be fatal to an immortal. Ryder's venom is burning through Dimitri's system, and it's quite painful."

He sat me on the couch and I sat up immediately, "Will he die?"

Victor sunk down into the chair next to the couch, "No, Ryder only bit him once. If you would have been unable to stop it and Ryder would have bit him again, it wouldn't be as assured he would live."

"What about Ryder?"

"I imagine Dimitri's venom is freezing his veins right now. Dimitri only got one bite in as well, so both boys will be writhing in pain for the rest of the night, but should emerge no worse for the wear." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

I flexed my shoulder and rubbed my throat, my voice croaking as I speak now, "How did I pull Dimitri off of Ryder?"

Victors eyes opened and he looked at me warily, "That is an explanation for another night my dear. But I swear that it will be explained to you."

I nodded and jumped as I heard Dimitri scream my name. I jumped up off of the couch, "Don't Seraphina. He is delirious, and may attack you."

I shook, listening to Dimitri crying out in pain over and over again, his screams feeling like shots into my being. When he screamed my name out again I ignored the King and walked into his room.

It was pitch black and I couldn't see anything, "Dimitri?"

I heard ragged gasping coming from the far corner, "Sera? Is that you?"

"Yeah, I can't see you."

"The light...it hurts too much. My body is on fire Sera, it hurts."

I stumbled to the bed and crawled onto it, "Come and sit down and I'll get a cold cloth and try and bring down the burning a bit."

I heard him stumble over as well and collapse onto the bed, only missing me by a fraction. I reached over and touched him, feeling that his back was bare, and he was burning up. It startled me to feel his otherwise cold skin, hot. I let my eyes adjust a bit and walked into the bathroom and grabbed a hand town and soaked it in the coldest water I could. I came back into the room and saw that Dimitri hadn't moved but his breath gasped in and out.

I sat down and pressed the rag to his back and dabbed it up and down, feeling the towel warm up quickly. I pondered the problem and touched Dimitri, "Can you stand up?"

"Kinda, but not for long."

"Come on we are going to take a cold shower."

"I cant Sera, it hurts too much." I took my shirt and pants off quickly, standing in only my white lace bra and panties. I tugged on him until he sat up and then pulled until he was standing.

I put his arm around mine, cursing how short I was, and got him quickly into the shower. I turned the cold water on and let it pour on him, leaving quickly to grab a chair and sit it in the shower. I made it just in time before he collapsed with a pained moan. I kept him sitting up and was relieved to feel that his skin was starting to cool down. I was shivering from the cold water but was so focused on the task at hand I didn't notice.

I felt the fever finally dissipate and was left with Dimitri sitting limply in the chair, barely able to keep himself in it. I turned the water off and pulled Dimitri up and we both stumbled back into the bedroom, soaking wet. I wrapped a towel around his waist and tied it tightly then with a deep breath I yanked his sweat pants off, letting the sodden things drop to the floor. I swallowed a sudden wave of embarrassment and reached into the waist of the towel to feel for the band of the underwear and then blushed brightly when I realized there wasn't one.

I nodded and pulled him into the bed and laid him on top of the bedding, knowing the cool air on his still damp skin would help eliminate the rest of the fever. I shivered and grabbed a blanket and wrapped myself in it, and laid out next to Dimitri. He fell asleep and I ran my fingers through his hair over and over again, trying to get rid of the last of the pain in his mind. I felt my eyes close and I fell into a deep sleep, waking only once to feel Dimitri pull me to him and cradle me against him.

I slept deeply and woke to the feeling of someone staring at me. I slowly opened my eyes and realized I was on my stomach and I could feel the air on my back. I lifted my head a bit and saw Dimitri looking down at me. His eyes sad and bright blue as he kept looking at my body.

He reached out and his cool fingers traced a line across my nearly bare back, "How did this happen?"

I focused on where he was touching, "I think that was from Ryder catching me when you threw me."

He winced and then touched another part of my back, "Here?"

"You slammed me into a wall."

He ran his finger across what must have been bruised indentations on my shoulder, "This?"

"Ryder bit me. Di, I can cover up."

Dimitri shook his head and turned me over and I became very aware of how much skin was exposed. Dimitri didn't notice as he looked at the bruises on me, his face a mask of sadness. He touched the rest of Ryder's bite then moved to my neck.

He ran his fingers lightly across the bruises there, "I know that these are from me."

I nodded as his fingers glided down, between my breast, and to my left rib, "This?"

"I believe that is Ryder, when he crashed into me."

His fingers moved a bit and stopped in the center of my stomach, "Delilah's initial kick."

His fingers traced my body upward and to my arms, stopping at the knuckles, "Delilah's face did that when I started punching it."

His fingers trailed down my body, and I began to feel incredibly warm and electric as he did so. He stopped on my knee, "My landing after you dropped me."

I closed my eyes feeling the delicious feeling of Dimitri's hands run back up my body. They froze at my hips and I opened an eye curiously and was met by a very conflicted look on Dimitri's face.

I reached up and touched his face, "Are you alright?"

He leaned into the touch, "No."

"What's the matter? Maybe I can help."

Dimitri's face became anguished for a moment and he began to pull away. I stopped him and he looked down at me, "Please stop pushing me away Di."

I wasn't sure what happened but suddenly his lips were on mine and he was kissing me. The first few were short, brief kisses, but then his kisses lingered, becoming more and more passionate. My arms lifted up and wrapped around his neck, and I felt myself responding to the kiss with a passion of my own. I opened my mouth slightly and felt his cool tongue delve into mine. I moaned softly and caressed it with mine. He kissed down my neck and I felt feverish all over.

My heart was beating quickly and I felt hot all over, writhing with a need I had never experienced before. His kiss trailed down my collar bone and paused. I felt cold hands on my back and before I realized it my bra was being pulled away from me, and my breast were exposed. It was cool in the room already and the pink peaks hardened.