Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“Now turn around, all of you. Move your hair aside and show us your backs!” Ls Prissa demanded.
Addie felt sick—she knew what they would find when they looked at her back. But again she had no choice but to obey orders. She turned with everyone else and waited for the inevitable.
She heard a shocked gasp from behind her and then the low voices of the Aged Ones coming nearer.
"Look at that!" Ls Hissa exclaimed, running her fingertips lightly over Addie's bare back, making her shiver and jerk away.
“I have never seen its equal—such a beautiful depiction of Sheelash!” Ls Tissa agreed. “Surely she is this year’s Queen of Night!”
Only Ls Prissa sounded unimpressed.
“We must see her teeth first. She’s no good to us unless she has The Thirst. Turn around, girl,” she said, tapping Addie on the shoulder. “Turn and show us your teeth!”
With a sinking heart, Addie turned to face the three old women.
“Look,” she began. “I really think—”
Smack! Quick as a striking snake, Ls Prissa’s hand flew out and struck her across the cheek.
“Oh!” Addie gasped, tears rising involuntarily to her eyes. She put her hand to her stinging face. “What was that for?”
“That was for your disobedience and disrespect! I said show us your teeth, girl!” Ls Prissa barked. “Do it now or should I have one of the guards strike you next time? They have a much heavier hand than I do.”
Blinking back tears, Addie opened her mouth, knowing what they would see.
There was a collective sigh of satisfaction from the three older women.
“Ah—look at those fangs!” Ls Tissa exclaimed.
“I’ve never seen such a fine pair,” Ls Hissa remarked.
“She’s got The Thirst, all right,” Ls Prissa said, nodding in apparent satisfaction. “Now to get her some Quenching Candidates. She needs fresh blood it be an acceptable Queen of Night.”
Quenching Candidates? Addie thought longingly of the children’s book she’d been reading. Why had she put it down? If only she’d stayed in her seat and kept reading she might have a better idea of what was coming next.
“Guards, open the door—let in the Quenching Candidates,” Ls Prissa said sternly.
Then, to Addie’s horror, the door to the Feasting Hall was opened once more and a hoard of Vargan males poured in! They all crowded around the group of naked women, most of whom were clutching their dresses to their chests, just like Addie.
She could hear them murmuring to each other and feel their eyes crawling all over her—it was awful! She wished she could put her dress back on but that would mean pulling it up and over her head and baring her breasts and pussy—she didn’t want to do that.
“Now then, enough chatter,” Ls Prissa said, taking charge once more. “You all know why you’re here. This year’s Queen of Night has been chosen and some of you must be willing to Quench her Thirst. You know the risks—she may drain you dry in her lust for blood. But you also know the rewards—no man alive that’s been ridden by a Queen of Night will ever forget the pleasure. So who wants to step forward?”
“Who is it, then?” One of the men shouted. Addie’s hair had fallen back down to hide her back, so apparently it wasn’t immediately obvious she was “the Chosen One.”
"It's her—the off-worlder," Ls Prissa nodded at the guards and they dragged Addie up on the dais where the three throne chairs were located. "Well go on—show her off," she added to the guards. "Take that silly dress from her—let the candidates know what they're risking their lives for."
“Wait—please, no!” Addie cried as the black dress was ripped from her hands. She tried desperately to cover herself, but the guards wouldn’t allow it. They pulled her arms away from her body and held them out, putting her on display in a humiliating fashion.
Shame rushed through Addie and she hung her head, unable to meet the many eyes that were raking over her bare body. Oh God, it was like a bad dream! But she couldn’t wake up, no matter how hard she tried.
“Gods of creation, look at the klixa!” one of the watching men muttered. “She’s got red hair below as well!”
“Never seen a red bush—almost as tempting as Sheelash White,” another answered.
“Wonder how tight her cunny is?” a third speculated.
“Tight enough to make it worth the risk, I reckon!” the first man shot back, which prompted a burst of trollish laughter.
Addie wanted to weep. Where was Drago? How could he leave her at such a time? Was he dead somewhere? Had the Vargans killed him? Why else would he abandon her like this? What was she going to do?
But then, at her lowest point, she heard a familiar voice echoing through the high, stone chamber.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing to my mate? Get your fucking filthy hands off her, now!”