Hounds of Winter

Author’s Note


Grivadae – humans that are addicted to the rapture a vampire’s bite causes. Females are called grivada and males grivadan

Thrall – a person who was drained by a vampire but not offered blood in return. After their deaths they rise as a form of lesser vampire and mindlessly serve the vampire that created them.

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The Hounds of Winter
By: Delilah deSora
Chapter 2

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Shido woke to the feeling of sleep weighing heavily upon him. He stared up at the canopied bed, letting his mind slowly creep back to him, filling his head with things he would rather not contemplate. He knew where he was and he knew why he was here. He knew what he must do.

He pushed himself off the sinfully soft bed, stumbling in his weakness. For some reason he was thankful to find himself still clothed in the torn suit he had been wearing before he and Riho had sensed the breeds’ presence. He knew there was no such thing as modesty in the court but he was grateful all the same to know that someone had not stripped his body as he lay helpless.

He heard movement in the next room and he straightened. The door to the bedroom was closed but he could hear through it perfectly. Someone was waiting for him, shifting impatiently for he could discern the sound of a lighter cloth moving against a heavier one. Exhaling he reached out, pushing the heavy door open. It was designed to keep mortals out but it opened easily under his strength.

A thrall watched him with dull eyes before bowing her head in greeting. “The master bids you feed and prepare for his return.”

Shido turned to stare at the woman the thrall had indicated and he winced inwardly. Lazy brown eyes stared at him from half drooped lids as the painfully thin woman sprawled on the divan. Her dress barely fit her emaciated form and large pieces had been torn away, revealing skin stretched taunt over her frame. He didn’t even need to look at her arms and neck to know that there would be more scars than flesh there.

Instead he stared into her eyes where he found only a fevered creature peering back at him. He couldn’t bring himself to pity her, though, for he knew she felt no remorse or sadness. All she felt was the burning need to experience the rapture of a vampire’s kiss. A vampire junkie, Yayoi had once called a person such as this, though at court they called them grivadae. It was a term in their ancient language that meant fountain, for in a sense that was what these creatures were. Fountains of blood. Someone that was willing to risk their lives just to feed their addiction.

He turned from her and stared at the thrall who was watching him silently from the doorway. He put all the disgust he could dig up in that look and was rewarded with a waver of fear in the thrall’s eyes. He did not recognize this one and knew what this creature thought of him. She thought he was a plaything, a distraction for one night, nothing more. Certainly not worth serving. Not as he should be served.

With a mental sigh he forced an outraged expression and tossed his hair back. “How dare you?” He hissed.

The thrall turned to face him fully and he saw her eyes dart from the grivada and back to him, worry suddenly painted in those dull eyes. “My lord?”

“You expect me to feed from that? From something that every other common vampire in this hold has had? You insult me!”

It was clear to him that the thrall was confused and unsure of what to do. Shido felt an irrational shiver of satisfaction for it meant that whomever Cain had taken to bed and left for her to deal with come morning had never had the stature to be outraged at the meager offerings of Cain’s thrall.

“Get her out of here and bring me something, worthy!” He ped,ped, “Not something I have to chew through! And certainly not some left-over who couldn’t even survive another round in the court!”

The thrall gestured sharply to the grivada who peered at him with hurt eyes. He ignored her as she moved past him to the door. It pained him to refer to her in such a way but it could not be helped. If even the thralls did not cower for him he would have no hope of ever surviving amongst his own kind.

“A bath has already been drawn, perhaps you would to to partake in it while I correct this error.” The thrall said, fear in her voice.

Shido waved the women away and followed her unnecessary gesture towards the bath. He had to admit, as he stripped off his torn clothes and left them where they lay, Cain did know how to live. Long ago Cain had decided he needed a roman type bath in his quarters so he ordered his thralls to start digging. Without a word they worked until they dropped and a tiled pool had been created for his amusement.

He stepped into it, uncaring of the frigid water. It felt good to wash the dirt and blood from his skin. Lights burned dimly above him and he was glad to see that his maker had made the switch to electricity. Long had they been forced to bring one of their true enemies into their homes to light their nights. No vampire truly felt comfortable cast in the soft yellow of candlelight for the fear of something catching the flames haunted them all. Now it could be a fear of the past and Shido sighed in relief.

The door opened and he turned swiftly to stare at the woman approaching him. Her eyes were not half dead as had been the grivada before her but rather they gleamed with anticipation. She still had a healthy look about her and Shido wondered idly which vampire lord he had usurped her from. It did not matter. Cain’s status gave him the power to take what he wanted with little fear of retribution. Besides, he mused as he moved towards her, it would do them well to wonder at his audacity. It made him look as though he were used to getting his way.

He’d discovered long ago that there were three things needed to make a person successful at court. Strength, powerful allies, and the attitude of a prince. He could manage two of those three. It was not such a bad start.

The grivada’s skin was largely unmarked but he chose to take from her elbow where there were no marks at all. He felt her shiver in ecstasy as he feed. When he felt her heart begin to strain he pulled back, letting the woman fall away from him.

As he climbed from the pool he found himself still hungry but he pushed it down. To take more would harm her permanently and he doubted Cain needed yet another thrall to fawn over him. That had been the second reason he had refused the first woman. He doubted she had enough blood to satisfy him to her death let alone have enough to take the edge off of his hunger while still leaving her alive.

As much contempt as he had to for the grivadae he did not wish death to them. They harmed only themselves and he had no grievance against them.

Cain’s thrall waited for him in the main room, a pile of clothes in her arms. He refused her offer to dress him, leaving her with nothing to do but hand him each article of clothing as he needed it. He recognized the black pants with their leather tie and slit legs so they could be worn over boots. He also recognized the long tunic that went with it. It was a vibrant green; its color untouched by age and had no ties to keep it closed. Past his waist it split down the back, allowing the two lengths of cloth to billow about his legs. Even the belled sleeves were still soft, the gold hemming untorn and bright.

Shido smiled despite him. He. He doubted these clothes had even been removed from the chests where he had left them when he had fled. It comforted him somewhat as he straightened the sleeves compulsively and sat upon the divan. Somehow it seemed easier to go on with the charade clothed in cloth that had served him in the same environment before.

He stiffened as his hair was wrapped up in a towel and rubbed vigorously. The thrall’s movements were quick and sharp as she dried his hair. He bit his tongue to keep from protesting, knowing that he must not seem too independent lest the thralls never serve him again.

After what seemed an eternity the towel was removed and a comb taken to the still damp strands. He did not mind this action so much for he dearly loved to have his hair brushed. The movements of the comb lulled him into a semi-sleep state and he dozed contentedly as he had once done a thousand times before. His hair was given a final tug and the ends were gathered. He waved the thrall off, not in the mood to be preened and have his hair forced into some elaborate design as the thralls were so wont to create.

The thrall wandered off to perform whatever other duties Cain required of her and Shido returned to dosing. If he concentrated hard enough he could hear others in the palace. Their voices were the barest of murmurs and he had to truly devote all his attention to detect them. He shivered. All too soon he would be among them again, laughing at the pain of others and descending into sinful decadence.

He wondered how Riho was faring and prayed that she was not in a similar situation. She would never survive among their kind. They would tear her morals and gentle spirit apart. If she survived their treatment he knew that she would no longer be the girl he once knew. Either way, Riho would be dead to him.

Shido exhaled heavily and then jumped as something ran up his chest. Lips captured his and he struggled for a moment before he recognized the smell that assaulted his senses. Cain’s tongue teased his lips and he opened his mouth to the invader. Blood filled his mouth, trickling from the corner of his mouth as he failed to swallow fast enough. His throat worked furiously, trying to capture all of the nurturing essence his mate fed him.

Cain’s particular flavor lingered on his tongue long after the flow of blood from the older vampire’s mouth stopped, the wound opened by sharp fangs healing with a vampire’s supernatural magic. It tasted of old wine and spices, the flavor bringing half remembered sensations to his mind.

Sharp nails scratched at his bared chest and he whimpered. They dug into the sensitized nipples and he arched, the action pulling him from his mate’s mouth as he cried out in pleasure. Cain’s mouth slipped down to his neck and over his shoulder, biting lightly at his pale flesh.

Shido knew immediately what his master was up to as a series of bites were soon added along both sides of his neck. Love bites. Cain was marking him as his territory. They would be gone before long but they would last the night, and that was all that was all they were intended to do. Finally he felt Cain’s hands tighten on his arms and he turned his head obediently, baring a long curve of his neck.


He groaned as his mate’s powerful jaws clamped about his neck, driving the long fangs deep into him. Rapture welled up and swept through him, increasing with each beat of his dead heart. It sang through his veins and he was only vaguely aware of his mate’s hand at the back of his neck, supporting his limp frame. He felt the cushions of the divan shift as Cain came to kneel over him but it didn’t register until a hand cupped between his legs and pushed.

A keen escaped him as he arched into that touch, rubbing himself against his mate’s hand. He felt Cain’s teeth tear at his throat when he moved but he did not care. To get more sensation to flow over his skin, that was his greatest desire. He didn’t care if meant his throat would be torn out. All that mattered was satisfying the desire that was building within him.

He gripped his mate’s hand, urging him to hold him tighter as he moved, crying out in short sharp breaths. He was overcome with the need to bury his face in his mate’s golden hair so he reached up, tearing the offending ribbon that held back the wavy locks. They spilled about him and he purred, capturing strands to rub over his lips and cheeks.

The hand at his desire moved upwards, pawing the ties that held his breeches closed and he sighed in relief as the tight fabric fell away, releasing him. His mate took him in his hand and stroked, sending him soaring in rapture. He panted heavily, clinging to golden hair with one hand and to matemate’s thick wrist with the other, urging him to go faster. Cain’s knuckles rubbed against the skin of his stomach as he stroked and Shido angled his head as much as he was able to stare down at what his mate was doing to him.

His member was swollen and colored with blood, a dark presence in his mate’s white hand. He reached down beneath the stroking hand to brush his fingers against his testicles. Biting into his lip he fondled himself, sucking lightly at the wound he had made. There was a sudden deep growl against his throat and Cain’s hands were no longer on him. He cried out in protest, thrashing but unable to move very far for the teeth lodged within him.

The cloth at his waist was shoved downwards and his legs were pushed up against his chest and he howled in bliss as he was entered, his mate’s body taking him forcefully. His legs were trapped together, making his mate’s cock feel larger than it was as it was pushed through his clenched entrance. The cloth of Cain’s open pants rubbed against his skin roughly but it was just one more thing in a torrent of sensations and it only served to send Shido closer to the edge. He turned his head and froze.

A golden eyed creature stared back at him from the ornate mirror as his mate moved above him. Violet hair hung heavy and sleek down the back of the divan as his seemingly fragile body was subjected to the larger male’s determined thrusts. He relaxed, watching as his body spread limply as much as it was able. His mate snarled against him and bit harder, his thrusts so hard it shoved him savagely against the back of the divan and he feared it would break.

No, he amended as he closed his eyes, there was no fear where he was right now. No fear, no pain, and no past. Just endless delight as his mate claimed him. His mouth fell open and he breathed his mate’s name as all the sensations finally came in sync with each other and he was pushed into ecstasy.

It felt as though he had been carried up to the very face of god and then plunged back down be wee weight of the man that collapsed upon him, panting heavily against his neck. Before he struck the unforgiving ground his emotional descent stilled and he lay, floating in a sea adrenaline and ecstasy. Golden strands slid through his fingers like cool silk as he stroked his mate’s hair.

Cain pulled away from him, golden eyes filled with satisfaction. A gentle hand caught his chin and Shido leaned into the soft kiss. He traced his tongue along his mate’s mouth, darting it inswhenwhen Cain relented. He tasted his own blood on the slightly lengthened fangs and he cleaned them, careful not to cut his tongue or push too hard on the sensitive teeth. Cain eventually pulled away and he teasingly licked the parting lips, earning a smile and playful snap of teeth from his mate.

He sprawled lazily on the divan, watching his mate move about through half lidded eyes. He purred as Cain cleaned him, nipping at the retreating hands and earning a long stroke of fingers against his cheek that stirred what was left of the rapture from his mate’s bite. The fingers brushed over his eyes and he closed them, cradled in the divan’s soft cushions. He drifted into a peaceful slumber, lulled by the soothing sounds of the older vampire moving around him.


-End Chapter 2-