Code of Conduct |18+ (Ménage)✔

⊰17⊱

🌹

Arthur Valentine arrived this evening.

The four council members are reunited as one and I've never seen a human more scared under this roof then I have in the entire world.

Tonight is what Rochelle mentioned as, the Starlight Dance. The preparations that were being made in the large ballroom are coming together, the finishing touches completed before Arthur arrived.

"Why do they call it that? Besides the obvious fact it's at night and under the stars?" Crummy name if you ask me, but I want to know why...everything here has a purpose and I intend to find out every last one of them. Nothing is 'just because', there is significance...

Rochelle lifts the top covers of her bed, shakily standing to her feet. My confusion only grows deeper when she winces and clutches at the side of the bed for support. Standing quickly and coming to her side, I wrap an arm around her waist and steady her movements. There is pain in her eyes and a deep sadness broadens when I ask, "What's wrong?"

I never saw, not until now. She was hiding...

...her punishment.

Siting her back on the edge of the bed, she lets a tear fall down her cheek, her eyes growing red. When she breathes out, she says, "Master thought that it would be a fitting punishment for me to not be able to attend the Starlight Dance."

"What?! How?!" Anger surges through my being. It was my fault. I never should have asked her about the snowflake crystals.

Rochelle nods her head and lifts her feet, exposing the severely whipped soles. There is dry blood, natural healing already starting its long process, but I am confused...why she isn't using the salve.

"He said that I needed to remember my place and that gifted healing is only for slaves who listen," I'm growing angrier by the second, "I can't attend the dance because he made it so I cannot walk. I'm not allowed to use the salve, I have to heal on my own."

"Bullshit," I finally unleash the pent up anger. How could he do this to her? A slave he bred right here? One would assume he might have a fondness for his own slaves...someone special like her...but no, what a complete asshole!

"It's the star shower," Rochelle whispers quietly.

I furrow my brows and ask, "What?"

"The Starlight Dance," she nods her head, "it's named that because of the star shower that will take place tonight."

Star shower?

Oh!

"Shooting stars?" I ask, trying to understand.

Rochelle winces, sitting back in the bed and concealing her feet again. There was a hurt lingering on her delicate features that I had not seen since I'd been brought here. My own chest tightens, sharing her pain because if I didn't ask, she would be smiling and laughing right now. She brushes the tears away and replies, "Yes, shooting stars. They fall not too far from here. Vampires who have been selected to gather them will not be attending the dance, but guarding the estate and keeping an eye out for ones closest to us."

Why would they collect fallen stars?

I don't want to pry any further, Rochelle has been through enough and now she can't join Linda, Sidney and myself in the ballroom in the next few hour.

Can't I stay and look after Rochelle?

I sigh at the thought, wanting to keep away from any and all vampires for as long as possible. I'm sure they would see through the pitiful excuses I want to use to avoid being there...especially Cormac...