Free Stephen by Kathi S. Barton Page B

the small table in the corner.
    “ Where are they?” He hadn’t meant to ask, but he needed to know if he could make a clean break. “And how do I get home?”
    “ They are resting, my lord. As for you leaving, we were told you would be residing here for a time.” The man lifted covers off two plates, and Edward felt his mouth water. If it tasted only half as good as it smelled, he was going to devour the entire thing. Moving toward the table, he thought about what the man had said.
    “ I’m not staying here. I don’t even know where here is. I’m assuming I didn’t drive here.” The butler or whatever he was shook his head as he poured orange juice into a glass from a large carafe. “Can you call me a cab or something?”
    “ I cannot. Shall you require something else to eat, sire?” Edward told him no and asked again about transportation. “They have said you will stay. It is not possible for me to go against the mistress’s wishes. And if you were smart, sire, you would not either.”
    After the man left, Edward looked at the food. There was so much of it, he wondered who the man thought he was feeding. There were ten sausage links, as well as thick slices of ham. Several eggs had to have been broken to make the omelet that took up his entire plate. And the coffee smelled like heaven. Biting into the croissant that was still warm, Edward picked up his fork. He was nearly finished with the meal when he thought of what the woman had said to him before he’d fallen asleep.
    “ I need for you to get me Stephen. I have a few people out looking for him, but I want you to invite him to your house when we go back there.” She’d moved over his body again, nipping at his flesh as she made her way to his cock again. “When you have him where I want him, I will give you a great gift. Would you like that?”
    “ Christ, yes. Suck me again.” He had felt the man behind him, and when he moved down his body, Edward had moaned. Now all he could think about was that the man had forced himself onto him. Then, all he’d been able to think about was him taking his cock again. But neither of them had touched him as they moved down the bed and off it. When Velvet had told him to sleep, he did. Edward wondered if he’d ever be the same after this.
    Finishing the meal completely, he stood up. The butler had made the bed while he’d been in the shower, and Edward sat down on it. Exhaustion pulled at him, but he needed to get home. If nothing else, he had to call in to his office to make sure that no one was slacking off. Heading down the stairs, he made his way to the kitchen, where he heard voices.
    “ Sire. Are you finished with your repast?” Edward nodded, and one of the women standing there left the room. “Do you need something else? You should drink more liquids. You’ll feel better if you do.”
    “ I don’t want anything to drink. What I want is to leave.” The man handed him a glass of orange juice, and before he could think to splash it into the man’s face, Edward drank it down in one gulp. Handing the glass back to him, Edward walked to the door.
    “ Sire, I would not if I were you. The mistress was quite firm about you staying until she releases you.” Edward turned to look at the man. “She will be most unpleasant when she finds you gone from here when she rises.”
    “ Rises? You’ve said that before. What do you mean?” The man looked a little frightened, and Edward had a feeling he didn’t want to know the answer to his question. For that matter, he wished he could forget the entire night. Moving to the door again, he froze when the man behind him spoke.
    “ A vampire must rest during the day, my lord. And her minion, Ted, will rest with her as well. In the event she gets hungry during her rest, he will be there for her.” Edward didn’t want to think about all the times she’d bitten him. He’d tried his best to tell himself she was giving him love bites, as had Ted. But the butler