Their Wife

Fifteen

He scowled at the nickname. Removing the saddles from the griffin, he began brushing him.

We worked in comfortable silence, focused on our tasks, until I couldn't help but break it, bursting with the need to know since shoveling shit was not enough to take my mind off a certain encounter.

"Is Zev vampire?"

He paused with grooming for a moment before resuming. "Vampire?"

"Yeah. You know, the 'I vant to suck your blood' kind," I said attempting to put on a Dracula accent.

He just looked at me blankly.

"Zev had his face buried in Andreas's neck and when he pulled back his mouth and chin were covered in blood. The only explanation I can think of is he's either a vampire or a cannibal," I explained further, omitting the other activities he was engaged in at the time.

Understanding dawned on his face. "Lord Zev is one of the higher breeds," he said continuing to brush the griffin.

I waited for him to elaborate, but it became clear he thought that was enough of an explanation.

"What does that mean?" I inquired.

"Oh," he shook his head. "Sometimes I forget you know nothin' of this world. Higher breeds are at the top of society. They are the rulin' class over lesser breeds like myself and the other workers. Higher breeds can feed on the blood of others. They can live off of it- many centuries ago that was nearly all they consumed. Blood, while sustenance, is also a delicacy for them, a drug. The higher the breed the higher the nutrients and high the blood gives. Most higher breed women choose to soulbond men that have the most enticin' blood so they have ownership over it and can indulge when they please. Lord Zev has pure fae blood runnin' through his veins, that makes him one of the higher breeds. It's one of the reasons he and the other lords are so sought after."

I stared at him. "So they survive by feeding on blood, like vampires."

He shook his head. "They don't need it to survive, well demons do. They need to feed regularly on blood, but the other higher breeds just do it for pleasure nowadays. They can live off of blood, but that's not necessary as long as they regularly get sustenance from food."

I nodded in understanding. So Zev was a fairy who was getting high while fucking Andreas. Got it. I wonder if he had wings like Tinker Bell. Maybe they were hidden.

* * *

I rolled my head and shoulders to ease the stiffness as I headed towards my room to grab a change of clothing. It was near midnight and I had just finished my work in the barn. I smelled like shit, piss, and sweat.

My stomach rumbled with hunger. I hadn't had a chance to eat dinner once again. There was too much work and not enough time. Jaxsons stunt, my impromptu outing with Kai and Timothy, followed by the visit to the brothel, then meeting with Cassius had seriously cut into the time I needed to complete my work. Even with Jaxon's actions on their own, I wouldn't have been done on time.

I sighed as I grabbed my clothes and my bar of soap before heading for the baths. I needed the warm water to relax my sore muscles and to wash away the filth.

I walked down the few steps that led into the cave-like pools. The water was lit by faint blue light from beneath, just enough to see where the stone floor ended and it began. The torches on the walls came to life on their own as I passed them, casting a low orange glow along the walls and over the surface of the water. It was beautiful.