Two soldiers had escorted them in, offered stiff bows and promised that Commander Ben would arrive shortly before stationing themselves outside as guards.
As soon as the tent flap fell shut, the silence of the room was filled with a soft rustling of Kaelen seating down.
Isolde however didn't sit across from Kaelen. She didn't even take her own spot. Instead, she glided over to the large sofa he had occupied and sank down right beside him, her body pressing against his.
She took his right hand in hers, lifting it with the reverence of a priest handling a holy relic.
Her thumb brushed over the skin of his index finger... the same finger she had bitten and sucked on so desperately back at the inn.
"Does it still hurt, Master?" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Kaelen looked down. The wound was gone, healed by her own magic moments after the incident, leaving not even a scar.
But Isolde was staring at the spot with a mix of guilt and lingering hunger.
"It's healed, Isolde," Kaelen said, his voice calm. "You made sure of that yourself."
"I know... but the pain might remain," she murmured, lifting his hand higher. She pressed her cheek against his palm, her eyes fluttering shut.
"I was too rough. I lost control. A wife should be gentle with her husband, yet I... acted like a starved beast."
Kaelen felt the warmth of her breath against his skin. Even through his clothes, he could feel the softness of her curves pressing into his side.
The 'Lust Aura' kept her in a constant state of low, steady desire, but the 'Blood Bond' they shared made her loyalty feel deep and true.
[✿ Look at her, Nii-san. She's putting on quite the show, isn't she? ✿]
Evelyn's voice rang clearly in his mind, carrying a tone of amused mockery.
[✿ She says she's sorry, but look at her eyes. She's practically drooling. Vampires really are dramatic creatures. ✿]
Kaelen ignored the voice in his head for a moment, watching Isolde. She turned her face, her lips brushing against the skin of his wrist.
"Just a sip..." she breathed, her red eyes opening to look up at him through her long, dark lashes.
Gone was the cold imperious Grand Duchess, replaced by this needy woman.
"To make sure you are really fine. Just a tiny taste, Master. It would be enough."
Her tongue darted out, wetting her lips. She looked like a predator trying very hard to act like a house cat.
Kaelen pulled his hand back gently but firmly. He reached up and tapped her nose with his index finger.
"No," he said simply.
Isolde recoiled slightly, a pout forming on her lips that looked incredibly out of place on her noble face. "But..."
"I told you before," Kaelen interrupted, leaning in close until their noses were almost touching. He saw her breath hitch.
"I reward obedience. We have a job to do. If you perform well... if you play your part perfectly... then later, I will fill you properly."
Isolde shivered violently. Her thighs clamped together instinctively beneath her dress.
"Fill me?" she squeaked.
"With blood," Kaelen whispered, dropping his voice to a low, husky register. "And with everything else you seem to be craving. I'll make sure you're completely satisfied."
Isolde let out a ragged breath, her face flushing a deep, lovely crimson. She nodded frantically.
"Yes. Yes, Master. I will be good. I will be the best wife."
"Good." Kaelen straightened up, his expression shifting back to business.
"Now, listen closely. Here is how this is going to work."
He gestured for her to lean in. She obeyed instantly, practically climbing into his lap to hear him better.
"When the Commander gets here, I'm going to talk to him. I'm going to convince him to take me down to the mines personally. I need to see the operation up close," Kaelen explained softly.
"And you are going to stay here."
"Stay?" Isolde frowned, her brow furrowing.
"But Master, it is dangerous. I should be by your side to protec—"
"I don't need a bodyguard right now Isolde. I need a spellcaster," Kaelen cut in.
"While I am down there with the commander, I want you to spread your influence over this camp. Use your Night Domination."
Isolde's eyes widened, a sharp glint of understanding replacing the lust for a moment.
"You want me to slaughter them?"
"No," Kaelen said sharply. He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.
"No killing. Not yet. These are soldiers, but they are also potential resources. And more importantly, I don't want a bloodbath alerting the Commander while I'm in a confined space with him. I want you to put them to sleep."
"Sleep?"
"Every single one of them," Kaelen commanded.
"The guards and the villagers. Use your magic. Dampen their senses. Make them heavy. By the time I come back up, I want this entire camp snoring. Can you do that without raising an alarm?"
Isolde smiled then. It was a cold, confident smile— the smile of the Vampire Queen.
"It is night, Master," she purred. "Under the moon, my powers are absolute. Putting a few hundred humans into a deep slumber is child's play for me."
"Good. And if the Commander tries anything while we are down there... you wait for my signal. Only intervene if I call for you through the bond. Understood?"
"Understood, Husband," she said, leaning forward to peck him on the cheek.
[✿ Aww~ look at you two, plotting world domination like a cute couple. It almost makes me jealous, Nii-san. Almost✿]
Evelyn giggled in his mind.
[✿ Just remember, don't get too distracted by her tits. We have a threat to neutralize✿]
Before Kaelen could respond to his sister, heavy footsteps crunched on the gravel outside. The tent flap was swept aside, and a large man stepped in.
Commander Ben was exactly what Kaelen expected. He was a bear of a man, encased in heavy, scarred plated armor. He had a square jaw, a shaved head, and eyes that looked like they had seen too many battles and not enough mercy. He carried his helmet under one arm.
Ben's eyes swept the room, assessing instantly before landing on Isolde. He paused, a flicker of appreciation and wariness crossing his face, before he turned his attention to Kaelen.
"My apologies for the wait," Ben said, his voice a deep, gravelly rumble. He didn't bow, but he offered a sharp, respectful nod.
"We don't get many Rosemoon Executives out this far in the boonies. I'm Commander Ben."
Kaelen stood up, buttoning his jacket and adopting the easy, confident posture of a wealthy merchant.
"No need for apologies, Commander,"
Kaelen said, extending a hand. "Time is money, as they say, but for an operation of this scale, I have plenty of patience. I'm Kaelen. This is my wife, Isolde."
Ben shook his hand. His grip was like a vice, testing Kaelen's strength. Kaelen squeezed back, enhancing his grip slightly with mana, just enough to show he wasn't a pushover. Ben raised an eyebrow and let go.
"A pleasure," Ben grunted. He looked at Isolde. "And you, Ma'am."
Isolde offered him a detached nod, the perfect picture of a noblewoman.
"So," Ben said, crossing his arms. "My boys at the gate said you're here for a direct contract. Rosemoon usually works through intermediaries in the capital. Why the personal visit?"
"Intermediaries take a cut," Kaelen lied smoothly. "And frankly, the reports we were getting about the yield from this sector were... underwhelming. I wanted to see if it was a resource issue, or a management issue."
Ben let out a bark of laughter.
"Underwhelming? Ha! The officials back home wouldn't recognize a good vein if it was right in front of them. We're mining more mana stones from this valley than the last three sectors put together."
"That's what I like to hear," Kaelen smiled.
"But hearing is one thing. Seeing is another. I'd like to inspect the merchandise before we talk numbers. And the extraction site."
Ben hesitated, glancing at Isolde. "The mines aren't exactly a place for a lady. It's dirty, loud, and... the workforce isn't pretty."
"Oh, my wife is exhausted from the travel," Kaelen said quickly, resting a hand on Isolde's shoulder. "She prefers to wait here where it's warm. I'll go down with you."
Isolde stifled a yawn behind her hand, playing her part perfectly.
"Yes... go on, dear. Don't take too long. This tent is dreadfully boring but it's at least better than a hole in the ground."
Ben shrugged. "Suit yourself. Follow me, Mr. Kaelen."