I Belong To My Three Forbidden Masters

Chapter 93: Chapter 93

Lysander’s pov

My blood went cold as I turned around on the barstool.

A male vampire was standing less than two feet away, leaning casually against the edge of the slate counter.

He couldn’t have been older than twenty-five in appearance, dressed in a sharp dark blazer with the top three buttons of his silk shirt undone.

His eyes were a pale, striking amber, flickering with a sharp curiosity as he took in the dark leather collar resting snugly against my neck.

My hackles rose instantly. Every instinct built over years of being hunted and claimed snapped to high alert. My shoulders went tense, my fingers curling tightly into the cold stone edge of the bar.

"I’m here with someone," I blurted out before he could take another step into my space.

The vampire held up both hands in a calm, easy gesture of peace, taking a small step back to give me air. He offered a smooth, disarming smile that didn’t reveal his fangs.

"Woah, easy there," he said softly, "I’m not here to cross any lines. My name is Matt. I came down to the Vault for a meeting with one of the lords, but I saw you sitting up here looking like you were about to faint from the heat. I couldn’t resist coming over to check on you."

I kept my back rigid, my dark eyes tracking his every move, but the lack of threat in his posture made my heart slow down just a fraction.

"I’m not looking for trouble," I murmured, my throat raspy and dry as dust.

"Neither am I," Matt said smoothly. He turned to the silver-haired bartender who was still standing nearby and raised two fingers. "Get him a Cosmopolitan. Sweet, heavy on the cranberry, light on the alcohol."

The bartender gave a sharp nod and went to work, his movements a fluid blur. A few seconds later, a chilled martini glass filled with a bright pink liquid and a single lime wheel slid across the dark slate, stopping right in front of my hand.

My mouth watered at the sight of the ice-cold glass. The heat in the cavernous club was still suffocating, making my skin feel tight and flushed.

"It’s clean, I promise," Matt said gently, gesturing toward the glass. "No blood, no additives. Just fruit and ice."

I hesitated for a second, looking at the sweating glass, before picking it up with a trembling hand. I lifted it to my lips and took a small, cautious sip. The cold, tart cranberry and sweet lime burst across my tongue, instantly soothing my burning throat. A small, involuntary sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"Thank you," I said softly, setting the glass down on a paper coaster.

"Don’t mention it," Matt replied, leaning his elbow on the bar and looking at me warmly. "You look like you could use some air, or at least a place to sit where three hundred ancient predators aren’t staring at your neck. My friends are over in one of the private booths near the back corner. It’s quiet over there. Why don’t you come sit down with us for a bit while you wait for your partner?"

I looked down at the Cosmopolitan, then turned my head to glance toward the heavy velvet curtains where Drake had disappeared with Vesper.

The bond in my chest was still secure which meant that Drake was close, but he was going to be tied up in that meeting for a while. Standing alone at the open bar made me feel like an exposed target.

"Okay," I agreed quietly, picking up my glass. "Just for a few minutes."

"Lead the way," Matt said with a friendly nod, stepping aside to let me walk beside him.

We wove through the crowd, stepping around the writhing bodies and the heavy clouds of hookah smoke that lingered in the air.

Matt kept a respectful two-foot distance beside me, using his frame to gently block two passing vampires who leaned in a little too close to catch my scent.

He guided me down three carpeted steps into a recessed velvet alcove away from the loud speakers.

Sitting around a long, crescent-shaped leather booth were four people. My breath hitched in surprise as my eyes swept over them. I immediately noted that every single one of Matt’s friends was human.

There were two young women and two men, all dressed in elegant party wear, laughing over a bowl of iced fruit and glasses of sparkling wine. None of them wore collars.

None of them had marks on their necks. They didn’t look like pets, and they didn’t look terrified. They looked... comfortable.

"Hey, guys," Matt called out over the low hum of the bass, stepping into the booth. "Look who I rescued from the main bar."

The group paused their conversation, turning their heads toward us. A girl with dark, curly hair and a striking emerald dress brightened instantly, sliding over on the leather seat to make room.

"Matt, who’s your friend?" Her voice was warm and welcoming.

"This is Lysander," Matt said, gesturing to me as he slipped into the booth beside the men.

"Hi, Lysander!" the girl in the emerald dress said warmly, waving her hand toward the empty space beside her. "I’m Maya. Come sit down! Don’t just stand there in the dark."

I blinked, thrown off by the lack of hostility or suspicion in her voice. I took a slow, tentative step forward and slid onto the soft leather cushion at the edge of the booth, clutching my glass tightly in both hands.

"Hi," I murmured, my voice small.

The tall guy sitting next to Maya offered me an easy smile, resting his arm over the back of the couch. "I’m James. That’s Sarah and Leo over there," he said, pointing to the couple sitting beside Matt. "Welcome to the corner of sanity."

"T-thank you," I said quietly, "it’s quite scary here."

"First time around these many vampires?" Maya asked.

My face flushed a deep, burning crimson. I looked down at the pink liquid in my martini glass, my fingers tightening around the stem as embarrassment washed over me. "I... I guess so."

"Hey, don’t let them make you feel uncomfortable," Sarah spoke up from across the table, her tone sweet and reassuring as she reached over to nudge a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries toward me. "You’re safe over here with us. Matt keeps this table clear of anyone looking to act up."

I looked up at Sarah, then at Matt, who was casually sipping his drink with a relaxed smile. "He... he protects you?" I asked before I could stop myself, the question slipping out past my filter.

Matt chuckled softly, shaking his head. "They’re my team, Lysander. I run a research firm in the upper city, and these guys are my staff. When we come down to the Vault to celebrate a contract, nobody touches them. Not while I’m breathing."

I stared at them in quiet wonder.

"That’s amazing."

"So," Maya said smoothly, leaning her elbow on the table and looking at me with genuine curiosity. "How are you holding up with all of this? Is this your first time down at the Vault?"

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