<h4>Chapter 75: Puppeteers of empire- Part 3</h4>


    Not knowing what else to do she observed people as they spoke with each other.


    Katie saw Alexander talk to a woman from a far distance. She saw him lean forward and whisper something in her ear making her smile before cing a kiss on his cheek.


    She felt jealousy rise in her chest. The more she looked in his direction the more she felt the pang in her heart. The female vampires kissed a lot, thought Katie to herself.


    Turning away she downed the wine she had in her hand.


    On one side she was happy that Elliot had apanied her, she was able to talk to him normally. But on the other side she missed Alexander.


    “Good evening. I couldn’t help but notice you,” she looked to her side to see a tall man standing next to her with wavy blonde hair and grey eyes, wearing a smile on his face.


    She was told not to talk to strangers but not responding would cause the man offense. Being polite she greeted him.


    “Good evening, Sir,” she bowed her head.


    “What is a lovelydy like yourself doing here alone?” He asked her with questioning eyes.


    “I’m waiting for mypanion to return back. He’s gone for a quick errand,” she added before he would ask another question.


    “Is that so. If I were him I wouldn’t waste my time on other work and would rather spend time with you,” he said taking a sip from his ss.


    “I wouldn’t like that,” she replied back politely.


    “You wouldn’t?” He asked taken aback.


    “I would rather have a man who values time and tend to things that are urgent and important than let loose of sight,” she answered him with a smile. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol talking but the man looked amused with her response.


    “And you are miss...” He trailed waiting for her to give him her name.


    “Brown. Dorthy Brown,” she gave a false name, using Dorthy and Corey’sst name. She didn’t know why but the way he smiled and behaved to be nice didn’t feel right.


    “I’m Ss Norman,” he introduced himself. Why did the name sound familiar? Seeing her empty ss he took it from her, “Would you like to have another ss?” He asked.


    Seeing from the corner of her eyes she noticed another woman next to the Lord. She might as well treat her taste buds, she thought giving him a nod.


    As they walked across the room towards the table were the sses of alcohol was ced Alexander caught sight of her. His eyebrows furrowed looking at the man next to her as they spoke. It was Lord Norman’s youngest son.


    “You didn’t say where you were from,” Katie heard Ss speak as he picked a ss to give it to her.


    “Ie from the south empire,” she replied looking at her ss.


    “How strange that Ie from the same ce. I have never seen you before,” he responded and his expression turned sour when Katie felt a hand go around her waist.


    Looking up she met Lord Alexander’s eye’s.


    “Three sses should be enough for the day,” he said taking the ss away from her before cing it back on the table.


    “Good evening, Lord Alexander,” Ss greeted him not hiding his distaste for the man.


    “Evening, Ss. Your father must be busy to send you here in his ce,” Lord Alexander spoke coolly while slowly bringing Katie close to him.


    “He is. After all we are expanding the empire,” the man replied before looking Katie.


    “nning is good but nning without a solid base with no resources will only lead to nothing. Your father and you should already know that,” he said spiking anger in the young man.


    “You should let go of Ms. Brown. She’s waiting for herpanion,” the man said making Alexander raise a brow before his lips turned upwards.


    “I’m sure Ms Brown wouldn’t mind if I took her away. Would you Ms Brown?” He asked before stealing her away from the man without another word.


    Once they were away from Ss Norman, Alexander handed her a ss of water to drink.


    “I don’t like the women here. They cling too much,” she said sipping the water in her hand.


    “Indeed they do. Unfortunately I can’t rip their arms off,” he said making her smile.


    Lord Alexander and his dark humor, thought Katie.


    She then felt Alexander pull her towards him this time with his arms around her waist as he leaned down to kiss her neck, letting his lips linger longer than necessary before pulling back.


    Men and women who were busy talking to each other stopped to look at the scene. It was a simple gesture but the Valerian Lord had never kissed a woman publicly in such an intimate way.


    Most of their faces were either shocked or surprised and that included Ss Norman.


    “Does he ever listen?” Elliot asked Sylvia exasperatedly who stood on the other side of the room.


    “We all know he doesn’t. Here take this,” she said passing him a drink.


    Katie was too stunned to say anything. She hadn’t expected him to kiss her.


    What was he thinking kissing her openly in front of so many people?