Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
“I thought this wasn’t your strength,” she said softly.
“I’ll show you my strength later tonight,” he promised into her ear.
The middle of a mission was not the time to fall at his feet. So she went for levity. “Is this how you tell me that you do not wish to bring Lyra to bed—yours or mine?”
His hands moved to her hips and tugged her back against his chest. “I have no interest in sharing you.” His eyes lifted as he said, “With anyone.”
Kierse’s breath caught at the challenge in his voice. Then she turned to see where his gaze had moved, and she understood the meaning behind it.
Lorcan Flynn stepped into the room, looking every inch the Druid King in a sweeping forest-green cloak and brown leather clothing, a sword at his side. A gold torc adorned his neck, and a solid amulet hung low against his breast. His dark hair was pushed back, and a small golden crown sat on his brow. Those cerulean eyes immediately found Kierse in the dim light.
She swallowed at the look of possession on his face and watched it morph instantly at the sight of Graves at her side. One second, he could have stripped her bare and the next she wondered if he might draw that sword and run Graves through a second time.
“Don’t,” she said as Graves took a step away. Kierse put a hand to her chest and pushed back that same uncomfortable feeling beating at her breast. “We’re not here for that.”
“As you wish,” he said under his breath, more threat than agreement.
Kierse tracked Lorcan as she and Graves circled the room, always keeping a sizable distance. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the winter solstice. They were a few weeks too early for the summer solstice, and they might just kill each other instead.
As they mingled with other monsters, the play continued. Faerie mischief interfering with the lives of mere mortals. Robin Goodfellow, the oft’ mentioned Puck, doing Oberon’s bidding and only messing up the human relationships. Helena sobbed a bit too dramatically at Demetrius’s confession of love, when only a few scenes earlier he had scorned her. A messy affair. Not unlike her own life.
Graves was acquainted with most of the humans and monsters in attendance. As many jockeyed for his favor as clearly despised him, but theirs was a mutual distaste that wouldn’t breech the rules of propriety tonight. They were all here for a reason, and no one was leaving until after the auction.
“Well, this isn’t a face I expected to see in polite company,” Gregory Amberdash said as he approached them.
The wraith was swathed in all-black draping robes. His skin was sallow, and the thumbprints under his eyes were darker than ever. Kierse had almost trusted him for a time, until he’d betrayed her to Lorcan and sent her careening into this mess. Now she wondered how she hadn’t seen that he would one day double cross her.
“Amberdash,” Graves said, holding his hand out.
They shook once before his eyes returned to Kierse. “I was speaking of you, of course, Miss McKenna.” Kierse took his offered hand and met his gaze with a steely look of her own. “Aren’t you better off in darkened corners? Or are you here to rob us all blind?”
Kierse grinned. “If I was, I wouldn’t tell you, now would I?”
Amberdash leaned forward, the waves of death rolling off of him. Wraiths fed off of human souls. They could drain the life out of a person piecemeal over years if they wanted to. Some humans even signed up for it, which Kierse had never understood. With his attention on her, she liked the thought even less than normal.
At that moment, she saw a glint of gold in the folds of his robes. She wouldn’t have paid the small thing much mind if she hadn’t been trained to put a value on everything.
“You’re treading in dangerous waters,” he said softly.
“Is that a warning or a threat?” she asked, moving in closer.
Graves stiffened at the comment. “I would choose your next words carefully.”
Amberdash smiled, and it was all translucent white teeth and terror. “You know I am fond of you. I wouldn’t want to see you get…swept away.”
Kierse narrowed her eyes. That was definitely a threat. “I can take care of myself.”
“Of course, my dear,” he said, straightening. He turned to Graves then, all nonchalance. “Are you making an appearance at Monster Con this year? I heard the speakers are hush hush.”
Graves settled back into himself as the mundane chatter of the night returned. Monster Con had been mentioned a few times in passing, but Kierse hadn’t paid it much attention until it came out of Amberdash’s mouth.
“I don’t bother with those things,” Graves said. “If you’ll excuse us.”
He put his hand on her back and urged her away from Amberdash. Kierse cast a furtive glance back at Amberdash, who was still staring at them as they disappeared. But his look was no longer diabolical—it was almost worried.