by Bailey Dark
“The good news is that in the Underworld, they’ve had quite enough fan fair for me many thousands of years ago. Now, it’s just a party,” I say as we step into the throne room.
Immediately, we’re assaulted by the strong scent of roses and poppies, ashen and heavy. Dark fog curls along the marble floor, coiling around our ankles. The chandeliers on the ceiling are half lit and enchanted to cast a red glow around the room. It’s dark and brooding and wholly befitting of an Underworld ball. Briar is stiff as we sweep into the room. She clings to my arm as if it’s the only thing stopping her from sinking beneath the marble floor.
Slim figures sway on the dance floor, gyrating against each other. I slip my hand down Briar’s arm to lace my fingers through hers. She looks up as I walk backwards towards the dance floor. Her eyes are locked on mine like an anchor and I put an ounce of magic into my gaze. I want to take my mask off, to truly call her towards me, but the mask is part of what makes this night so easy. For a time, we don’t have to be anything other than these masks.
In the center of the dance floor, I pull her towards me. She falls against my chest and I wrap my arms around her waist, fingers trailing over the small of her back. She shudders, gazing up at me. Her breasts are flush against me, and even through our clothes, I can feel how supple and full they are. I sway to the beat of the music, my hips pressed against hers. A red flush trails over Briar’s chest and I know she’s blushing behind that mask. The knowledge brings a smile to my lips.
“Are you enjoying yourself?” I whisper, bending low.
Briar inhales the poppy-scented air, relaxing against me. “It’s different.”
“We’ve had quite a bit of stuffiness over the years,” I murmur. “Now, we’re much more interested in pleasure.”
“I’m catching onto that,” Briar says, breaking my gaze to glance at the other enthralled dancers. She bites her lips and I hear her heartbeat escalate.
“Nervous?” I ask, letting my hand drift lower until her breath catches.
She nods, following my body language to a slower, deeper dance. “What gave it away?”
“Your scent.” I breathe her in, pressing my nose to the nape of her neck. She gasps, blood thrumming. I growl, deep and low in the back of my throat. “Shall I calm you?”
“How?” Her hands cling to the fabric of my suit and I hear her heart flutter.
“Let me show you,” I breathe. I nuzzle her jugular and open my mouth, urging my fangs to appear. When I feel them descend, I press them into the soft flesh of Briar’s neck. She gasps when I pierce her jugular. I don’t bite hard enough to draw blood, though I wonder how such a sweet-smelling woman would taste. I pull away just enough to run my tongue over the shallow wound.
Briar’s eyes are heavy, and she sways on her feet, a giddy smile visible behind the mask. I steady her, my venom-tainted saliva visible on her neck. “What?” She whispers breathlessly.
“How do you feel?” I ask, brushing her wild hair back.
“Very relaxed.” She drags the words out, giggling. “What was that?”
I chuckle. “Good. That was vampire venom. When a vampire bites you, they inject some venom into the wound to help their partner relax. It makes the experience more pleasurable for both.”
“So, you’re a vampire?” Briar asks giddily.
“The dopey-ness will wear off soon,” I say, grinning. “But, yes, my father was a vampire and I carry some traits.”
Briar’s eyes are wide, her mouth forming a small o. “Why would the Goddess of Life sleep with a vampire?”
I shrug, leading Briar off the dance floor. She walks unsteadily and I wonder if my venom is too potent for her small frame. “Desona has had many lovers, as have many of the Gods.”
“Have you?” Briar’s voice is sober and serious.
I furrow my brows, looking at her with surprise. “Does it matter?”
“Ah.” Briar tosses her head back, shoulders sagging. “Of course you have. You’re a God—you’re Death himself. I’m sure you’ve had more than just Lilith.”
“Lilith?” I purse my lips, feeling a tendril of irritation strike my good mood. From the corner of my eye I see Desona watching.
“I know about her,” Briar snaps. “I know all about her. But were there others? Were they all as beautiful as her?”
“Is everything alright?” Willem drawls, striding towards us.
Briar eyes him suspiciously for a moment before she wags a finger at him. “And you—you still haven’t returned my things.” Willem cocks a brow and Briar sighs dramatically. “When you were in my room alone with me, remember?”
“Willem,” I growl, eyes darting towards him. Briar is my bride and mine alone. Willem shouldn’t be so close to her; he shouldn’t be in her private chambers. The thought of him in the room I selected for Briar makes my blood thrum.
“It was nothing, Kane,” Willem says, never taking his eyes from Briar.
“It was nothing, Kane,” Briar says in a deep tone, mimicking Willem. She spins towards me. “He almost pinned me down on the bed, Kane.”
My blood roars in my ears, and I feel the shadows streaking towards me. They coil at my feet, lapping at my anger. “We will discuss this, Willem,” I say, my voice low and dangerous. I place a hand on Briar’s shoulder, but she dances out of reach. “We need to get you some water, something to flush the venom from your system.”
“You dosed her?” Willem shakes his head.
I curl my lip at him. “It’s none of your concern.”
“I don’t feel so good,” Briar mutters, leaning against one of the columns.
Her hands are trembling as she moves them to her stomach, swaying lightly on her feet. Willem reaches her before I do. He wraps an arm around her, supporting her. “I’ll get her somewhere quiet,” he says as Briar turns her head into his long, blonde hair.
I grab his wrist, stopping him mid-stride and glower. “She is my bride.”
“Why does it matter when you could have any woman in this room?” Briar says, her voice trembling. The giddiness of the venom has worn off, leaving her body too relaxed and weak. Too much venom. “Who knows; maybe you already had them.”
Willem pulls away from me and I don’t stop him. Briar’s words have struck me hard. I’ve never shied from the pleasures of life; eternity is boring without them. Only mortals abide by silly traditions of purity. It never occurred to me that Briar might be affected by my past—even if she knows little of it. I start after her. Even though my mind is telling me that this is a perfect opportunity to inflict cruelty, I want to console her, to assure her. I feel my mother’s eyes on me as I push through the crowd. They don’t part for me, I’m just an anonymous face in the mix.
I spot Willem over the crowd, guiding Briar towards the balcony doors behind the throne. She’s leaning into him heavily, sagging against his lean figure. One of his wings curls around her protectively and it feels as if my blood is on fire. I call my shadows to me, using them to urge noblemen and women out of my path.
“Hello, Kane. I hear a sultry voice murmur just above the pulsing of the music. I pause, fists clenched at my sides. “Long time no see.”
Chapter 11
Briar
My head pounds and my mind feels fuzzy, like I can’t focus on a single thought for more than a few seconds. I groan, pressing a hand to my temple. Willem tuts softly, guiding me through the pulsing crowd towards the solitude of the balcony. Cool air brushes over me when he opens the doors and I take a long, deep breath. I lift heavy, aching eyes and see that the balcony overlooks the city. Tall, willowy trees brush up against the dark stone railing, but I can still see the lights of the city through the trees.
Music floats towards me, joyful and light—nothing like the intense bass of the music inside the throne room. I lean on the railing, the stone cooling my feverish skin. Willem lounges back beside me, letting his wings slip over the railing to hang in the open air. He catches me studying the feathers and stretches his wings out, le
tting me see the length of them. I gasp softly as one shields the city from view completely. The wingspan must be almost ten feet long.
“They’re beautiful,” I murmur, forgetting myself and brushing a finger over the silky feathers. “And enormous.”
The wing flinches back, just out of reach. Willem draws them to his back, tucking them away. “You know what they say about wingspan.” Willem winks.
I blush, my skin feeling even hotter. I lift my mask, letting the cool, night air brush over me. Mask looped around one finger, I sigh. Willem’s icy blue eyes rake over me, and my legs feel like gelatin. “Why are you being kind to me?” I ask, straightening.
“Who knows?” Willem cocks a brow. “Maybe I pity you.”
“Pity me? Why?” I narrow my eyes at him. I’m not used to pity. Rose used to say she thought I was pitiful—right before she would steal my toys or blame one of her mistakes on me. I realized that wasn’t pity, it was just cruelty. I prefer pity though; it makes manipulation much easier.
As if he can hear my thoughts Willem leans towards me, grinning wickedly. “You are a naughty little pet, aren’t you?”
I shrink back, replacing the mask so he can’t read me. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” Willem says. He brushes a stray strand of my unruly hair behind my ear. “But you’ll find out. We all will.”
I furrow my brows, confusion and distrust twisting in my belly. Willem drops his hand and strides away back into the party. I trail him with my gaze, watching as he slings an arm around a particularly lovely demon and pulls her onto the dance floor. Soon, the darkness and other writhing bodies blocks them from sight. I suck on the inside of my cheek and bite down hard. I want to be back in the throne room, dancing to the pulsing music. But Kane didn’t follow me out and I’m too frightened of these other Underworld creatures to find another partner.
Whatever Kane did to me is wearing off. My head feels clearer, thanks to the cool, fresh air. But I’m relaxed, the heart-twisting panic I would normally have in a situation like this can’t touch me now. From the balcony, I search through a sea of masks to find Kane. I spot him, almost exactly where I left him beside one of the massive columns. He gestures lazily, and then his hand drifts to an elegant, ebony shoulder. My blood runs cold.
Lilith and Kane are like two planets floating in a sea of stars. My eyes are locked on them while they talk. Her hands are on his forearm and shoulder, an intimate, gentle touch. A lover’s touch. I lift a hand to my chest and press my nails into my flesh. Even the physical pain can’t distract me from the way my heart clenches and twists with jealousy. He leans over her, mask lifting to expose his wicked lips.
It feels like my heart has stopped. The pumping, blood-filled organ stalls and my body seizes. I force myself to turn away before I see what comes next—the inevitable. I’m jealous of a vampire. I almost laugh at the absurdity of it all. My future husband, Death, is in love with a vampire. And, according to Court gossip, has been for almost a thousand years. How am I to compete with that? How will I conjure up love from my future husband that I so desperately wished for when I was growing up?
I lean on the railing for support as jealousy and pain assail me. I’m too weak for this. My father and sisters were right. They warned me that Kane was a monster, and I chose to believe he wasn’t. But all he’s done is prove to me just how monstrous he can be. He preys on my body, my mind, and now my heart. My father would smirk if he could see me now. He would tell me he was right, and that I need to focus on one thing only. My purpose here. My hand strays to my waist, as if my dagger is still there. But it’s not. It’s locked away or confiscated by Kane. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I’ll have to find another.
“What is the guest of honor doing out here?” Desona’s light voice floats towards me from the door.
I lift a hand to my face, making sure my mask is in place. I turn towards the Goddess of Life and drop into a curtsy. “Goddess,” I murmur. “I needed some air.”
She nods. Desona wears no mask, letting her beauty shine like a beacon of light in the night. “I understand. The world of the Gods can be so overwhelming for mortals.”
“It will take some getting used to,” I agree. She smiles at me and I feel a flush of relief and peace. This must be the effect she has on all mortals. Her smile is like a promise of better days and new life.
“I saw you with that pesky Reaper earlier,” Desona says, striding towards me. She eases down onto a bench nearby. “What did he want?”
“Willem?” I raise my brows in surprise. “I was overwhelmed inside, he simply led me out here.”
“Not my son?” Desona’s lips quirk into an unreadable smile.
My thoughts flash to Kane and Lilith. “No,” I say quietly. “Kane was otherwise engaged.”
“And what do you think of him?” Desona asks, brushing invisible dust from her gown. I pause, lips parted, as I consider my answer. The most powerful deity in the array is the last person I want to anger. “Come now, be honest. No need for diplomacy.”
“Kane is an indomitable figure,” I say, relaxing my shoulders. Desona’s eyes glitter as she watches me, searching for any points of weakness. “He cares very deeply for his people and kingdom. He’s powerful. But he can also be kind.”
“Kind?” Desona giggles, lifting a hand to her lips to hide her smile. “My son has been called many things, but kind has never been one of them.”
I think back to Kane’s offer to bring me to see the place where my mother’s soul rests. Warmth blossoms in my chest and I scowl at Desona, though she can’t see it. “I call him kind.”
Desona is quiet, her smile slipping away. It’s replaced by a thoughtful, steely frown. She leans her chin on her palm. “You’re foolish to open your heart to him. He’ll only crush it.”
“I would hardly call recognizing his kindness opening my heart.” I look away, dropping my gaze.
Suddenly, Desona is on her feet. She lifts her chin towards Kane and Lilith, still locked deep in conversation. “See that woman? Her name is Lilith Lamia. The Lamia family is one of the strongest in Vampire Court. She is an appropriate match for Kane. One of the best.”
Recognition strikes me like a chill wind. “If that were the case, why did Kane choose me?”
“You insolent little,” Desona snarls, her lips twisted into an angry scowl. I flinch back as she lifts a hand—her pointed nails suddenly resemble claws. “How dare you?”
“I meant only that Kane could make his own choice,” I say quickly, raising an arm in defense.
“He can,” Desona says, lowering her hand and relaxing. She turns away, skirts fluttering. “When he grows bored of you—and he will—I will personally dispose of you.”
“Dispose?” I echo, eyes wide with questions and fear.
Desona slips away, tossing me a smirk over her shoulder. A cold wave of fear sweeps over me when she approaches Kane and Lilith. I can hardly breathe as they fall into conversation. No one wants me here. Kane certainly doesn’t appear to want me, and his mother certainly doesn’t. Desona is an expert at making me feel insignificant. I press my hands to my belly and try to catch my breath. How simple would it be to dispose of a mere mortal—as she put it? Surrounded by demons, vampires, and other unnamed beasts, it would be easy. Anyone of the creatures in the room beyond could do it.
The leaves rustle behind me and I glance over my shoulder. The lights of the city are even brighter, glowing red and yellow with colored lanterns. A shadow blocks the lights from view, and I gasp. I take a single step backwards, towards the ballroom doors, when suddenly the light fades. And I fall into darkness.
Chapter 12
Kane
I narrow my eyes at Lilith as she paws my arm. Her nails are manicured to sharp, deadly points. I know they aren’t just for looks, I’ve seen her tear the esophagus out of a man’s throat and swallow it whole. She bares her fangs in a simpering smile and I force myself to look away from her full, tempting
lips. In the red glow of the ballroom, her dark skin gleams as if she’s coated in blood. Heat flits through me before I tamp it down. There’s a reason I always came back to Lilith in the past.
“I saw your new bride for the first time earlier this week,” she purrs. Lilith’s eyes glint mischievously, and she presses her breasts against my arm. “She’s quite the young creature, and she smells delectable. What I wouldn’t give for just one taste. Tell me, Kane, have you tried her yet?”
I close my eyes as Lilith’s sensual words and tone wash over me. She still knows how to play me. “That,” I say stiffly, “Is none of your business.”
“Oh?” She cocks a brow. The playful move makes me want to press her against the nearby column and free her of her skirts.
“Was there anything else?” I say, forcing boredom to my tone despite my raging desire. I glance towards briar on the balcony. Her back is to me, wild hair waving in the light breeze.
Lilith pouts. “When did you get so serious, Kane?”
“I think it was right around the time you tried to have me killed and your cousin put on the throne,” I drawl.
“I didn’t take you for the grudge-holding type.” Lilith scowls, releasing my arm.
“Then you don’t me very well, do you?” I lean over her and grin cruelly. “I remember every offence.”
“Would it help if I apologized?” She crosser her arms, drawing my eyes to her chest again.
I curl my lip, remembering the long days and night I spent with my lips pressed against her breasts. “It’s been one hundred and twenty-seven years,” I say. “So, I doubt it.”
“What a bore,” Lilith sighs. “You used to be fun. Remember when we hunted down that tribe of goblins? You ate their hearts raw. Night, what explosive sex we had after that.”
“I remember perfectly well.” I purse my lips. “I’m bored of this walk down memory lane. Enjoy the evening, Lilith.”
“Wait.” She snatches my arm again. I turn my head a fragment of an inch, eyes slipping over her. She swallows hard and releases her grip on me. “I want to make things right between us, Kane. I really do.”