Don't look.

Don't look.

Don't fucking look—

Ah, godsdammit!

That fucking awareness of her coated my skin with a prickle of goosebumps; constantly whispering in my ear—Where is she where is she where is she...

From the first moment, Wychthorn and I had encountered one another as children at a gathering of Houses, I felt her tugging at me to shift my trajectory to orbit a new celestial body.

I hadn't understood it then and I sure as fuck didn't understand it now.

As if the same thing that pulled at me pulled at her too, Wychthorn shifted, turning slowly until her gaze collided with mine. Her eyes were the color of sheets of glacial ice that had been there for millions of years. Cold. Unaffected. But beneath the ice was fire and brimstone. All for me.

Her smile melted from her mouth.

I'd earlier noticed that she'd coated her mouth in pale pink lip gloss.

Was this prettiness for me or someone else?

She despised me.

Definitely for someone else, but who?

A cold feeling settled in my gut.

Surely not one of the Pelans.

Even if I hadn't noticed the fucking Pelan brothers' attention slithering all over her slight form, the spike of lust filling the room would have been a dead giveaway. I wanted to annihilate them all.

She was mine.

But there'd been no one here she'd singled out. And those piss-scared brothers were put off by the haughty way she carried herself and by the wraith-wolf snarling at anyone daring to come close. And me. No one would dare cross me.

Wychthorn's gaze locked with mine, turned half-feral.

She unwound her bracelet, leaving a loop at the back of her wrist to swing the end of long length, flicking it upwards to snatch the tail-end in her fingers. She repeated the motion, releasing the length to swing it back and forth like a twitch of a cat's tail. I wasn't sure if she even knew she did it. And always when that temper of hers flared. When she got really fired up, she'd pause, and her fingers would work through every single bead, treating it like a rosary.

Wychthorn's scowl deepened. The hate-glare she gifted me, like if she had her way, I'd implode into a raging inferno of white-hot fire, my bones turning to cinder until there'd be nothing but a handful of ash—

It transformed her into a glorious creature.

She'll fight me every step.

Thank fuck.

I merely returned her death-scowl with a mocking grin, tipping up my glass to her before swallowing the last of my whiskey. One of the servants handed me a fresh glass. I'd been here so often over the past year, they knew my preferred drink.

Wychthorn spun away, her entire body bristling. The baggy ivory dress embroidered with ivy leaves made her look like a waif. My gaze dragged over the messy braid hanging like a rope over her shoulder. I was torn between fisting it and making better use of that pretty mouth or using it to wind around her elegant throat and strangle her.

Strangle her, definitely.

Liar.

She stood with her sister beneath one of the potted palms in the room, its glossy fronds reaching so high they brushed the ceiling. Ignoring my presence, she leaned sideways to sift her slender fingers through Sage's ghostly, misty fur. Wraith-wolves were rare, but my brothers and I hunted one down with a newly born litter of pups.

Sage wasn't a gift, not like she thought.

Sage couldn't be bought and no leverage could manipulate the wraith-wolf to do another's bidding. He would protect her with his life.

But more importantly, we knew she wouldn't need to be shadowed. As my family anticipated, her father relaxed the leash on his bodyguards and make it possible for someone like me to be tolerated in her presence without minders. Yet, Byron still had his men lurking and watching my every move.

Not that they could interfere.

No. Not since the day, Wychthorn had turned nineteen and the Alverac came into play.

Movement in my periphery caught my attention. Carola Pelan approached with a swing in her hips and a suggestive smile. I rubbed my mouth with a hand to hide my grin. I was here for the entire weekend and I had a job to do.

But, I could have some fun along the way... If I wanted.

***

Ignore him.

Ignore him.

Ignore—

Godsdammit!

Why was my internal compass set, not to the north, but to him?

It didn't matter which way I faced. Without even realizing it, I'd slowly adjusted my position until Graysen was in view. Right now he was engaged in a flirtation with Carola Pelan.

Annoyed, I twisted away.

My parents were busy with the elder Pelans and my sister's time was being monopolized by Corné and a few of his younger siblings, which left me, yet again, alone.

No one spoke to me. Maybe it was Sage's presence, his glower, the fangs bared at anyone who dared come too close, but I thought it was more the Lord of Darkness than Sage.

That stupid marriage contract that bound us together.

And maybe, I guess, a little bit of me put people off. The utter stillness in which I held myself. I usually fidgeted, but my senses were overwhelmed by too many people. It was an effort to block out their conversations no matter how low they whispered. Their scents, twining together, assaulted my nostrils. Yet I picked them apart, the heady sandalwood scent of Corné; the smoky cigar smell clinging to Ennio, the Head of House Battagli; the musky scent of sex on Yoran, the ruler of House Novak and the Crowthers' liege; the acidic tang of the tiny white pill my mother swallowed.

I knew I stared. I knew my gaze was open and curious and unflinching and it made other people nervous. I saw it in their movements, in the way they angled themselves so their backs were turned toward me.

Whatever.

Snatching up the book I'd brought with me from my rooms, I drifted away to sit in a shadowy corner of the room on a rattan chair beneath the fringed fronds of a palm. With a little bored huff, Sage lay down by my feet. Before recommencing with my research on the otherworldly beasts in our world, I pulled my phone out of my skirt's pocket. I went straight for my messages, and let my fingers dance across the screen.

Me: I thought you were coming tonight.

Danne: I thought so too. Got caught up with some business I needed to finish up with in Ascendria.

My family estate was buried deep in the woodlands surrounding the sprawling city of Ascendria. The wealthy city was the playground of many Horned Gods. Danne had started working for his family a year ago up in the Carpellean Mountains, a spiny ridge of mountains far from here. I wasn't sure what exactly Danne did, but House Pelan created highly addictive drugs—a mixture of modern-day science and magic—that were blended with narcotics and then distributed through our crime syndicates.

Danne: Though, if you were up for it, you could sneak out. Once I finish up here I could take you out to this little jazz bar I found in the city.

I chewed my bottom lip as a guilty feeling tightened my chest. I don't know what possessed me to pretend I liked jazz. I didn't. But Danne loved jazz and I just wanted my new friend to like me.

Me: I'd love to, but sadly not tonight. My date will notice my absence.

And my father would kill me. He rarely let me leave the estate. When I was permitted a day out, it was never by myself. I was always accompanied by my mother and sisters with a cascade of bodyguards. And we never visited anywhere I really wanted to go.

Danne: How's the Lord of Darkness treating you tonight?

Me: The usual. Charming. Sincere. Attentive. *sigh* I've struck the jackpot with him.

Danne: Lucky you :)

Me: *rolling eyes* Yes, he's being his usual arrogant self.

I don't know what possessed me to glance up, perhaps just merely mentioning the jerk, but I did, and across the room, I watched Carola press herself up against Graysen.

I couldn't place the strange, fierce feeling that surged at seeing Carola's hands on his chest. Nor did I understand why it bothered me so much when I watched her, ever so slowly, stroke her fingers sensually down his chest.

Graysen caught me staring.

His chin tipped up a little, and his dark eyes glinted with amusement.

I covered my embarrassment with an exaggerated shudder of my shoulders, which caused the tail end of my braid to bounce with the movement. I pulled a face and mouthed—I hope your dick falls off.

The Crowther bloodline was blessed with enhanced senses. I could have whispered to him and he would have heard me through the loud noise and chatter of the guests, but he was also just as good at me at reading lips. We'd done this often enough over the course of the year, whispering or mouthing obscenities at one another during family functions, so that no one caught us out.

He mouthed back—Fuck you.

I pretended to think, tapping a finger against my mouth—Thanks...but, no thanks. I don't do disgusting pricks.

Black eyes lit with glee. He despised me but he got off on these exchanges. He winked—I'm sure this prick will change your mind.

My lips twisted with disgust. I shook my head at him and went back to messaging Danne. My friend was the furthest thing from an arrogant prick like Graysen.

Me: Will you be here tomorrow?

Danne: Yes! I'll see you in the morning.

I was about to tuck my phone away, wondering if I should just leave and if anyone would even notice I'd gone, when my cell phone pinged again. Smiling, thinking it was Danne, I swiped the screen. My nostrils flared at discovering who, yet again, was harassing me.

LordofDarkness: Who the fuck are you talking to?

My gaze sliced to his, full of fire. He'd turned away from Carola and his full attention was fixed on me. Though part of me was oddly pleased with the displeasure souring Carola's pretty mouth at being side-lined, Graysen was still an asshole.

I stabbed the screen with a finger.

Me: None of your business, Mr. Nosy Ass.

His reply came swiftly.

LordofDarkness: It is if I don't approve of who you're fucking talking to.

Me: Go back to eye-fucking Miss Pelan.

When I looked up from my screen he was leaning over me. "The eye-fucking can wait," he hissed into my face.

I arched a brow, clearly disbelieving him. "Really?"

Sage got to his massive paws, his hackles rising, thin lips pulling back from his fangs.

Graysen ignored the wraith-wolf's building threat. "Who. The. Fuck. Are. You. Talking to?"

I rose, stretching to my full height, which was ridiculously short compared to Graysen.

A low warning growl rumbled from Sage who was pressed right beside me.

"What does it matter?" I hissed back, flinging an arm outward. "This. Us. It isn't real. You know it. I know it. They all know it."

His eyes narrowed. "Don't make me ask again."

I shifted my weight into one hip, knowing I was taunting him, but right now I didn't care. Graysen never had been able to intimidate me and I knew that fucked him right off. "What will you do, Graysen?" I spat his name. "We're not even officially engaged."

"Not officially." He stabbed his chest with a finger. "But unofficially every single fucking House knows you belong to me. It's even written in blood. Our blood."

I gritted my teeth. "You stop fucking around then."

He shot back a cold smile. "Not going to happen."

"Then I'm not going to either."

His voice was deceptively calm as his eyes raked down my body, and for some crazy reason, delicious heat flared inside my chest. "So it is some guy wanting in your panties." He moved so swiftly that I barely registered what he'd done. My mouth gaped in shock to see that he'd snatched my phone from me and it was now cradled in his large hand.

"Hey!" I barked in protest as I lunged forward trying to grab it back. He merely held it out of reach, then stepped back to read the last messages. Thankfully ours, not mine with Danne Pelan.

His black eyes slid to mine and his brows rose almost to his hairline. "Lord of Darkness?" Then he smiled, really smiled. Inwardly, I groaned. Of course, the prick would like it.

"Maybe I should change your handle. Which one do you prefer? Lord Dickhead or Asshole?" I crooned.

He gave it some consideration with that glorious smile still lingering on his stupidly beautiful mouth. "Stick with Lord of Darkness. You got it right there." Then he gave me a wink. "Little Miss Annoying, in case you're wondering."

I cocked my head, not understanding until he waved my phone at me Oh, right, that was the handle he'd given me. I snorted. But, secretly, I was surprised, it was kind of cute. He could have easily chosen something else so much worse.

"Maybe I should change that," he murmured, his smile growing sly. "How about Lady Dickhead? Or Annoying As Fuck?"

He went to swipe my phone to investigate my messages further when I leaped up and snagged my phone. Quickly stepping back, I clutched my phone to my chest. "It's just a friend, okay? I'm allowed to have friends, aren't I?"

"As long as your friend keeps his dick in his pants."

Because we both knew, from my reaction, this so-called friend wasn't female.

I stabbed a finger at the other side of the room. "You keep over there, go back to eye-fucking Miss Pelan, and I'll take this side of the room."

"Fine," he snapped.

"Fine," I spat back.