His palm slides down my arm and around my wrist, toying with my fingers before he lets go. And then he turns away.
His enormous body grows in size. It’s an impossible sight to witness beneath the white light of the moon. His shoulders widen, his neck thickens, and his entire frame morphs and grows into a beast of a man. As he runs off into the night, the sound of cloth tearing accompanies him. He carries on with a howl of animalistic excitement and human pain tinging his melodious cry to the moon.
My wide eyes watch him until the night completely absorbs him into the darkness.
“Where is he going?” I ask, trying to reclaim my lost breath.
I thought he’d accompany me the entire time. I thought I’d have his help. I thought I could depend on one fucking person at least.
“Wolves, especially members of Creature Control, do not enter our domain without an invitation.” Rival doesn’t seem concerned in the least, and the sound of his footfalls are a command that forces me to turn away from the shifter.
And Makes accept that ultimately, I’m in this alone.
Just as I have been for the past two years.
Prey walks just a step behind me, and I’ll admit he’s good at playing the part of the dutiful servant.
For once.
I pretend not to be aware of him at all as I follow Rival up the many stairs to the front of the enormous, towering cathedral. I don’t gawk at the decorative metal that lines the heavy door, or the way that dark metal can be found lining every seam of the foyer. It’s like a crown molding straight out of the dark ages.
My heels clicking rhythmically over the stone tile flooring is the only sound that can be heard. The ancient building emits a gloomy atmosphere that seems to settle right in and makes itself at home under my skin. Thick gray curtains made of fine silk hang from the high ceilings and cascade down to a fraction of an inch above the smooth stone floor. Though the walls are painted black, a carved mural of a crucifixion still lines the wall directly in front of us, just above a set of opened double doors. It’s like a mouth leading into the stomach of the church, and I have a pretty good idea about what lies in the bowels.
When we cross the threshold of the doors, Rival’s palm burns down the opening of my dress and his touch across my skin nearly makes me stumble. There’s a clatter of heels and a gasp of air as I teeter uncertainly.
Then, just before I fall, he’s pushing me against the wall, staggering my steps even more in a loud clattering of noise. Cold stone scrapes my spine as his warm hands cover the small of my back before the softest lips press desperately over mine.
And just like that, my messy fall is turned into a messy, confusing, conflicting, all-consuming kiss.
The petite and polite sound of someone clearing their throat drags Rival away from me. My thoughts blot back into my lust-filled mind once more, and I have to try hard to appear like I’m not sedated by his simple allure.
“You may have missed her, but you don’t have to be rude, Royale,” a woman says with a soft laugh warming her words.
She’s an enchanting vision of perfection. Ruby red lips are full against her bright white teeth with two sharp points pressing down along her bottom lip. Her dark brown eyes are somehow glimmering in the glowing yellow lighting. The emerald dress she wears flares daintily around her smooth thighs.
There isn’t a single flaw to be seen on her slender frame.
Not one… aside from a faint splatter of blood against her chin.
I smooth my dress and try to think of what my sister would do in this situation. No, not my sister. The sister I knew would have laughed loudly and charmed this vampire den like it was a frat party.
So what would a spy do? What would I do?
My chin lifts higher, and I slip past Rival with our chests brushing lightly, my palm smoothing down his sleek black tie as I go.
“Acessa,” I say her name in greeting like it’s honey flowing over my tongue. I try not to look her in the eye as I pass, not out of fear, but I give my best to just breeze through the room like it’s been my home for the last two years and not just the last two minutes.
Two men lean against the wall, both of whom are missing shirts, and one of whom doesn’t seem to be aware that his pants are unzipped all the way down. Both are in a daze, staring forward with hooded eyes that seem to see absolutely nothing.
I ignore both of them as well while I casually step over their legs to make my way to the table.
Without question, I take the chilled red wine from the long dining room table. It’s hard to keep my pulse calm as I pour a meager amount into a crystal glass.
I can’t focus on anything. Everything feels much too important, and yet I have to seem aloof to it all. My hands settle on the table and I push up to slide myself on the edge, crossing my legs as I sit carelessly before the three of them.
Rival arches a dark eyebrow at my perch. Acessa keeps her beautiful smile in place. Prey catches my eye, and there’s a slight gleam there. His smirk is a cutting thing, and it feels testing but prideful all at once.
“How was Milan?” The woman asks with her big curious eyes.
