Vox, however, was excellent. He led me easily around the floor, his face etched in an expression that could be read as distaste, if you couldn’t see the burning need in his expression.
“I’m not sure when I became so reliant on you, Avalon Halhed, but being without you is hurting my soul. I even miss Taeme. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll be happy to return to Boellium the day after next.”
“Me too,” I told him quietly, desperately wanting to lay my head on his chest as the music turned into a mournful song.
Someone cleared their throat behind us. “May I cut in?” I looked over my shoulder at Zier Tarrin, who was looking ridiculously handsome in all black, right down to his waistcoat and shirt. He looked like a villain.
Vox glared at him. “No.”
We needed Zier Tarrin; we couldn’t aggravate him. I widened my eyes at Vox, who sighed.
“Fine.” He stepped back away, bowing to me politely, like he didn’t know the expression on my face as I came on his cock. “Heir Halhed, thank you for the pleasure of the dance.” Then he nodded at Zier. “Baron.”
“Heir Vylan,” Zier answered back formally. Goddess, this fucking social etiquette thing was exhausting.
Vox gave me another heated look and walked away, and Zier Tarrin stepped into my space. He bowed. “May I have this dance?”
“Well, considering you just chased away my dance partner, I guess you may. I have to warn you, though, I’m not very good. Vox was doing most of the dancing a moment ago. I just concentrated on not stepping on his toes.”
Zier placed a large hand on my waist, his other clasping mine at shoulder height. “That’s okay, Miss Halhed. I like to lead.”
Warmth flooded to my cheeks. “Well, uh, okay then.” As we moved around the room gently, I realized he was indeed a good dancer. “I would caution you to watch yourself around the Vylans,” he said after the silence had stretched between us. “They aren’t known for their kindness, especially to those they consider weaker.”
I weighed up what I wanted to say next, because without the protection of Vox’s sphere of silence, everything was for public consumption. “I don’t believe that Vox is cut from the same cloth.”
“Perhaps, but they are all made from the same pattern.”
I smiled up at Zier. I understood he just wanted to protect me, even if he was wrong on this point. “Not Vox. On this point, I am very sure.” Let him make what he would of that. Judging by the narrowing of his eyes, he understood the subtext.
“I see.” And I believed he did. I could almost visualize the puzzle pieces in his mind slotting together, creating an image that couldn’t be completely correct, but would be close enough. “You’re really not what I expected, Avalon Halhed.”
Laughing softly as he spun me across the floor, I gave him a lopsided smile. “I’m going to take that as a compliment, Baron.”
He twirled me back into his body. “I believe I asked you to call me Zier,” he murmured quietly, and my cheeks flushed.
The song ended, saving me from trying to find my voice. Bowing low, he left the dancefloor, leaving me with a racing heart, probably because I’d just danced three songs in a row.
Yes. That’s definitely why.
Hayle appeared behind me, grabbing my hips and pulling me back against his chest. “Have a nice dance with Daddy Zier?” he teased, and I slapped his chest.
“Stop it,” I hissed, but felt my cheeks get even hotter. Maybe I was having a stroke? “Aren’t you meant to be territorial or something?”
He spun me so we were front to front, and grabbed my hand, placing it over his heart. “You could have a whole army of lovers, Avie, and none of them would ever share what we do. You have my heart, my soul, and my above-average-sized coc?—”
“Hayle!” I hissed, looking at the other people on the dance floor.
He wrapped his arms around me. Whatever dance we were now doing, I didn’t think it was made for the ballroom. “I don’t mind sharing, sweetheart. Vox, however, will definitely have a problem,” he teased, before kissing me, right there in the middle of the ballroom.
A claiming kiss that was so possessive, it completely contradicted his earlier words.
Eighteen
Avalon
By the time the banquet was winding down, the majority of the attendees were drunk, or well on their way to being so. As I snuck out the back doors, no one noticed.
Alucius and Braxus were with me as I walked to the tree line, the prearranged meeting place with my brothers. I was going to try and talk to them first; there were things they needed to know about our Line, about our abilities. I still wasn’t sure if I should tell them about my ability to turn back time and my involvement in our mother’s death.
