“Why did your pulse rate just increase?” Samael’s eyes flashed dangerously, and I merely raised one eyebrow at him.
“I want to talk to him.”
“I don’t think so.” His smile wasn’t quite a baring of teeth, but it was close. “I once vowed that you’d never meet him.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d mentioned the rumors of the unseelie king’s beauty when I was trying to distract Samael after one of his people had been murdered.
“I don’t care how pretty he is, Samael. I want to talk to him.”
“And why is it so important for you to speak to him?”
I gave him my best ‘duh’ look. “Because I’m dark fae. There’s a tiny chance he could know who my father is. And if he doesn’t, he might be able to point me toward someone who does.”
Samael’s hand had left mine, something like shock dancing across his face.That’s right, demon. I put the pieces together all by myself.
An important-looking guy approached him, and I used his moment of inattention to slip away, heading toward the corner of the ballroom where a crowd had gathered around the unseelie king.
Hewasbeautiful. His dark hair curled slightly on his head, and his eyes were the gold of ancient coins. They seemed to glow as he stood surrounded by fae guards and curious guests. He was tall, and something about the way he stood, with his wide shoulders slightly angled, made me picture him swinging a sword. Power swirled around him, and I was sure a woman lucky enough to see beneath his tux would find nothing but hard, sculpted muscle.
There was something slightly feral about his expression. His eyes said that he was endlessly amused with the bowing and scraping, but beneath the amusement, I caught a glimpse of dull rage. I forced myself to step closer.
His eyes found mine.
“Ah, the woman escorted by Samael himself,” he murmured, his voice low, but it still seemed to carry over the crowd. Heads turned my way and I ground my teeth, fighting back a flush. Few things annoyed me like public attention.
The king smiled, his eyes still on me. “Leave us,” he said. I took a step back, but it was everyone else who was melting away, other than a few guards who took a couple of steps back. One of them shot me a warning look and I resisted the urge to flip him off.
“Hi,” I said stupidly. The unseelie king smiled indulgently.
“Hello. Your name?”
“Danica. And you?”
Surprise flashed over his face and he laughed. The ballroom seemed to go silent at the sound. There was something musical and yet deeply sexual about his laugh. I swallowed.
“You’re enchanting. My name is Finvarra. My closest friends call me Fin.” He winked at me, and I raised one eyebrow as his gaze left me, lingering somewhere behind me.
He was flirting with me in an effort to get under Samael’s skin. Oh, I had his number. I merely smiled and took a step closer, lowering my voice.
“I was hoping you could help me with something.”
“Of course.”
“My father was unseelie. He left my mother and she never told me who he was. I’d like to know if you have heard of any unseelie who were with a witch a few decades ago, or if you can direct me toward anyone with this information.”
Surprise crossed his face for less than a second, but I caught it. He leaned closer and seemed to breathe me in. His power swept along my form, and I could feel it nudging at my shield. I fought to keep my hands away from my knives. His power was endless— like Samael’s. Both men could rip my shields down and stab into my deepest well of power with little more than a thought.
“You’re not one of mine,” the king’s voice dripped amusement. His gaze languidly scanned my body from head to toe. “More’s the pity.”
I wrestled with that for a long moment. It made sense for me to be half dark fae. I knew it had made sense. And if I wasn’t dark fae I was–
Samael was suddenly next to me, and I was impressed that he’d held himself back for so long. “Don’t force me to break our alliance already, Finvarra.”
Finvarra merely laughed again, and I almost shivered. Samael’s hand wrapped around my upper arm and a ball of fury settled beneath my ribs, burning through my chest as it grew larger by the second.
These men were two of the most powerful beings on this planet. And yet all they cared about was their pissing contest.
“I have another question,” I purred. Fivarra’s eyes narrowed on my face and he nodded.
