I rolled my eyes and held a hand over my boobs. Striding back to him, I snatched up the dress and whirled, not fast enough to miss his raking look, or his sharp inhale that reminded me how he’d liked to crush my boobs between us, just like I was doing to myself.
I slipped the dress over my head. The garment slithered into place. I gritted my teeth as the material agitated my skin.
Best get this over with.I faced him and jerked my head to the door. “Stop dithering, Carmine. Your minions are waiting.”
He unfurled to his full height, then crossed to me in three large and unhurried steps. “I had a leather dress picked out before your little rebellion, Syera. Think of me every time the sylk rubs that sensitive skin of yours.”
“I will,” I replied sweetly.
He hadn’t expected that, but his brows drew in. “Because the mating ritual forces you to.”
I’d be thinking of murdering him, actually, but likely lust would take a few bites too.
Carmine lifted his forearm. His hand was tightened to a fist, palm down. There was a time when the romantic gesture had cast butterflies into a storm in my stomach. But the gesture was a demon one—one where the fist signified the iron heart. I avoided his burning gaze as I rested the belly of my forearm along the back of his, then curled my fingers over his fist.
His fist was the iron heart. And my hand was the layer of defense. This shared gesture was exclusive to mates and spoke of how they strengthened one another.
A ripple ran through his body, but he wisely didn’t say a word as we left the heart of the royal fortress where his personal rooms were.
We walked side by side down the halls, then out of the lounges. Surrounding his quarters were the banquet rooms, grand halls, and enormous communal lounges used for thevery frequent festivities. Beyond these areas, and occupying the perimeter walls of the royal fortress were bed chambers for the other royals, all powerful crimsons lucky enough to earn a spot close to Carmine.
Touching him like this was unbearable, especially with the sylk. I pressed my lips together as my hip brushed his for the hundredth time. He was doing it on purpose.
We entered the main banquet room through a stone archway twice Carmine’s height, and all crimson eyes turned to us, along with the yellow gazes of servants. I smiled at the glowering crimsons’ reactions. They really weren’t pleased with the five-hour delay in their dinner.
Laughter burst from my curved lips. My mother would have enjoyed this moment—Tempest and Grandmother too. All Corentines came with a dark sense of humor. I laughed harder, then wiped a few tears of laughter away, too, feeling the way Carmine’s fist tightened and loosened under my fingers.
They were just so damned pissed off, and I didn’t give a shit right now. I would eventually, because I might need these powerful demons one day. But for now, I’d enjoy their fury. I didn’t exactly have fond memories of warm friendships in the royal fortress. Carmine had been my only friend. None of the crimsons had accepted me or ventured to extend a welcoming hand. Part of that was their culture. Demons were capable of friendship in their own way, and they formed strong bonds with those they respected. To be considered for friendship, demons had to be sure of the other’s ability not to be easily betrayed. In essence, a demon trusted someone who was wary, distrustful, and clever in sensing out potential subterfuge. If a demon felt they couldn’t take advantage of you, then you were friendship material. If at some point in the friendship theycouldtake advantage, then they likely would.Cold by human standards,perhaps, and yet, the mindset was built on self-respect and capability in a ruthless way.
If only I’d understood that five years ago.
Carmine waited until my laughter was under control, then led me between the long tables and up to the raised platform where the royal family and select few ate. He stopped me by the seat next to his throne, and I blew out a breath. There went my hopes of sitting with the commoners.
I glanced at the iron restraints on the armrests of the seat and looked up at Carmine after. His answering smile was all teeth, and he would truly enjoy restraining me if I caused further issues.
“Sit,enamai,” he said.
“Woof,” I answered, knowing the dog reference would go over his head. I sat, and sylk chafed at my legs. The dress was loose, and I couldn’t say that I relished the movement or weight of my boobs underneath it.
I peered out at the seething crimsons, smirking again.
“Begin,” Carmine stated in a bored tone. Then he sat in the thorned monstrosity of a throne beside me. The throne sat higher than my seat, and the vicious barbs covering the backs and sides meant that my chair was six feet from him. Maybe I could pretend he wasn’t there.
And maybe he would do the same for me. I mean, he’d dragged his mate-intended to dinner, who had ditched him three years ago,aftershe had chosen to defy his order to attend tonight. I wasn’t the only one putting my ego aside here. He had sat here for five hours simmering in humiliation.
I laughed again, earning fresh glares from the closest and most powerful crimsons.
The piled plates covering the tables were miles better than anything I’d eaten in three years, and I could feel that the food was stone-cold. With hisses and grumbles the crimsons settledinto their ruined meal, throwing furious looks my way now and again as if they didn’t eat like this every night.
I chuckled again. I really wasn’t going to make friends tonight. Then again, this could be the perfect way to make demon friends. I hadn’t ever had one, so despite five years in this realm, I was a friendship virgin. Even in the Earth realm, the only friend I’d had was my twin. Maybe I would have had other magus friends if Mother had raised us in a coven.
But I could easily understand why she’d decided against that after banging the last demon king, my father. The magic of magus and demons was designed to eat away at the other. We were entirely opposite. My twin and I shouldn’t have existed.
“You find it humorous to make one hundred dignitaries and royals wait for dinner?” Gratia asked from her brother’s left.
I didn’t bother to look at her, enjoying the glares too much. “I didn’t make them wait. Carmine did. But I find it very funny, yes.”
Silence.
