“Once I have the best assassin in the realms under my control, why would I need you? I promise, do this final mission for me, and I will free you. No more working as either courtesan or assassin. You will be free to live bonded with Freya and Aurelius…for the days that you have left.”
My chest tightens.
That’s everything I’ve wanted since I was brought to this Shadow Court in a gilded cage.
To be free.
Aurelius despises that I work for his uncle, he’s made that clear. He’ll never accept me as pack, while I am under Maximinus’ control.
I am the only royal of the Winter Court. I have a duty to the blood that soaked into the ground and the ashes of my burned land.
How can I honor that if I am in this dragon’s hold?
Still, I hesitate. “What if I don’t?”
Maximinus grabs the back of my hands, raising the mask, until it almost touches my face. “Then I will call your Omega in here right now, before I accelerate the poisoning, until you die in agony in front of her. Your choice.”
Damn him to hell.
That’s not a fucking choice.
I shove the mask against my face.
The silver melds with my skin, leaving only my lips and eyes revealed. I hiss at the strange, wrong sensation of the metallicum magic.
I take panicked breaths. Adrenaline surges through me.
When I reach up and try to prise away the mask, I can’t even get a proper grip. It feels like it is now part of me.
I struggle but then stop, when Maximinus laughs.
He gently takes hold of my chin, pushing open my lips. “You earned this.”
I gag, as the thick, revolting liquid coats my throat like tar.
I swallow with difficulty, wrenching away from him. I bang against the shelves again, choking.
Slowly, the pain recedes. Shapes rise like ghosts out of the dark.
I want to weep that I can see again.
Maximinus pats my shoulder in a way that would be avuncular, if he wasn’t the one who’d taken away my vision in the first bloody place. “There, there. Take your time. It’s better when you’re obedient, hmm?”
“May you go to hell and never have a drop of mead to quench your eternal thirst,” I get out between rasping coughing.
“Dove, you’re not acting very…gentle or soft natured. Is that how a pet should speak to their boss? If you’re going to seduce a lonely Shadow Vampire, then you need to become as sweet as honey. Lanlin Sin has weaknesses that you can exploit; he’s barely able to socially function. He’s been an outcast for most of his life. Someone like you with more friends than brains can easily manipulate a loner.”
Rude.
Also, what does Maximinus think I’ve been doing with him? All these daft dragons? They may have executed me, but I’ve been manipulating them from the beginning.
I chuckle. “Are we talking about the same unhinged vampire who took out half of Bael? Who is infamous for not allowing anyone close to him? A monstrous killer even amongst the Bloods?”
I let out anoomph, when Maximinus whacks a bunch of rolled parchments against my chest.
“Take these,” Maximinus orders. “They’ll teach you the history, culture, and structure of the Blood Court and the secretive Blue Lotus Palace at its heart. Memorize them this week as you would for any mission. Study the Shadow Vampire King like you would another mark. Vampires become drunk on fae blood; it’s ambrosia to them. Also, anyone who has been as lonely as he has, will become a fae dazzled fool, as soon as a beautiful,harmlesscourtesan pet like you makes him addicted to your blood. Once the Omega also captures his heart….” When Maximinus traces over the feathers on my mask, I flinch. “…you’ll capture his fucking soul.”
CHAPTER FIVE
