His mouth snapped shut, but he didn’t stop scowling.
I cleared my throat and explained further. “I’m terrible with men for longstanding, personal relationships. Most find me intimidating. And I know this doesn’t have to be a romantic match—which I’m incredibly grateful for—but it will be a personal one no matter what. Having Adelie here as a buffer will help me—and him.”
Lord Otto’s blink was dangerously slow. “That was refreshingly honest.”
Heat flooded my cheeks, painting them pink against my pale complexion. “Yes…well…”
I didn’t mention all my previous boyfriends somehow wound up dead. The only one still alive was Lord Pippin.
I swear, I was a plague in the love department.
I would date. Eventually, it would end in a very bad way—usually with them telling me I was shit-on-a-stick. Then the man was dead. Like a damn curse.
The overlords didn’t need to know that though.
I cocked a hip and continued to hold my arms over my chest. This was embarrassing. My skin heated even further.
I just knew my blush was rising to my hairline, little beads of sweat dotting my brow.
Lord Pippin stepped forward, his eyes cast to the other Lord. “It makes sense. Let Adelie stay. It’s not breaking any laws.”
Lord Otto drummed his fingers against his legs, studying my sullen expression.
“Good grief,” Lord Cato grumbled. “Make up your damn mind. I’d rather not be up all night watching you two stare at one another. Unlike you, I enjoy my sleep.”
Lord Otto flicked a glare in his direction but swiftly returned his regard to my person. He bent forward and hissed, “If she does anything wrong during this Challenge, I will kill her myself. Do you understand, candidate?”
I quickly nodded. “Understood, Lord Otto.”
“About fucking time,” Lord Cato growled. He barged straight between us, heading to the door. Grumpy and irate. Over his shoulder, he barked, “Let’s go, people. I know you can move faster than that.”
I turned and quickly followed after my horrible father.
Adelie leaned toward me, whispering softly, “What pissed him off?”
Lord Xenon answered—directly behind us, “His favorite chattel was taken before we came here. And he doesn’t like using his position as overlord to make a feeding vampire give up his meal just because that blood is one of his favorites.”
“I can hear you!” Cato bellowed, far down the hallway.
My eyes narrowed on his back. Those actions were of an individual testing their own limits. I knew that game well. I played it all the time with my own willpower.
Bile rose in my throat with the thought that we were anything alike.
Sensing my discomfort, Adelie broke the silence. “Lords, where will the Challenge be held?”
Lord Pippin replied, “In a ceremony room not directly attached to the stronghold. We have to go outside to get there.”
Shoving my queasiness down, I questioned, “What was it like for you guys when it happened to you? Is it just like the compulsion you used on the possible candidates?”
Lord Xenon spoke, no inflection in his words. “It is a thousand times worse for the male. Because we use the female’s blood in the magic. It amplifies a mating response the likes of which can only be reproduced with drugs.”
I blinked as we marched down the grand staircase to the front door. “So, you’re pretty much telling me that every man who comes tonight is going to be horny as fuck?”
The steadfast lord didn’t mince words. “Yes. Exactly.”
Lord Belshazzar added, “It can get volatile. That’s why we started using this ceremony room. If anyone tries to attack another physically, then magic instantly renders them unconscious.”
Adelie snapped her fingers as we hit the tiling. “It’s the old jail!”
