I pulled away, satisfied to see my teeth marks on his bottom lip. But instead of getting angry or upset or irritated that I broke his skin, his lips pulled back in a dangerous grin. Blood dripped out of his mouth, pooling against the bottom gums of his teeth as his eyes started to flicker between black and gold again.
“So eager to take a bite,” Drustan cooed. “If you wanted a taste, just say so.”
“Drop her!” Audrey’s voice was a shout of anger as Leon and Sergei dragged her around the corner to where I was trapped against the Mad Siren Prince’s body. Her shoulders looked wrong, like the two of them were broken. Her fingers flexed, and the foliage around us twitched, as if confused and nervous.
She couldn’t use her powers if her arms weren’t useful.
Shit.
“Aud,” I gasped, wiggling again. Drustan grunted, and I realized that I was still very much pressed up against his arousal. He ended up dropping me enough to let my feet land on theearth again, before turning me around so that my back was to his front, his hand wrapped around my jaw as he leaned down close to my ear.
“What a tempting little thing you’ve introduced into our realm, halfling,” Drustan spoke. Where the hell were Ada and Liam? Based on the shouts and the sound of metal clanging, I assumed they were busy inside fighting other siren intruders.
“We could have some fun with that one,” Leon added with a look that made my blood run cold, in contrast to Drustan’s warmth. The siren prince’s hand tightened on my jaw in reaction to his words. I couldn’t tell if Leon’s words excited him or challenged him.
“If I recall correctly…” Hush tilted her head at me, as if studying an animal and not a person, “The Fae Queen issued her grant. The human is technically her property.”Okay, that wasnotmy understanding of how that works?—
“Pity.” Drustan tsked his tongue, before trailing his other hand across my naval, teasing my exposed skin from my shirt that had ridden up. “I’m sure you would be much happier in my court.”
“Don’t touch her!” Audrey spat through clenched teeth.
“We have what we came for,” Sergei announced. I could have sworn he was avoiding my eyes. “We should leave.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Drustan turned his head toward the shouts of Ada and Liam, echoing from inside the castle. They sounded like they were getting closer. Drustan grumbled, turning his nose toward the crown of my head, and inhaled deeply before whispering, “Until next time, Vanessa.”
Then I was falling to the ground, no longer supported by his grasp. My knees hit the earth in a roughthunk, my palms scratching on the stray twigs of the garden. Audrey shouted, and an unnatural cracking sound made me look up just in time forher shoulders to be popped back into place. Her Hyvenmerian genes were healing her.
But Hush, Leon, and Sergei were gone.
All of them had lyskifted out of here, seconds before Ada and Liam burst through side doors, finding Audrey and me on the ground.
“We’re okay,” Audrey gasped, my mind whirling from the events that took place. Drustan’s scent was still lingering in my nose, and the sudden loss of his warmth made my stomach churn in a way I couldn’t comprehend.
Liam growled—literally growled—when he dropped to Audrey’s side, checking her for more injuries. Meanwhile, Ada gave me her hand and helped me up.
“Those bastards,” Ada cursed, brushing dirt off the knees of my jeans.
“What happened out here?” Liam demanded with rage at Audrey’s wince.
I was shaking; my body trembling. Ada noticed and wrapped me in her arms.
“It was Drustan,” I muttered, making Ada and Liam freeze, “Drustan and Leon and Sergei and—” I shook my head, stopping myself from revealing Hush’s involvement.
“What?” Liam asked, turning to Audrey for confirmation. She nodded.
“They were a distraction,” Ada whispered as her pale blue eyes locked on the ground. “They sent siren adolescents to try to steal from our vaults, knowing they’d fail.”
I forced my words out through my shock, “They said they got what they came for. That’s—that’s why we’re—”alive. Liam growled again, wrapping Audrey up in his arms, inhaling the crown of her head. Much like Drustan just did to me.
“That means they weren’t after your money,” Audrey muttered, leaning into Liam’s embrace without hesitation. Hekept petting her hair, inhaling her, his eyes closed as he focused on nothing but Audrey.
“Check the cameras!” Ada shouted at a nearby guard who approached our group. “Search every vault, every archive.” She sounded so authoritative, so powerful, and I realized she was no longer considering herself off the clock. “Search every drawer and shelf inside, find out what was just stolen from us.”
The guard nodded and marched off inside, shouting orders to his unit members in the fae language. Ada followed him inside.
“Are you okay?” Audrey asked, gently nudging Liam off her. His hands balled into fists, but then she reached back and clasped her hand with his, so he pulled her closer again. She seemed surprised by his actions but accepted his embrace again.
I waved her off. “I’m fine, just console your grumpy ma—” I stopped myself, snapping my mouth closed. Audrey stiffened, her eyes widening.
