She was in a game of chess where they thought she was the pawn, when she was actually the mother fucking queen.
“You can wish for anything,” he said, sliding closer until his chest almost touched hers. “Wealth. Health. Freedom…” He moved his palm closer, and her eyes flicked up to meet his. Guess he did know what her tattoos meant.
“And what would you want in return?” Her hand itched to take the coin, repercussion be damned. Her life couldn’t possibly get worse, could it?
His grin spread across his face, the fingers on his spare hand reaching up to brush across her skin. “I heard you were a Venus Dark...”
Eva wrapped her smaller hand around his wrist, feeling his bones creak beneath his skin. “Don’t touch me.”
Hot breath against the side of her neck. “You should never accept anything from the Fae,” a deep, familiar baritone growled.
Chapter16
Kace
Kace’s mind went blank when he spotted Eva across the room, her eyes darkened in such hunger that his beast responded with an equally ravenous snarl.
What the fuck was she doing here?
He hadn’t realised he had spread it along the mental connection until he noticed Riley turn his head, his body freezing when he spotted her too.
It was Sythe who responded, which meant Kace really was distracted. ‘Well, isn’t this interesting,’his brother said, serving drinks at the same time as a waiter. ‘Looks like Kyra’s bestie is part of the Vipers. The little Valkyrie kept that a secret, didn’t she.’
Kace clenched his fists, his arms folded across his chest as he leant back against the coolness of the glass. Rage burned, hot enough that Riley cut him a sharp glare.
‘Remember why you’re here,’he said telepathically inside Kace’s head. ‘We’ll deal with her.’
Kace kept his attention on Eva, unable to look away as he slowly traced every inch of the black glittery dress. The fabric hugged her in all the right places, cut high on her chest to only hint at the soft curves beneath. Her hair had been messily twisted on her head, with a few strands framing her face and leaving her back entirely exposed, the skin there as perfect as silk.
He was going to cut every fucking male’s eyes out in the room. Starting with whoever left the bite mark on her throat.
“Kace?”
He had heard Riley’s warning, but he still felt himself pulled across the room. His anger bubbled in his bloodstream, harshing his steps as people wisely moved out of his path. She couldn’t be there, not when he needed to stay focused. He was there to find Hunter, that was his only priority which meant the woman who had wormed her way into his head needed to get the fuck out of his way.
“Three wishes, that’s what I can offer you.”
Kace heard the faerie from across the room, his intentions towards her clear. Which meant he was either stupid, or had a death wish. The Vipers were notoriously barbaric. Kace knew that well, considering they had controlled the Pits since before he was even conscripted. And Eva was marked with their fucking calling card.
Violence thickened the air when he lifted a hand towards her, but before Kace could intervene Eva had almost broken the fucker’s hand. He didn’t bother stopping his beast’s urge to bare his teeth over her shoulder, stepping close enough to cast a shadow.
“You should never accept anything from the Fae,” he growled, leaning close enough the hairs on the back of her neck responded. “Especially not wishes. You wish to run fast? You’ll run until your legs are nothing but bloody stumps, and then you’ll keep going.”
Eva’s shoulders tightened, but she didn’t turn as she released her grip on the Fae.
“Fuck off,” Kace said to him before he could respond, “or would you rather offer me your fraudulent wishes?”
The faerie snarled just as a larger man stepped up behind him. “Do you know who I am?” he said, angling his body to emphasise the sheer size of his friend. It made him look weak, nothing but a rich twat playing a hardman in a room full of lions.
Definitely stupid.
“No.” Kace met the glare of the new guy, recognising the similarities. Related, possibly even brothers. One was family money, and the other was soon to be dead. Because that was how everything on the sands worked. “Now fuck off.”
The Fae turned several shades of red before he stepped away, taking his brother with him.
“I didn’t need any help,” Eva said in her naturally husky voice, finally turning to face him. Her lips were painted a dark purple, which only emphasised the darkness of her eyes, the blue of her irises teasing the edges. He knew little of vampires except their pupils, which could widen to encompass the entirety of their eye, improving their sight. They were perfectly devised predators, designed to kill.
“Clearly.” Kace crossed his arms, stopping himself from brushing the skin of her cheek, wondering if it was as smooth as it looked. He had touched her before, knew what she felt like beneath his palms but that was before. Now she was different. “What the fuck are you doing here, Eva?”
