7
The Unseelie Twat
Ryn
Isqueeze Seth’s hand as we exit our little sex cocoon. A big, cheesy smile plastered on my face, making my cheeks ache, but I can’t be bothered to care. I feel amazing right now! We make our way across the room toward the area that’s set up with black lights and loads of neon paint, passing a little bar with signature drinks as we go.
I pull up short when I see one advertising a pina colada in a goblet with all sorts of candies hanging off the rim. It looks fucking fantastic. Maybe it’s the sated feeling, maybe it’s the pixie dust—or a combo of the two, but that concoction looks too good to pass up.
“Seth, I want—” he leans in close, trying to hear me over the music, and my mind goes blank. Now that I know what that mouth can do, damn near all my brain function has left the building. I point to the drink I want, and he nods as he pulls out his phone. Mine vibrates as it dings, and I grab it out to check.
Seth: I’ll get you the drink and meet you over by the paint?
I smile as I look up at him, his thoughtfulness warming me to my bones—bones that are still all jelly-feeling thanks to the mind-numbing orgasm he just gave me in a fucking closet.
Ryn: Sounds good, Tiger ;)
His orbs glow brighter, and it’s the cutest fucking thing. I duck my head to hide my smile as I turn to make my way toward the paint. As much as I reallyaminterested in the paint party, I’m muchmoreinterested in trying to figure out how to get him to come home with me and pick up where we left off. My phone vibrates again, and I groan at the number of messages I have from Dr. Vesalius. My lips purse as I think about opening them, but then think better of it. This has been a fucking epic night so far, and there’s no way I’m going to ruin it with work stuff.
The crowd is pretty thick here, and I glance back quickly to where I last saw Seth to make sure he’ll be able to find me, but when I do, I feel the squish of someone else’s foot as I step on it. My face screws up, an apology ready on my tongue when I turn to speak with whoever I just stepped on, praying it was actually just someone’s foot and not an entire small creature.
My face falls, and I feel my spine stiffen as I stare blankly into the cold, dark eyes of none other than Kier Darro, the Unseelie Prince.
“You!” I was never acquainted with him when I was a member of his court, but everyone in Unseelie lands knows the royal family, at least by name and likeness.
With a bored voice, he casually replies, “Me.”
I consider my options quickly—I could just walk away and pretend I didn’t bump into him but it seems unlikely he’d let things be thateasy. I don’t believe for a second that I ran into him ‘accidentally’. Still, it’s worth a shot.
“Goodbye!”
Kier smiles at me coolly, the intensity of his stare stopping me in my tracks, “Youwillspeak with me.”
I pause, anger coursing through my veins at his audacity, but also because even though I’ll never admit it out loud, I am afraid of the Unseelie Prince. At least, this one. His brother? Maybe not, but Darro? You’d have to be mental not to be. For once in my life, I stay silent and just listen.
“Not here,” his eyes move around leisurely, but there’s a tension rolling off of him that has me on high alert.
I shake my head, “I’m not going anywhere with you. We talk here, or we don’t talk at all.”
He glares at me, and I want to wither under the weight of it, but I stand my ground. I’m tempted to look around for Seth and signal him to—to what? I don’t know. I’m not sure if it’d be better if he stayed away or intervened. Kier lifts one hand, the warm hazelnut color of his skin a contrast to our frigid interaction.
“There. We’ll do it your way, for now.” Nothing has changed visually, we’re still at the 3P surrounded by people, but all the sound has been muted entirely, and his smooth voice feels more effortlessly menacing without all the background noise.
“What do you want?” I grit my teeth and try my hardest to look nonplussed.
“To help you with your ambitious little endeavor.”
I laugh, I can’t help it. The idea of Kier doing anything to help me out of the kindness of his heart is hilarious, and I tell him as much.
“Kindness?” His brow raises, and his dark eyes color with humor, “Who said anything about kindness?” His top lip curls slightly, and he tilts his head back, considering.
“I won’t pretend to be the misunderstood, morally grey character. I fully embrace being the black and white self-serving villain.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “No, I want to help you forme.”
I swallow thickly and shake my head, “I’m not going to let you turn my life’s work into some Unseelie con—”
“I don’t give a shit about your ambitions.” He straightens his spine and stands over me, “Have you spoken to your family lately?”
The change in topic disorients me, and I shake my head, “We don’t speak.”
