Page 6 of The Dark Lord's Guide to Dating

Rainwater dripped off the tip of his nose and landed on my cheek.

“Well,” he said, voice still ragged from our struggle, “that was more dramatic than I’d planned. You really do enjoy making things difficult, Lady Evenfall.”

“Get off me,” I hissed, trying futilely to wriggle free. Every inch of me felt keyed up, thrumming with stubborn rage.

“Make me,” he whispered, challenge humming in every syllable. “I have to admit, I’m curious to see what you’ll try next.”

I bucked my hips hard, and his eyes went wide for half a second. That tiny window of surprise was all I needed. Twisting sharply, I managed to flip us and snatch the dagger from his belt in one move. He hit the floor on his back, a grunt escaping him as I straddled his waist, pressing steel against his throat.

“Like that?” I asked.

He didn’t struggle, just stared up at me with those enthralling eyes. “Impressive,” he said, voice low. “And now, Lady Evenfall, what’s your plan?”

Before I could snap a reply, a voice from the doorway quavered, “My Lord? Should we… give you a moment?”

I glanced up to find a gaunt man in formal attire hovering near the threshold. Behind him stood a handful of guards, servants, and an absurdly tall, robed man who appeared to be taking notes. They all regarded me with unnerving calm, as though their lord being threatened at knifepoint were a common occurrence.

My lip curled. “I’m going to kill him,” I announced, pressing the blade until a thin line of blood welled at his neck, “and if any of you get in my way, I’ll kill you too.”

None of them seemed alarmed. One guard actually smirked. The robed man scribbled vigorously. Clearly, they’d seen wilder things in their service to Kazimir. My stomach twisted in a mixture of fury and dread as I realized the only reason we were in this position was because he allowed it.

The glimmer in his eyes was pure amusement. “Sims,” he said without looking away from me, “Lady Evenfall and I need a moment to discuss the final details of our impending nuptials. Her negotiating style is… dangerously charming.”

I pressed the blade closer, but he didn’t so much as flinch. “I’m not marrying you.”

He merely considered me. “Have you ever killed anyone, my lady?”

The question caught me off-guard. I hadn’t, no matter how many times I fantasized about it while locked in my father’s tower. My answer must have shown on my face, because Kazimir’s gaze softened, just a fraction.

“I thought not,” he whispered. “Believe me, there’s a difference between singeing a suitor’s cravat and slitting a man’s throat.”

Some bitter voice in my head insisted I could close that gap in my experience right now, but the rational part of me realized I had no idea whether a simple dagger would be enough to kill a master of dark magic. Even if I managed, I would never fight my way past his retinue.

I tightened my hold anyway. “There’s a first time for everything.”

Before I could follow through on the threat, shadows curled around my wrist. The dagger slipped from my grasp. Kazimir shoved upward, reversing our positions so quickly my head spun.He settled between my thighs, his body pressing into mine. My breath caught, and I hated the little surge of heat that flickered all the way to my cheeks.

“Now,” he said casually, “you’ve attempted to murder me, and I’ve attempted polite conversation. But make no mistake—I will have a bride, and that bride will be you.” His voice dropped lower. “The only question is how difficult you intend to be about it.”

I forced myself to stop thrashing, letting my body go limp. My eyes flickered up at him, drawing on a performance I’d polished over years of manipulating my father’s guards. I let my lower lip tremble. I made my voice small, hesitant.

“I—I don’t want to keep fighting,” I whispered.

Suspicion crawled across his face, but he seemed eager to believe me. The victorious gleam in his eyes returned. Slowly, the restraints around my wrists loosened. “Of course you don’t,” he purred. “You’ll find I can be quite agreeable toward those who see reason.”

I let out a single tear and blinked up at him. “Yes, my lord.” As he eased his grip, I lunged to the side, aiming a knee at his groin. I missed my mark, but I caught him close enough that he hissed a curse, his control on me faltering.

I flung myself toward the dagger. My fingers just brushed the hilt before Kazimir’s arm locked around my waist. He yanked me back, slamming me against the carpet. Pain ricocheted up my spine, driving all the air from my lungs.

“Enough,” he bit out, his words rough with anger. Shadows thickened around me, binding my limbs to the floor. The potency of his magic thrummed in the air. A nearby bookcase rattled, sending a few heavy tomes crashing to the ground. His own servants retreated a step, wary of their master’s mounting fury.

He got to his feet and stood over me, dripping rain and wrath, every angled feature sharpened by the flickering torches. I had no illusions now. This was the dark power that made kings lock their doors at the mere mention of his name. For the firsttime since our brawl began, real fear wrapped its claws around my heart, but I forced my mouth into a defiant smirk.

“That only works once,” he warned, gaze raking over me.

I glared at him. “It was worth a try.”

“Indeed. I’ll be more careful about those doe eyes of yours in the future.” A reluctant amusement flickered across his face. “But now that you’ve had your fun, we’ll do things my way.”

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