Page 53 of A Dance of Water

Little hints—the wind rattling the eaves, and the ice and snow coating…everything… and she still hadn’t realized.

"The oil on the vanity, bring it to me," Vale ordered with a waveof a hand. Letting his eyes fall closed, he relished in the water lapping against his chest and her presence. He would enjoy this—having her forced near him.

Cold hands pressed against his shoulders. He cracked an eye open. She knelt by the edge of the water, her thin gown tucked under her thighs, bunching around her slim waist. He wanted her wet.

A tiny vial was gripped in her fingers. "This one?" she asked, a hint of impishness on her features.

Vale nodded. "Uncap it and pour it into the bath."

She waited for a moment, which was broken with a wince, a hand rubbing over her chest. She would learn what disobeying him meant. Like training a pet, it would take time.

He watched as she uncapped the vial, dropping the top somewhere over her shoulder. Then, holding eye contact with him, she raised the glass vial high and tipped it over the bath, upending all the contents into the water.

Smoke filtered from his nostrils and filled the air with crackling embers.

That was expensive.

His dragon chuckled, claws tapping against the bars of his cage.She needs to be put in her place.

Vale agreed. But the brand of his dragon’s punishment might break her. And he didn’t want her broken, yet. Only shattered a bit—maybe more than a bit. She would be pretty, pleading with watery eyes and bruised flesh.

No,Vale replied, not looking away from her as she took the empty vial and threw it over her shoulder. The glass shattered, and he wanted to wrap his hands around her neck andsqueeze.

The dragon’s tail flicked out.Are you sure?

Vale reaffirmed, Not… yet.

Hands fisted in the silk of her gown, Luella stood. She seemed cowed by whatever feral rage was shown in his green eyes. She took a step back. "Y-you didn’t say how much to pour."

Her innocence wouldn’t save her now.

Vale gritted his teeth.

His dragon called for violence. She had ruined one of his things. Dragons were particular about their possessions.

"Get out," he hissed. She stumbled back a step, forced to obey before her mind could catch up with what she was doing. "And be grateful I am not a crueler male and won’t take you over my knee for your insolence."

She faltered, hand pressing over the mark on her chest. He watched her bare feet on the stone floor. Tiny pieces of glass littered the ground. She barely paid it mind, caught in his web.

"Out," Vale said. "Do not make me repeat myself. This is mercy I offer you. Take it."

And the Princess turned, feet cutting into the broken glass and leaving bloody footprints in her wake as she left the bathing chambers, the door softly clicking shut behind her.

17

TOUCH YOURSELF

LUELLA

The throne room was glittering and gilded with ice, but Luella was not cold.

Her cheeks were warm. The perspiration on her skin made the thick fabric of her gown stick to her arms and back.

She ran her hand almost angrily over the bodice, wishing she could rip it off.

"I wouldn’t be opposed to that," Bastian whispered.

"Of course you wouldn’t." Luella rolled her bottom lip between her teeth, too preoccupied to pay much mind to the vampire at her side.

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