Page 8 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

When he was home, Demetri tended to have a wide-open schedule because he was content to let his mother rule overeverything. It was one of the many things he had never understood about me, my desire to want more in life.

But right now, I just wanted to bury my fangs in his neck while he buried himself inside me.

I entered the guesthouse and made a left down the long hallway that led to the main set of guest suites. Demetri had mentioned that some courtiers he was friends with were currently in residence and that he’d be visiting with them today. I was pretty sure Demetri spent most of his time in the guesthouse when he wasn’t traveling to other Houses.

Despite being the Heir to House Laurent, he lived his life more like that of a courtesan, spending all of his time socializing and none of it ruling.

A low, throaty moan carried down the hallway followed by a deep, masculine laugh, and my pace slowed. I knew that laugh.

A peculiar, numb feeling crept over me as I slipped forward, quiet as a ghost.

The door at the last suite was left ajar, and there were pieces of clothing strewn about as if someone had pulled them off in haste. I froze in the doorway with Demetri’s back to me, all of his lovely flesh on display as he pounded into the woman stretched out on the bed. She moaned as he thrusted harder and faster. Her legs were over his shoulders, and I watched as his fingers dug into her thighs, pulling her closer.

Either she was one hell of an actress or Demetri had some skills that he’d just never bothered using on me.

I should be angry about this,I thought as I watched with an odd sort of detachment about his betrayal. I’d been loyal to him and him alone since we’d signed the marriage contract. I should be fucking pissed, and I definitely was. Nestled between the shock and the disjointed numbness was definitely rage, but not just because he was cheating on me. That was almost secondary to the other reason my blood felt like it was boiling.

No. I was pissed because she was enjoying the hell out of getting screwed by my husband, and I’d neveroncefound pleasure in it.

Are you happy?

I was goddamn brilliant, my mind was sharp as hell, and I was a fucking asset to any House. I spoke two dead languages, was well-versed in the political machinations of all the Moon Blessed, knew the strengths and weakness of every single Moroi House. The elders I studied under for the years I was at Drudonia had said they’d never had a student with such a sharp mind for political negotiations.

And yet Marvina and everyone here treated me like I was fucking beneath them when I was made to rule a House.

Are. You. Happy?

When I walked into a room, every being looked my way because I was hot as fucking sin. The same people who looked down on me couldn’t keep their eyes off of every flash of skin I showed and every rise and dip of my body.

Demetri should have been on his knees crawling to me,beggingfor the privilege of touching me, because I was made to be worshipped.

ARE. YOU. HAPPY?

“No,” I spat out.

The woman yelped as Demetri whirled in surprise, grabbing a pillow off the floor to cover himself as he stepped towards me. I laughed. Modesty? Really?

“Fuck. This.” I spun on my heel and stalked back down the hall.

“Samara!” Demetri called frantically after me. “Wait!”

I stopped halfway to the exit and spun to face him.

His steps faltered as he quickly buttoned the pants he’d pulled on and brushed his dark auburn hair away from his face.

My eyes ran over his body, taking in his well-muscled chestthat was slicked with sweat and the flushed color in his lightly tanned face. He really had put in more effort into fucking whoever the hell that was than he ever had me.

My lips curled, putting my fangs fully on display. Demetri’s gaze widened at the sight.

“Let’s discuss this,” he started, holding out his hands in a placating manner as if he were trying to calm down an unruly horse.

A humorless laugh poured out of me, and whatever he saw in my face made him flinch and take a step back, still holding his hands up, but now it felt more defensive on his part.

“There is nothing to discuss,” I said coldly. “My life here is a joke. I should have realized it sooner, but the events of today have made it very clear. I’m fuckingdone.”

“What does that mean?” His eyes widened, and he reached for me, but I stepped back.

I needed to get the hell away from him. From Marvina. From this House. There was only one place I could go to regroup and figure all of this out.

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