Page 79 of Insidious Monsters
“But you are. In this case, you very much are. One signature and she can be yours. Isn’t that what you always wanted? A prima of your own, and didn’t the blood fae confirm you and Dahlia were a strong match? Thatwasthe reason for your betrothal, wasn’t it?” He set his drink on the desk behind him. “I’m giving you another chance at happiness. No more chasing a dream. No more sordid feedings. You could have a prima, a mate.”
“Let me guess, all I have to do is release August from our contract.”
He shrugged. “A tiny thing, really.”
“Why do you want her so badly?”
“Because she intrigues me. Her smart mouth, the power coursing through her veins.”
“Bullshit. You want her because she said no. Because the fae community is talking about your failure and you don’t like to fail.”
His expression hardened. “You’ll release her from the contract or Dahlia will pay the price.”
Blackmail. Why wasn’t I surprised. Stay calm. Think. I couldn’t do this. I made a vow to August. I promised to protect her and not betray her trust. Any promises made to Dahlia were dust and ashes.
“Well?” Barathos prompted.
His excitement was a palpable force between us. He thought he had me. He thought he’d won.
Not this time. “I loved Dahlia once. I was her champion, her protector, but that was a long time ago. Decades have passed and we’ve both made our choices. Just like she chose to bind herself to you. Just like August chose to bind to me. I will not take away either female’s choice.”
His eyes narrowed, lips curving in a snide smile as he bridged the distance between us. “Does she choose to withhold her cunt too? Does she choose not to feed you? Is that why you reek of decay?”
Fuck. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, and I’m done here.” I spun on my heel and headed for the door, expecting with every fiber of my being that he’d stop me.
I was partway out the door before he spoke.
“I think it’s time to invoke the right of Fairoir.”
My blood chilled and I slammed out of the room. I had to find August and get out of here. Right now.
* * *
AUGUST
We were surrounded by fae and humans. Dahlia, bless her heart, did her best to keep the incubi at a distance, but even with her fielding their attentions the nets they were throwing were obvious. A tug in my chest. Heat between my thighs. I gritted my teeth and smiled through it, surreptitiously pinching myself to stay grounded—a tip from Dahlia.
“Pain grounds you,” she said. “Trust me.” Her eyes were stormy pools of sadness. I wanted to take her away from here, away from the cruel prince, and feed her Chinese food.
But this wasn’t my world. This was the cusp of fae society, and even though we were on the earthly plane, the rules and etiquette had to be observed. I had no doubt the human government would throw me to the wolves if I happened to break fae law.
We had a treaty with the fae realms, and our government intended to keep it. So I smiled and pinched myself and allowed Dahlia to walk me through the ballroom, stopping here and there to exchange pleasantries with the beautiful incubi and their females. I caught movement in the shadows by the thick drapes. A man pressed to the wall while another went down on him.
“Don’t look,” Dahlia said. “It is considered rude to watch if not invited to do so.”
I dropped my gaze. “Shit.”
“It will be all right. Lothos will take care of you.”
Where was he?
He appeared before us as if summoned by my thoughts but something was wrong. There was panic on his face, a warning gleam in his eye.
I stepped away from Dahlia, holding out my hand to him even before he asked for it. He grasped it tightly and led me through the crowd toward the main arch that opened into the foyer.
His long strides meant I had to almost run to keep up. “Lothos, what’s going on?”
“No time to explain, we need to leave right—”
