Page 100 of To Crave Madly
“I must be moving on. There are other guests to see and they will get jealous if I monopolise the time of such a beauty. Miss Monroe, a pleasure.” He gave me a bow and headed off to chit-chat with the other guests. No doubt spreading rumours about me already.
I let my smile fall from my face. “Wow. He really is a piece of work.”
“He doesn’t improve on closer acquaintance,” Fenris added from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw his hands were clenched into fists and his jaw tight. Elissa wrapped one of her hands around his but he brushed her off. I felt sorry for her. She was only trying to offer comfort, but he was too proud to accept it. Foolish boy. That sort of attitude would breed resentment.
“Come on. Let’s see if we can find anything out about the missing witches and mages before the opening ceremony.” I turned to Elissa and tried to smile warmly. “Will you introduce us to some of the other guests?”
“Of course,” she replied eagerly, happy to be of use. She took my hand and led me away from the others. “It will be easier for the mages to be more open with you if you aren’t surrounded by all the men. You’ll find a lot of mages, especially the mid to upper-level ones, are very proud and snobbish.”
I looked over my shoulder and gave Jasper a little wave. To my surprise, he gave me a wave back and a predatory grin. He was clearly checking out my ass as I walked away. And damn if I didn’t enjoy that.
“Hello, Lady Rayne. How are you? May I introduce you to my friend and our Neophyte Initiate, Miss Lori Monroe?”
Let the circus begin.
***
ALEC
If I had a heart, it would be pounding in my chest. I had never been so anxious. My palms were sweaty, my brow creased, and I couldn’t seem to concentrate on gathering any usable intel. Jasper had signalled that Baker and Jackson were on the perimeter of the Crowe residence and in position to assist if we needed, but I couldn’t focus on anything.
Not until I’d seen her.
The one responsible for my curse.
She wasn’t just any witch either. I’d managed to go and piss off the Witch Queen, Violette Dubois, and I regretted that every day.
The crime I had committed was rejecting her advances in favour of a lesser witch. I remember the rage she flung at me. She couldn’t understand why I would choose someone so pathetic, someone so inferior, when I could have had her. If she couldn’t have me, then no one could.
And then she stole my heart. She stole my capability to love, to dream, to hope.
My eyes found Lori, swirling across the dance floor in Jasper’s arms and looking like the most beautiful creature I ever beheld. I wanted so much to feel something.Anythingother than the constant disgust I felt for myself. Lori deserved so much better than me. No matter how much I flirted with her, I would never allow it to proceed any further. I remembered the moment she had kissed me. The moment her lips had opened for me and anger lanced through me. It was a perfect kiss, full of passion and tenderness and I felt… nothing. And that was the worst part.
That witch did more than steal my heart. She stole my very soul and destroyed me for anyone who might show a glimmer of something for me.
And there she was.
She waltzed into the room like she owned it. A scowl creased her face as she looked down her nose at the people in the room. Her entourage followed her at a discreet pace, not wanting to upstage the Witch Queen in any way. She was beautiful. Masses of black curls fell around her shoulders, the ends of the curls a bright, vibrant purple. Her eyes shone like amethyst and her gown, which was more like a scrap of fabric, was a similar shade. Her back was bare leaving her pale skin on show. Her beauty was only skin deep. Under that façade was an evil creature no more capable of love than I was.
She held up her hand and signalled her entourage to stop. Her head flicked around, and her eyes instantly found mine like she knew exactly where I was. Her purple lips stretched into a lethal smile and she closed the distance between us until she was standing barely a foot away.
My stomach clenched as her scent wafted through the air. I had to hold back the snarl that threatened to emerge from my chest. My Hound was not happy to see her at all.
“Hello, Alec. It’s been a long time.”
Her overly sweet voice was nothing like the musical lilt to Lori’s. I frowned. I wonder where that thought crept from.
“Not long enough,” I replied gruffly.
She forced an airy laugh past those abominable lips, and I cringed. “You dog,” she pouted. “Surely you don’t mean that?”
“Do you want something, Violette? Or are you merely here to rub salt in the wound?”
The pout deepened. “Now, now. Is that any way to talk to a Queen?” She held her bony hand out to me and expected me to kiss it in deference to her position.
Shit. I knew she’d do something like this. Back me into a corner where I had to do something that would make me despise myself further or risk causing a scene.
Well, two could play at that game.
