Page 29 of Encore
“The curse hasn’t even started yet, Marsden. I know you abused the fact that you have Unseelie secrets to get the bureau to break every single protocol they have about undercover assignments and keeping an agent in the field after a fatality on the job. But you haven’t even told me your big plan to stop Santiago from murdering me now that the understudy has taken the lead, just like in the original ballet.”
“Trust me, Beyla. It’s not going to come to that. I’d rather you focus your energies on bringing Damita to life than worrying about that.”
“Marsden, I didn’t come here to dance the lead in this ballet. It’s a wonderful ballet and an amazing part, but I think you forget I’m not a member of this company. I’m the person you brought in to protect your dancers.”
“And you can do that by dancing Damita to the best of your abilities. Trust me, Beyla.”
The music stopped, and I was out of time. Marsden bowed and disappeared into the crowd. He was utterly insane. He’d given me no reason to trust him. Unseelie were the only race of Fae who could lie. Deals with the Seelie Court always seemed to benefit them the most, but the deal was generally a good one, and it was honored. No one tried to make a deal with the Unseelie unless they were up to no good.
Yeah, there were plenty of Unseelie who defected like Marsden did, but most of them opted not to turn against their people because of how dangerous the Unseelie were. So, Marsden was riskinga lotto get me here and keep me here.
He wasn’t just risking my coven. Things didn’t work out so hot for Damita’s understudy last time.
Chapter27
Nicolai
This gala was so extra. I wasn’t wild about Marsden using my relationship for publicity or inserting himself in our tango when Beyla tried to take it back. But everyone at this gala knew I was a taken man now. They’d cheered me on as I won the princess and sealed it with a kiss on stage. I kissed Beyla in front of all of them, and theyhadto know I didn’t kiss just anyone like that.
As soon as Marsden stole Beyla, the cougars descended on us and pulled us in different directions. I had my bottom pinched way more at this gala than any other party this company had thrown before. Of course, Merlin and Arden were used to this, but I tried to find Bevan in the crowd.
They never really talked about this kind of thing, but there was a serious dark side to ballet that went way deeper than a cursed ballet back in the day. We were expected to flirt and laugh it off if someone expected you to do anything inappropriate with them when we weren’t working.
It was like that now, but there was a time everyone just looked the other way when ballet companies sold their dancers to any ballet fan with money who would make a sizable donation to keep the company going. Pimping teenage dancers to sick pedophiles with no questions asked was a profitable business.
Rape culture had come a long way both in and out of the ballet world but still had miles to go. Everyone at this gala knew damned well it was utterly unacceptable to get a dancer as property if they donated. They also knew literally everyone didn’t like being touched without permission.
I disagreed with Merlin when he went on his rants about wanting a more prominent role than a love interest, but he was right about these galas. It wasn’t acceptable for the male patrons to grope a ballerina or say crude things to her. Unfortunately, it hadn’t quite caught on with the rest of the world that it made men uncomfortable, too.
I just went with it, flirted, and made jokes, but it was bothering me tonight. I knew what kind of reputation I had. Every woman here did. I used to be proud of it. But Beyla knew it, too. I didn’t want her to see my flirting and some woman hanging all over me and thinking I would cheat.
I’d been called plenty of names that I probably deserved, but I wasn’t a cheater. I never started anything new until something was ended cleanly. I didn’t intend to end anything with Beyla, and I was going to make damned sure I didn’t give her an excuse to dump me either.
The heiress to the supernatural version of microwave waffles seemed to be taking that kiss and my relationship as a personal challenge. Kids loved those waffles because they turned your hair colorful for school. It was this whole kid-friendly business, and then there was Electra Nox.
She’d been married seven times to seven different famous men. Her first husband was one of the best forwards on the United States’ dodgeball team. She’d dabbled in politics with her husbands. She seemed to pick men from anything that brought fame, ran their careers into the ground, and got bored with them quickly.
Electra had made it no secret she wanted a ballet dancer for her next husband. She didn’t even like ballet or understand it in the slightest. Electra showed up on the ballet scene two years ago, throwing money atThe Pand coming to our galas. She thought she had all these ideas for revolutionizing ballet, but she wanted to make it more like a music video.
She’d been vetting Arden, Merlin, and me for her next husband since she met us at her first gala. I’d never spoken to Arden on the subject of Electra Nox, but I knew he had no interest in being a trophy husband to a witch that thought ballet was boring unless you spruced it up with pop music and a light show.
We were never on the table for that, but she seemed to think we were. Beyla was here, and now even Arden was dating dancers. Electra heard what Marsden said, and she saw our tango. But she wasn’t giving up.
Bevan and Nicolai were both talking to the press. I was sure people had a lot of questions for Bevan, and he deserved it. Arden ignored everyone who wanted to speak to him to make sure Marsden didn’t try anything stupid with Beyla while they were dancing.
Honestly, I’d rather be talking to the press than Electra. Unfortunately, she had me cornered by the canapés and wouldn’t stop touching me.
“A coven, Nicolai? Why would you settle for something like that? Sharing a witch with other men is beneath you. You should be treated like a prince, not penciled in for attention when it suits that witch. You could ask women to shareyou,and they’d line up for it. Think about what it’s going to do to your career. I could give you more than she ever could.”
Was she serious right now? Iwastreated like a prince, and I didn’t want a harem of women. I wanted Beyla. Plus, Electra probably would have said this to any of us. I just happened to be the one she found first.
Before I could open my mouth and say something I wouldn’t regret but Marsden would get mad about, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around, and there was Arden glowering at Electra. He knew what was up and had my back.
I never thought I’d be in a position where Arden would save my ass from a horny patron who was trying to steal me from my girlfriend, but I’d take it. We couldn’t make a scene, and we couldn’t say what we were thinking. Electra had enough influence and money to make sure this company suffered financially if we offended her.
Arden gave her this smile that honestly creeped me out. It looked like he was about to shift and rip her head off. Talk about not being able to read the room. Electra batted her eyelashes and started giggling. I wasn’t about to fuck with it if a gryphon was looking at me like that, and I could shift into Arden and fight him as himself. Arden gave her a slight bow and kissed her hand.
“Electra. Lovely as always. I’m afraid I have to steal Nicolai away. You know how the press is at these things.”
