That bastard Aram was going to be a fucking pest if this was how her magic made him feel. He was already a persistent as shit bastard, but with a bond, it’d be hell.
The fact that he hadn’t come storming through to take her was mystifying, but more than a little comforting. If even someone like him couldn’t fight the strength of a mate bond, then V’s future wasn’t totally hopeless.
It caused me physical pain to agree with a pixie who’d clearly spent a long time in the underbelly of Fae society, but he was right. V had gotten hit with the unlucky stick a few too many times. A bond with Aram being the worst.
I might’ve sounded convinced she could fight the lure, but I wasn’t. Mate bonds were powerful. They bound Fae forever, and not even death could break it. The faded but still-there bond rune on my neck proved it. Which meant I’d need to work with someone like Cassius to keep her from giving into it.
Aram wouldn’t hurt her, but he’d go out of his way to persuade her. The terrifying asshole wasn’t terrible to look at as much as it bothered me to admit, and he’d charm her any way he could. He’d convince her he wasn’t evil incarnate. He’d play the misunderstood dark prince. Their bond would make her want to believe him.
I really hoped this pompous princess was the stronger bond of the two or we were absolutely fucked. Never thought I’d rallyfor someone like the Monster of the Realm to sway V’s heart, but here we were. I was rooting for the prissy princess, and even though it went against everything I was, I’d help him keep her on the straight and narrow.
But hell if I’d ever be nice to him.
I struggled to keep my composure. It’d been so long since I’d felt anything like this. My bond with Reyna had been powerful and sudden, much like this, but it hadn’t been during the Season. Our weaving magic was stimulating places nothing and no one had touched in a very long time.
“You’re not helping, Cash. It’s done, hurray. Good job, Fairy Boy. Now you can go,” V rambled like a drunk party girl with a cute wink my direction. “V needs some adjustment time.”
Third person? Definitely three sheets to the wind. Not that I was much better off. I hadn’t entered a magical bond before, but I’d heard enough. If the two were a good match, the bonding could feel a lot like being drunk on Blue Magic.
“I can certainly help—” the asshole offered with another quick, narrow glance my direction.
What a desperate douche. How V got stuck with two overly possessive assholes, I’d never understand.
Sloan at the very least encouraged her to be more than his girl. He wasn’t a total bastard, but most men were such a waste of fucking space. Every time I dealt with one, I was extra glad I didn’t find them the least bit appealing. They weren’t soft and pretty. They only cared that they got off. Women were so much better in every way.
Just the thought of kissing V again was making me impatient. I hadn’t touched her since that one moment in her room, and not from a lack of wanting to. Some asshole was always stealing her away.
I might not like that we’d been forced to come to this realm, or the danger waiting for us the minute we stepped foot outthe door, but I didn’t miss having to fight assholes incapable of sharing to get a minute of her attention. It was finally my turn, and I’d make sure she craved me as much as she did these other undeserving asshats.
“We’re good. I have Jo. Feel free to get whatever favors you can in the meantime. Bye, bye,” she said with an adorable wave before leaning back on one arm.
Talk about turn-on. She might be drunk on bond magic, but V giving Cash the boot was the best kind of foreplay. Not that I would’ve let him stay. I meant it when I told her she wouldn’t get a shared experience. He had his time alone with the feisty Hunter. All of it, in fact. It was my fucking turn.
“And leave you unprotected and vulnerable? I think not, love. The favors can wait until you’re of sound mind and body.”
Again, those words weren’t said to her. They were said to me. His stare was openly accusatory despite agreeing to it all beforehand. This possessive asshole was still weighing whether or not to leave the room at all, like he had any choice in the matter. My dagger was about to prove he didn’t.
It danced between the fingers of the hand not holding V’s, my stare daring him to go ahead and make me angry. He might be more powerful than I was, but I wasn’t afraid of him or anyone else, and I’d been itching for a fight since tracking down V to this realm.
We’d even intentionally done the bonding in my room so Cassius wouldn’t stay long. V’s idea. She was convinced he’d find some way to weasel into the moment and made a promise not to let him. I didn’t need a promise from her. I’d get her alone with or without her help. He might be the Dark King, but I was the Daughter of Shadows. I’d get fucking creative.
Have it my way, and he wouldn’t have been here at all. But unfortunately, it was better to have a third party to watch over amagical binding in case anything went wrong. Since it hadn’t, he could fuck right off.
V’s glare sent him on his way, but not before he said, “If you need me, my love, you know where to find me. I doubt you’ll be truly satisfied with anything that occurs in this room…with Her Evilness.”
Him and his sweet pet names.
I should’ve known he wouldn’t go without getting his last dig in, but it didn’t bother me. I’d been patiently waiting to get V alone since all this shit went down. The rest of these assholes didn’t have a patient bone in their body. A shame. The buildup made the moment all the sweeter.
“I’m more than happy to make that bet, princess,” I goaded. “I’m not one for throwing my dick around, but for you, I’ll make the exception. Feel free to ask V all about it afterward.” His dark and dangerous sneer was a perfect reward. I sent him off with the same wave as V. “Bye, bye.”
Chapter 14
Whisper It, Moan It, Scream It
Jo led me over to the bed after Cash left.
I was still drunk on bond magic and the usual urges that came with the Season. It was that time at the club déjà vu, but this time with Jo instead of Cash. Like everything since I met Phillip that one fateful night, my world was warped by sex and danger. Except, I’d forgotten all about the danger we were in and got lost in the sexy sensations storming my body.
