Images flashed in my head of Rayis pinned under Aram, a clawed hand wrapped around his throat. It was a crazy sensation to relive Aram’s memory of the event. The tingle of his fangs extending to threaten his brother affected my own teeth.
“Don’t test me, Rayis. I’ll kill you before I ever let you take my mate from me,”memory Aram growled in warning.“Don’t forget who’s really in power here—who our clan chose. If you’re not with me, you’re against me.”
The fluttering sensation of the memory faded, so I couldn’t explore it more, but it gave me somewhere to start and a bud of hope that I could not only sever our bond, but widen the gap between his brothers so they’d do it for me.
“I was so worried about you,” Kate whispered in my ear, dragging me out of my head. “Please let me stay. I want to be here for you. I don’t trust him.”
I heard Aram stroll away to give us space. Everything about this situation was unfamiliar and complex. I’d have to be as careful as I could be. As far as I was aware, Fae didn’t have heightened hearing like vampires and Shifters, but I wouldn’t take any chances around these beasts.
I detected something off in the way Kate asked to stay. It sounded like there was some sort of plan in place. My bestie’s tells were glaring. She never could hide things from me. Maybe they discussed it before she was taken, but her mind was susceptible to being read, so they wouldn’t tell her anything that mattered. Aram would be able to read it off her vulnerable human mind.
No one in our group was stupid enough to give our cards away. They’d play this careful and smart, so I’d talk to her when we were completely alone. I knew the sound of Aram’s heartbeat now. He was descending the tower staircase, and I didn’t sense anyone else nearby.
If it was Phillip and Sloan who came up with an idea, it’d be coded just for me. Even if Aram knew the Hunter code, he wouldn’t know it the way we used it. Grams suggested we alter or totally uphaul it in case any of our correspondence was intercepted by the Organization. And we had.
I bit my lower lip and hugged her back. “Okay.”
A black and red corset dress had been laid on the bed after I spent a couple hours assuaging my bestie’s greatest fears about a certain enemy in our midst—the fears I didn’t have any worry about him seeing me address. The dress wasn’t anything I’d wear on purpose, but it did fit the impression their castle gave. Very luxury Renaissance, but with all the benefits of a modern fashion world.
A beautiful handwritten note was left on top of the dress, scripted in shiny gold ink:
A dress fit for a queen like Daenerys, no? I thought so, too. Once you’ve put it on, the necklace will do the rest. Wear it, little mate, then come down to the first floor as soon as the light bleeds from the sky. You may bring the human. A suitable outfit has been left on the armchair for her as well. Don’t leave me waiting long, or I’ll come up to dress you myself.
Yours,
Aram
I sighed and teased the skirt of the dress with my fingers. With a glance at the window, I noticed the light outside was nowhere in sight.Bleeds from the sky? Who even says that?It was dark and scary, much like I suspected villains appreciated their surroundings to be.
It bothered me how accommodating he was being. I’d have a better time if he was a total asshole and not charming in the least. The little inside jokes were meant to be disarming, so I’d be diligent about reminding myself of that.
The Season’s stimulation was already a problem whenever I was close to him, the same way it was with Jo and Cash. Guilt climbed into my throat whenever my eyes lingered on his lips too long or took a path down his body, hungry for things I wouldn’t want if not for this bond.
Kate’s head popped over my shoulder, reading the note. “Daenerys? Villain dude is quotingGame of Thrones? Whoa. They get human shows here? Weird.”
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.
“The dress is pretty, though.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re not helping here, Kate.”
“What, calling a pretty dress pretty is hardly a crime, chick. Also, Phillip told me to give you something. It’s like he knew he’d kidnap me and told me to keep it in my pocket. You guys are seriously so smart. Or…wait, is it a clairvoyance thing? Can he see the future?” Kate rambled, holding up the dress in front of me.
“Focus, Kate,” I admonished, my eyes straying to the necklace on the bed where the dress had been.
Kate made a cute face and rushed to say, “Oh, right! Okay, so it’s in some kind of language I don’t understand, but he said you’d know it. Also, destroy after reading, duh.”
“Duh,” I parroted with a little wink.
I hated that Aram’s trick was working. Having Kate with me made everything better, even if I didn’t like that it put her directly in danger. But he’d given me the thing I needed to protect. He played into a hand he didn’t even know we’d preplanned. Damn the mutinous two for their clever thinking.
I took the note she dug out of her pocket and read it. A smile was on my face before I could stop it. The little note burnt to ashes in my hand, and Kate watched in unconcealed awe.
“Dude, that’s so fucking cool. You can like, summon fire. Daenarys is right. You’re a motherfucking dragon queen!”
I laughed loudly, then threw my shirt off.
Kate covered her eyes with a giggle. “Wow, warn a girl next time. I might love you to the moon and back, but I think you have enough people who want to see you naked. Don’t go luring me into your hottie-rich harem, capiche?”
