“The second reason we’re gathering, and that these particular clans are staying until the Samhain Masquerade, is for Adrian to take the temperature of his alliances.”
“How come?” Layla paused with her hair, watching Dusk in the mirror.
“All his life, but especially in the last thirty years, Adrian’s cultivated powerful allies from the Dragon clans across Europe. Many of them will be present, plus a few of his strongest officers from Morocco. But just because they’re allies at the moment doesn’t mean they’ll stay that way.”
“They might shift alliances.” Layla frowned, realizing that Dragon clans sounded not so much like European royalty but like powerful American mobsters.
“It’s possible.” Dusk glanced at her in the mirror. “At a hundred and fifty years, Adrian’s still quite young for a Dragon, but his power is growing. Because of his abilities and also his shrewd investments, Adrian’s got rivals even among his allies. But there are those who would follow him if—” Dusk cut off suddenly, a frown coming over his features.
“If?” Layla glanced at him in the mirror, pausing with her golden eyeshadow.
“If we ever needed to rally.” Dusk responded, taking up his elegant jacket and slinging it on, the sapphire piping and fleur-de-lis satin flashing in the makeup-lights. The jacket fit his sculpted shoulders like a dream, hugging his slim waist in a way that made Layla want to faint as he buttoned it then stepped forward, adjusting his tie in the mirror.
“Rally?” Layla watched Dusk, realizing he was holding something important back from her. It was one of the first times he hadn’t been straight with her and Layla frowned, wondering what he was trying to protect her from. “Rally for what?”
Dusk glanced at her sidelong in the mirror as he finished adjusting his tie. “I’m not at liberty to say, Layla. It’s something you’ll have to ask Adrian about.”
“If he ever comes back.” Layla grumped, leaning forward to apply her mascara, realizing that whatever Dusk was holding back was at Adrian’s request. More of Adrian’s Royal Dragon secrets that he guarded as close as Smaug’s treasure. “Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego, anyway?”
“Adrian’s back, actually.” Dusk gave Layla a careful gaze in the mirror. “He arrived last night. You’ll see him at the soirée.”
Layla stared at Dusk, setting her mascara down. Heat swirled inside her, scalding her veins; she was far past furious that she had to find out from Dusk that Adrian was back at the Hotel. Her Dragon snarled inside her, adding to the scorching sensation that made the air smell like oranges burned in a blowtorch as a halo of heat simmered through the room.
“Adrian was here at the Hotel today and didn’t even stop by the Concierge desk to say hello? It’s not fucking rocket science where I am from six to six everyday. Jesus.”
“Easy, mad drakaina.” Dusk gave a wry smile, rifling a hand through his artful black waves. His hair rippled through deep colors as he did it, from midnight-blue to a brighter cobalt, then a flash of gold before he lowered his hand. Dusk’s midnight ridges and hair rippled with color when he was feeling intense emotions, and it showed in his irritation with Adrian. “Adrian’s not used to reporting his whereabouts to anyone. I don’t know why I’m defending his idiot ass right now, but there it is. The two of you may have a bond because of your talisman, but that doesn’t mean he understands relationships.”
“Apparently.” Layla still felt pissed as she started on her crimson lipstick. The halo of heat around her dissipated, but it was still pouring through her veins and Layla didn’t bother stifling it beneath the hamsa-cuff. It gave her cheeks and chest a hot flush in the mirror like she’d been fucking or fighting, and Layla found she rather enjoyed the sensation of letting herself be as angry as she wanted to be at Adrian Rhakvir. Dusk paused, watching her in the mirror – almost hauntingly still as she glanced at him and capped her lipstick. “What?”
“You know Adrian’s been celibate since he met you.”
“I didn’t know.” Layla blinked, setting down her lipstick. Her anger cooled suddenly to puzzlement. She could practically feel the Dragon inside her veins askwhy in blazes would he do that?Though it would have been a normal response to dating someone in the human world.
“It’s not like him.” Dusk spoke again, frowning. “Adrian usually has two or three casual partners at any given time, but that all stopped when he met you. As you’ve probably guessed, he has trouble… committing. Ever since—” But Dusk cut off again abruptly, rifling a hand through his hair and producing a sleek shine of cobalt. He gave a deep growl as if frustrated before continuing. “His better relationships usually blow up in his face because of his clandestine ways. But he’s different with you. I can see him trying to do something right, even if he still manages to get it all wrong. I don’t know what that means, but it’s worth noting.”
Layla touched her bottle of hair-spritz, smoothing her thumb over the label. Conflicting emotions rose in her, a hot-and-cold sensation of both fury and doubt. “This bond he made with me through the hamsa-cuff… I feel it all the time, Dusk. I forget it while I’m working, but it’s like there’s a part of me that would leap to see him again, no matter how awful he’s been. I hate that. And I hate him, too, for doing this to me. For binding me into a relationship before I had a chance to choose.”
“I know.”
Dusk’s words were soft behind her. Layla looked up to see his face in the mirror. As if her torpid conflict over Adrian was a sickness that could be caught, sadness etched Dusk’s handsome face, a pained expression in his eyes. He moved forward, then stopped. Then moved again, coming to stand behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders. They watched each other in the mirror and for some reason, Layla felt compelled to reach up and touch his fingers. Gently, their fingertips twined together. Something in Dusk’s eyes eased, a slow tenderness passing between them as they touched.
“I cannot apologize enough for what Adrian did to you,” Dusk breathed at last. “If I had known the full truth of what that cuff would do, binding you to him this way—”
“You don’t have to apologize for Adrian.”
“I do.” Something conflicted etched Dusk’s features again.
“You’re his brother, not his keeper, Dusk.” Layla spoke directly, watching him in the mirror. “Adrian chose to do what he did. He chose to use the Hamsa Bind talisman to bind me to him the moment my magic awakened – without my knowledge or consent. None of that was your fault.”
Dusk opened his mouth as if to argue, then shut it. He watched her a moment longer in the mirror, then leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her neck. Layla stilled, a thrill passing through her. Dusk had used none of his rumblings, but his lips were smooth like satin as they touched her neck, his breath hot as he paused, then pulled away. His hands slid from her shoulders and Layla turned, watching him as he stepped away.
He wouldn’t meet her eyes. Moving back to dressing, Dusk took out his crystal case of men’s jewelry and set it upon the makeup table, removing his platinum watch. Brows furrowing at his strange mood, Layla turned back to the mirror. She watched him as she put the last touches on her hair, adding a spritz that would give her curls shine, but Dusk’s silent mood held.
“So. Anything else about the clans?” Layla prompted, to break him from his reverie.
“Right.” Dusk had finished donning his watch and was now struggling with the cufflinks in a frustrated way that was uncharacteristic for him. Layla’s lips quirked. She turned on the ottoman and took the cufflink from his fingertips, doing it for him. He held still, watching her with amusement curling his lips, a flash of diamond-light brightening his sapphire eyes at last. “I can do that, you know. I’m not a complete imbecile.”
“You were getting nowhere fast. Hold still.” Layla admonished.
