Page 12 of The Star's Sword
I didn’t move an inch in his grip, and he smoothly moved me out into normal position and started us moving again.
I let myself sink into the music, watching Mark’s face, his smooth expressions of joviality to the others, the consummate predator able to make nice.
I was a little jealous.
“If you’d like to mate with me, I can help your social skills.”
I choked, lost for words and offended. “Excuse me, what?”
“I’m an elder vampire. I can’t tell your feelings, but I can sense what you want. You were envying my way of smoothly working through the world of the court.”
I nodded.
He grinned, pulling me in again, making me feel even tinier and more helpless than before. His eyes were dark with hunger, the gray there stormy but warm, his hands slightly curling at the fingertips, digging into my hips. “I’m a vampire who likes to feed the old-fashioned way, so it’s lucky you’re a beauty.”
I didn’t know how to resist the sudden pull of what he wanted, his sheer will. I felt dizzy with the heat of the ballroom, the scents, his sheer size, and of course, what was even appropriate while I was trying to be diplomatic.
He reached beneath my chin and pulled my face up toward his, lowering down closer and closer, as I felt the world seem to stop spinning around us.
Then I felt my arm jerked back somewhat firmly, by a warm hand that I knew who it belonged to from the moment it touched me.
“This wasn’t what I meant by diplomacy,” Samael growled, as I was pulled in against Samael’s chest, looking up to see him in a tight black tux with a scarlet pocket square.
His jaw was jutting as he squared off with Mark, his arms possessively around me, his skin practically steaming with rage.
Mark for his part merely smirked, folding his arms. “What are you doing here, celestial?”
Sam’s handsome face hardened as he made to push me behind him, but Zadis and Simon stepped forward in a flash.
“It’s rude to interrupt a dance, Samael,” Simon said. “You know that.”
“Weren’t you supposed to be home with Cayne?” I asked Samael, confused.
“You were supposed to stay with her,” Sam hissed at Zadis.
“I can’t stop her from fraternizing,” Zadis said. “That’s the point of all this.”
“I don’t call forced seduction fraternizing,” Sam said in a growl, as I pulled him in against me, calming him.
“Forced?” Mark scoffed. “That’s not what I thought.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Mark, I’m not…interested in you that way, and—”
“Even to convince me you’re the Morningstar?” Mark cocked his head, looking genuinely confused.
Sam began to growl again, but Mark just laughed.
“Even if it’s just feeding, it’s pretty customary if you want to win a courtier’s opinion of your power.”
“I donate,” I said.
“Ask Vasara, the other Morningstar candidate,” Mark said, nodding toward a tall blond woman in the corner by the refreshment area. She was wearing all gold, surrounded by admirers, and dripping in white crystals.
I caught my breath at the sheer style of her.
“Donation is anonymous. You need to get more personal,” Mark said, smirking. “I guess I’ll go see Vasara now. Good luck, other Morningstar.”
“Cleo,” I said quickly, my hands tightening into fists. “My name is Cleo.”
