Page 3 of Distant Heart (Vicious Valentine)
Illya should have known Rexton wouldn’t listen.
He turned back to find the spot in front of the table where he’d left the other man empty but banked down the annoyance that initially swept through him. Tonight was Cor Night for the rest of the university, but it was Praeda for him and the other Black Harts. The chase was inevitable.
The same way this night ending with Rexton on his back beneath him was. If a hunt was what his prey was after, then Illya wouldn’t disappoint. But first…
“Give him a moment.” He snatched Ryker’s arm and held him in place when he went to rush off after Nyoka, who was busy dragging some junior Illya didn’t know the name of away. “Let him deal with it.”
“Piss off.” Ryker shook himself loose but didn’t make any more moves to follow, fuming in place in the center of what had been a lively dance floor only moments ago.
Now, students and nervous staff members hovered off to the sides, on the outskirts looking in, like vultures waiting to smell blood.
It was true half the student body—and most of the professors—were hoping to be claimed as Praeda tonight. But it was equally true that half were not. The Black Harts, like any group deeply rooted in social and political politics, weren’t in shortage of enemies.
“Who started it?” Illya tried to keep his cool and ignore the buzzing sensation just beneath his skin, the one urging him to leave his best friend to deal with his temper on his own and go find Rexton before he got too far out of reach. The night was young, sure, but it’d been a long time since anyone had caught his interest the way Rexton had, and Illya would much rather be exploring that than standing here with the scowling Hart heir.
“Does that really fucking matter?” Ryker snapped.
“So, it was about Rue then.” He was hot-headed, but there was only one thing that could make Ryker lose his cool this poorly in such a short amount of time. The last Illya had seen, he’d been dragging his stepbrother out of the foyer. Clearly whatever had transpired between the two of them after that hadn’t been good. “Trouble with your Praeda already?”
“Don’t call him that.” Ryker tore his gaze off the area where Nyoka was scolding the junior and glared at him. “I’m already getting this shit from the others, not you too.”
Illya shrugged but left it at that.
Ryker’s eyes narrowed. “You’re awfully quiet.”
He snorted. “Is that meant to be a joke?”
“Whatever.” Ryker waved him off. “Take your usual brooding self elsewhere. I’ve got this.”
“Fine.” He absently glanced at the door. “I’ve got better things to do anyway.”
“Yeah?” It didn’t sound like Ryker believed him. Probably because Nyoka hadn’t been joking when he’d told Rexton Illya hadn’t taken Cor Night seriously in years. “Like what?”
“My Praeda.”
Ryker’s brow furrowed and he pursed his lips, waiting for a punchline that never came. “Holy shit. You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
He looked around the room. “Is Ellery’s cousin here?”
“Don’t spoil the fun.”
There must have been something in his tone because Ryker didn’t push after that. He merely lifted a shoulder and then motioned toward the exit, this time with less aggression than when he’d been rudely dismissing Illya. “By all means. Don’t let me keep you. How long have you been waiting for this one?”
“Too long.” No one else cared enough to notice, but Illya had seen photos of Ellery and his cousin at his house on more than one occasion. At one point, he’d even come close to stealing a particularly sexy shot of Rexton and Ellery at the beach, but the jealous feeling evoked from seeing Rexton’s arm slung tightly over his cousin’s neck prevented Illya from going through with the theft.
There was something about Rexton that called to him on a visceral level. Something that reignited that spark for Praeda that had withered away. His light blond, almost silver hair appeared silky to the touch even in photographs, and his eyes, a vivid lilac, were even more enthralling in person. As soon as Illya had spotted Rexton entering the building, he’d recognized him. Wanted him.
Wanted to own him and make him scream his name in ecstasy loud enough the rest of the school knew who Rexton belonged to.
Everything had seemed tedious and dull lately. Lacking. The boredom was an ever-yawning cavern within him, but now…Now it seemed like the universe was taking pity on him and delivering a respite from the slow descent into madness. Never in a million years would he have guessed that Rexton would be here, on this night.
Leaving his friend behind, Illya made his way into the halls, carefully picking his way through the partygoers, scanning for any hint of the man he was after. As far as he knew, this was Rexton’s first time here, which meant he was at a major disadvantage.
Though, it also meant there were no specific places Illya could think to look for him…
Perhaps he should have been more cautious and kept his eyes on Rexton instead of worrying about Ryker. This night wasn’t about friendship or loyalty to his brothers, after all. It was about singling out one's innermost desire and mustering the daring to take it.
Illya had asked Ellery about the man in the photos once. After explaining it was his cousin, Ell had even offered up more information of his own accord. It’d been in passing, and in his defense, he couldn’t have known what he was doing.
Selling his cousin to the devil.
According to Ellery, Rexton was bold and brash. Smart, but in the in your face about it kind of way. Certainly not cut out to be in a gang. The guy hated tea and took his coffee with more sugar than could be considered healthy. He got good grades in school, yet had opted to enroll in Guest Fine Arts Academy, where he was majoring in sculpting.
Thinking about those fine hands and how they’d feel all over his body was already starting to get him hard, and Illya picked up the pace.
Damn this building for being so massive.
Had Rexton left it already? Perhaps he was roaming outside, drifting between the dorms and the theater rooms…Cor Night left the entire campus open as a hunting ground to make it challenging. If he wandered the halls like this, Illya could be at it all night and miss his golden opportunity. He was only legally allowed to claim a Praeda before the first rays of the sun burst into the sky.
Pulling up his multi-slate, the body-borne device attached to his wrist that acted as both a communicator and computer, Illya clicked on Inspire and easily found Rexton’s account. He copied one of the photos and then moved over to the Black Hart’s group chat.
Illya: First one to tell me where he is gets my car.
He attached the photo and hit send, but not a second after, another thought crossed his mind and he sent another comment before anyone had even had the chance to read his first.
Illya : First one to touch him gets run over by my car.
His device dinged almost instantly.
Devyn: Don’t threaten me with a good time.
He started typing out a more descriptive threat, but before he could finish, the device dinged again.
Devyn: I’m joking. You know we all want that sweet ride of yours—and I do mean the car this time.
A photo came in, the image a little blurry, but clear enough that Illya could make out Rexton standing in the far corner.
Devyn: He’s in the Game Room. Better hurry. You’re not the only one who seems to have taken a liking to him.
Illya looked more closely at the photo, scowling when he realized Rexton wasn’t alone. Another student he didn’t recognize was hovering far too closely, all under the guise of playing pool. In Rex’s defense, it didn’t seem like he’d noticed, but then again, it was a single snapshot of a bigger picture.
Perhaps the two of them were chatting one another up right now. Whispering flirtatious remarks in the dim lighting.
The Game Room was almost on the other side of the building, and on the third level. Illya made his way there, ignoring all of the people he passed on the way. Thoughts of Rexton being led astray by that asshole spurred him on.
His actions didn’t surprise him. Illya’s personality was like that. He’d very quickly take to things, and once that happened, nothing and no one would be allowed to get in his way.
Not even Rexton himself.