Page 30 of Kiss of Seduction (Court of Chains #1)

Evie looked at the condensation droplets running down the side of her drink. She hadn’t touched it, but it gave her an excuse to stay in the booth, and that’s what she was really after.

The Five-Leaf was a quaint little bar and grill not far from the Court of Chains.

When she’d asked if there was a safe place she could go that wasn’t the high-rise, the bar was the only option.

It beat staying at Natalya’s apartment. Evie had been coming to the bar almost every afternoon since the day in the dance studio.

“People tend to order drinks with ice to keep them cool. Not to let it water down the alcohol.” Lily had shown up next to Evie’s booth, gesturing at her glass.

Despite Lily’s standing at Court, she insisted on having a job outside its walls. Evie admired that, even if it was obvious Lily was never without protection. Plenty of scary-looking people were hanging around the bar.

“You also tend to order drinks to drink them,” Evie said. “So I’m doubly weird.”

“Or maybe you just have a lot on your mind?”

“Not a lot. Just something.”

Lily looked around. Other than the non-inconspicuous bodyguards there for Lily’s benefit, the place was nearly empty.

“I have some time if you need to talk.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

“But do you need to?” Lily gave her a kind smile. Even though Lily was younger than Evie, she often felt like an older sister.

Evie shrugged, and Lily sat down.

“Did something happen?”

Evie scoffed. Where would she even begin with that question? Would she start at the night of the attack? The night with Natalya in the high-rise apartment? Or the time Natalya fucked her in the dance studio, ran off, and then refused to talk to her in the days following?

“You could say that.”

“Something with Natalya?”

“Good guess.”

“She’s been in the Second Circle more often than not lately. With how insistent she was on staying with you at first, I assumed something happened. Did you tell her to leave you alone?”

“No. I didn’t.” Evie looked away from Lily, suddenly embarrassed. Her voice lowered to be barely a mumble. “We had sex.”

Lily didn’t even try to hide the look of shock on her face.

“But Natalya doesn’t—” She cut herself off, considered for a moment, then leaned in closer. “Really?”

“Twice. Please don’t tell anyone. I don’t want to feed the rumors.”

Lily’s eyes just widened, her shocked expression not lessening in the slightest.

“Was it good?”

Evie couldn’t help but grin at the question. She covered her mouth with her hand, knowing full well she was blushing.

“How was it?” Lily sounded excited and marveled at the reveal. “I mean, what was it?”

Evie paused again. Another question that was way too big to deal with. She didn’t know how to describe being with Natalya as anything other than ‘beautifully fantastic,’ and that made her sound so goddamn pretentious.

It was amazing. Pleasurable and intense and filled with ecstasy. It was warm and awakening and safe. It had been perfect. And somehow, it had been ruined.

“It’s complicated,” Evie said finally, remembering how Natalya had stormed off, looking like she was being torn apart by guilt. It had left Evie feeling confused and miserable, feelings that hadn’t gone away as Natalya refused to talk to her.

Evie hadn’t seen her in days. It made her feel empty. And angry.

“I think I did something wrong,” Evie said. “Or she did. I don’t know. She won’t talk to me.”

Lily snorted. “They’re all the same.”

Evie must have looked as confused as she felt because Lily smiled at her.

“Aleksander gave me the silent treatment once too. He lost control.” Lily pulled up her sleeve, revealing a large, nasty-looking scar on her left arm.

“I was enthralled by a Night vampire in the high-rise, and it lured Aleksander out of the territory. He almost died. He wasn’t himself.

He couldn’t help it, but it left him guilt-ridden all the same. Maybe it’s something like that?”

“But I feel fine,” Evie said, frustrated. “I felt fine. She didn’t hurt me at all. She was worried about that the first time, but then she—”

Evie bit her lip. In the dance studio, Natalya had been commanding and imposing. There was an element of danger to her which hadn’t been present the first time. But Evie had wanted it. Asked for it. She’d liked it even.

Though sudden and intense, it had been wonderful. And despite her dominating presence, Natalya made sure Evie knew what came next every step of the way. She made Evie feel safe. Made her feel adored.

To go from Natalya doing that to not even talking to her was more hurtful than leaving her alone in the studio.

“What did you do when Aleksander wouldn’t talk to you?”

“I told him he owed me in front of the entire Court.” Lily smirked as Evie stared at her, shocked. Then Lily grimaced. “Don’t know if I’ll recommend that tactic, though. Natalya angry is not a sight you want to see.”

“I know…” Evie hesitated a moment. “You said she’s mostly in the Second Circle. Is she there now?”

“Last I heard. But I don’t think you want to go down there. After what you’ve been through—”

“I’ll be fine,” Evie said, more sharply than intended. “I know what the place is. Lust, the Second Circle of Hell. It’s a clever name.”

“Natalya doesn’t like to be challenged.”

“Well, I don’t like being ignored.” Evie hated how childish she sounded.

Lily cocked her head, looking surprised. “You’re really not afraid of her, are you?”

“Not anymore.” Evie smirked, raising an eyebrow. “And you’re not afraid of Aleksander. Even if he scares me half to death.”

Lily chuckled. “I see your point.”

The door opening sent Lily running off to care for new customers and left Evie with her thoughts. She didn’t sit with them long. Lily had given her an idea, even though it might be a bad one, by the way Lily was talking.

But what did Lily know? Evie had spent the past week frustrated, confused, and mostly plain sad. She was sick of it. She hated not knowing what was going on.

She paid for the drink she hadn’t touched and left The Five-Leaf, aiming for the Court of Chains. Barely had she taken a step outside before she collided with someone.

“Sorry!” a mousy voice said.

Evie stepped back, frowning and looking up at a tall, hunched woman.

“Sam?” Evie was more confident being in the open street in broad daylight than when she was alone in the studio. She narrowed her eyes. “Have you been following me?”

“What? No! Or… I mean… Not really.” Sam took several steps backward. “I was walking by and saw you inside, so I waited for you to come out and… I feel terrible about the other day. I want to apologize. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Sam fidgeted. “Your girlfriend is really scary, by the way.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.” The words stung a little. “And I’m not interested in dating, so you’re wasting your time.”

“Oh… Oh, no, I’m not… I wasn’t hitting on you. Back at the studio.” Sam looked even more nervous than before. “I don’t make a good first impression. I’m awkward and I… I wasn’t thinking, really. I just wanted to help.”

When Evie kept glaring at her, Sam continued with a stammer. “S-sorry.”

Evie inspected Sam in more detail. Tall, unkempt hair, and her eyes never lingered on Evie’s for more than a few seconds at a time. She was hunching like she was trying to make herself look invisible.

“I need to get going,” Evie said after a moment.

“Right. Right, sorry. But… here.” Sam handed her a piece of paper where she’d scrawled a phone number. “I really do feel terrible and apologizing with actions tends to be more effective. I’m told. If you want to, I’d like to make up for being weird with coffee. Overpriced too.”

She smiled nervously, and Evie had trouble seeing how she could ever have found Sam intimidating. She was like a frightened puppy.

“Sure…” Evie said. “Are you going to let me pass now?”

Sam was blocking the sidewalk. Realizing it, she moved to the side, looking ashamed.

“Sorry. Again.”

Evie looked over her shoulder as she left. Sam huddled away from The Five-Leaf like someone would hit her if she stood up straight. Evie felt a bit of pity for her, but the feeling only lasted long enough that she put Sam’s number in her pocket rather than in the trash.

Evie had somewhere to be. And a demon to talk to.

From her red leather throne, Natalya watched the Second Circle with dead eyes. The carnal hall of Lust held only the initiated that day, and its hardwood floors and industrial-style design gave it a brutal, dangerous look. It fit the mood of its ruler.

She had been in the dungeon for hours, and hardly anyone had dared approach her. She was glad for it. She wanted to seethe, and it was better done in silence.

She should be more attentive. Drago, the only other greater fiend in the Court of Chains, had asked her to supervise a scene he was doing. He hardly needed it. The Wrath demon had learned the tenets of control surprisingly quickly, though he still wasn’t ready for humans.

Drago was whipping a fae man tied to a Saint Andrew’s cross, leaving bright marks on his skin. A year ago, Drago would have left bloody wounds.

He finished up the scene, going through the steps of aftercare in a way that was more mechanical than tender.

The fae actually ended up dismissing Drago, finding someone else to soothe the whipping marks.

The man sought out a woman who took him to a nearby couch and held him so caringly Natalya sighed seeing it.

Then it made her angry.

She’d never envied the patrons of the Second Circle.

They were merely lusty moths drawn to her flame.

The Second Circle was near a Court in its own right with how she oversaw it and how it affected her to be near it.

Until she saw how Aleksander smiled at Lily when he thought no one would notice, she’d never wanted anything more than that.