Page 42 of Kiss of Seduction (Court of Chains #1)

“What?”

Lily smiled. “You look amazing.”

The words made Evie grin from ear to ear. She’d settled on wearing dark shorts and a green sequin crop top that matched the color of her eyes. She did look good. It had been a while since she got compliments and actually believed them.

It had become easier lately. Evie was opening up more with Georgina, difficult as it was, and she was keeping her promise to Natalya.

Telling her own reflection, every day, that she was beautiful, strong, and brave.

It felt awkward at first. Then tragic. But somehow, it helped.

It helped more than she thought it would.

“You look great, too,” Evie said, looking at Lily’s outfit with genuine appreciation.

The slight woman wore a dark red, laced-up corset, and a short black skirt.

The colors suited her tan skin and dark brown hair.

Had they met under different circumstances, Evie could have seen herself asking Lily out.

“I look okay .” Lily hugged herself, her face sullen. “It’s hard to look better than okay when you’re built like a stick.”

Evie was more than familiar with that self-deprecating mindset.

It was insecurity she still felt herself, though not as much as usual.

Putting on the clothes and makeup was like putting on a uniform.

It was like stepping into the role of someone who oozed confidence. Someone who wasn’t scarred and scared.

“Well, I think you look fantastic.” Evie held out the lipstick she’d just been using. “And I know for a fact wearing lipstick makes you feel sexier.”

Lily chuckled, accepting the makeup. “Aleksander likes when I wear lipstick.”

“Will he be there tonight?”

“I don’t know. He’s still busy.” Lily applied red to her lips. She smiled a little wider when she was done. “From what I heard, Natalya has been too.”

With Night vampires still moving around near the borders, Aleksander was away from the high-rise more often than not. It left Natalya in charge, and her having to manage the Court meant she wasn’t in the apartment as much as she’d been in the beginning.

Evie had felt a twinge of fear—and disappointment—when she learned Natalya wouldn’t be walking the floor that night. It dulled her enthusiasm a little, remembering she wouldn’t be there. Evie hadn’t seen her since the previous evening.

“You okay?” Lily asked.

Evie had gone quiet, thinking about the violet-eyed woman. She shook off the feeling, trying to restore her excitement.

“I’m fine.” Evie tensed as soon as the words we’re out. She could easily picture the look of annoyance Natalya would give her if she’d heard her say that.

But Natalya wasn’t here. And though Lily was nice, Evie didn’t owe her the concerns in her head. Even if just thinking about Natalya made Evie’s heart pound against her ribs. Her lips started tingling slightly.

“You miss her,” Lily said.

Lily wasn’t human. She was a goddamn mind reader.

“I just feel better with Natalya around.” Evie cleared her throat, realizing what she’d said. “ Safer , I mean.”

She remembered what Natalya had told her. She was a being of Lust, a being made for Sin. She couldn’t care for another. Not in a romantic way, at least. Natalya had been clear about that.

Despite knowing it, a persistent nagging feeling of wanting more had burrowed its way into her chest.

It was a useless feeling. A stupid one. Natalya didn’t want someone doting on her like that. She probably got plenty of such things already. She felt responsible for Evie, and they had their fun. That was all. She needed to accept that.

“Right…” Lily didn’t sound entirely convinced, but she must have seen something in Evie’s face that made her drop the topic. Maybe it was pleading.

She didn’t want to talk about it. Or even think about it. She planned on drinking enough at the bar that she wouldn’t be able to do either.

The Chicago River stretched out far below, the glow of streetlights scattering over the surface. A deceptive calm, hiding darkness and other wretchedness beneath. Natalya did her best to mimic it.

“I don’t like asking this of you,” Aleksander said. They were in his penthouse, one of the few places the King of Chains could act as though no audience was watching. Such was the curse of ruling. Showing weakness and insecurity was prohibited.

“I don’t recall you asking as much as me offering,” Natalya said. “But after what happened at Varro’s, I understand your apprehension.”

“I would go myself.”

“I know.” Natalya gave him a long look. “It’s your own damn chains locking you in place. You only have yourself to blame for being Court-bound.”

Almost two years before, Aleksander had lost control and nearly drained Lily to death. The minimal punishment for attacking a human in that manner was clear. Territory confinement.

The King of Chains wasn’t above the laws and had shackled himself to his Court for five years. It was why Natalya had visited Varro rather than Aleksander.

Natalya ran a finger over her lips. “Since we’re alone, I’ll let you know it was foolish taking on that punishment in the first place, even if it was just. You’re an idiot, but at least you’re an honorable one.”

“I should have you whipped for speaking to me like that.”

His voice was deep and steely. It was a voice that demanded obedience. It was how he always spoke, but a twitch near his mouth told Natalya the comment was made in jest.

Then he narrowed his eyes, watching her fingers still touching her lips. Natalya lowered her hand, speaking before Aleksander could do so.

“Did Zahra say what she wanted with this meeting?”

“She was lax on the details. Something about a common enemy.”

“That doesn’t exactly narrow it down. The Queen of the East Coast has as many enemies as we do.”

“With Varro nipping at our borders as well as hers, I think it’s safe to assume who the conversation will concern. She’s sending one of her progenies to speak for her. Hasan Khara. I’ve met him before. A charming man. Maybe a bit too charming.”

Natalya frowned at that. A charming disposition could be as dangerous as a threatening one. She knew that better than most.

“Strange that he would want to meet outside the territory. The Court of Chains is open to East Coast vampires.”

“I think it’s a play,” Aleksander said, and it made Natalya reconsider the motivations of the Queen of the East Coast. Natalya had never met her, but Aleksander knew Zahra personally.

She’d exiled him from her territory after he killed his Maker.

A harsh but merciful act. Any other Night Regent would have executed him.

By setting the meeting outside Chains territory, Zahra ensured Aleksander couldn’t attend. The obvious solution was to send Natalya in his place.

“You think the Queen wants to ensure your fiend is properly trained,” Natalya said stiffly. Aleksander shrugged.

“Perhaps.” He actually smiled when Natalya glared at him. “Or maybe she’s just curious about the ways of Chains.”

Natalya snorted. “Think she’s looking to put down the crown in favor of grunt work?”

“I think she’s in this game, somehow.” Aleksander turned his attention to the city beyond the windows. A young Kingdom. His and her conquest. Their responsibility. Predators were stalking its borders. “I want to know what her role is.”

“I will find out.”

“I know you will.” He leaned back in his seat. “You should bring Drago. I know he prefers to be near Court, but I would be more comfortable if he was with you. Especially with what happened last time you went outside the territory.”

“Drago’s guarding Evie and Lily tonight.” If something even remotely threatening came near Evie, Natalya had given the Wrath fiend leave to tear it to pieces. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

Aleksander regarded her curiously. There was no supernatural being she trusted more than Aleksander, and he felt the same about her.

Neither could rule without the other, and neither desired the responsibilities the other held.

Their relationship was why the Court of Chains had not only succeeded but flourished.

They were as near equals as they could be.

Natalya was reminded that he wore the crown by the steeliness of his gaze. Though he didn’t intimidate her, she knew when to feel wary of him.

“Something worrying you, King?”

Aleksander looked at her for a long moment, then he tapped his mouth. Realizing she’d been touching her lips again, she lowered her hand.

“She’s a problem.” Aleksander didn’t need to specify who he was talking about.

“There’s no problem,” Natalya said sharply. “She’s safe. She’s healthy. There’s no cause for concern.”

“You’re sleeping with her.”

Natalya’s eyes steeled onto his. She didn’t like when others knew things about her, especially not when she hadn’t shared it with them.

She was already conjuring up the best way to skin Drago alive, the only being she knew was aware of her and Evie’s relationship, when Aleksander continued.

“Evie told Lily. Lily told me. No one else knows.” Aleksander’s eyes were hard. “How is she still alive?”

“I don’t know,” Natalya admitted. “She shouldn’t be. I should be ruining her, and I almost did. You know what happened when we fled from Varro’s.”

“I know what you told me. I’m starting to suspect you left out some details.”

Natalya wanted to break something. She settled for digging her fingers into the armrest of her chair.

“I partially drained her in the car, like I’ve done to countless others.

But when she woke up, she kissed me without me expecting it.

It should have siphoned the life right out of her, but she didn’t even stumble.

Everything I’ve done to her should kill her or at least weaken her.

For some reason, she’s unaffected. She can even push against my influence if she wants to.

I suspect that particular skill comes from her heritage, but I can’t be certain. ”

Aleksander paused a moment, considering. “She suits your needs, then?”

Even though the statement was factually true, Natalya disliked hearing it. Evie made her feel invigorated. Strong and beyond satiated. Evie fit her needs perfectly. That was easy to accept. It was everything else that was difficult.

It wasn’t need that made her visit Evie at night to ensure she slept without nightmares.

It wasn’t need that made her feel a strange, warm joy whenever she saw Evie smile or heard her laugh.

And it wasn’t need that made her constantly wonder if Evie was safe, and which kept Natalya from checking in on how she was feeling whenever they were apart, even though she easily could and desperately wanted to.

Evie didn’t like when she did it. Natalya wanted to respect that.

Evie made her want a lot of things. A lot of strange, unfamiliar things.

“It was one thing when it was just rumors,” Aleksander said.

“Ms. Atkins is here because she helped you escape. For that, she’s owed Chains protection, unquestionably so.

But the rumors of you fucking her were only harmless when there was no truth to them.

Denying them now would be a direct deception. ”

Aleksander put a small box on the table between them.

“You need to fix this.”

Natalya opened the box, revealing a purple tinted Chain pendant on a steel necklace. A symbol of their Ribbon contracts and a promise of sexual exclusivity. A mark that symbolized being Claimed. Something for Evie to wear.

She closed the box and pushed it away, repulsed both by its presence and the craving it started.

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s not a choice, Natalya. Something like this could be ignored for a lesser member of the Court, but not for you. My second cannot have a relationship with a human outside the contracts. It breaks our laws. It’s creating tension.”

“You know what she’s been through. She was a slave, Aleksander. She doesn’t want to belong to another again, and I sure as Sins am not going to ask her to be.”

Evie wouldn’t want that. She may accept it because she felt she had no choice, and that thought hurt more than anything. To have her submit, not because she wanted to, but because she felt forced.

Evie had already been through that. More than anyone deserved. Natalya would rather die than add any more hurt to her in that manner.

“Then it must stop.” His voice was harsh. It wasn’t Aleksander speaking. It was the King of Chains, and his word was law.

Natalya wanted to say it would, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. It hurt too much. She didn’t want to go back to what she and Evie had been. Not when she knew how wonderful it could be.

She had enjoyed the benefits of the Purple-tiered contracts almost since the Ribbon system was founded. It was a way to ensure she was sated without committing to the full-time care or risk that came with the higher tiers. All her Purples she’d appreciated, all of them she’d enjoyed.

But all of them had wanted their service.

They had volunteered for the position they were in.

If she was the one who presented Evie with the idea of such a contract, she might accept it simply because she wanted to please Natalya.

Evie was already traumatized from serving a supernatural Court. She wouldn’t want to do so again.

Natalya wanted the impossible. She wanted submission freely. She wanted Evie freely. If the only way to have her was to force or manipulate her into submission, then Natalya couldn’t have her at all. The guilt of it would tear her apart.

Aleksander looked at her evenly. He saw what she wanted him to see. Resolve. Anger. Certainness. But the way his eyes softened suggested he saw the hurt too.

He eased the box with the purple Chain pendant into her dress suit pocket before getting to his feet.

“I’ll escort you to the edge of the territory. But we have to stop by the club floor first. I want to see Lily before we go.” His black eyes shined with flame. “That’s not an issue, is it?”

“Of course not,” Natalya said, standing. Even though the box with the pendant was light, it felt like a brick in her pocket. “No issue at all.”