Page 54 of Kiss of Seduction (Court of Chains #1)

Dominic turned a piece of chalk between his fingers, looking at the spot of concrete reserved for his desired prize. Currently, it was home to a trophy of lesser value than the one he desired. The one who’d gotten away.

He'd known it would be difficult. Fiends were notoriously guarded, and this particular Lady of Lust had been in the mortal world for over a century without being summoned again. That she was still free was impressive. And she had been so close.

It had been foolish to go after her at all, but the opportunity was too great. When he’d learned of the meeting with Hasan, Dominic had been blind to everything but the alluring possibility it presented. A greater Lust fiend, outside of her domain. Alone.

He’d expected her to run as soon as they were attacked, but she’d stayed by the East Coast vampire, even protecting him from a staking.

Chains fiends were an interesting sort. They didn’t behave with the selfish, wicked mindset his research said was always found within free beings of Sin.

It made her all the more interesting. It made her all the more precious. And she’d gotten away.

Dominic snapped the piece of chalk.

“Your spawn is no longer just useless but an outright liability,” Dominic said to Varro.

They were in the east wing of the King’s estate, and neither of them were happy.

“His tasks were simple. Kill the East Coast envoy. Capture the fiend. Somehow, he not only managed to do neither, but he actually made things worse .”

“Hasan had more guards than we realized.” Varro’s black eyes shined with wrathful flame. “Stefano almost died.”

“He defied orders,” Dominic said dryly. “I told him photographs would be useless. Either he was insolent and ignored my directives, or he believed them to be inaccurate. Regardless, he was an idiot.”

A few months ago, a comment like that would have enraged Varro. With how silent and contemplative the King got, it almost seemed like he agreed with Dominic.

Varro’s progeny had truly been idiotic. He’d taken pictures, all but stating his intention with the attack.

Now the Chains might know what Stefano’s orders had been, though Dominic doubted it.

Fiends didn’t trust easily, not even those of Chains, and they entrusted information about their freedom to no one.

She might not even share that a photo was taken.

“Stefano will be dealt with,” Varro said. “I’m not letting him ruin this for us any further.”

“ Us ?” Dominic snapped. “You have gained more than you’ve lost from this alliance of ours. Don’t disrespect me by pretending the failures of your spawn affected us equally.”

“Don’t act like you’re not getting anything out of this.”

“I get the potential for things. You have already gained tremendous value from our arrangement, King. Information that would have been otherwise impossible for you to get. I want my prize in return.”

“You’ll get it once the Court is crushed, as agreed. It will be soon.”

“Soon isn’t good enough.” Dominic caressed the violet-eyed woman kneeling at his feet. She flinched when he touched her. “I’m taking steps of my own. For my prize and for that slave of yours. I tire of the unnecessary risk of having Evelyn’s pretty little head still attached to her neck.”

“ No ,” Varro snarled. “She’s not yours.”

“She’s not yours either. Not anymore, at least. Unless you deal with her soon, I will take matters into my own hands.”

Varro gave him a hateful stare that seemed designed to make humans recoil in terror.

Dominic didn’t move. He was no ordinary man.

He was a warlock and a powerful one at that.

The influence and protection granted him by being in the Court of Varro Visconti were significant enough that he didn’t want to sever his ties to the vampire King, but it was only just so.

He was coven-less and had no community to lean on. There was no one he could trust, at least not any free creatures. Staying at the Court of Night ensured he was as untouchable as Varro himself.

But that value was nothing compared to the dream of his menagerie. If Varro and his spawn continued to hinder that dream, be it intentionally or through incompetence, Dominic would leave Varro to his shrinking Court and find another place that would better appreciate his services.

“She’ll be dealt with.” Varro clenched and unclenched a hand. “Soon. I swear it.”

“Do not fail,” Dominic said. “Otherwise, my shadow will take over. And she isn’t known for being kind.”

He looked down at the woman kneeling next to him. Just a lesser Lust fiend. What he wouldn’t give to have the real thing.