Page 17 of Monster’s Consort (Blackthorn Academy for Supernaturals #18)

Because that was the moment I understood Desmond and I were not all that different. Despite our heritage, our bloodlines, we were one in the same.

The first notes of Elton John’s Crocodile Rock rang out, and Wanda groaned.

“Are you kidding me right now?” She crossed her arms as Delaney bumped her hips between us, and before either of us could argue, she belted out the first line of lyrics, which made the boys turn to look at us. The grin that split Norman’s face was undeniable.

Wanda sang lightly, almost as if she did not care to be in the spotlight, but I supposed that was fine. I swallowed my fright, when I looked at Bane and hummed along as well, but Delaney was the one who carried us.

Bane grinned at me and the crowd moved to the music, and soon enough, joined in for the chorus. Everything melted away under those lights. For a moment, I was not a princess who needed to ascend. We were truly in the midst of Hot Royal Summer , as Delaney had called it. And it felt good.

Better than I’d felt in a long time since my life had been upturned into royal chaos.

So, I danced with Delaney and Wanda to the Crocodile Rock. I swayed and let my feet do the talking. And when we left, the crowd clapped and we were received by two smiling incubuses and a cheerful Kraken, and I thought perhaps for a moment, the summer would never end.

“Dance with me,” Bane whispered in my ear as he pulled me close.

Wanda and Norman had taken to the bar, which itself was only a bit concerning. They did not seem to be arguing, but there was a sliver of space between their seats.

Delaney was practically dragging Desmond on stage to karaoke, and I was slightly amused that he did not fight her.

Though he did look like a deer in the headlights, and did not know any of the words to the Spice Girls song she’d picked out, but he was a good sport.

He swayed back and forth on his heels. His rhythm was terrible, but Delaney did not seem to care as she pranced around singing about wanting to be lovers and getting with friends.

“We need to go,” I mewled. It was true, we did need to leave if we wanted to make it back before dinner. I did not want to be gone too long and be late for a meal a second time. I did not want tardiness to become a normal thing.

“Just one dance,” he whispered, sliding his hands around my waist. His mouth on my flesh was warm and welcoming and incited the fire within my blood that belonged to him. It heated me from the inside out and I groaned.

“Please?”

I slid my arms around his neck, relishing in our moment together. Away from the castle. Away from the truth. Every moment I could steal with Bane was a gift, and so, I succumbed easily to his pleas.

“Just one dance,” I said.

He grinned, leaning down to kiss me.

One dance turned into two dances. Two dances and two rounds of drinks later, it was well past dinner, but we were all too drunk to care.

Wanda was smiling as she danced with Norman, whose tentacles spun her around like a ballerina. Delaney and Desmond were arguing in between dancing—or rather, Delaney’s attempts to teach the Dark Fae Prince how to dance like “an actual person and not a stuck up faerie” as she said.

I half thought Desmond was going to strike her with a bout of magic, judging by how prickly he was getting, but he never did. He just let her ramble as she usually did and followed her lead.

Smart choice, Desmond.

The chariot ride home was full of giggles and hushed whispers. I curled up next to Bane, my lips against his neck. I smiled.

“I had so much fun today,” I said.

He cast me a grin of his own. His eyes were glazed from the alcohol. “Me too,” he said as he leaned down and kissed me.

I felt a tentacle slip between us, but Bane didn’t push it away.

“Get a room!” Wanda drawled, but it was not mean or sarcastic as she usually spoke. It was fun, light.

We all laughed as the chariot slid into the hangar. When we got out, stumbling like the drunk twenty-somethings we were, I noticed the thick, black night. The stars shone so bright, I couldn’t help but feel in awe.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured.

“Yes, it is,” Desmond said, his voice far away. “It makes me think of home.”

I glanced over to see Delaney at his side, her hand pressed to his back.

“Tír na nóg ?” Delaney asked.

Desmond nodded. “The most beautiful darkness is the one touched by light,” he murmured.

We all dispersed, one by one, knowing it was late and we would likely hear about our departure in the morning.

“Let me walk you,” Bane said, and I did not fight him.

I did not wait for Wanda or Delaney, for it seemed they had their own escorts.

It was a quiet walk back to the quarters.

Bane settled in front of my door and I had every desire to grab him by his shirt and pull him into my bedroom, into my bed and kiss him until I couldn’t breathe. To curl up to his fire and fall asleep again.

But I knew better than to press my luck.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For what? I didn’t do anything.”

I shook my head. “For being my spark,” I said softly. “For making the world stop for just a little.”

Bane gave me a delicious smirk as he said, “Anything for my princess. ”

And when he kissed me, I swore I saw stars bloom in the darkness behind my eyes.