Page 38 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

No one in our group was stupid enough to give our cards away. They’d play this careful and smart, so I’d talk to her when we were completely alone. I knew the sound of Aram’s heartbeat now. He was descending the tower staircase, and I didn’t sense anyone else nearby.

If it was Phillip and Sloan who came up with an idea, it’d be coded just for me. Even if Aram knew the Hunter code, he wouldn’t know it the way we used it. Grams suggested we alter or totally uphaul it in case any of our correspondence was intercepted by the Organization. And we had.

I bit my lower lip and hugged her back. “Okay.”

A black and red corset dress had been laid on the bed after I spent a couple hours assuaging my bestie’s greatest fears about a certain enemy in our midst—the fears I didn’t have any worry about him seeing me address.

The dress wasn’t anything I’d wear on purpose, but it did fit the impression their castle gave.

Very luxury Renaissance, but with all the benefits of a modern fashion world.

A beautiful handwritten note was left on top of the dress, scripted in shiny gold ink:

A dress fit for a queen like Daenerys, no?

I thought so, too. Once you’ve put it on, the necklace will do the rest. Wear it, little mate, then come down to the first floor as soon as the light bleeds from the sky.

You may bring the human. A suitable outfit has been left on the armchair for her as well.

Don’t leave me waiting long, or I’ll come up to dress you myself.

Yours,

Aram

I sighed and teased the skirt of the dress with my fingers. With a glance at the window, I noticed the light outside was nowhere in sight. Bleeds from the sky? Who even says that? It was dark and scary, much like I suspected villains appreciated their surroundings to be.

It bothered me how accommodating he was being. I’d have a better time if he was a total asshole and not charming in the least. The little inside jokes were meant to be disarming, so I’d be diligent about reminding myself of that.

The Season’s stimulation was already a problem whenever I was close to him, the same way it was with Jo and Cash. Guilt climbed into my throat whenever my eyes lingered on his lips too long or took a path down his body, hungry for things I wouldn’t want if not for this bond.

Kate’s head popped over my shoulder, reading the note. “Daenerys? Villain dude is quoting Game of Thrones ? Whoa. They get human shows here? Weird.”

“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.

“The dress is pretty, though.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re not helping here, Kate.”

“What, calling a pretty dress pretty is hardly a crime, chick. Also, Phillip told me to give you something. It’s like he knew he’d kidnap me and told me to keep it in my pocket.

You guys are seriously so smart. Or…wait, is it a clairvoyance thing?

Can he see the future?” Kate rambled, holding up the dress in front of me.

“Focus, Kate,” I admonished, my eyes straying to the necklace on the bed where the dress had been.

Kate made a cute face and rushed to say, “Oh, right! Okay, so it’s in some kind of language I don’t understand, but he said you’d know it. Also, destroy after reading, duh.”

“Duh,” I parroted with a little wink.

I hated that Aram’s trick was working. Having Kate with me made everything better, even if I didn’t like that it put her directly in danger. But he’d given me the thing I needed to protect. He played into a hand he didn’t even know we’d preplanned. Damn the mutinous two for their clever thinking.

I took the note she dug out of her pocket and read it. A smile was on my face before I could stop it. The little note burnt to ashes in my hand, and Kate watched in unconcealed awe.

“Dude, that’s so fucking cool. You can like, summon fire. Daenarys is right. You’re a motherfucking dragon queen!”

I laughed loudly, then threw my shirt off.

Kate covered her eyes with a giggle. “Wow, warn a girl next time. I might love you to the moon and back, but I think you have enough people who want to see you naked. Don’t go luring me into your hottie-rich harem, capiche?”

Snickering, I was in the dress before she could finish her complaint.

Kate insisted on helping and fumbled with the laces at the back of my corset, but eventually figured them out.

Then she put the necklace he’d left on the bed around my throat, tying off the little ribbon that held the two pieces together.

Whatever magic was in it did my hair in a gorgeous updo and applied a dark and dangerous look to my face that would rival Jo’s always perfect application. Or Phillip’s. Or Cash’s.

Kate whistled. “Holy shit! You look fucking gorgeous. But you also kind of look like...”

I caught my reflection in the tall, standing mirror near the bed. “Like a villain? Pretty sure that was the point.”

“Guess it’s time to burn shit down, then,” Kate laughed and went over to the chair where a pretty white dress was waiting for her.

I made sure to help her into it. It was far more modest than the one he’d left for me.

The necklace, too. It wasn’t gaudy and the size of the Hope diamond.

But on Kate, it was absolutely breathtaking.

Pink hair fell around her shoulders, making her more goddess than human, and her shy glance made me beam a smile.

“Do I look okay?”

“Like a goddamn vision. If what waited for us wasn’t a castle full of our enemies, I’d be telling you to go get you some.” I fixed a stray hair falling into her eyes.

“Yeah, villains aren’t really my type,” she mumbled.

I barely kept from eye-rolling the lie. “Yes, they are. But they can’t be here. These guys are as bad as it gets.”

Kate locked her arm with mine and leaned in. “Okay, fair. Tonight, I’m your Watson, my dear Sherlock. Let’s go shake shit up and make them regret ever crossing my bestie.”

Thank fuck for Kate. I desperately hoped all I’d read off Aram was true and he’d keep my friend safe, or it wouldn’t matter what it took, I’d burn this whole fucking place to the ground. I’d become the weapon they all feared so much.

“Hey, what did the note say, anyway?” Kate asked me as we made our way to the door. “Did it help?”

I winked at her, already rejuvenated by our banter. “Exactly what I needed to read, so yeah.” My smile was the gentlest it’d been since coming here. “It really did.”