Page 39 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

My Dear Watson

A ram was waiting at the bottom of the spiral staircase, his wings tucked under a long, thick cloak. His large physique in a well-tailored suit was a sight I could’ve done without, mostly because it was annoyingly gorgeous.

His silver hair was braided away from his face like he’d taken his inspiration from a fantasy movie. Piercing blood-red eyes rose to meet mine as if he’d been worried I’d never come down, but it was the fanged smile that split his face that shook me the most.

This is your goddamn enemy, V…

Why did they have to make villains so pretty here? Seriously. It was rude.

Lust invaded my head like it never had with him. It was so potent I nearly stumbled on the last step. Kate tightened her grip on me, fear twisting her expression. I patted her hand and gave her a quick, reassuring smile before stepping forward.

“This dress is obnoxious, you have to know that.”

Aram seemed to come out of his head, the attraction he felt for me screaming both in my head and his eyes. “I’d hate to disagree with my mate—”

“V,” I corrected with a hiss.

His tongue swept his lips as his throat bobbed. “V.” His gaze danced with amusement as it met mine again. “Perhaps I was wrong.”

Confused, my eyebrow rose. Kate was close to my back, probably glaring daggers at him, but Aram never paid her a single glance.

“I’m not sure if I want anyone to see you this beautiful,” he admitted out of nowhere.

Kate whooshed a breath. “Dude’s smooth, I’ll give him that.”

“Not helping,” I muttered angrily.

“Oh, right. Hate it. Hate him. Such a playboy.”

“Better.”

I was immediately assaulted by such a strong feeling of amusement and adoration it battered my pulse and threw my entire heart, body, and mind out of sync.

Aram put out his hand and waited for me to take it. “Come. Let this playboy show you the true splendors of the Nether Kingdom.”

A sassy quip waited on my tongue, but Kate beat me to it. “Oh, like what? Dancing and singing silverware and a castle full of furniture that talks back?”

I might be on the fast track to my demise, but at least I didn’t have to ask myself what Kate would do.

Neither one of us expected him to laugh, so when his husky chuckle echoed off the walls, it was a concerted effort on both of our parts not to look dumb.

“I could arrange that, but I’m afraid we’re all out of Beasts. We do have quite a nice library. Enough to lure a Belle.” The influx of emotion from him was staggering. “Should she want to see it.”

Did this dude just plot drop Beauty and the Beast to me or was I going crazy? What even was this flirt factor? I expected a lot, but even I couldn’t have anticipated a well-versed-in-the-human-world Fae enemy. It just never crossed my mind.

I’m going to kill Cash for not preparing me for this.

Kate glanced at me. “Okay…maybe villain is my type.”

“Not helping,” I groaned as I took Aram’s hand and muttered curses under my breath about charming villains.

The narrow hallway led into a bigger corridor, the ceilings easily thirty or forty feet above us. Like Lyra, the architecture was held together by magic and imagination, and the walls were reflective.

It was uncomfortably awkward to catch my unusual appearance next to Aram’s every time I turned my head. I expected guards to line the walls and doors, but so far, I hadn’t seen anyone.

A set of twenty-foot-tall double doors opened before we reached them, unveiling an insanely large ballroom. After nothing but empty hallways, I wasn’t prepared for the number of well-dressed supernatural creatures.

It was practically a city inside a ballroom. Every single one was dressed similarly but in white. Only Aram and I were in dark colors. Even Kate had been given a white dress.

A ceiling didn’t exist when I glanced up. Instead, a pink moon beamed down on the entire space, cloaking everything in light and shadow. At one side was an elevated platform with a long table stretching across it, and at the other, a stage where beautiful Fae danced and sang in unison.

The melody was darkly mesmerizing, a haunted series of notes that raised hair everywhere on my body. It filled the space like a siren song, luring a crowd into a sultry dance everywhere my eyes went.

Of course, that could also be the Season’s fault. Either way, it was exactly how I thought Fae would party it up—dancing seductively, dressed in beautiful outfits, and their gorgeous bodies on display to a magical moon.

“This better not be an orgy,” I grumbled.

Aram leaned down conspiratorially, endlessly amused by the things I said. “And if it were?”

“I’ll take my friend and go,” I warned, eyeballing a suspicious group of sultry party-goers. “I’m not your prisoner,” I added more to myself than to him.

His arm went around my waist and it took every bit of my training not to gasp at the electric current that spread from where we touched. Suddenly, the entire room’s eyes were on us.

“No, you’re not, little mate.” A smug grin graced his beautiful mug, and I hated how much that look went straight to the traitor between my legs. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I told you I don’t share.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Can’t be in the middle of a room-wide orgy and not participate. That would just be rude,” I retorted sarcastically.

His reply was far less sarcastic. “A crime, really. But I wouldn’t risk any activities that might tempt my impressively greedy mate.”

My head snapped his direction, eyes narrowed. “Hey—”

“I’ve got plenty of stamina to keep you satisfied,” he said over my objection, his mouth close to my ear, and treacherous shivers raced my spine. “Fear not, little mate.”

I wasn’t given a chance to give him a piece of my mind. The music suddenly died out and even Kate would’ve heard a pin drop as Aram stared out at the crowd. No one spoke. They waited patiently for their king to address them, as if this was a common occurrence, and I’d never been so uncomfortable.

“It’s time for you all to greet your new queen,” he said so loudly it carried across the room like an echo.

“Wait, what?” I balked.

Whispers erupted in excitement. Inquisitive eyes dissected me—some full of wonder, others overcome by jealousy.

My vampire ears caught quite a few bemoaning the implication he’d taken a mate.

No doubt, they grieved their seasonal hot piece—or maybe just their hot piece in general—having someone at his side.

Luckily for them, I wouldn’t be staying.

A voice interrupted my slow-descending spiral into madness. “She’s got the blood of the Originals in her,” it boomed.

The mass parted like the Red Sea, and Rayis appeared in a long cape and suit similar to Aram’s.

His green hair was gelled back away from his masculine face, all ridges and strength and royal airs.

The upper part of his face was covered by a black mask, but I’d know those red eyes anywhere.

They were forever burned into my memory when I had the bastard at the end of my blade, snarling at me.

Eyes followed the green-haired asshole as he strode forward, undeterred by the vicious glare Aram pinned him with.

When they were nearly nose to nose, two titans facing off, his lips pulled back into an aggressive sneer.

“She’s no queen. If anything, she’s a bloody traitor to this realm.

An abomination that you’d be an absolute muppet not to put down for good. She’s already warped your mind, Aram.”

I wish, my dude, but I can’t totally take credit for that.

A chorus of whispers broke out across the crowd, but they abruptly cut out the second Aram swept his eyes around the room. My mind was fractured by the flood of Aram’s wrath. It smothered out all of my own thoughts, and the emotion swiftly became a dangerous pound in my head.

Aram’s wings spread out and the entire room seemed to shift back, clearing space for the sparring brothers.

I hadn’t expected everything to escalate so quickly, but Dagon appeared next to my side, his black wings spread as well.

To guard me? Guess it was only the one brother at this point, but I could work with that.

I stole a glance at the dark-haired Nether Douche’s direction, but his gaze was firmly set on his brother across from us. Unlike Rayis, it didn’t appear this one liked to talk much.

Every Fae in that room was stricken by the sudden turn of events. It didn’t appear this happened often. They continued to put space between them and the battling trio.

“Are you challenging me in front of this many witnesses, Rayis? Threatening my mate in plain view of our court? I never thought you’d be this stupid,” Aram spat at his brother, feathers ruffling in agitation.

Rayis dragged an angry hand over his hair and glared. “Well, I didn’t think you’d be conquered by a pair of tits and some weak-ass mate bond no matter who it was with, but I guess you and I are both disappointed tonight.”

Should I be flattered my tits made it into the conversation? I couldn’t help but glance at them. Small but perky in this dress.

Conquered a bouncer and now a super villain? Go you, little itty bitty titty committee.

“Rayis,” Dagon warned.

“No, Dagon. This is madness, and you know it. She’s…she’s the very thing that took our family from us. Will you truly betray their memory by allowing this insanity to continue?!”

Sadness and grief warped my thoughts for a second before it was gone. It’d been Aram’s, not mine. Rayis’s words struck a chord and doubt floundered in the reply he made. “She’s not our enemy. She’s my mate. Fate—”

“Fate this, fate that. That drivel means nothing to me when those powers of hers could be the end of us and everything we’ve worked to achieve,” Rayis said firmly, his heated scowl directed at me. “You might not see it, but I do. She’s not affected—”

“Silence,” Aram growled and Rayis went quiet, the light in his eyes dulling.