Page 61 of Vicious Kings
"Gave her a better story to remember tonight by. One where she had too much champagne and you kindly escorted her home." His smile is sharp enough to cut. "Which is precisely what you're going to do. Unless you'd prefer she remember that her roommate is a would-be mass murderer?"
Fuck. I knew this paranoid son of a bitch was onto me.
Then again, is it really paranoid if Iamplanning to murder him and his entire family?
"I meant what I said, your highness," I say, the words coming out venomously no matter how hard I try to smooth them. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Good," he purrs. "Keep playing innocent. My brother is arrogant enough that he just might believe you."
"Who says I'm playing?" I demand, backing up another fraction only for my shoulders to bump the window.
His gaze flicks over me like a cat studying a mouse under its paw. "You're clever. You'd have to be in order to have managed your way into this university, let alone this party, and identify a weakness in the temporal anchors. But clever won't keep you alive. Not with my brother's guard dogs watching your every move now that you've got his attention."
"I rejected your brother," I say flatly.
"Which was the fastest way to become his new obsession," he sneers. "And collapsing the shimmer is the fastest way to end up with your head on a pike. Even if you could manage to interrupt one of the temporal anchors, which is doubtful, you'd take yourself out along with the rest of us."
I keep my expression neutral. Caelyx grins like he's onto me.
"Ah," he continues even though I haven't said a word, "so the little huntress is willing to die for her cause. How noble. But I'm afraid I can't let you do that at this critical juncture. You may have a death wish, but I don't."
I cast a sideways glance at Olivia, who's still spaced the fuck out and wobbling slightly like she had a few too many unicorn piss martinis, or whatever the hell they're serving at this thing.
"Why are you helping?" I demand, looking back at Caelyx.
"Who says I'm helping?" He leans closer, and his breath is hot against my ear. "Maybe I just want to see what you do next. You're far more interesting than the usual omega cattle."
"I'm not omega cattle."
"No, you're a hunter playing dress-up." He pulls back, those red eyes gleaming. "And you're terrible at it."
"Fuck you."
"Such language." He touches Olivia's forehead and she blinks, confusion clouding her features.
"What the... I feel strange," she mumbles.
"Too much champagne," Caelyx says smoothly. "Your friend was just about to take you home."
"Oh." Olivia sways, and I catch her arm before she can stumble forward. "That's... that's nice of her."
Yeah, he definitely fucked with her head.
"Very nice," Caelyx agrees. "Run along now, ladies. Before something unfortunate happens."
The threat is clear. Leave, or he'll expose me. I want to argue, to fight, to do anything other than retreat with my tail between my legs. But Olivia is already tugging me toward the exit, mumbling about how the room is spinning.
"This isn't over," I tell Caelyx.
"No," he agrees, and if I didn't know better, I'd think that was excitement in his voice. "It's just beginning. You owe me a favor now. And I always collect my debts."
Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
This is a disaster. Not only did I fail to kill Corvinus, now I owe a favor to his psychotic brother. The brother who apparently knows exactly what I am and what I'm trying to do.
I'm so completely fucked.
As we stumble through the portal, leaving the shimmer behind, Olivia leans heavily on my arm.
