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It’s the asshole who tried to bid against me at the auction. The entitled prick who wanted my girl.
“My name is Ivan Victore. I shall be inspecting you on behalf of the council of the Anguis.” He extends a slender hand through the draped fabric of his robe. “If you’ll kindly step this way.”
She doesn’t immediately go with him, and while that should make me relieved to see her hesitation, it also has me fearful of any repercussions that might come of being seen as uncooperative during her inspection.
“Miss Noire.” He repeats her name with a clipped tone that makes me want to shatter his jaw against the corner of that stone altar. “This is not optional.”
Ven’s darkness threatens to spill out of him as he sucks in a breath through gritted teeth. Ky isn’t faring much better.
“Fine.” Her tone is distant.
He leads her over to the polished slab of stone and guides her to sit on the edge. Foxglove is wearing a long-sleeved black dress that wraps around her and ties at the waist. Her hair is plaited over one shoulder, and her bright blue eyes seem to glow behind the skull mask covering the upper half of her face. As her body turns to face us, I catch her gaze, willing her with every silent force I can muster to keep her focus on me.
Please.
Please don’t let this be the beginning of the end.
“We’ll begin with you lying back.” Ivan stands over her, and the claws in my throat start to shred my skin.
“While this might be a tradition overlooked by time, the inspection prior to a Pledging ceremony has been resurrected just for you, Miss Noire.” His eyes wander all over her body as she is laid out atop the altar.
My stomach curdles immediately seeing her there.
“A long time ago, this was a process intended to confirm chastity on the part of the heir to be offered up in a Pledging, and to guarantee that a lineage was being safely guarded by the Households. But now it serves more of a ceremonial nature.”
Ivan adjusts the front of his robes, like this is some fucking privileged position he’s been given by whoever on the council is overseeing this bullshit.
“The Anguis uphold our rites and customs with pride, as you know.” He continues. “And one can only assume you are no pure, unsullied virgin considering your recent choices…shall we say.”
Ky lets out a rough noise.
My own breathing grows more ragged the longer this man hovers over her like a predator about to swoop on his prey from a great height.
I don’t know what an inspection for a Pledging ceremony entails, but seeing this man again after the way he wanted her the night of the auction—alarms ring a shrill warning in my mind.
“The heir to Noire House…” he runs a finger to lift her braid, and that tiny point of contact is almost enough to have me launching across the room. “Who would have known you would grow up to be such a prized possession.”
His hand begins to wander further down her shoulder, and then it happens, he tugs at the bow, tying her dress in place.
The three of us move in unison. I’ve already got my gun out and trained on the man’s chest, and Ky is reaching for his. Meanwhile, Ven hasn’t bothered with a weapon. I’m pretty sure he plans on punching straight through this man’s chest with his bare fists.
“I wouldn’t step any closer if I were you, Calliano.” Ivan surveys me with disdain. “Keep your dogs on a leash, lest we have to put the lot of you down.”
“Don’t fucking lay a finger on her.” Ky growls.
Ivan gives us a perverse smile. “Your bravado is rather touching, but perhaps you have forgotten that we are the ones who oversee all the necessary requirements of a Pledging ceremony. And the inspection of Miss Noire must be completed before we can allow you to secure a transfer of her inheritance.”
“This is complete bullshit.” Ky continues to reach for his weapon, and I haven’t lowered mine.
My eyes flick down to meet hers. I can see where her lips have turned pale.
“You forget your place,” he snaps. “This girl is the direct descendant of Andreas Noire, and an unclaimed heir. In the eyes of the Anguis, her body belongs to us until the Pledging ceremony.”
This man is already dead. If I don’t see to it, Ven will most likely carve him to pieces in his sleep. But we’re trapped until the final piece moves on the chessboard.
“Right now, you gentlemen have no recourse here. The handover of power in the eyes of the Anguis is yet to come. This is not some silly little auction where you can buy your way to success, and until the Pledging ceremony, may I remind you that threatening a council member can be very hazardous for your health indeed.”
As he speaks, he continues to unwrap the material of her dress until she’s laid out and exposed atop the stone altar, except for her bra and underwear. The fabric falls open on either side of her chest and stomach.
