I let her lead me to the dance floor, seeing another time, another figure with fuller shoulders, a firm, muscled abdomen. Glass raining down, glittering like starlight. Lightning splitting the black.
Look at me.
Her arm wraps around my back, fingers pressing gently into my side.
“Who are you?” My voice falters, barely audible over the thumping of the beat around us. It doesn’t matter as she swings me into a smooth waltz.
Her perfect teeth glimmer in the soft light, a wolf on the prowl like some story book horror.The better to eat you with, my dear.
“You don’t remember? I thought we had at least a little connection, pet.”
Her foot snakes around my ankle like a flash, sending my axis off and spiraling. My stomach lurches as I struggle to catch my balance. Fail. I’m falling.
Soft, strong arms catch me. I have little choice but to lean into them, allow her to pull my body against hers, back to chest, steadying me. With my fingers still entwined in hers, she grasps my neck with one hand, the other anchoring on my hipbone. My heartbeat spikes.
Don’t let me catch you down here again, Checkmate.
“Black Monarch,” I choke out.
“Mmm.” She nuzzles against my cheek, nose pressing against my skin, as she purrs into my ear. “I knew we had something special.”
“Where is he?”
“Business, business, business,” she groans. “Don’t you ever let yourself relax and have some fun? Even with your memories gone, you’re still Miss Responsibility.”
I go still in her grip, a chill racing through my bloodstream. “Does Vanall know you’re on C’s payroll?”
Her chest shakes as laughter spills out behind me. “Vanall doesn’t know half as much as he thinks he does, and he thinks even less.”
“Take me to Charade.”
“After all this, you’re still his?” Her hips press into the curve of my glutes, and I’m left with little choice but to sway along with her movements or let her grind into me for everyone to see.
I struggle to push the hand gripping my throat away, but her fingers only close tighter.
“Shh, Checkmate. We’ve played that game already. You don’t want to be unconscious when you meet your host, do you?”
“Fuck. You.”
She laughs, lips against the shell of my ear. “I think I’d like that.”
Her fingers dip from the curve of my hip to the top of my thigh, her fingers splaying possessively there. I stifle a squeak as the wet, hot muscle of her tongue traces up the arc of my cheek.
“Maybe you would too.”
I do the only thing I can think of and stomp hard on the arch of her foot. She’s fast though, much faster than I’d have expected.
“Naughty pet,” she titters. “Our time’s up anyway. Be a good girl and don’t draw any more attention. Charade will be awfully disappointed if we’re late.”
Her fingers pull tighter around my neck, the pads of her finger pressing tightly into the vulnerable skin over my jugular. It’s enough to halt my struggle.
“Good girl. This way.”
31
KAYE
Down, down we go, far away from the lights and frivolity of the revelers upstairs. Into the dark corners of the house, with only the dank smell of mildew and chill to accompany us.
