Give me Kit back.
Cyrus pressed against her lower spine when she froze on the dance floor. Couples swirled and swayed, lit beneath the holographic Stars. Their whispers grew louder as Cyrus guided her toward Sabine and Talor, just beyond the fluttering golden strips of silk.
Sabine stood immaculate in a black gown. Her lips were a sharp red slash on her face. Beside her, Talor stood in full uniform, medals gleaming. The freckles across his nose seemed to jump out at her, screaming of Kit.
Rin’s heart beat so fast it was a wonder she didn’t collapse. She wished she would. Then, at least, she wouldn’t have to face them.
Rin fixed her gaze on the butterflies along the hem of her dress, shifting as she walked. She pretended she was somewhere else entirely—with a willow tree.
"Vesperin." Sabine opened her arms wide, beckoning. Her eyes, lined with deep black shadow, settled on Cyrus for a second before she tightened her mask. That was the thing about Sabine. Nothing ever riled her.
Rin didn’t move.
Cyrus’s hand was steady at her back, as though he would support her either way—if she ran, or if she went. Rin thought even if she turned to Cyrus and begged him to wither Sabine—or every guest at the gala—he’d do it for her.
Talor cleared his throat, hands clasped behind his back. His jaw was dark with unshaven hair, shadows beneath his eyes, though Rin had a hard time looking at him in the eye for too long or too closely.
"Call it, wife," Rhyden murmured in her ear. It took everything inside Rin not to jolt. "Either way, choose—and fast. Your doctor looks a second away from blowing his cover and going over there to rescue you."
Rin’s gaze snapped upward to the skylight, moonlight spilling in. Right—Rhyden was watching. The reminder steadied her, easing her steps as she broke from her daze and walked toward Sabine.
Sabine’s fingertips grazed Rin’s bare shoulder, then she wrapped her arm around Rin, tugging her closer with ameasured sigh. "Vesperin, it is good to see you." Sabine smelled of sharp medicine and cloying perfume, as if she’d tried to mask the scent of disruption and experimentation. She pulled away, hands on Rin’s shoulders. "Look at you, you’ve lost so much weight. Are you eating? Are you sleeping?" She touched Rin’s cheek, then patted a little too sharply, making Rin wince.
Rin realized she was waiting for her to say something. What did she say, what could she say, when the last time she’d seen her adoptive mother, she’d almost shot her?
"Hi," Rin finally settled on, voice a rasp. "I’ve been…" Not okay. She blinked and saw a dark room, electrodes on her body, shocks ripping through her, Kit’s dead, lifeless eyes, Sabine’s thin smile as Rin drank from a glass of water. Oblivion. Then waking up to blood crusted beneath her nose and a pounding head.
A sudden memory rose to the surface.
A woman who was similar to Sabine.
Aliscent.
She had used Rin, too. Stepped into the role of a parent after the death of her own, then gave her away to the highest bidder. It had worked out on that life—though she couldn’t remember how she died, at least the man she’d been married off to had been Kit—but this time, there would be no happy endings.
Another memory, another life. The scientists on Tarz, who’d stolen her from her home planet, Luxia, to study her for what she could give them. She could feel the phantom weight of a diamond tear on her cheek as she’d gripped the bars of the cage. In that life, Rin’s mind had been addled from not understanding the language, and everything was shrouded by mystery and fog. She’d given up hope of ever remembering fully.
"I’ve been wonderful." Rin forced a smile onto her lips, its fakeness rivaling the one Sabine wore. "Sabine, Talor, this is my Soulbond, Cyrus Soltren."
Sabine’s eyes widened, and at her side, Talor made a choked sound.
Rin relished the look of shock on their faces. Then, she spied a flash of anger. There and gone. But not hidden quickly enough. Rin hadseenit. Here they were, playing games.
Sabine was the first to recover. "What?"
Rin laced her fingers with Cyrus’s. He had been standing just behind her, letting her take the lead—she couldn’t help but think of how much she loved him. Maybe, when they were done tonight, Rin could let him do what he’d been begging her to. She flushed at the mere thought of his lips on herthere, then shoved the fuzzy image away. She didn’t know what it’d look or feel like, but she thought she might finally want that, with him, with… all of them.
Cyrus radiated sensual grace. Red briefly filled the air, snapping out, then he reined it back in, a taste of what he could do. The incubus made a low purring sound, leaning down to press his chin to the top of her head in possession, folding himself over her back.
Sabine’s red lips parted, then snapped shut.
"All good?" Rhyden questioned. "I know you can’t speak, but tuck your hair behind your ear if you’re okay."
Rin smiled at the rare worry in the vampire’s tone. She reached up and tucked a curled strand of white hair behind her ear, staring pointedly at her adoptive parents.
"The Prince of Sibeth," Sabine said at last.
Cyrus hummed. "I am no longer a prince. I’m sure you’ve seen the news, no? I abdicated the crown. The reason is standing right here. For the daughter you took in, I gave it all up."
