Rin blushed at his words.
"Oh, he’s good." Xara met her eyes.
As she listened to her roommate and teammate question Cyrus, she felt normal, getting butterflies over boys—well, incubi—and playing dress up. As her eyes flitted about the room, she found Lucien immediately, as if drawn by a string.
He was watching her.
Lucien sat alone. The mysterious woman from earlier was gone, and behind the lens of his glasses, his green eyes were dark with blatant desire. It made warmth drip down her spine to knowshewas the reason for that look. She didn’t miss the other curious glances thrown Lucien’s way. He was gorgeous, and all alone, just as she’d feared. But that look, it was for Rin. She reached up and brushed her fingertips over her collarbones, tapping once just over her heart. In the dim lights, she saw his throat bob.
For the first time tonight, Rin mourned the fact the comms didn’t work for them all. They hadn’t wanted the sound of their voices to cause a distraction, considering the link was open all the time; there was no way for them to surreptitiously tap the device behind their ears to initiate it. Rhyden was hearing everything.
Not wanting to draw attention to him, Rin forced herself to look away from Lucien.
She saw a familiar face in the corner. The half-vampire on the Beta Team: Jasver. She’d not seen him in a while, always from a distance. His blue-tipped hair was brighter than ever. He saw her looking, and she raised a hand in a half-hearted wave, which he didn’t return. Instead, his eyes seemed pinned to Keir with overt longing.
What happened when someone else was in love with your Soulbond? Because the look on Jasver’s face was one of clear love. For not the first time, Rin thought the Celestials and theStars might be fools to tie one’s Soul to another. Even having the gift of her own Soulbonds, she still felt… incomplete. A fact she’d take to her grave.
Rin then saw Director Ilsa, along with the Directors of teams Beta, Omega, Gamma, and Delta, standing in a corner, speaking in low tones. She could tell who the others were simply by the air of importance that clung to them—and lethality. Their spines were straight, uniforms decorated with medals.
"Sabine is coming back inside with Talor. Better go now," Rhyden said quickly.
Rin met Cyrus’s eyes, giving a short nod.
As they’d spoken, they’d all sat around the table, eating finger food and drinking. Rin placed her glass of briux down, then stood. "I need to slip off to the restroom," said Rin, slipping the wrist strap of her clutch over her hand. Xara began to stand, too, but Rin waved her off. "I won’t be long, I just need to… freshen up, apply more lip gloss. Too much briux for me. I’ve always had a weak spot for it."
Rin heard Rhyden huff in her ear.
For a moment, something flickered over Xara’s face.
Cyrus settled back into his chair, reaching for the half-full glass of amber liquid she’d placed down. The rim was stained with her gloss. He placed his mouth over it and drank, then grimaced as he pulled it away. "I don’t know how you drink that stuff. It’s far too bitter."
Suddenly, somewhere far—both in time and space—Rin murmured, "It’s not bitter, just requires a certain taste."
Rhyden made a pained hissing sound.
She leaned down at Cyrus’s urging, as he placed a hand on her hip. Her curled hair fell around them, shielding their lips. Still, he placed his mouth by her ear, whispering, "You need me, and I’m coming, doll. I mean it. If you’re down there longer than thirty minutes… Don’t be. Or I’ll wither everyone here, thenmaybe you can have your pick of all the pretty jewelry, seeing as the royal vaults are now closed to me—have to get my doll her sparkling things somehow."
Rin kissed his cheek, then pulled away, breathing in his juicy berry scent. "Make sure Xara doesn’t follow."
Cyrus’s purple eyes grew half-lidded. "I’ll try." He seemed distracted by her lips.
"Cyrus," Rin chided softly.
"Time to distract. I’m only good for one purpose. Well"—his eyes raked over her, settling on the dip of her breasts, revealed by how she was leaning over him—"maybe two."
Rin straightened, cheeks warming as Keir winked at her. Without a hint of shame, Cyrus placed a cloth napkin on his lap. His palm brushed her hip as she passed by.
As she walked away, she heard the fading sound of Cyrus’s voice. "Shall we dance?"
Someone dropped a glass, high laughter and worried shouts following. Rin stiffened, on edge, her eyes scanning the room’s shadows. She spotted a masked guard in the corner, half hidden behind a gold silk-wrapped column. Though she couldn’t see the guard’s eyes, his face was fixed right on her.
The halloutside the bathroom was vacant. Thank the Stars—and the Celestials,a distant, nostalgic part of Rin added. The holograms were absent, and the faint sound of violins, layered over a foreboding techno bass, thumped dully in the distance.
"Okay, I’m here. Now what?" she asked Rhyden, not doing anything to cover her mouth as she spoke; though, she did still speak lowly, unsure when or if someone could stumble into the hallway.
No sooner had Rin spoken than the men’s bathroom door opened behind her. She turned while pretending to sway, forcing a faded, tipsy smile onto her lips.
Only to be caught in familiar arms and wrapped up in a woodsy scent.
