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Chapter Twenty-Five
Luciana
Caspian’s groupie drags me into the grand ballroom and shoves me against the mahogany table. The other demons have long since cleared out for the night, that is, until voting begins in a few hours.
A shadow separates from the far corner of the room and moves toward us. Caspian. He locks his black eyes on mine, then flicks them behind me, to the demon who’d brought me here. My abductor scurries from the room without a backward glance.
“Luciana,” Caspian says, his voice sending a shiver of dread up my spine. “I’m so glad you could join me.”
“No point thanking me,” I respond through gritted teeth. “It isn’t as if I came willingly.”
“But you work for my brother,” he says. “Which means you really work for me. Any loyalty and obedience you show to him, you should show to me. Moreso, even.”
“You know, I don’t recall that being in my employment contract,” I growl.
“The contract you signed with your lips?” Caspian stalks around me, forcing me to sit back on the table as he invades my body space. “With your flesh?” His eyes move down my body like a vulture, resting between my legs. “With your sweet…” he trails off.
My eyes cut into him like blades. “I made it clear before that I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.”
“Come now, Luciana.” Caspian chuckles darkly. “I haven’t even begun my negotiations yet.”
“What part of no—”
“I know you’re working for the Raven Society,” Caspian says, his smile dropping.
I freeze. Caspian rests one hand on the table on each side of me, leaning forward until his groin presses against me. He’s hard as hell, which has the opposite effect of when it’s Sebastian doing the same thing. A wave of horror moves through me.
“I’m glad I have your attention now,” Caspian snarls. “And unless you want my brother to find out your little secret, I suggest you listen oh so carefully.”
He reaches up and cups my cheek in his palm. His magic washes into me, dark and viscous.
“First,” he whispers. “You’re going to take off your dress. Then you’re going to turn around and show me the same respect you showed my brother when I walked in on you yesterday morning.”
My eyes lock on Caspian’s. “You can go straight to Hell, asshole.”
Black rage pours out of me, my magic with it. My body goes up in flames, literally. A red glow pulses off of me, knocking Caspian a dozen feet away. He crashes into the grand piano with a clang of discordant keys.
With a bellow, he gets to his feet and charges me, death in his eyes. I call on my magic again, but before I can send another blast into Caspian, a dark wave of power rolls through the room from the other side, stopping him in his tracks. I whip my head around.
Sebastian.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Sebastian yells, advancing on his brother like a god of wrath.
“She’s a traitor!” Caspian yells, struggling against the magical grip Sebastian has him locked in. “She’s with the Raven Society!”
My heart comes to a stop and Caspian turns his head, his gaze raking over mine, cold, heavy, and glittering with malice.
“She must be dealt with,” Caspian continues, practically frothing at the mouth as he glares at me. “You must use her to send a message, brother. Something so horrific the Society will never dare challenge our power again.”
Sebastian looks back and forth between me and Caspian, his expression conflicted. His jaw flexes angrily, and his magic pulsates.
“You know I’m right,” Caspian hisses. “She’s just a piece of ass, nothing more. Don’t let your dick do the thinking here. There’s too much at stake. The summit vote is hours away.”
Caspian’s black eyes burn into Sebastian’s pale ones. “Do what’s right, brother. For our family. Our future.”
Sebastian’s magic wavers again, his body quivering. With anger or with some other emotion, I can’t tell.
Then, he lowers his hand and releases his grip on Caspian. His brother staggers forward, then straightens and runs a hand through his hair. He sucks in a breath, a smug look on his face.
