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“I don’t. ”
“Holden. ” I pushed his face away. “You don’t want to be sloppy seconds, but you can’t wait to jump on me because of a spell? Think. ”
“I don’t—”
“Shut up and think. ” I pulled my hands and face out of his reach and got to my feet, putting distance between us. I still wanted to launch myself on him and taste every inch of his skin, both his blood and body. I trembled and took another step away.
“Come back here. ”
“This won’t work,” I hollered. “You’re going to have to come up with a different test. ”
Holden got to his feet and came close. I countered his advances by stepping back until I was against the wall. He continued to come towards me until I was braced between his arms and his nose grazed my jaw.
“I remember the first time I kissed you,” he said.
So did I, but I didn’t want to admit it.
“This won’t work,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I think it will work very well. ” He laid a gentle kiss on the corner of my mouth. I shivered.
“No,” I said. “No. ”
“Oh, you’re no fun,” said the wall behind me a moment before it vanished completely.
I collapsed on my back with Holden heavy on top of me. Heavy and hard. Rolling him off me, I scrambled to my feet and nearly tripped into a woman so small she made me feel bulky.
“We were led to believe you’d yield easily to lust,” she said.
“Who are you?” My voice bubbled with rage. I’d just fallen through my bedroom wall after nearly being bespelled into screwing a vampire. My patience was wearing thin to say the least.
“His Majesty—”
“I asked, who are you?”
She frowned at me and shook her head. “I am of no consequence. I was simply sent to collect you should the first test be unsuccessful. I have clothing for you to change into, if you’d please. ”
“No, than—” I stopped speaking abruptly before I let my politeness lead to my ruin. “No. What we’re wearing will be fine. ”
The woman sneered at our wardrobe and Holden’s bloody shirt. “I think you should reconsider. ”
“I think there’s nothing you can say or do that will convince me to take clothing—or anything else—from you. If you’re going to take us somewhere, you might as well take us as is. ”
“Very well. ” She tapped the wall behind her, and it opened onto a huge, brightly lit ballroom.
As soon as we stepped through I understood why she’d suggested we change, but I had no regrets about dismissing her hospitality. The room was filled with over a hundred wide-eyed fae of different kinds—primarily fairies, though—staring at us like the circus-sideshow freaks we were.
Holden, shaken out of his lusty stupor, came to stand beside me as we gawked at our bewildered audience. The room was lit by moving bulbs that resembled giant fireflies casting their glow onto long banquet tables groaning under the weight of huge platters of food. The array of roasted meats, candies and fresh fruit would have been hard to resist for most guests. Even to me, who didn’t need it to live, the proffered goods looked irresistible.
My stomach rumbled in spite of the fact I wasn’t hungry for food.
Aubrey emerged through the heart of the crowd, a sea of silk and satin suits and gowns parting to make way for him. “Please help yourselves to anything here. ”
“Is Kellen here? If so, I’ll take one of her. ”
The king winked. “Do you worry we have her locked away in some ivory tower?”
“Do you have an ivory tower?” It wouldn’t have surprised me.
