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She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I think we’re past that point in our relationship.” When he only canted his head at her, Faye rolled her eyes and said, “Come in.”
“Treating you casually is disrespectful.”
More of his weird customs. Over her shoulder, she asked, “Can I just tell you it’s okay, then you won’t be disrespecting me?”
“Leaving the door between our rooms open is how you would tell me you would like me to tend to you.” The backs of his fingers caressed the small of her back. “You should, by right, be in the larger room, and I should be in the consort’s room.”
Faye turned and settled her hand on his waist as she craned her neck up to look at him. “I’m not taking your room,” she said, giving him a pat and stepped back. “Why are you in that room if it’s a…queen’s room. Or something.”
Rune thinned his lips and his eyes hardened for a moment before his features relaxed. He met her gaze, and said “I needed a room on an exterior wall. This was the only one available at the time.”
Faye smoothed her hand over his side, stopping herself from asking about the strangely specific response. If he wanted to explain it later, she would listen. She opened her closet door, and said, “How about if I have the door open you can come in and I would welcome your company?”
The corner of his mouth lifted as he strolled to her. “And if you want affection you will come to my bed?”
Faye smiled at him. Her vampire compromised with her. They could make this work. Her gaze fell to a large black rectangular box resting on her dresser in the back of the closet. A smaller black box on top of it. She expected a package. How big was this gown that it needed a box that took up the top of her dresser?
Faye walked into her chandelier closet and another black box caught her attention. The one from the brothel she and Rune just left. She pulled her gaze away from it, reaching for the smaller box. She removed its lid and pulled away the black tissue packed inside. Black satin heels nested in the bottom of the box. The front of the open toed shoes were simple, but the heel. Faye took it out of the box.
Glittering dark gems accented with tiny purple jewels covered the heel and faded into the back of the shoe. The swirling, delicate pattern was reminiscent of paintings she’d seen of the Darkness.
“These are beautiful,” Faye said, arranging the heel and tissue back into the box before setting it down. She took the lid off the larger box and rested it on the side of her dresser. The box was filled with layers of the same black tissue paper, crinkling as she removed them.
This was a gown? Faye lifted the gray slip out of the box.
“This is really elaborate for lingerie.” Faye held the garment away from her with straight arms, studying it. The material was lightweight. The gray fabric glittered as it caught the light. Faye squinted, leaning closer. Tiny gems were sewn into the fabric. Thousands of them.
“You are holding a gown,” Rune insisted.
“It’s see-through,” Faye said, holding the so-called gown between them, meeting his gaze through the sheer fabric.
He chuckled, leaning his shoulder in the doorway of her closet. “It will not be when you put it on.”
Faye reappraised the cut of the gown. It exposed more than it covered. The front of the dress was connected to a beautifully crafted jeweled collar. Faye didn’t see how this would stay in place having such a deep V cut while also being backless. The draping of the back of the gown dipped too low to properly cover her ass. At least the long skirt was modest.
Faye arched her eyebrow at the slit that ran high up the front of the dress. She was wrong. There was nothing decent about this dress. She turned, saying, “Rune, I can’t wear this. Can you return it?”
“These types of gowns are purchased with blood. I will not return your gift.”
“What?” Blood? She must have misheard him.
Rune nodded and said, “Blood is a common commodity among the dark-blooded.”
“For what? Your blood wine?”
“I rarely barter my blood. I imagine I would be a very expensive bottle of crimson wine. My blood is more likely to be used in spells or tonics.” Rune said, taking the gown and hanging it up. “Come, you are hungry and need to meet with your sister to regale sordid tales.”
Chapter sixty-two
RuneaccompaniedFayetothe south wing of his estate. The Ra’Voshnik purred as she took his hand, twining her fingers with his. Holding hands was an odd but pleasant experience. Something not practiced within the dark courts. Faye happily leaned into him, so he said nothing as they strolled hand in hand.
As they crossed the threshold into the den, Faye smiled up at him and dropped his hand in favor of the plates of food spread over the table. Sparrow laid sideways in an oversized chair. Her legs and neck resting over each armrest.
She gazed at him, and said, “What’d you do to my sister Runey? You were gone forever.”
He arched a brow but didn’t respond.
