I watched Rhys turn away from me, moving toward the stairs again. Conrad waved a hand in front of my face, studying me when I turned my attention to him.
“He’ll never allow himself to love you. He’s charged himself to the eternal agony of never knowing real love. Rhys is a glutton for punishment. When Rhys hands out a punishment, he doesn’t go back on it, ever. You look like the type of woman who would need more from a man than a quick fuck, Remington. Something tells me that you’re more mate material than a girl who would allow herself to be used and then set aside.”
“Don’t confuse curiosity with being stupid, Conrad. He’s claimed me in a way that doesn’t allow me to escape him; even in death, I won’t be free of him. Rhys is willing to take advantage of me, so why shouldn’t I figure out a way to repay him tenfold?” I asked, lifting a brow. He slipped his arms around me, peering down at me with serious amber eyes that held keen intelligence.
“Don’t do that,” he warned softly. “I have met only a few men I wouldn’t cross in my lifetime, and Rhys Van Helsing is one of them. Don’t make him your enemy, Silversmith. Right now, you have the advantage because you confuse his duty with his need. The moment you cross that line from friend to enemy, you won’t ever come back from it.”
“I don’t intend to use or harm him or screw him over as he’d done to me. I just want him to know that I am not a weak female,” I grunted, turning as someone slipped in behind me, their hands smoothing over my dress to cup my breasts.
“So pretty,” one of the female shifters whispered. “We’re claiming, alpha?”
“I have placed my ribbon for her tonight,” Conrad answered. Leaning closer to me, he inhaled deeply. “You’ve seen what I can offer you. I would be gentle, and my pack would give you pleasure as well.” Someone grabbed my arm, and multiple hands started placing ribbons around my wrist as Conrad smiled. “Have you ever been cherished, pleasured by an entire pack, Silversmith? I assure you, those who have never leave because it is most pleasurable to be with us,” he assured me.
“The song ended five minutes ago,” Cole stated, narrowing his eyes on the females that continued placing their ribbons on my wrist. “Kinky, even by my standards, Sunshine,” Cole smiled, slowly pulling me back against him. “Do you want to see what Conrad has to offer you? I can show you what it would be like, but I’ll be honest, I intend to enjoy it too.”
“I’d like this dance, gentlemen,” a silky voice injected, and both men stiffened. “Aw, it’s a tradition for every alpha to dance with the May Queen. Rhys should have realized that when he named her such. Remington Silversmith, I am Hunter, alpha to the otherworld creatures,” he said in a voice layered in thick lust.
I turned, staring straight into turquoise eyes that reminded me of the blue seas in the Caribbean. His hair was midnight black, pulled back to show off the angular planes of his chiseled jawline. His lips tipped into a smile, and he tilted his head to the side, searching my face as he held out his hand, waiting for me to accept.
“I promise to be on my best behavior, considering you’re mortal, and I am not. May I have this dance, Silversmith? No other woman here seems capable of matching your beauty.”
I remained in place, peering into the galaxies of his eyes. They swallowed me into the abyss of waves, washing over me soothingly. His smile turned wicked as he stepped closer, placing his fingers beneath my chin to close my mouth. I lifted my hand, checking for drool. A loud snort sounded from beside me, and I turned to find Rhys watching me with something akin to resentment banked in his gaze.
Hunter grabbed my hand, sweeping me out onto the dance floor without waiting to see if I had agreed to dance. I couldn’t remember if I’d spoken or not. He was ethereal and way too pretty. He lowered his mouth to my ear, whispering against it in a layered voice, and the dance floor vanished, and we were in some type of room. I swallowed, pulling my hand away from him while he watched me.
“You have tongues wagging everywhere, Silversmith. Drink?” he asked, and I shook my head. “You’ve heard of us, have you?”
“I’m going to pass on food and beverages from the King of the Fae, Hunter. You’re the legendary hunter who murdered the High King of the fae and took his throne by force. You’re the creature the immortals warn their misbehaving children about at night.”
“You have heard of me,” he chuckled, and we were once again on the dance floor. I turned, finding Cole and Rhys both glaring at Hunter. “Your wrist, my darling,” he chuckled, unperturbed by the men who looked like they wanted to use his head for target practice.
I lifted my wrist for him, watching while he turned it over, kissing my racing pulse before his ribbon appeared without him moving his hands. He pulled me against his body, whispering into my ear. He turned my head at the last moment, claiming my lips softly, which created a throbbing need between my thighs.
“I was created for pleasure, and to please a gluttonous queen. Choose me tonight, and I will make you my queen for eternity, Remington,” he stated, dropping my hand, turning to nod at the men who both stared at my wrist before lifting their gaze to mine.
I swallowed, moving away from the dance floor to reach the bar, swallowing hard past the heaviness of my tongue. Nyx lifted my wrist, snorting as her eyes went owl-like in shape.
“Are you promising some major head to men, or telling them you’re some blushing virgin? I need to know because I only have five ribbons, and I’m the nymph! I am made for fucking! The shame!” She placed her hand over her eyes dramatically, and I groaned.
“I need a drink,” I stated as someone tapped my shoulder.
“I’m not fucking you!” I snapped, coming face to face with Nyota, who lifted a dark eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I would hope not, I don’t swing that way,” she snorted, sliding in beside me. “Rhys will never allow you to get close to him. You’re only hurting yourself with your delusion that he’ll ever care for you.” She looked over at Nyx, who tried to hide that she was listening, but failing miserably. “Go find something to fuck, nymph.”
“No,” I stated icily, glaring at Nyota, watching as her eyes slid back to mine. “She’s having a drink with me, and if you’re here, to tell me how Rhys will never allow himself to have me for more than a quick fuck, I’ve heard it already tonight, several times.”
“Rhys wants you, Silversmith. Of that, you can be certain.” Her eyes slid over my face before she sat at the bar and nodded for me to join her. “Sit and listen, because whatever it is you’ve done to Rhys, it’s given him a spark. That isn’t something I’ve seen since your murderous whore of an aunt fucked him over.” I slid onto the stool, nodding at the bartender who peered at Nyota and then bowed before pouring our drinks. “He will allow himself to have you once, and then he will be stoic, distant, and cold. Cole will sweep in to pick up your broken pieces. After a while, he will grow bored with you. When Rhys doesn’t rise to the occasion to argue for you, Illeron will then try for you, and then they will pass you down the line of my brothers, and that is the ugly truth. It’s been that way since that bitch burned inside that mansion, if she actually did. Cole only wants you because he’s made it his mission to force Rhys to forgive himself. Illeron, well, he’s an asshole. The rest, well, they just like to be sure that they’ve tasted whatever flavor Rhys tasted first.