Vikki

The kir royale goes down very easily, so easily, I grab another one off a passing tray and look around at the supposed great and good of the business world. At least that's what Max told me.

Most of them look quite ordinary, well dressed perhaps, but ordinary. The monsters are outnumbered by the humans two to one, which sadly doesn't surprise me. Humans have always been great at segregation. Fortunately, monsters don't care for such things, given the reason the veil fell in the first place was the need to protect the Upperworld from the creatures in the Underworld.

Monsters will integrate, whether humans like it or not. And, given most of them have fangs and claws along with magical powers, humans will have to suck it up.

About time.

I sip my drink slower this time, even if it is delicious. I can see why Max was mad at the library being used for food and drink. I've already seen plates slipped on top of ancient tomes and half empty glasses teetering on shelves.

Heathens, all of them.

"Well, hello little one." The dark voice behind me almost makes me jump. "Fancy seeing you here."

I spin around to find a troll looming over me. He's shorter than Max, wider too. One eye is milky with a long scar running from his forehead to his chin. He looks vaguely familiar.

"You have me at a disadvantage," I reply cooly.

"Vulzal Gorensson," he says with a smile which contains too much fang. "CEO of Primal Enterprises."

He offers me his hand. I don't really want to take it, but if he's also a business owner like Max, I don't want to be rude, so I give it a quick shake, and it doesn't come as a surprise when he doesn't let it go. That doesn't stop me looking on in horror as he lifts it up towards his lips. With some effort, I rip it free before it makes it to his mouth. Something within me is absolutely revolted by the thought of his touch.

"We have met," he says, ignoring my actions. "At Arcane. Where you accidentally found yourself in an auction, lucky girl."

I gaze at him again. He is vaguely familiar.

"I can assure you, I wouldn't put myself in one of those auctions willingly, or ever," I reply, attempting to keep my tone as chilly as possible while wondering where the hell Max has got to because this troll is making my skin crawl.

"I presume you're here with the great Maxim?" he asks with far too much interest.

If my skin could leave the room without me, it absolutely would at this moment.

"She is," Max growls from behind me, one arm wrapping around my waist proprietorially. "I didn't think this sort of event was your thing, Vulzal."

The other troll shrugs. "I go where the money is," he says. "You know how it is."

Max grunts and it's not one of his good ones. "No."

They stare at each other. Max doesn't let up on the low, deep growl I can feel in my chest.

"At least you have your little human…still," Vulzal says.

"We're leaving," Max murmurs in my ear.

I throw back the rest of the kir royale and put the glass down carefully on a nearby table.

"Good," I reply.

Max keeps his arm around me as we exit the library and there is a human waiter stood holding our coats. Max helps me into mine and shrugs on his own, leaving it unbuttoned.

"Neville is outside."

I walk away from him, out of the front door, and the relief which rushes over me is immense, to the point I feel my knees buckle. Or that could be the multiple kir royales. They might have been more potent than they tasted.

Strong arms hold me up. "Are you okay, little Vee?" a delicious deep voice says in my ear.

"I'm fine," I reply, when I'm clearly the opposite of fine.

I find myself tipped into the aforesaid arms, pulled tight against a wide, hard chest. "Let me help, my love," I think I hear Max say as consciousness deserts me.

I can smell coffee,good coffee, and it's enough to persuade my eyes to open.

"Just how many drinks did you have?" Max is sat on the bed next to me, his weight bowing the mattress.

"Two." I hold up a hand and he shoves a mug into it. "And before you say anything, I'm not a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. I could drink a troll under a table."

Max smiles and it's far, far too smug.

"Basically, you did. Those drinks were for monsters, not humans."

"Monsters drink kir royale?"

Max shrugs and his smile softens. "Monsters drink anything." His eyes heat.

I take a draught of my coffee, enjoying the sharp, dark taste. But even a beverage this good isn't taking away the guilt I feel.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." I lower my eyes.

"You couldn't embarrass me," Max says, as a clawed hand curls around my chin, lifting my face until I can see him. "Nothing you do or say would be bad as far as I'm concerned."

"I don't want to let you down, not in front of your friends."

"Vulzul is not my friend," Max snarls. "He's a slimy stain on trolls everywhere."

"Oh?" I take another gulp of the coffee and raise my eyebrows. I'm certainly learning about Max and his associates today.

"Primal Enterprises is an irritating tick in my side," Max adds. "I do good business. He does bad business, that's all. When I saw you talking to him…"

Max's blue eyes almost turn green.

"For the record, he talked to me. I wouldn't have put myself within a hundred miles of him if I had the choice," I say.

The coffee cup is plucked from my hands, and I have a big, horny troll caging me against the headboard.

"Good, because seeing you with him made me feral." He scrapes his tusks over my shoulder and up my neck.

I reach for his horns and delight in the low, guttural groan of my name.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" I ask.

"I am going to make you pay," Max growls, and I know we'll be spending the rest of today right where we are.