Chapter 11

A thrill coursed up my spine.

Skrain was all animalistic rage, all brutal instinct barely contained behind the thin barrier of heaving ribs and taut muscles. His hair was wild, loose strands torn from his ponytail, face spattered with blood. Droplets of vermillion shimmered on the pearls adorning his horns and speckled his lips.

I was horrified, but by the Creators, I felt like falling to his feet. Not from fear, though. Out of reverence.

My mouth dried as I reached out. The vine hovered above my fingers, unfurling slowly, and the heart dropped into my cupped palms. I gasped at its weight, the slick stickiness and fading warmth.

"This heart is a promise, too," Skrain said.

The vine retreated seamlessly into his hand as he looked at me. I paused, trying to define the emotion whirling in his eyes. Malice? Remorse?

"A promise?" I asked.

"Anyone who dares to harm you will perish," he said, too much softness in his words for such a vicious threat. "I will rip out their hearts and offer them to you as proof of my loyalty, as evidence of my infinite affection."

My gaze flicked to the organ.

He could have given me jewels. He could have bought me anything I desired, and in fact, I was certain he would if I gave him the chance. But this piece of meat was so much more than a gem or a pretty dress or a shiny trinket could ever be.

The longer I stared at it, the more beautiful it became. Raw flesh transformed through his intention, through the meaning of this gift.

Devotion .

I blinked, balancing the heart on one palm, holding it up to the light of a small chandelier above. For one second, as I squinted, I thought it looked like a lush, red flower.

Death blooming .

"Can you hear me?" Skrain touched my shoulder, and I jolted, looking up at him. "Are you hurt, Ella?"

I pressed my lips together into a tight smile. "No. I'm just a bit shaken. It's not every day I almost get murdered."

His stance deflated as he grabbed my free hand, interweaving his fingers with mine. When I squeezed, he squeezed back, and his head lowered, neck bending into a crestfallen slouch.

"This is my fault," he murmured.

A sharp pain echoed behind my ribs. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known! And you did take safety precautions. What about the guard?"

Skrain growled, deep lines appearing on his forehead. "I should have him executed, too! How could he fall for a damn simulacrum? But his punishment is a matter for another time. I'll let Emily deal with that."

I glossed over his mention of not-so-maidly duties for Emily. Perhaps her knowledge of blood magic should have been a hint that she was more than a regular servant.

"A simulacrum? Someone who looks like her?" I asked.

"More like a magical copy of Lara. That's her name, if I remember correctly. We spent a few hours together a very long time ago. Years, I think. There was nothing between us. She accompanied me to a ball in the neighboring human kingdom, Valourya." He sucked on his teeth. "She got a little weird at the end of the night. Obsessive. She even attempted to follow me around town for a few days after, but I thought the matter was done when I offered her a sizable sum to leave me the fuck alone, and she accepted."

I rubbed over his fingers, and he relaxed—slightly. "So that simulacrum distracted the guard?"

"Pah, yes. According to him, the construct came begging for help, for a doctor. Then it started vomiting black blood everywhere and a small panic broke out in the area."

"That must be when the real Lara slipped inside," I remarked, and Skrain hummed.

"Even from my seat on the platform, it took a moment for me to notice that the commotion was more than a few rowdy, drunk guests. I came for you immediately when I thought you were in danger." His lips pinched.

I smiled, glancing at his bloody gift in my other hand. "Don't blame yourself. I don't."

"You're too kind to me, Ella. You should be mad."

My face heated as I shook my head. "I just can't be cross with you."

I heard how adrenaline made people form an emotional attachment. Made their hearts sing and their pulse surge, almost like they were in love.

I'd had plenty of adrenaline tonight. Maybe that was why I couldn't stand to be angry at him. Why his presence chased the fear and rage from my mind like smoke dissipating in the wind.

"I didn't know Lara was capable of magic, and I sure as fuck didn't invite her. She must have had an accomplice to help her get an invitation, blending in with the stream of guests at the start of the night." Skrain clicked his tongue, brows drawn. "The good news is that Emily will be able to analyze the remains. I swear I will find who did this, and I will fucking end them."

His hand that was holding mine twitched. I stiffened as I felt something writhe underneath his skin, pressing against my palm. My curiosity surged, but before I could ask if he'd show me his vines again, Skrain continued.

"Shit. This complicates everything. I'll have to begin an investigation and tighten security. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you aga?—"

He let out a chuckle, interrupting himself.

Again ? Why was he going to say again when I didn't get hurt and got away with a fright?

"Anyway, this was not how I had planned for you to find out," he said, a hint of embarrassment in his tone.

"You mean …"

"Yes. The vines . No point beating around the bush now, hmm? Oh, what a terrible choice of words. I promise, I don't grow … bushes ." A deep, long sigh escaped him as he cringed, but I couldn't stifle a giggle.

How did he go so quickly from fucking feral and menacing to adorable?

"The Xar'vathi call it a bargain," he said. "The Humans call it a pact. The Elves of Zeridia call it?—"

"A binding," I finished his sentence in a whisper. "Does that mean you met a demon and?—"

His wry laughter cut me off. "It's another long story. Let's just say a demon saved me from death's cold grip, and accepting a bargain for a part of their power was the only way for me to cling to life."

He paused, expression shifting as he leaned down. Strands of blood-matted, straight hair fell into his face, darkening his features, that sharp predator grin sending a shiver down my back.

"Are you scared of me now, Ella?"

"A bit," I admitted, though that wasn't the whole truth.

I'd witnessed him murder another person with calculated brutality. Hells, he'd given me her heart.

But my attraction to him hadn't lessened. Seeing this dangerous, savage side of him turned his already strong pull into a magnetic force. It was irresistible.

I slid my thighs together, appeasing the throb of desire between them.

Those vines … how would they feel binding me? Thorns pricking my skin as they wrapped around my throat, constricting and?—

Skrain kissed me, and my eyes went wide. The kiss tasted a little sour, drops of blood shared between our tongues, but nothing could overshadow the softness of his lips.

He gave me a wink. "Maybe it's not so bad that you know. At least now, when we're alone, I don't have to hide or … hold back ."

His tail flicked forward, the tip slipping between my legs, granting me a torturously short moment of friction. I huffed when he pulled away.

"Have some patience, my priceless treasure. Before we head back, I'd like to get this cur's blood off me and change. I'll ask one of the maids to get me some spare clothes from upstairs. Oh, and you should leave the heart here. The general public doesn't react well to such … unusual gestures of affection." He waved at me. "I'll have Emily preserve it for you."

Nodding, I placed the organ atop the crate, careful not to stain the towels. "Should I wait outside?"

He grabbed my wrist, holding tight. "Fuck no. I want you with me at all times. And I want to give the other maids a chance to get the celebration back into full swing, let the guards secure the perimeter before we go out there. Besides …" He nodded at the body, lying in a puddle of red. "I have no intention of letting this bitch ruin our fun. Are you fine with continuing the festivities?"

For whatever it was worth, I wanted to make the most of the time we had together.

"Yes, master," I responded, and the corners of his mouth twitched up.

"You really enjoy being my good little slut, don't you?" His smoldering gaze had my stomach flipping, boring into my eyes as if he could read every perverted fantasy I'd ever had. I wished he could. "If you thought that rope was something … I have another thrill waiting for you."

Heat coiled through me. "You do?"

He snickered and set a kiss on the tip of my nose. "Seeing how much you liked the audience earlier, Ella, I think you'll love the next surprise even more."