42. Chapter Forty-Two

Once we’d made it to The Clover, I made myself sparse—occasionally lingering in the darker corners of the room to converse with my men, but more often slipping back into the Shadows. I’m sure they all assumed that I’d be off doing what I do best: Fishing for the attention of the most beautiful creature in the room.

In this case, said creature’s attention was already occupied, so I fucked off to the second floor to observe from afar and nurse a single glass of red wine. I wanted to avoid bringing down the mood of my men, all of whom were here to get drunk and get laid.

I couldn’t tell if I was envious, watching Arken slink around the dance floor with Sienna Makar on her arm, or if I was simply ensorcelled by the view. A bit of both, really.

Because the two of them were a sight to behold—the creamy porcelain of Arken’s skin in contrast with the deep, dark brown of Sienna’s glistening body, adorned with those silver Irrosi tattoos across her shoulder blades and collarbones. Arken’s hair was free and flowing, fanning out like a halo around her every time she was whirled around under Sienna’s lead. Makar’s dress was skin tight and revealing, while Arken wore her more typical attire of a loose linen gown with a tight leather bodice that accentuated her perfect curves.

The pairing painted a divine feminine portrait of Light and Shadow, absolutely annihilating the rest of the room with their combined beauty. They had half of the dance floor utterly captivated, and I was fairly certain that they knew it. Makar certainly did.

Wicked, wicked women.

Honestly though, part of me was just genuinely pleased to see Arken move around so easily and lighthearted for once. She was laughing and blushing in the arms of the gorgeous Heiress of Shadows.

Sometimes I worried that our friendship had done Arken a disservice. I was greedy with both her time and her attention, eagerly taking whatever she was willing to give. It wasn’t like I had consciously pulled her astray from her peers, though, and she had mentioned on multiple occasions that she preferred my company over that of the broods of Atlassian elite. I believed her, but in moments like this, where she was sparkling and carefree amidst a more appropriate peer group, I couldn’t help but wonder…

As I watched Makar lean in to whisper something into Arken’s ear, I realized what a terrifying powerhouse those two would make in the House of Light amp; Shadow one day, should this compatibility ever play itself out. I took another sip of wine, letting the taste of the bitter tannins mingle with my own bitter jealousies.

I really needed to get over myself.

From across the balcony that overlooked the floors below, I noticed another pair of eyes watching the same women as they danced, gazing greedily as Sienna wrapped her arms around Arken’s neck. His dark brown eyes briefly flickered up to mine, and he tilted his glass in acknowledgment. He returned to his ogling before he could see the vicious scowl take over my face at the implication that he and I had even remotely the same interests at the moment.

Anders Cragg was a jackass, and a pervert.

The bastard should consider himself lucky that the only accusations I had heard whispers of were that of light misogyny, leering, and being generally unpleasant and demanding towards the women he wanted to sleep with. Anything beyond that would have landed him on my shit list, and I didn’t give a damn how powerful his father was. There were a handful of things that I did from the shadows that were completely off the books with the Elder Guard, and I did not suffer abusers in my city. Never had, never would.

The music was beginning to slow again, and I turned my attention back to Arken, who was still smiling and laughing. Her dark brown mane had become a bit unkempt, her face flushed, and she hardly seemed able to walk in a straight line, leaning against Sienna as they made their way back to the table where a few of their other friends were seated. She wobbled around on Makari’s arm, weaving through the sea of bodies like a baby deer.

I chuckled to myself.

Arken was drunk off her ass, and I found that oddly endearing. I don’t think I’d ever seen her even tipsy before.

Park had been on the dance floor earlier as well, and she had paid him no mind, clearly focused on the superior prize in Sienna Makar. Though I envied Makar, too, the confirmation that the other male had been just some casual fling pleased the dark, unhealthy part of me that had been festering for most of the day. Because I would much rather watch Arken flit around from one casual hookup to the next than have to watch her legitimately fall for someone.

That’s fucked up, and you know it.

Yeah.

What else was new?