27. Livana

Chapter 27

Livana

A few more days pass, and while I'm grateful for the feed restoring my energy, I'm growing restless in this room, these fucking silver bracelets crushing any hope of ever accessing my power again.

Once, two days ago, Gray stopped by and took me for a very brief tour of a portion of his father's Collection. An entire floor of the palace is dedicated to the creatures he's collected over the years, each one in their own pretty little cage, some of the rooms drenched in magic in order to keep them alive.

Gray moved too quickly for me to try to speak with any of them, and more than half of them I couldn't even see through the viewing glass walls that the Collector created so he could gape at them whenever he wanted.

Most of them were hiding in their selected cages, and my heart never felt as heavy as it did after seeing such a thing. Gray returned me to my chambers that evening, explaining that the tour was a reminder of how to behave, especially if he ever decided to take me before his father.

I gave him a vulgar gesture, after he left the room of course. The prince definitely wouldn't be able to handle me if I was behaving like my normal self, but lucky for him, I'm playing a part.

I'm mostly respectful, only letting a little snark slip here and there, but I do as I'm told. I wear the clothes offers to me, eat the he food brings me, and spend the rest of my time distracting myself with the books in my room.

I flip through the pages of one now, reading one of the histories of the Fae, thinking about that little boy in the village that I saved. The same village that Gray had been at. I have half a mind to ask him if he knew that his collector core disregarded his orders to leave the villagers be, but I highly doubt he'd care either way.

The door to my chamber swings open, anticipation zinging up my spine at the prospect of another outing. The more times I'm allowed out of my cage, the more information I glean. It's a small and slow progress, but I have to take what I can get.

It's Gray again, not some collector core carrying in a meal. He's dressed in all black, though this time instead of his normally casual clothes, it's a regal outfit no doubt custom tailored for his body. Silk and sturdy cotton have been sewn together with small gold details threading their way along the edges of the tunic and pants.

I take stock of him, swallowing hard and hating that such an evil bastard can look as good as he does. Because he does look good. But even pretty packages can contain rotten goods.

"Every time I come in here, I find you reading," he says.

"How should I be spending my time in your opinion, my prince?"

He strides over to me, and I don't bother standing, just arch my neck to look up as him as he leans over me. He braces one hand on the armrest, bending to trail his free hand down the center of the book that I have open in my lap. His eyes are on me, an intensity crackling there that squeezes the breath out of my lungs.

"I have several ideas on how you should be spending your time," he says. "But I can't say I'm mad you're enjoying my books."

My eyes widen, shock fluttering through me. I cast my gaze around the room, noting the black silk sheets on the bed, the dark comforter, the dark artwork...it's him .

It radiates him .

I return my eyes to his. "This is your room." I don't ask, because I don't need to.

"Clever pet," he says, stroking his fingers down the middle of the book again, the one that lays in the middle of my lap. If the book were gone, he'd be stroking me . The notion sends chills bursting along my skin.

He holds my gaze a bit longer before whirling around, striding across the room to lean against the wardrobe near the balcony.

"Why am I in your room?" I ask, gently closing the book and setting it on the table next to me. "Why am I not in a glass cage in the Collector's wing?"

Gray folds his arms over his chest, silent. He rarely answers my questions, and I'd rattled off at least a dozen when we went on our too-quick tour.

"I need you to get dressed," he says instead, turning to open the wardrobe and fingering through the array of fabric there.

I glance down at the silk nightgown I'm in, royal blue this time. "You haven't asked me to wear anything else other than these since I arrived."

He furrows his brow, looking at me over his shoulder. "I never asked you to wear anything," he says.

"These are the only clothes provided to me," I fire her back. "What else am I supposed to wear?"

Gray pulls out something from the wardrobe, showing it to me before tossing it on the bed. It's a gown fit for a queen, or at least what I imagine a queen would wear, complete with layers of lace and silk and intricate beading in colors of red and black and gold.

"When did that get in here?" I ask, despite knowing that even if I knew about it, I wouldn't choose to wear it.

I walk over to the edge of the bed, examining it.

"I have my ways," he says like that's supposed to explain everything.

I scoop up the gown, holding it against my body while looking up at him, arching a brow. "Why dress me up like this?" I ask, shifting the gown and laying it back on the bed. I motion to the silk nightgown I'm wearing that barely covers my breasts or butt. "Aren't I supposed to be a pretty pet to look at, to lust over?" I lift my chest ever so slightly just to see if the unresponsive Gray will finally provide some sort of reaction.

His dark gaze falls to my breasts, to the cleavage peeking out of the silk, then moves lower, all the way down to the tips of my toes before meeting my eyes again. The gaze feels like a threat, sizing me up in a way I'm not used to.

The smallest taste of spun sugar and citrus tickles the back of my throat. It's just a whisper of desire, but it's there all the same. I knew the prince had some physical interest in me, especially after his reaction to watching me feed with my Linked a few days ago, but I can't tell if I'll be able to use it to my advantage or not. It's nowhere near palpable in a way that feels useful.

"Get dressed," he says instead of answering me, spinning to stride out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

I do as I'm told, mainly because I know if I don't, he's just as likely to drag me out in the palace in this nightgown again, and I really don't want all the eyes on me like they were when we went on our tour. Even the collector core broke their stoic guarding stances as I walked by. And yes , I'm proud of my body and the way it looks wearing anything, but having the eyes of so many I hate on me left a terrible taste in my mouth.

The gown slides over my body like it was made for me, hugging my curves in all the right places. It's sleeveless, showing off my neck and arms and the top of my chest. I survey myself in the mirror in the bathing chamber, only able to let my hair fall down in waves over my shoulders because there are no supplies in here to even attempt to pull it up.

A pet all dressed up , I think as I look at myself in the mirror.

I look like royalty. I look like one of them .

I hate it.

Gray returns to the room moments later, as if he has some unique ability to know that I've fully dressed. I triple-check my mental shields just in case, finding them perfectly intact.

He looks me over again, shaking his head.

A flush rakes over me, sensing his pure disdain. "Not what you were expecting?" I ask when he's remained silent too long.

"My father will love it," he says, taking my arm and leading me out of my room.

"We're seeing the Collector?" I ask, apprehension tightening my skin.

"He's requested a private dinner."

"You'll be dining with us too, right?" I ask, the soft slippers I'm wearing whispering against the marble floor as he leads me through the palace. He stops just outside what I can assume is a dining hall, the partially cracked doors illuminating flickering lights hanging from chandeliers, elaborately painted marble floors, and rows of empty tables.

Gray turns to me, looking at me curiously. "If I didn't know any better, pet, it sounds like you want me there."

I swallow hard, internally denying the claim. It's easier to deal with the monster I know, than the one I haven't seen in weeks.

"I'll be with you," he says before I can respond, ushering me through the doors.

The Collector sits at a table on another raised dais, one that overlooks all the empty tables below. I imagine he uses this room to dine with his court, looking down at them from his position of power, but Gray doesn't seat me at one of the lower tables. He walks me up the dais and places me directly across from the Collector before taking the seat to my right.

The table is elaborately decorated with crystal decanters and silver trays piled high with food. All sorts of wild game and root vegetables and rice and breads and cheeses. The feast is enough to feed at least a dozen people, if not more, and yet there are only three of us.

I look at the empty chair on his left, wondering if his Treasure will be joining us. I've spent most of my time here locked in my room— Gray's room—but even in the rare outings that I've been allowed, I have still not seen even a hint of her anywhere.

"Well, well," he says, crushing a tomato between his teeth. "Look at your pretty pet, Gray," he says, plucking another vegetable off of his tray and plopping it into his mouth. "You were right," he continues. "She cleans up exceptionally well."

I do my best not to squirm under his obvious inspection, his eyes lingering on the cleavage just barely showing in the elegant gown. I'm suddenly thankful that we're seated, that the table hides the rest of me. I don't like being under his gaze. I don't like being this near to him, especially when I haven't figured out how I'm going to kill him while still keeping Zev and Jagger alive.

Gray says nothing, and I take mental note of it.

"She will present nicely at the banquet tomorrow."

That garners Gray's attention. He shifts in his chair, focusing harder on his father. "You want her at the banquet?"

"Why shouldn't I?" the Collector asks, taking another bite. "Look at her," he says, motioning to me with his goblet in his hand. "She hasn't even moved to touch the food before her. You've obviously broken her well."

I hadn't touched the food on my plate because I wanted to play the role of the perfect pet, only moving or speaking when allowed.

"Has it been fun?" he asks Gray as if I'm not sitting right beside him. "You've only given me the barest of details."

Gray looks at me, something unreadable in his eyes before looking back at his father. He gives him a smirk that looks more punishing than amused. "She's everything I ever dreamed she would be," he says, and I do my best to bury the shock that threatens to show on my face.

He slides a hand along the bare skin on my back, and it takes everything in my power to not react to the touch. It's warm and elicits chills when my stomach should be churning. I should be smacking his hand away. "She fought me in the beginning," he continues. "But now..." He sucks in an audible breath. "I have her completely under my control."

My heart is racing, my mind spinning with the lies he spews to his father. And why? To try and bait me into a reaction that will likely get me killed? Or to test his hold over me, knowing he has Zev and Jagger under his control?

The Collector laughs, a sickening sound that makes my hands ball into fists where they rest in my lap. My power roams beneath my skin, begging to strike, but the damn silver bracelets are weakening my powers so much. I've been working on breaking these decorative chains since I awoke with them on, but it's like walking up a steep mountain.

"How is it," the Collector asks. "Being bitten?"

Gray's touch on my back pauses a moment, and he shifts in his chair to look at me, his thigh brushing against mine beneath the table.

Everything in my body narrows to his touch, an ache resonating deep in my body.

Why ?

Why do I have this reaction to him?

It's been a week since I fed from my Linked…that has to be it.

"It's indescribable," Gray finally answers his father, returning focus to him.

The Collector smacks the table with his free hand, laughing again. "Lucky, lucky boy," he says. "I've always wondered what it's like," he continues, his eyes lingering on me in a lustful way that makes me feel ill.

"You should try it," Gray suggests, nodding toward me. "She's a good little pet," he continues. "If I ask her to, she'll bite you."

What in the absolute fuck is he playing at?

I can do nothing but play along if I want to keep my advantage.

The Collector seems to consider this, then flashes Gray a warning look. "You know my Treasure would have my head on a spike if she caught me even entertaining the idea." He laughs forcefully. "She would probably force me to shift and take pleasure in removing each and every one of my scales if I actually acted on it." He shakes his head. "Sometimes I think you want me to suffer," he laughs again, shaking his head at his son like he's a silly little boy instead of a grown male.

Goddess, is the Treasure that powerful? I knew he coveted her above all else, but did she truly hold him in such restraints that he feared her?

"She does have a temper," Gray says as casually as possible, scooping up his wine goblet and taking a long drink. "Oh well," he says, setting the goblet down and picking up his knife and fork to cut a piece of meat on his plate, the black stone of his pinky ring that he always wears glimmering in the light. "More fun for me."

He looks to me then, and nods to my plate. "Eat."

The command is in a tone I've rarely heard from him, and it gives me more questions than ever before. Still, I pick up my knife and fork and eat, doing my best to take delicate bites and look as broken as he claims me to be.

"Tell me, Father," Gray says after a few bites. "What do you want with my pet at the court banquet? Surely we don't need her opinion on politics," he jests.

The Collector laughs. "No, we certainly don't," he says. "But you know how important this banquet is. Everything has been leading up to this. The last two decades have proven my methods successful. It's time to enter the next phase and announce the next Great Purge. Having the lone succubus-tress hybrid in attendance, broken and obedient as she is, will go a long way in reminding the nobles of my power."

"But you'll have the Treasure there," Gray says. "What need do you have of my pet?"

The Collector pauses with a bite almost to his mouth, narrowing his gaze at his son. "You know the more you call her your pet, the more inclined I am to take her from you. Don't reward my gifting her to you with defiance."

Gray's hand grips the knife a bit tighter, a subtle move that I'm not sure the Collector detects because he's too busy staring down his son. But I swear I can feel the tension radiating off Gray, as if it's clenching my muscles.

"Yes, Father," he says. "Shall I have her wear your colors or mine?"

"Mine," the Collector says, continuing to eat.

Silence falls around the table, and I distract myself with the motions of eating in order to calm myself.

The Collector is announcing another Purge tomorrow . I haven't been able to gather the information I need to strike. I need more time .

Time's up.

I have to break out of these silver chains.

I have to take the risk of there being contingency plans against Jagger and Zev if I strike out against them. I have to end this, even if it means me and my Linked die too. My heart breaks at the thought, but if there's even a slim chance of stopping another senseless war, I have to try.

The rest of the dinner is riddled with small talk that I can barely stand, doing everything I can to hold my mask in place. Finally, the Collector excuses himself, saying that his Treasure won't like it if he takes too long.

Gray leads me from the room seconds after the Collector disappears.

I can feel the agitation in him as he leads me back to my room, slamming the door behind us.

"If I'm to be paraded around and play the proper pet tomorrow night," I say boldly, "I need to feed again."

His eyes snap to mine. "You dare to make demands?"

"It's a simple fact, Gray," I say. "You're the one who led me into this game without telling me the rules. If we're to do it again tomorrow, I need to feed."

He puts his tongue in his cheek, nodding. "I'm impressed," he says. "I half expected you to flash your fangs at me and call me a liar."

I shrug. "You could let me in on why you're lying to him. You haven't touched me, and I haven't fed from you."

"Telling you that would be akin to trusting you. I don't think we've made it there yet. Have we, pet?"

"I'll never trust you," I say.

"You need to feed," he says ignoring that.

He looks me up and down, and then leaves the room.

I've just slipped back into one of the signature nightgowns, this one a dark purple, by the time the door swings open again.

My heart leaps in my throat at the sight of Zev and Jagger, looking clean and healthy, their clothes new—simple cotton pants and shirts, but fresh.

They cross the room in seconds, enveloping me in an embrace that fills me to my very core.

"Are you hurt?" Jagger asks, smoothing his hands over my body.

Zev does the same inspection, but I shake my head.

"I'm unharmed. And you two?"

"The prince made good on his promise," Jagger says, glancing over his shoulder at where Gray leans against the wall near the door. "We have rooms on this floor. We're fed and allowed to use the bathing chambers."

My eyes flash to Gray for a moment, curiosity rattling my mind before my focus is yanked back to my Linked. Their desire washes over my tongue, and hunger floods my body, making it go taut.

I move my hands over Jagger's chest, then turn to Zev, shifting fluidly between the two as our mouths crash together, the three of us unable to touch each other enough.

My fangs punch out, throbbing with the need to sink into them.

"Aren't you going to leave?" I manage to ask, looking at Gray as Jagger and Zev continue to kiss me along my neck and chest.

Gray shakes his head, a muscle in his jaw ticking.

I huff out a frustrated sigh. "Suit yourself."

"Look at me," Zev demands, and my eyes trail up to his golden ones. "Ignore him. Ignore everything. We're here for you. Take what you need."

My heart expands in my chest, and I tremble at his words.

Jagger gently grips my hips and leads me to the bed, Zev following.

It's hard to do as he says, hard to ignore that Gray hasn't budged from his spot near the door. Hasn't taken his eyes off of me for a second.

My Linked start undressing, gently removing the gown from my body until we're all bare to each other, and I forget everything outside of the sensation of their bodies around mine.

Jagger shifts the black silk sheets around us, sparing us some of our dignity as we relinquish ourselves to the primal instincts driving our bodies. Link and Linked, the pulsing need saying claim claim claim.

Zev is the first to grab me, slanting his mouth over mine before slicking his thick head through my wetness, sinking in to the hilt, his powerful hand hiking my leg over his hip as he thrusts inside me.

Jagger is the second, kissing his way up my spine as he nestles in behind me, the three of us on our sides beneath the silk sheets as Jagger teases the seam of my ass. I relax, welcoming him in as he gently pushes himself into the tight space until I can't see or think or feel anything but the two of them consuming me in such a way.

We're a tangle of limbs and kisses and desire, our bodies driving us toward that sweet edge of pleasure, the waves of it building like a storm beneath my skin. I can feel their bonds rattling inside me, their powers radiating like a current between the three of us back and forth and in between.

Every touch and graze makes me tremble, makes me liquid.

Every punishing kiss from Zev, every sweet touch from Jagger has my soul stretching so much I swear it will shatter into a thousand pieces from needing them so much.

Zev reaches down between us, pumping into me with hard thrusts that push me back against Jagger, the rhythm a perfect kind of ache that has me gasping for breath. He rolls his fingers over my pulsing clit, plucking out more pleasure until I'm practically keening with the need for release.

I reach behind me and grip onto one of Jagger's hands, wrapping it around my chest and holding him tight against me, my other hand tunneling into Zev's hair as they push me closer and closer to the edge.

I throw my head back, gasping as pleasure ripples through me, cascading down my body in waves that have me convulsing around the two of them. My line of sight has me looking across the room, my eyes locking with Gray as he watches.

Lava streaks through my veins at the way he's looking at me. Like he's angry at how much he likes what he sees.

One orgasm floods right into another building release.

I like him watching us.

I want him to watch me and want me and see me in a way that he'll never get to.

"Stay with us," Zev demands, gripping my chin and forcing me to look back into his golden eyes.

The move is primal and dominant and has me clenching around the two of them in yet another release. I kiss him quickly and then sink my fangs into his neck, pouring our combined pleasure into the bite as I drink him down, moaning around his flavor as my release barrels down my spine. I jerk back, gripping that hand around me of Jagger's and sinking my teeth into his wrist, giving him an equally pleasurable bite that has him and Zev coming inside me at the same time.

I vibrate with their desire and blood and power. It's so blinding, I'm afraid it might burst right out of my body. I guess that might be one way to kill Gray, especially with the two of them safely in my arms right now. If only these bracelets weren't still clinging to my wrists. All I'd have to do is let go, let my power free of the cage I've kept it in for so many years.

I look across the room, catching my breath as Zev and Jagger shower me with kisses over my chest and back.

Gray hasn't moved, those silver eyes never leaving mine.

It would be a waste of power to kill him now.

But tomorrow...tomorrow will change everything.

It's hours before Zev and Jagger fall asleep, and another hour before Gray believes I've succumbed to exhaustion too. I feel him linger at the edge of the bed for a moment before he leaves the room, shutting to door behind him.

I take a deep breath, alertness thrashing in my body as I nudge my Linked awake.

"I have to tell you something," I say once I've roused them.

I tell them what was said at dinner, tell them what I have to do.

"We're with you," Jagger says after, using his thumb to swipe a tear away. "You don't need to worry about us, dove. Can you break these?" He grazes a finger over the silver bracelets.

"Yes," I say confidentially. "I've been working on losing them since I woke up with them on. I'm close."

"Do what you need to do to end this," Zev says, sincerity in his eyes. "If it means our deaths, then it's a small price to pay to stop another Great Purge."

"I don't deserve either one of you," I whisper through my tears, tucking myself between them, allowing them to hold me as I cry.

"You deserve more than the life you've been given," Zev says, tucking me tighter against his chest, Jagger enveloping me from behind.

"We'll meet again," Jagger assures me, stroking my back in long, comforting caresses. "The next life…" he continues. "We'll have more time."

My heart shatters as I cling to them, hoping he's right. I want more time. More time for him and Zev and Six.

Six .

I miss him so much even though I know it's a blessing he disconnected from me. He'll be safe. At least I could keep one of them safe.

I just wish I was strong enough to save them all.