Full Color (ORCA #3)

Chapter 17

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

DIMITRI

When I woke up the next morning, Quin was gone. I knew he would be, but that didn’t stop me from wishing it wasn’t true. My body ached in the most delicious way, and I loved that I remembered exactly what Quin and I had done last night every time I moved or sat down. Having him inside me had been transcendent and so far beyond anything I had imagined. Being with him filled my heart with a joy so immense I thought it might explode.

I was riding such a high that I was largely unbothered by the fact Dasselaar kept me locked up in my room the whole day. Breakfast had been delivered with my morning dose of antitransmutative drugs, but even that didn’t bring me down.

In a dark corner of my mind, I worried about whether or not I would actually get to escape Dasselaar’s estate with my life, but if today was my last day alive, I refused to go down in a torrent of what-ifs. Instead, I focused on how I’d felt in Quin’s arms the night before, on how safe and secure he made me feel, how cherished and loved, and I let those feelings fill me up until the shadow of what was to come hung far in the background.

At lunch, another tray was delivered along with my tuxedo for the evening. Unfortunately, it was Scar who darkened my doorway this time. The bear shifter wore an all-black suit and his usual predatory expression as he pushed into my room without knocking.

“Mr. Dasselaar told me to remind you that your role tonight is to make his guests feel confident in their bids. You will remain in the auction room, and I will be responsible for watching you.” His leer made a chill race down my spine. “You will eat in your room before the event, and I will come to get you when it’s time. Be ready.” The or else was heavily implied, and he turned on his heel without waiting for a reply. At the door, he spoke over his shoulder, an evil gleam in his eye. “You’ll also be getting a second shot of drugs this evening so there’s no chance you can slip away in the crowd.”

“What?” My stomach pitched, and I thought I might vomit. Did Dasselaar know about Quin’s plan to get me out of the estate tonight?

Scar chuckled, the sound menacing as it bounced off all the hard surfaces in the room. “He wants the extra insurance. I think we have plenty of insurance already, but he’s the boss.” Scar shrugged like there was nothing he could do, then left, closing the door and locking it with a deafening click.

I had no idea what Scar had meant by insurance, but the what-if shadow I’d shoved away sprang up, pushing its way forward. If Dasselaar suspected Quin was up to something, everything could come crashing down. Quin could get hurt. I’d resigned myself to my fate. I didn’t like it. I wanted the freedom Quin promised, but I’d made an odd sort of peace with the fact that I’d fucked around and now I was finding out. I knew how my story ended. But I didn’t want that for Quin or my sister.

My stomach was in knots when dinner was brought to my room, and I couldn’t manage a single bite. The walls of my room felt like they were closing in, and I was desperate to talk to Quin, but until I got out of my cage there was no way to contact him, and even then, I’d have to wait for him to find me. I threw on my tux, fingers shaking as I fastened the bow tie, and paced in front of my door, waiting for Scar to barge through. I was so lost in my thoughts that the sound of the key in the lock made me jump.

Scar frowned when he saw me standing at the door waiting for him. “You’re going to need to take off the jacket and roll up your sleeve.” I complied immediately, undoing the French cuff on the shirt and holding the black and silver cuff link between my teeth while I rolled up the sleeve. I wanted to fight, but it would be no use, so I just let it happen. It was nice to have something to bite down on as Scar shoved the needle into my arm. Cold trickled through my veins, and I swallowed hard against the metallic taste on the back of my tongue. When he was done and jerked the needle from my arm, he gestured for me to put myself back together.

“Dasselaar said if you don’t behave tonight, I can do whatever I need to make you comply.” He looked entirely too pleased about that as he led me from the room. I had every intention of doing exactly what Dasselaar asked of me, until Quin worked whatever magic he was planning to get me out.

Every chandelier and sconce in the house was lit, and guests were beginning to arrive, a line of black town cars and limos beginning to queue in the driveway as valets rushed out to greet them. Music and the scent of food wafted out from the large formal ballroom across the hall as Scar pushed me into the auction room. A few of Dasselaar’s weekend guests, now dressed in formalwear, milled about the room. I wasn’t sure what to do or where to stand, so I found a corner and tried to blend in, staying out of the way unless I was asked a direct question. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to make sure the guests were reassured about their bids, but I assumed Dasselaar would make me aware of what I was supposed to do in his own time. For now, I stood in the room like I was supposed to and watched as a steady stream of guests wandered into the space. Quin wasn’t among them, and I tried not to be disappointed. I knew he had his own role to play in all this.

Finally, after an hour, Dasselaar barreled into the room with a group of guests. The women were dressed in designer gowns and draped in gold and diamond jewelry, while the men were in an assortment of tuxedos and military dress uniforms. He asked me to use my talent and everyone was appropriately impressed when he led them to The Evolution of Man . He brought through group after group, and I used my talent until I was almost exhausted. The extra dose of antitransmutative drugs meant it took even more energy to draw on the small part of chameleon form that made my skin react to changes in color. Dasselaar noticed I was starting to fade and directed everyone in the room back to the ballroom for champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Scar stayed by the door, and I slipped back into my corner, leaning against the wall.

Dasselaar had shut the doors, but I heard them creak open.

“This room is closed,” Scar said to the visitor.

“I just need a moment. I find the large crowd to be overwhelming.” I recognized Quin’s voice and my heart leapt in my chest.

“Fine.”

A second later, Quin came from around the partition wall. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on me, and he almost ran across the space until he had me wrapped up in his arms.

Scar had thankfully stayed by the door.

“You look incredible.” Quin held my hands and looked me over from head to toe, then leaned in and pecked a quick kiss on my lips.

“You do too.”

Quin smirked, and in the tux, he reminded me of a roguish gentleman spy. “This old thing?”

His joke made me smile, but it slid off my face when I remembered Scar’s words from earlier.

“What’s wrong?” Quin put a finger under my chin and made me look at him. “What happened?”

I shook my head and kept my voice low. “I think Dasselaar suspects something. He made Scar give me an extra dose of the drugs, and he said something about wanting insurance so I didn’t slip away.”

Quin cocked his head, and I could tell he was listening to Felix in his ear again. “Felix is looking into it. Not sure what he’ll be able to find, but know we have several backup plans.”

I was scared, and I didn’t know what to say. Quin grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the partition wall where The Evolution of Man hung.

“Dance with me.” He whispered the request against my ear, and a jolt of warmth replaced a little bit of the cold dread in my veins.

“What? There’s no music.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

I frantically looked around. “Someone could see us.”

“That’s why I brought you over here. They won’t see us until they come all the way around the wall. We’ll have time to step apart and pretend to be looking at the painting.”

Quin pulled me into his arms, one of his hands wrapping around my waist and the other holding mine. I followed his lead, swaying gently to music only he could hear, and muscle by muscle, I began to relax until my head rested on his shoulder. I wished we could slip away now, but with the party still in full swing, my absence would not go unnoticed, so I contented myself with time spent in Quin’s arms and a few stolen kisses.

The door creaked open and the sound of a crowd filtered in, Dasselaar saying something about his collection being unrivaled.

Quin and I broke apart, but he pulled me close enough to whisper in my ear one last time. “I made you a promise, Dimitri, and I’m going to keep it.”

Then he was gone, exiting around the partition wall as Dasselaar’s group entered from the other side.