Chapter 13 #2
They both looked at her, as if they’d forgotten she was even here. It was sobering to her. They wanted to use her for what she could offer, but otherwise, she was nothing but a nuisance, a young girl, in over her head.
"Eternity," said the President.
Suddenly, the holographic Stars and golden accents seemed menacing to Rin.
Sabine’s phone buzzed in her jeweled clutch, and she undid the clasp, pulling it out. Her shoulders tensed. There was a manic tinge to her eyes—they were a little too wild as she met the President’s, then flitted to Rin’s.
"I have to go. Excuse me." As Sabine left, she squeezed President Shin’s muscled arm.
She escaped through the same exit her husband had taken.
If something was truly wrong, Rhyden would let them know, wouldn’t he? That depended on whether he knew himself. His tech didn’t make him omnipresent.
President Shin’s attention made her uncomfortable. He inclined his head to Cyrus. "I hear you have finally found your Soulbond." It wasn’t a question.
Cyrus unfolded himself from her back, standing by her side. "She did. I’m sure you know of me, though, Dae Shin. I used to review some of the off-planet correspondences. Your name was always at the top of the list when it came to inquiries about whores."
A muscle in the President’s jaw fluttered as he gritted his teeth. "Well, you certainly live up to your reputation, Cyrus Soltren."
The incubus gave a mock bow. When he straightened, the danger in his eyes erased any trace of the gesture’s playfulness.
Slowly, then all at once, red glimmers filled the air—so faint that no one would notice save for the three of them. Cyrus’s plush lips—still stained by her gloss—curved into a deadly grin, like the large predators that lived on Praed, scenting meat.
"Interesting," the incubus hummed, then the red snapped back into him. He shuddered and rolled his shoulders back, turning to Rin, his nose grazing her powdered cheek. With that singular action, his body language dismissed the President of the Hunter’s Guild entirely.
Rin swallowed a strange giggle.
The President’s face flickered as he covered his ire with a stoic mask. His words were calm, belied by the way he refused to glance at Cyrus—which must’ve been hard, seeing as his face was right by hers.
"This evening promises revelations," said President Shin. "I trust you understand the importance of cooperation, Vesperin. What your parents are doing here is vital to the fate of Earth—and beyond. Do not let childish displays spoil this night."
"They’re not my parents," Rin said softly.
"What?"
"Sabine and Talor, they aren’t my parents," Rin repeated, stronger this time. "Though the legal papers say otherwise, they’ve never been my parents." She spied Xara and Keir at the other side of the room, sitting at one of the tables. She gave a curt nod. "Now, if you’ll excuse us, President Shin."
She laced her fingers with Cyrus’s and led him around the outskirts of the dance floor to the table where Xara and Keir were.
"Took you long enough," Rhyden grumbled.
She felt safe enough to reply, hidden in the dark. "Like you’d have an easier time at it. You try being in my shoes."
"Can’t," the vampire gritted. "That fake innocence wouldn’t suit me." Rin rolled her eyes. "Besides, I wouldn’t bother with manners. If I want to leave a conversation, I simply do."
Cyrus’s nail scratched at her palm. "Where’d Mommy and Daddy Psycho run off to?"
Rin’s lip curled as she shot him a look. Really? she mouthed.
"The targets," Rhyden enunciated, "are outside, by the gates with the guards. They’re arguing, by the looks of it—pretty heated. By the fucking way, those masks give me the goddamned creeps. You rich people really are a different breed."
His words made Rin stall. She couldn’t respond, as Xara noticed them, eyes widening as she spotted Cyrus by her side.
Wasn’t Rhyden rich, too—or at least, he had been at one time.
She had a flash of opulent jewels heavy around her neck, as his sweat-slicked body covered hers, hips grounding into her. She stumbled, and Cyrus caught her.
Rin forced a smile onto her face; though, she felt it wobble slightly. "I’ve… never liked heels."
Cyrus just hummed, contemplative.
Xara greeted them by popping out of her seat, her emerald dress sparkling. "Vesperin—oh my god. The rumors were true." She covered her mouth with her hand.
Keir stood, movements slow. "So, you’ve been hiding an incubus Soulbond from us?"
"Um," Rin said, so eloquently, "not hiding—just keeping it private. This is Cyrus. We met on that mission I took on Sibeth months ago."
"The one that your... brother died on?" Xara hedged.
Rin’s throat tightened. "Yeah, that one."
Cyrus’s skin seemed to glow as he held out a hand. "Cyrus Soltren, formerly of the planet Sibeth, now of the home of Vesperin Vox." He shook Keir’s hand first, then Xara’s when she snapped out of her stupor.
Rin blushed at his words.
"Oh, he’s good." Xara met her eyes.
As she listened to her roommate and teammate question Cyrus, she felt normal, getting butterflies over boys—well, incubi—and playing dress up. As her eyes flitted about the room, she found Lucien immediately, as if drawn by a string.
He was watching her.
Lucien sat alone. The mysterious woman from earlier was gone, and behind the lens of his glasses, his green eyes were dark with blatant desire.
It made warmth drip down her spine to know she was the reason for that look.
She didn’t miss the other curious glances thrown Lucien’s way.
He was gorgeous, and all alone, just as she’d feared.
But that look, it was for Rin. She reached up and brushed her fingertips over her collarbones, tapping once just over her heart.
In the dim lights, she saw his throat bob.
For the first time tonight, Rin mourned the fact the comms didn’t work for them all.
They hadn’t wanted the sound of their voices to cause a distraction, considering the link was open all the time; there was no way for them to surreptitiously tap the device behind their ears to initiate it. Rhyden was hearing everything.
Not wanting to draw attention to him, Rin forced herself to look away from Lucien.
She saw a familiar face in the corner. The half-vampire on the Beta Team: Jasver.
She’d not seen him in a while, always from a distance.
His blue-tipped hair was brighter than ever.
He saw her looking, and she raised a hand in a half-hearted wave, which he didn’t return.
Instead, his eyes seemed pinned to Keir with overt longing.
What happened when someone else was in love with your Soulbond?
Because the look on Jasver’s face was one of clear love.
For not the first time, Rin thought the Celestials and the Stars might be fools to tie one’s Soul to another.
Even having the gift of her own Soulbonds, she still felt…
incomplete. A fact she’d take to her grave.
Rin then saw Director Ilsa, along with the Directors of teams Beta, Omega, Gamma, and Delta, standing in a corner, speaking in low tones. She could tell who the others were simply by the air of importance that clung to them—and lethality. Their spines were straight, uniforms decorated with medals.
"Sabine is coming back inside with Talor. Better go now," Rhyden said quickly.
Rin met Cyrus’s eyes, giving a short nod.
As they’d spoken, they’d all sat around the table, eating finger food and drinking.
Rin placed her glass of briux down, then stood.
"I need to slip off to the restroom," said Rin, slipping the wrist strap of her clutch over her hand. Xara began to stand, too, but Rin waved her off. "I won’t be long, I just need to… freshen up, apply more lip gloss. Too much briux for me. I’ve always had a weak spot for it. "
Rin heard Rhyden huff in her ear.
For a moment, something flickered over Xara’s face.
Cyrus settled back into his chair, reaching for the half-full glass of amber liquid she’d placed down. The rim was stained with her gloss. He placed his mouth over it and drank, then grimaced as he pulled it away. "I don’t know how you drink that stuff. It’s far too bitter."
Suddenly, somewhere far—both in time and space—Rin murmured, "It’s not bitter, just requires a certain taste."
Rhyden made a pained hissing sound.
She leaned down at Cyrus’s urging, as he placed a hand on her hip.
Her curled hair fell around them, shielding their lips.
Still, he placed his mouth by her ear, whispering, "You need me, and I’m coming, doll.
I mean it. If you’re down there longer than thirty minutes…
Don’t be. Or I’ll wither everyone here, then maybe you can have your pick of all the pretty jewelry, seeing as the royal vaults are now closed to me—have to get my doll her sparkling things somehow. "
Rin kissed his cheek, then pulled away, breathing in his juicy berry scent. "Make sure Xara doesn’t follow."
Cyrus’s purple eyes grew half-lidded. "I’ll try." He seemed distracted by her lips.
"Cyrus," Rin chided softly.
"Time to distract. I’m only good for one purpose. Well"—his eyes raked over her, settling on the dip of her breasts, revealed by how she was leaning over him—"maybe two."
Rin straightened, cheeks warming as Keir winked at her. Without a hint of shame, Cyrus placed a cloth napkin on his lap. His palm brushed her hip as she passed by.
As she walked away, she heard the fading sound of Cyrus’s voice. "Shall we dance?"
Someone dropped a glass, high laughter and worried shouts following. Rin stiffened, on edge, her eyes scanning the room’s shadows. She spotted a masked guard in the corner, half hidden behind a gold silk-wrapped column. Though she couldn’t see the guard’s eyes, his face was fixed right on her.