Chapter 11
Valen’s tongue slides deep into my mouth, silencing me. Panic floods my system. With all my strength, I shove Valen away, twist around, and reach behind me. “LUCAS!”
A crisp snap and violent cursing explode from behind the couch. “MOTHERFUCKER!” Lucas bolts up, the illusion dissolving. He shakes out his hands. “Fuckfuckfuck.” Steam hisses from his rings as he blows on them uselessly.
The relief is staggering and I half collapse on the desk. “Thank all the arachnid gods. You okay?”
Lucas’ mouth twists in a grimace, the steam finally stopping. “Yeah. I’ll live.” His eyes slide past me. “For however long that’ll be.”
Cold shivers down my insides. I swallow and slowly turn back to Valentin Bauer the Sixth. A hum of magic straightens out his rumpled shirt and slicks back his hair to flawless perfection. His eyes are ice cold, his face an unreadable stone mask.
I cover my unease with a wide smile and stretch on the desk. “Does this mean I’ll get that spanking after all?”
His deep voice growls, “No.”
I give it one last shot. “Please know that seducing you was not part of the original plan.” I dare a jaunty wink. “But an added perk.”
He’s completely unmoved and only offers a dull ‘Hm’ in response. My unease builds into a cold trickle down my insides. I’ve never had to work this hard to crack his anger. I dart a nervous glance at Lucas, whose lips thin. We’re going to have to be extremely careful to get out of this mess.
Valen strolls over to the large golden globe on a pedestal in the far corner of the room. He spins it and the metal slides open to reveal a glinting crystal bar set within. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“N-no.” Magic nudges me, firmly but gently forcing me off the desk and on my feet.
The desk rights itself, papers fluttering as they neatly stack themselves, pens rolling back in place.
The book places itself in the center and I linger, eyes searching its cover for damage.
I let out a slow breath when I confirm the beautiful book is unscathed.
A chill pebbles my skin and I pull my shirt close as best I can, tucking it in to secure it.
Satisfied, I look up and come face to face with Valen again.
My breath sucks right back in and my heart kicks up into a pounding rhythm.
Desire coils, parting my lips. I should really figure out why Valen’s anger can be such a terrifying turn-on.
A flash of a smile tugs at me, my eyelids lowering.
There’s one sure way to snap him out of this mood, but then Lucas would have to sit on the couch and watch while Valen takes me on the desk.
Pressure builds in my core and my eyes flare, a reaction I shove away for a different time.
Valen lifts his crystal glass to his lips, the large, clear ice cube sliding within the amber liquid. His throat moves hypnotically, distracting me from realizing that he’s waiting for me to move.
A blush creeps up my cheeks and I quickly step to the side. If I could slap myself without looking like a lunatic, I would. I need to get my shit together and fast. We’re in a viper’s den and we’ll be eaten alive if we’re not careful.
Valen takes a seat in his father’s chair and gestures before him. “Sit.”
Two armchairs materialize before the desk.
Lucas glances at me, but I don’t dare take my eyes off Valen.
I sit down dutifully, my legs crossing at the knee.
After a moment’s pause, Lucas joins me. The chairs are stiff and the seats slightly too long.
It forces the sitter to either sit straight on the edge or awkwardly lean back.
Lucas chooses to sprawl arrogantly in his, meeting Valen’s cold stare head-on with a smirk.
Valen coolly appraises my friend and his hand on his knee ripples in a drum, the gold Bauer signet ring flashing in the light.
He swirls his drink before taking one more sip and I regret not taking the offered drink.
It would give me something to do while Valen seizes control of the situation.
If his kiss was to throw me off kilter, he’s done a spectacular job.
I’m twitchy, foggy, and a touch too horny to breathe.
The crystal glass touches down on the smooth wood. “Let’s try this again. Why are you really here?”
Lucas’ confident inflection worsens the pressure between my thighs as he answers, “What can we say? We were in the neighborhood.”
Valen’s icy gaze lands on me and I gulp. “Astoria. I don’t enjoy being toyed with.”
My eyes squeeze shut. He’s using that tone with me.
There’s no way Valen doesn’t know what that tone, in this room, does to me.
He’s angry, but it’s still a seduction, and it’s working too well.
Damn him. I need to think. I need to make a plan that doesn’t involve weird boundary-pushing sex with my ex in front of my best friend.
What I need is to find that amulet before Vincentius discovers us thieving.
Vincentius. My eyes snap open. “Where is Vincentius?”
Valen scans me. “You’re very lucky that it was me who discovered you and not him. What my father finds out about this little act depends solely on what you do next. You might’ve been able to get in easily, but I can guarantee that the wards won’t let you back out.”
My spine goes rod-straight, my stomach plummeting. “You knew I came in.”
His smile is slow, mischievous. He takes another sip.
Anger flares with a prickle of embarrassment. I should’ve seen it coming and now he’s made a fool out of me. Again. “Asshole.”
“You’re the one who used your password for nefarious means. Don’t be cross because I made certain that I’d know if you came back here. After all, you already stole from me once.” His eyes slide over me. “What I didn’t expect was you to be so reckless as to try it a second time days later.”
My jaw clenches and my hands grip together in my lap.
Glass empty, he sets it on the desk. His elbows rest on the wood, arms folding as he leans forward to pin me in place with his gaze.
“If you tell me what you need, then I might be inclined to strike a deal, even though you don’t deserve it.
” He nods towards the enchanted door. “You’ll have a hell of an easier time getting through if you do. ”
I chew on the inside of my cheek. He does have a point. It would be infinitely easier with Valen on our side. He might know where the stupid thing is. Then I’ll be able to collect it quickly, get back to my shop, subdue the spider, and retrieve my grimoire before the pain in my chest gets worse.
Twelve days…
My nail picks at the chair’s armrest. “There’s this amulet…”
Lucas stiffens, but Valen’s gaze is unwavering on me. “Go on.”
Adrenaline pumps in my blood. “I remember seeing it in the hidden library. It’s called the Amulet of Ac—”
Lucas’ deep baritone slices through my sentence. “Can we have a moment?”
My attention and that of Valen’s snap to Lucas. The magician swings into a seated position, his boots planting on the ground with a thud. Valen’s lip curls. “Seeing as you are trespassing, I’m going to say no.”
Lucas turns his glare on the other man. “Yeah, we’re past that since you nearly fucked her on the desk.”
Valen smirks darkly. “My, my, is the magician jealous?”
The warmth in Lucas’ irises douses, leaving them a dark brown. “Not at all. I’m concerned by how far you were willing to take it, weaver.”
Valen’s smile grows, and it’s a terrifying one.
He purrs, his head tilting back. “Astoria and I have played this game for many years. If she wanted to fuck me on this desk while you rotted away under a curse, who am I to deny her? Astoria knows I’d stop if she wanted.
That’s between us.” His eyes glint. “And not you.”
Lucas’ teeth grind. The two men lock in a battle of wills, Lucas glowering like he wants to turn Valen into a pincushion with his gold threads and Valen grinning like he’s ready to leisurely devour the magician alive. It’s a dangerous situation and shouldn’t be arousing at all.
I suppress the urge to slither my body between them as a suggested battleground. Because that would be wrong. Very… very… wrong.
Lucas snaps his glare on me and my mouth goes dry when he says, “We should really talk.”
Valen’s eyes narrow and I wet my lips before uselessly whispering, “I doubt he’s going to let us.”
Lucas snaps, frustration evident on his face, “Fine!” He points an accusatory finger at Valen. “You’re going to tell that guy? Really? We don’t need him. We’ve taken on bigger assholes than this guy easily.”
Except Lucas’ rings aren’t working properly.
Sure, normally we could take on Valen. Hell, I could take him if need be, at great cost to myself in my current state, but Lucas?
His rings might falter, and I’m not sure if I can protect him.
Valen would not simply subdue Lucas. He’d slaughter him and dispose of the body.
The trees in the garden have devoured the flesh and bones of the Bauers’ enemies before.
There’s a particularly ravenous patch of jacarandas that would make quick work of Lucas’ remains, then blossom out his rings to plop onto the mush on the ground.
There’s no way in hell I’m going to let that happen. I need to keep Valen ignorant of Lucas’ current weakness. It will be a delicate dance, but I can do it. I need to allow just enough truth in to distract Valen.
Unfortunately, Lucas seems determined to derail that plan. He glares at me with a withering intensity that I nearly shift away from. He growls, “Are you going to risk everything by trusting this guy?”
Valen scoffs, but I cut him off with a stern look before he can incite Lucas’ temper further.
I’m not exactly sure what is going on in the magician’s mind, but it’s thrown him off his game and we cannot afford it.
It’s a challenge to keep the irritation from my voice as I counter his question with another question.
“Do you want Vincentius Bauer the Third to come in and find out what we were doing?”