Chapter 17 #2
As if Hayle had summoned him, my brother appeared. His eyes flickered between the three of us, like he was trying to figure out what was happening. The dynamic was odd, I guess, if all you had to go on was rumor and their behavior at the Conclaves.
But like the child of any abusive parent, Kian was very good at reading body language, and the air around a person. There was no animosity here.
He looked back at me, a frown on his face, but he still hadn’t said a word.
Sighing, I rolled my eyes at my older brother, then looked back at Vox. “You might want to airbubble him too for this next bit.” I felt his power stretch over the four of us. “I’m dating Vox Vylan. It’s a secret.”
Kian reared back, like I’d just told him that I was fucking a bridge troll. “I thought you were in love with Taeme?”
I grabbed Kian’s hand. “I am. I’m also in love with Vox.
” I wanted to reach out and touch Vox too, but the privacy bubble only inhibited sound.
“It’s possible to love more than one person.
It isn’t a gift you can only give once.” Unlike my father, who hadn’t had love for anyone but my mother: not his children or his Barony, and never another woman.
There was just him and his bitterness now.
Kian’s jaw worked. “I understand that, Avie, I do. But this”—his eyes flicked from me to Vox—“is a dangerous game. I can’t protect you from that.”
It clearly pained him to admit it, and I squeezed his hand tightly. “I don’t need your protection anymore, Kian.” I flickered my gaze around the room. There were too many people, too many ears, for the conversation we needed to have. “I have so much to tell you, but not here.”
Hayle’s palm tightening around mine was reassuring. “We’ll meet you in the back garden, just beyond the treeline, when the banquet ends.”
My brother looked at us all suspiciously, and I gave him my most confident smile. “It’s all okay, big brother. I promise. Go and enjoy yourself. Felix Mirchrin’s sister has been giving you kitten eyes for the last five minutes.”
He glanced over his shoulder, where Elise Mirchrin was indeed giving him come-hither eyes, though I imagined it had less to do with political bedmates and more for a quick romp in one of the Baron’s many rooms. My brothers were handsome in a way that wasn’t prevalent in the southern citizens of Ebrus; they were big and rough, like they’d been cut from the mountains themselves, but still handsome.
Every single one of the maids back home had mooned after them.
I didn’t see it, though. They both looked like my father, and that wasn’t something I could ever find attractive.
Elise Mirchrin appeared beside us. “Heir Halhed, may I have the honor of a dance?” She was sweet, but was definitely throwing off fuck me vibes so thoroughly, it was a wonder she wasn’t panting.
Kian inclined his head, either oblivious to the knowledge that the girl wanted to get into his pants, or uncaring it was so. “Of course.” He led her away gently, while she looked up at him with big eyes.
Hayle laughed softly. “Mirchrin’s sister wants to climb your brother like a tree.”
I shuddered. “Ew.” I noticed there were now more and more people on the floor, and I looked up at Vox. “Would you do me the honor of a dance?”
Vox hesitated, but I could see the desire in his eyes. Finally, he sucked in a deep breath. “Of course. I just don’t know how I’m going to prevent everyone in the room from knowing that I want to fuck you against the closest wall.”
Hayle snorted, his grin wide, because he’d promised to do the same earlier. “Just imagine there’s a stick up your ass and do that expression.”
Raising a single eyebrow, he met Hayle’s gaze. “What if I’d like that?” he taunted back.
Wait. What?
Both of Hayle’s brows went up until they nearly touched his hairline. “I’m pretty sure that could be arranged.”
Wait, wait, wait. Are my boyfriends becoming… boyfriends?
“What am I witnessing right now?” I asked, my eyes bouncing between them. “Whatever it is, please note that I am one thousand percent on board.”
Rolling his eyes at me, Vox reached out and grabbed my elbow, directing me toward the dancefloor. “Nothing that can be sorted out right now. Let’s dance.”
I felt eyes watching me as he led me to the center of the dancefloor. The band was playing something soft but lively, and Vox held me tightly. Dancing wasn’t really in my repertoire, but I was going to give it a whirl and hope I was better than Bach. At least I’d been forced to learn.
Vox, however, was excellent. He led me easily around the floor, his face etched in an expression that could be read as distaste, if you couldn’t see the burning need in his expression.
“I’m not sure when I became so reliant on you, Avalon Halhed, but being without you is hurting my soul. I even miss Taeme. I never thought I’d say this, but I’ll be happy to return to Boellium the day after next.”
“Me too,” I told him quietly, desperately wanting to lay my head on his chest as the music turned into a mournful song.
Someone cleared their throat behind us. “May I cut in?” I looked over my shoulder at Zier Tarrin, who was looking ridiculously handsome in all black, right down to his waistcoat and shirt. He looked like a villain.
Vox glared at him. “No.”
We needed Zier Tarrin; we couldn’t aggravate him. I widened my eyes at Vox, who sighed.
“Fine.” He stepped back away, bowing to me politely, like he didn’t know the expression on my face as I came on his cock. “Heir Halhed, thank you for the pleasure of the dance.” Then he nodded at Zier. “Baron.”
“Heir Vylan,” Zier answered back formally. Goddess, this fucking social etiquette thing was exhausting.
Vox gave me another heated look and walked away, and Zier Tarrin stepped into my space. He bowed. “May I have this dance?”
“Well, considering you just chased away my dance partner, I guess you may. I have to warn you, though, I’m not very good. Vox was doing most of the dancing a moment ago. I just concentrated on not stepping on his toes.”
Zier placed a large hand on my waist, his other clasping mine at shoulder height. “That’s okay, Miss Halhed. I like to lead.”
Warmth flooded to my cheeks. “Well, uh, okay then.” As we moved around the room gently, I realized he was indeed a good dancer.
“I would caution you to watch yourself around the Vylans,” he said after the silence had stretched between us.
“They aren’t known for their kindness, especially to those they consider weaker. ”
I weighed up what I wanted to say next, because without the protection of Vox’s sphere of silence, everything was for public consumption. “I don’t believe that Vox is cut from the same cloth.”
“Perhaps, but they are all made from the same pattern.”
I smiled up at Zier. I understood he just wanted to protect me, even if he was wrong on this point. “Not Vox. On this point, I am very sure.” Let him make what he would of that. Judging by the narrowing of his eyes, he understood the subtext.
“I see.” And I believed he did. I could almost visualize the puzzle pieces in his mind slotting together, creating an image that couldn’t be completely correct, but would be close enough. “You’re really not what I expected, Avalon Halhed.”
Laughing softly as he spun me across the floor, I gave him a lopsided smile. “I’m going to take that as a compliment, Baron.”
He twirled me back into his body. “I believe I asked you to call me Zier,” he murmured quietly, and my cheeks flushed.
The song ended, saving me from trying to find my voice. Bowing low, he left the dancefloor, leaving me with a racing heart, probably because I’d just danced three songs in a row.
Yes. That’s definitely why.
Hayle appeared behind me, grabbing my hips and pulling me back against his chest. “Have a nice dance with Daddy Zier?” he teased, and I slapped his chest.
“Stop it,” I hissed, but felt my cheeks get even hotter. Maybe I was having a stroke? “Aren’t you meant to be territorial or something?”
He spun me so we were front to front, and grabbed my hand, placing it over his heart. “You could have a whole army of lovers, Avie, and none of them would ever share what we do. You have my heart, my soul, and my above-average-sized coc—”
“Hayle!” I hissed, looking at the other people on the dance floor.
He wrapped his arms around me. Whatever dance we were now doing, I didn’t think it was made for the ballroom. “I don’t mind sharing, sweetheart. Vox, however, will definitely have a problem,” he teased, before kissing me, right there in the middle of the ballroom.
A claiming kiss that was so possessive, it completely contradicted his earlier words.