Chapter 9
Nine
D inner with the demon summoner was…fine.
It wasn’t as though Everinne didn’t enjoy Jarek’s company, on the contrary.
He was respectable, made easy conversation, and there was something about his voice that caused her to stare at his mouth more often than she cared to admit.
All of which were perfectly acceptable, even desirable, qualities.
And yet…
The way he looked at her left her unsettled.
He didn’t watch her the way other males did—there was no leering, no lust-filled longing.
He didn’t undress her with his eyes, or act like he couldn’t wait to fuck her against a wall until she forgot her own name.
No, Jarek studied her. Every movement she made, every word she spoke, she could almost see him committing every detail about her to his memory.
From the moment she sipped her firebomb martini and smoke curled around her lips, to when she fiddled with the black diamond necklace dangling at her throat. He tracked all of it.
After dinner, just as Jarek promised, he brought her to the Mystic Obscura.
At least, she hoped that was where he’d taken her.
They climbed out of the valade and Everinne found herself standing before a dimly lit alley in the pulsing heart of Starysa.
Around her, the city was alive, full of vibrant music and raucous laughter as everyone wandered down the streets in search of the next best party.
None of them noticed her standing there with Jarek, hesitant to take that first step into the alley where the filtered gold light from the streetlamps didn’t quite reach.
In fact, every soul who passed by them never even glanced their way, as though they were invisible.
Jarek nodded toward the alley, gesturing before them. In the seeping darkness, his eyes burned bright like molten gold. He winked. “After you.”
Everinne blew out a low breath that misted before her as the chill of the night settled into her bones.
There was no going back now. And though she couldn’t quite shake the undercurrent of unease humming just beneath her skin, her curiosity couldn’t be silenced.
She swallowed the knot of trepidation threatening to choke her and walked forward, stepping right through a shimmer of glamour.
Magic coated her skin, the feel of it reminding her of cool satin.
Behind her, the sounds of Starysa were muffled.
The music was distorted, the voices garbled and distant.
Slightly crumbling, aged stone walls surrounded both sides of her, but at the very back end of the alley, a door appeared.
Glossy, midnight blue wood with bronze-dusted whorls and spirals took shape, complete with a curving gilded handle.
Slowly, Everinne edged nearer, aware of Jarek’s closeness to her.
Whether he intended to protect her or lure her in, she couldn’t be sure. She considered asking him as much when a sign materialized above the door.
It was the same shade of blue as the door, with swirling silver edges, and in faint lettering, two words were scrawled in a bold, elegant script.
Mystic Obscura.
Everinne leaned back a bit, taking in the dilapidated exterior of the building and the door that was so shiny she could see her reflection. It was hardly an imposing entrance. If anything, it was lackluster and disappointing.
She cocked one hip to the side, crossing her arms. “It’s not quite what I was expecting.”
“Nothing ever is.” Jarek opened the door, then turned to face her, holding out his hand.
Beyond him, the alluring music of a violin and piano called to the depth of pain she kept hidden away inside her. The place she never let anyone see.
She hesitated for only a moment before accepting Jarek’s hand and allowing him to lead her inside.
The entryway was more like a maze, a confusing pattern of vanishing corners behind silk curtains of deep sapphire and bronze that seemed to move and shift and breathe.
Fractured, mirrored spheres glowing with gold fire sent splintered beams of light and shadow flickering across the high ceiling.
A faint silver mist curled around her feet, spilling over her heeled boots, concealing the floor from her view.
Jarek’s grip on her hand remained firm and steady, then he reached out in front of him, pulling one of the thick curtains aside.
Everinne’s jaw dropped.
He inclined his head, tilting it toward the grandeur glimmering right in front of them.
“Welcome to the Mystic Obscura, Everinne.”
She had never seen anything so wondrous in all her existence.
Grand chandeliers sparkled like lustrous topaz above a massive theater where a center stage hovered, suspended in the air by magic.
A female dressed in a nude bodysuit covered in diamonds twirled across the stage, wrapped in thick ribbons of scarlet silk.
Her body twisted and flowed to the music, flawless and fluid, as murmurs of awe and applause echoed through the elaborate hall.
Rows of decadent balcony seating swept up to dizzying heights along every wall, and while many suites were occupied by some of the city’s wealthiest patrons, others were hidden away behind deep blue draperies, lending to their allure and intrigue.
The mist around Everinne’s feet had cleared, and she realized she stood upon a floor of iridescent mosaic glass with veins of dark gold spiraling off in different directions.
While it seemed as though the balcony seats had the best view of the stage, it was the area around and beneath it that was brimming with all the fantastical wonders that gave the Mystic Obscura its namesake.
There were fountains carved from lapis lazuli where sparkling wine flowed freely into towers of wine glasses.
Females wore next to nothing, save for the swaths of satin hugging their lithe bodies while every other inch of their flesh dripped with jewels.
Some of them danced, the sound of their heels clicking in time with the mesmerizing beat of music.
Others served refreshments, balancing trays of glimmering drinks that caught fire, sending blue sparks shooting into the air.
The males donned bronze pants with chains that hung around their waists, and black top hats.
They wore trim coats layered with an excessive amount of midnight feathers and their chests were bare, revealing sculpted muscles and intimidating tattoos.
At first glance, it didn’t appear as though the males had anything better to do than stalk about with permanent scowls creasing their brows.
But Everinne quickly realized they weren’t haughty performers who curled their upper lips at any patron who passed by too close.
No, that wasn’t the case at all.
They were watching the females. Protecting them from any unwanted advances or crude remarks.
“This is the menagerie.” Jarek spoke in hushed tones, draping his arm casually around her bare shoulders.
She’d left her coat in her apartment, opting instead for a strapless silver dress that dipped down low in the back and was covered in crystals that swung and tinkled as she moved.
Not her best idea, considering the freeze of winter was growing colder each day, but she’d assumed a place like the Mystic Obscura would be warm, if not overly stuffy.
Unfortunately, the cold emanating from Jarek caused her to shiver, and he took it as his cue to draw her in closer to his side.
Everinne turned, feigning interest in a massive wooden wheel painted in swirls of washed gold and brilliant blue. A rack of assorted daggers with leather-wrapped hilts and gleaming blades was positioned next to it. She carefully eased out from underneath his hold.
“That looks interesting.” She nodded toward the wooden wheel, where leather bindings were attached to four outer corners.
“I suppose.” Jarek’s golden honey eyes sparked in the slash of light, illuminating the predator within him. “If you’re into bondage and blade play.”
She tilted her head, considering. “I could be.”
Jarek laughed but it was rough, and he smothered it with one hand. His molten gaze skimmed the length of her, his thumb and forefinger running along the edge of his jaw. “I’m not sure you have what it takes.”
Everinne reared back, affronted.
She cocked one hip to the side, fully prepared to tell him she would absolutely strap herself to that wheel while some shirtless male threw daggers in her direction, but he snared her wrist instead, pulling her in the other direction.
“Ah, there she is.” Jarek gently tugged Everinne through the crowd, maneuvering her past performers who breathed fire while others juggled orbs of spinning water.
He drew to a stop and standing before Everinne was the most stunning woman she’d ever seen. She definitely wasn’t fae, but there was something otherworldly about her presence, giving her an air of magnificence.
Her skin was a rosy umber, and gold dusted the apples of her cheeks.
She’d painted her lips a deep red shade, and heavy liner framed her amber eyes.
Silken brown hair fell to her waist, half of it braided back and pinned into place with a comb of golden pearls.
She wore a gown of black that covered one shoulder and arm, then pulled tight around her waist. Strands of chains woven with the same pearls were draped around her hips, and when she moved, the fabric of her gown glinted like polished obsidian.
“Everinne.” Jarek gestured to the beautiful woman. “This is Reine, the owner and reigning madame of the Mystic Obscura.”
Jarek placed his hand on the small of Everinne’s back and urged her forward. “Reine, I’d like you to meet my friend, Everinne.”
“Hello, Everinne.” Reine’s voice was sultry, like tendrils of smoke curling into the air after a midnight fire. “Such a pleasure to meet you.”