Chapter Four
Ama
Holy shiznit. Was Finias seriously standing up for me against Drayven? After like five minutes of knowing me and after I’d called him a creeper?
All I could do was sit there in shock while tensions rose between the two men, who were now silent and simmering in rage. It was enough to pull me out of my frozen state.
Oh no, this was about to get messy. Time to intervene.
While it was nice to have someone defend my honor, especially someone as delectable as Finias was, I would never be a damsel in distress. I could take care of this on my own.
"Now, now, boys," I tutted as I rose from my seat on the fountain and ran my hand down the dark elf's arm.
Moving to stand in front of him, I arched a brow at Drayven and pursed my lips.
"The next time you need to speak to me, do so with manners, or else I’ll have no qualms with ignoring you for the rest of my life. Sound good?"
Already sort of was, frankly. But I would truly start ignoring anything he said to me—even at political meetings—if he couldn’t treat me with respect. I wasn’t that sixteen-year-old girl who didn’t have a backbone anymore.
Drayven’s large chest rose as he took in a deep breath, and his nostrils flared at my formal tone.
The green of his eyes pulsated before fading to their typical black, and his scythe disappeared with the color.
Clasping his hands in front of him, he cleared his throat before responding, "Your father has requested your presence in the meeting room.
Apparently they have something to discuss with both of us. "
Finias' voice rumbled behind me. "Would that have been so hard to say the first time around?" Okay, I was getting way too turned on by this man standing up for me and demanding manners from Drayven. I clearly needed some space.
I had expected Drayven to quip back with spite, or to perhaps attempt to cut Finias' head off with his scythe, but instead he kept his tone even as he asked, "Ama, would you please accompany me inside? This is important."
Had he just said please? To me? To little old “you nearly sucked my soul out when I kissed you, so I am going to publicly humiliate you” me? No way.
And yes. I was still bitter. Thanks for asking.
Noticing me glancing around me rapidly to see if the world was ending and pigs were flying, Finias chuckled and asked curiously, "You okay there, crazy?"
True bafflement was etched on my features as my mouth flopped open and I pinned Drayven with a stare. Wait, what if this was an elaborate trick to get me alone and off me? And I didn’t mean “off me” in a good way. There would be no orgasms in my future unless they were by my own hand.
Wait a second. I didn't need to go with Drayven alone.
A smile curled my lips upward as I turned my head to look at Finias.
"You said you were here for the open court session and to meet the royals, right?
Come with us, and I'll introduce you to the assholes.
The royals, I mean. Not their actual ass holes," I fumbled with how awkward that probably sounded.
How obvious was it that I didn’t socialize often?
Drayven was quick to cut in, venom dripping from his judgmental words, "Open court is for other royals only. He certainly does not look like he fits those requirements."
Wow. Could we say “judgy”? Anger billowed inside me at Drayven, once again, judging a book by its cover.
Even if that cover was a sexy package of tattoos that made Finias’ tall, lean form look fairly intimidating.
Really though, why was everyone in this house such an entitled prick?
Just because I was a hybrid didn't make me any less than them, and just because Finias was dressed casually and had tattoos didn't mean he was some vagrant here to rob us.
A dark chuckle rumbled from Finias, pulling me from my thoughts as I glanced into his beautiful violet eyes.
My breath caught in my throat as I took in the deadly calm expression in his eyes.
They practically begged Drayven to push him over the edge and give him an excuse to enact all the wonderfully violent thoughts I could see running through them.
Gone was the man who had joked about sharing butt warmth just a few minutes ago, and in his place was...someone who would burn the world down without a second thought. And call me crazy, but it turned me right the fuck on.
It was a completely sound conclusion that I had some serious problems.
Finias shocked me by reaching out and pulling me gently into his side, rubbing circles on my shoulder that made me wish I could burn this leather jacket off.
I wanted to feel his touch on my skin. "And, pray tell, what do I look like, pretty boy?
Because I can assure you that you don't have the slightest idea. "
That was fair. Finias was seriously like no one else I’d ever met before.
Drayven's eyes glowed with his power once more as they fixated on where Finias was touching me. It probably pissed him off that someone was giving me the time of day and treating me like an attractive woman instead of some diseased hybrid to be avoided at all costs.
The Reaper’s jaw clenched, and I imagined his teeth were probably grinding themselves down to stumps. I was quite enjoying seeing him so riled up, so I decided to play into it further. My hand snaked around Finias so that I was wrapped snugly against his lean body.
Glancing up at the elf who had appeared from the shadows and made my heart flutter, I bit my lip as I once again appreciated how gorgeous he really was.
There was a sort of feminine beauty to his high cheekbones and full, light pink lips.
His head turned slightly down towards me, and he tossed a wink at me while whispering, "This is the most fun I've had in ages. How about you?"
Another giggle bubbled out of me, and I mentally chided myself. Why did I sound like an excited school girl being flirted with for the first time? I just couldn't help it. Finias' cheeky yet confident attitude had inexplicably drawn me to him, and I wanted to peel back his layers and learn more.
"I think riling Drayven up might be my new favorite hobby," I joked back, though I thoroughly meant it.
A glint entered Finias' eyes as he leaned down towards me, his plush lips descending dangerously close to my own.
He stopped a mere inch away, and his breath fanned my face, a minty scent accompanying it as he asked, "Can I rile him up further? "
His intentions were astoundingly obvious, his eyes dropping to my lips, which had parted at his question. My cheeks warmed, a blush staining them at his forwardness. I couldn't deny that I wanted to feel how his lips felt against mine.
Now, how did I explain to Finias that I couldn’t kiss him because I could kill him, without scaring him off?
"I think you look like trouble, and I think you need to leave before I make you," Drayven finally answered, shattering the moment between us. Damn him.
Finias instantly straightened, his arm tightening against me as he tutted back, "I don't take well to threats, and I don't think your king would be happy to hear you've threatened the prince of the House of Runes."
I would have chopped my arm off to have a picture of Drayven's horrified expression framed and hanging on my ceiling to stare up at for eternity. Somehow his skin paled further—a feat I hadn’t thought possible for someone from the House of Death—and his eyes widened in shock.
While I’d thought Drayven had been afraid of insulting a prince from another house, his words contradicted my thoughts. "Ama, get away from him. Now. He's a trained assassin."
What the fuck?
My eyes flew to Finias' face, and he didn't bother denying Drayven’s claim as he stared right back at Drayven. "I might have killed people in the past, but I still know how to treat a woman with respect. Can you say the same?"
Fucking burn.
For some reason, Finias’ admission of what he was didn't scare me in the slightest. Maybe it should have, but the thought of blood staining his hands didn't change the gut feeling I had about him.
Instinctively, I knew he wouldn't harm me, especially with the way he had immediately moved to protect me when Drayven spat my name out earlier.
I pulled away from Finias, and the hurt that crossed his face melted my heart. He probably thought I’d pulled away in fear, but that wasn't the case. I held my hand out for him to take as I asked, "Care to accompany me inside, Mr. Assassin Creeper?"
He entwined our fingers and laughed softly, a warm affection infiltrating his gaze and making my pulse pick up. "I'd love nothing more, my butt warmth buddy."
"What the actual fuck is wrong with you, Ama?
" Drayven growled sharply, his voice rising in volume and pulling our focus back to him.
"I tell you the man is a literal assassin, and your first instinct is to hold hands with him? You seriously are lacking some fucking brain cells. You’re going to get yourself killed. I won't allow this."
My head jerked back for multiple reasons. For one, I was not the type of woman who was going to be told what I could and couldn't do. He wouldn’t allow it? It was as if this man was custom built to hit all the buttons that would infuriate me.
Secondly, he’d actually sounded like he gave a shit about my safety for a brief second there, and that made me more uncomfortable than anything else that had happened today. Including holding hands with a hot assassin.
"The day you openly mocked and rejected me after stealing my first kiss was the same day you lost any right to act like you gave a shit about me," I responded with a brisk chill to my tone, trying to signal that this conversation was over. Somehow, I didn’t think the man got the message.
"Let's go inside, Finias," I moved forward, pulling on his hand as I looked back at him, semi-frozen in place and staring over me at Drayven.
"Call me Fin," he answered, finally coming out of whatever trance he’d just been in.