10. Evanee
Evanee
“Wake up, lazybones!” Lyra chirped. I rolled over, peeling my eyes open. Bright rays of sunshine washed over me. I growled, yanking the covers over my head.
“Wow. Has anyone told you that you sound like a rabid wolf when you do that? Speaking of! I could’ve sworn I heard one howling last night.
Did you hear it? Maybe one of those delicious males is a Shadow Stalker!
” she exclaimed, banging around the room like a damn hogbeast. I groaned, peeking out from the heavy comforter.
“Hurry! They’re ready to leave. Oh, and uh… I wouldn’t use that fancy toilet in there. I went in to pee, and it turned into something else…” She waved her hand in front of her nose before she danced right out the door. I looked toward the bathroom and grimaced.
My head pounded as I peeled myself up, hanging my legs off the side of the bed. No one had a drink last night. We had many drinks. Thaddeus didn’t let my wine glass sit empty. Every time it ran low, there he was filling the crystal again, and I foolishly kept draining it.
I don’t know what I was thinking. We weren’t allowed to have wine except on holidays like the Winter Celebrations and the turn of the year.
Even then, it was grossly watered down, and we were each given one glass.
Last night the wine was rich, smooth, the best I’d ever had.
Now, I wish I could stick my head in a pile of snow.
The worst part was when the room started spinning.
The night was patchy, but I danced at one point when Thaddeus brought out an instrument that played the most beautiful music.
I let the melody take over my body. Maybe that’s where the spinning came in—I started turning in circles, round and round, until I lost my footing and fell—only I didn’t hit the ground.
I fell into Aiden’s lap.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as I groaned into my pillow, recalling the dark amusement in his eyes. The way his hand lingered on my hip—my traitorous body reacted to his touch, heat pooling low in my belly.
I'd tried to focus on the stories being shared around me as I climbed out of Aiden’s lap and stumbled to a spot on the floor near the crackling fire.
I remember giggling to myself when I caught him staring at me, the sound foreign from my lips.
But as I cast my gaze up at him, his smile, those exposed fangs—the stranger’s face cut in, sharp and uninvited.
I shivered, remembering how the stranger's scent intoxicated me as much as the wine had. I could almost swear he smelled of mountains—which made me snort. How could someone smell of mountains?
When Thaddeus had his servants bring out little cakes topped with white powdered sugar, it brought me back to the unique color of that being’s hair.
I’d never seen hair that color on someone so young.
It was like snow, but he couldn’t have been much older than me.
And his voice—Evanee. How could my name sound sinful?
His rich voice caressed the syllables like velvet dragged across naked flesh.
I drank to drown my thoughts.
It didn’t work.
They only multiplied—sharp and relentless—and now bile burned my throat as the memory of collapsing into Aiden’s lap replayed, yet again. Mortification threaded through every nerve as I bolted for the bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach, and steeled myself to face him.
Everyone was at breakfast except Thaddeus. They looked about how I felt, and all seemed ready to kill Lyra as she talked incessantly. Aiden, especially, as he moved his eggs around the plate but didn’t eat. His gaze instantly landed on me as I walked past, expression unreadable.
“Thought we were leaving before sunrise?” I teased, hoping things wouldn’t be weird between us now.
He grunted in response before dragging his gaze to mine, his mouth tugging up on one side as he looked me over.
My stomach coiled beneath his scrutiny—had things changed between us?
Did he think I was attracted to him? Or had he thought me foolish, overindulging, unable to handle myself?
His eyes were duller with dark shadows beneath them, and his hair was sticking out in every direction. He’d stayed longer than I had last night. No telling how long he drank.
Breaking our stare, I sat at the opposite end of the table next to Dimitri.
I glanced at Aiden again, meeting his gaze, a frown on his face.
He gave a pointed look at the empty chair beside him, then scowled, shifting his focus back to his plate.
My jaw tightened as I roughly yanked my chair closer to the table.
What the hell was that about? Like I’d sit next to him after last night.
Does he think I’m going to fall all over myself simply because he’s a captain and I’m… well, what I am? Please.
“I guess you know my secret,” Dimitri said quietly. I dragged my focus away from Aiden, grateful for the distraction.
For a Werewolf, Dimitri seemed… normal. His warm, chocolate-brown eyes appeared kind. A scar ran from his eyebrow to his jawline. Faded, nearly invisible, but there. He ran a hand through his close-cropped brown hair as he smiled.
“Oh, uh yes. I did see… Sorry.” I offered. What could you say when you saw someone as a wolf? And then not so long after, completely naked as a man?
“No need to apologize.” He reached for a biscuit. “It’s not exactly a secret. But we don’t like to advertise it outside of Castle Lawryn unless necessary. I’d call the skur scum more than necessary.”
I smiled tightly, and as the scent of mint wafted around me, my face fell.
“Dimitri, can I ask you… an odd question?” I fished.
Lyra, attempting to flirt with Brax, laughed obnoxiously loud at something he'd said, leaning over to swat him on the shoulder. Only she did it hard enough that he almost fell out of his chair. Aiden growled in their direction, snapping at Brax about professionalism.
“Anything,” Dimitri said as he started eating. I leaned toward him, feeling Aiden’s attention on me once more. I refused to acknowledge him.
“Do I smell… off?”
Dimitri’s scrambled egg fell off his fork.
“Define… off?” he said, his face stiffening as he clearly fought off a smile. I rolled my eyes.
“Never mind!” Chagrined, I focused on my plate.
“Care to share with the rest of the group what’s so amusing?” Aiden barked from down the table.
The others instantly grew quiet, even Lyra, and awkwardly looked between Aiden’s relentless scrutiny and us. My jaw gaped like a fish, trying to think of an excuse, as I did not want my question to be a group discussion. Besides, questions get you killed. Even the ones that seemed innocent.
“Evanee was just wondering if all Werewolves are as good-looking as me, is all, Cap.” Dimitri threw a wolfish smile back at Aiden’s glower. “And as well endowed.” He waggled his brows.
Aiden shoved his chair back with a screech, but then Lyra, startled us all as she shot up, slamming her hands on the table, sending a fork flying behind her where Malachai just so happened to be passing by.
His body stayed utterly still, with only his hand snapping up, catching it.
That golden gaze narrowed at her as he tossed it back on the table then moved to sit across from Aiden.
“I knew it!” she squealed, pointing a finger at us, unconcerned that she'd almost hit the scariest male in the group. “I knew there was a Shadow Stalker with us!”
Dimitri shook his head, bewilderment in his expression.
Aiden turned that dark look toward her. Brax, surprisingly, gave her an apologetic smile and murmured to her that it might be best to save the excitement for a later time. She actually obliged, sitting back down, fiddling with that damn pendant around her neck, gaze slit at the rest of us.
Dimitri lowered his voice, putting some distance between us now that Aiden kept shooting daggers this way.
“No, no. In all seriousness, what do you mean by off? Are you sick, or do you have an infected cut you need me to check out?” He searched my face. “A skur didn’t get you, did it? Nasty things. Many don’t know, but one bite from those fuckers can kill you or worse—turn you into what they are.”
Horror curdled in my gut. I definitely hadn’t known that. The stranger had only been scratched… right?
Dimitri seemed genuine, but basic decency didn’t equate to trustworthy. At the end of the day, he still worked for the Fae King, and he wasn’t my friend. I was a slave. A prisoner. This conversation would probably be reported to Aiden anyway.
“I don’t know. Maybe an infection? I cut myself last night.” I reached for my arm where the sleeve now hid the makeshift bandage beneath. It was barely a scratch. He raised a brow at my poor excuse.
I sighed. “Okay, look. Truth is…” I cleared my throat, lowering my voice.
“I know nothing about where I come from or who my family was. I guess I’m trying to see if you can help fill any gaps.
I’ve heard Werewolves can smell anything.
” I steeled myself, speaking quickly before I lost my nerve.
“I always feel a little… off when there’s a full moon.
What if I’m a Werewolf and can’t remember?
” I looked at him pointedly, thinking about all the full moons and the issues that arise with my back.
Now that, he laughed at.
A booming laugh that made me jump. My gaze shot to Aiden, who slammed his fork on the table right as Thaddeus swept in.
“Good morning, all! I apologize for my lateness, but I am not as young as I once was, and last night was a bit much,” he admitted with a laugh, his hand going to his head.
Thaddeus wore a white tunic, black pants, and boots, with a golden robe thrown over them, featuring a tree stitched in silver thread.
Stunning, light fabric that swept the floor as he walked around the table to Aiden, who looked like he was in physical pain as he sat eerily still.
The muscle in Aiden’s jaw twitched badly enough, I could see it from here.