Chapter 9 #2
A hush falls across the room, as everyone’s conversations come to a halt.
It’s no secret just how much Vittoria desires to rule The Unseelie Court.
Her ruthless nature would undoubtedly mean change for the Kin, but her father, Vincenzo, is determined to follow tradition, and it’s not just him.
When the Blight hit, both The Seelie and Unseelie Courts were ruled by queens, but since then the patriarchy has taken over and rewritten the rules – using this fact as justification why women shouldn’t rule the Court.
There hasn’t even been an Unseelie queen since Vincenzo’s wife died almost twenty years ago.
There were no other suitable women in that generation, and if he had remarried someone not born of the Court, he’d have had to give up his throne.
And the only way Vincenzo will do that is over his dead body.
Possibly the only thing we have in common.
I shake my head, leaving Vittoria to have a go at her brother while my thoughts return to Niamh. She’s… I’m not sure what she is, exactly, other than lingering unexpectedly in my thoughts.
I wonder how well Niamh really knows Rose.
My sister has secrets, she’s vivacious, volatile – and the only reason I’ve allowed her relationship with Matt Muir to progress is that he seems to keep her out of trouble.
I wonder, would Niamh be capable of drawing me out of my own darkness?
I stare into the mirror above the fireplace, barely seeing my friends reflected in it.
No, the vision in my mind’s eye is so much more appealing.
Niamh, running from me but looking back.
Tempted. Unsure whether to run or surrender—
The sound of cheering from the other room breaks my train of thought. I frown, my sister’s party is interrupting the business I need to conduct with the Kin.
‘Seven minutes, starting now!’ someone shouts, and a door slams shut.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, reminding myself that Rose is no longer a child, despite the game they’ve chosen to play, and she won’t thank me for interfering with her life.
A wave of brotherly protectiveness comes over me.
If any of the guys here does anything to upset her or harm her, they’re going to wish they’d never been born.
‘I wonder what poor bastard will end up having to kiss Rose’s virginal friend?
’ Vittoria ponders. I fight to keep my expression neutral as her face twists into a nasty smirk.
I have a sudden urge to march down there and take Niamh away from every single last one of them.
Most of them are my friends – or Rose’s.
Acquaintances at least. All Kinfolk, with the exception of Niamh.
‘Well, I for one wouldn’t say no to solving that problem for her.’ Chris raises his glass.
‘Have some self-respect. Really, Cillian, I can’t imagine why your sister even invited her. She’s utterly out of her depth. Poor girl. You should have sent her home.’ Vittoria sneers at me.
I tense, about to snap back at her, before remembering that it is not wise to encourage Vittoria’s clear, spiteful jealousy.
‘Right,’ Chris slams his glass down on a table and rubs his hand together. ‘Well, I’m going next door to the fun party.’
We all watch as he barrels out the room.
‘Go with him, would you?’ I ask Aiden, nicely. He might work for me, but he’s a friend, too.
Vittoria sits in a dark cloud of silence beside me, before she gets up and goes to stare out the window into the dark garden. I move to stand behind her, putting my arms around her and pulling her back against me.
‘You’re intrigued by her, aren’t you?’ she asks.
‘Who?’ I bluff.
Vittoria turns in my arms and puts her arms around me, pressing her body against mine and capturing my lips in a kiss.
Uncaring if there’s anyone in the garden who can see us, she runs her hand over my cock, her lips curving when she feels me harden beneath her.
She rubs slowly, with frustratingly languid movements, taunting my desire, before she pulls away suddenly.
I expect her to take my hand and pull me into a more secluded part of the house, somewhere I can play with her, taking what’s mine and forcing pleasure out of us both. To my disappointment, she doesn’t.
‘I should take my brother home,’ she says, moving towards the door. I don’t follow her right away, forcing my body under my control before turning to see her check her appearance in the ornate mirror on the sitting room wall. She smiles seductively at me, then leaves the room.
I follow her and watch as she drags Chris from a rowdy game of Spin the Bottle.
Another friend helps to keep him upright as all three make their way to a waiting car.
Even after what she just did to turn me on, Vittoria’s planning to leave.
As I accompany them outside, she places her hand in mine, the coldness reminding me of her very inhuman nature.
I’d expected her to stay, she rarely turns down an opportunity to fuck so whatever’s going on with Chris must be much worse even than it appears.
Helping her climb into the car, I shut the door and watch it drive away.
‘She won’t be so innocent now,’ Chris calls back out of the window as the limo rolls down the driveway. ‘I made sure she got picked for some “alone time” with Finlay. He’s got a rep for breaking in virgins.’
I glower. And as the car headlights disappear into the night, I storm back into my house, yanking open the door of the lounge.
My temper spikes when I see Niamh’s not in the room.
There’s no sign of Rose, or Matt, either.
Cursing the pair of them I head back into the hall and pull open the door to the cloakroom to meet Niamh’s terrified eyes.