Chapter 14 #2
He grinned, showing a few of his teeth decorated in gold caps. “Want to make it three?”
She shook her head.
“Good. Take her to room five.”
“Of course, sir,” Maren said sweetly.
Maren led her back through the main room, and once they were in the opposite hall, she unscrewed her smile. “Why would you get yourself mixed up in this? Tara told me you came in here willingly, you fool!”
“I was only trying to help,” Orelia whispered.
Maren shook her head. Her eyelids were painted in flecks of gold, and her hair fell just past her chin in soft curls.
She was stunning and poised, and even if Arielle and Tara hadn’t told her Maren was Doyle’s favored, she could tell.
The woman held herself with confidence and exuded a presence that said, ‘I can handle anything thrown at me.’
“I wish I could get you out of this, but I can’t. Doyle has eyes everywhere,” Maren whispered.
“There has to be a way you can sneak me out. Please. I can’t do this. I can’t handle this.”
When they made it to a room with a gold numeral above the door, Maren turned and faced her. “You’re going to have to find a way to handle it. I’m sorry.” She opened the door and nudged Orelia inside.
“No, wait! Please! I can’t—”
The door closed in her face.
Orelia jiggled the handle, but it was locked. She kept trying, expecting a different outcome, smacking her palms on the door and calling out for Maren. When there was no response, Orelia pressed her forehead to the wood and felt the tears building.
A faint sound came from behind her.
Orelia turned her head slightly, barely breathing. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see a sliver of a man sitting on the bed. When the bed creaked, her fear spiked.
She kept her eyes downcast where the wall met the floor, legs unable to move, heart beating erratically.
With each of the man’s slow, nearing footsteps, the tears released. By the time he was standing behind her, she was sobbing. Orelia covered her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. “Please, sir . . .I . . .I’m not supposed to be here.”
“Shh,” he said, dragging out the word.
Hidden behind the darkness of her eyes, she tried to picture what brought her peace, but no images would come.
She couldn’t remember what the bay looked like, or what Arielle had said she pictured.
She couldn’t think of anything other than the fact that she was about to be raped multiple times since Doyle told the man he had her for two entire marks.
Arms reached around her body, and rough hands pulled her wrists away from her chest, pinning them to her sides.
Orelia was in a full body sob. “Please don’t do this,” she begged. “I’ll do anything you want, just not this.”
“Hush,” the man said, the word sounding like the hiss of a snake. Orelia begged and pleaded, but the man didn’t back away. He leaned over her shoulder, and she tried desperately to picture what brought her peace.
Flashes of trees and sky.
Ales with Teegan.
Morton’s apothecary.
Plumrose bushes.
None of it was working.
When his lips brushed the shell of her ear, the scent of something familiar hit her nostrils in force.
Her eyes flew open, and she spun to see a furious fae glaring down at her.
Orelia flung herself at him. “Oh, thank the gods you’re here!” She squeezed him so tight that he coughed.
Vade pried her arms from around his waist and grabbed her shoulders. “What the fuck were you thinking, Orelia? I told you not to go out alone and look what the fuck happened!”
She wiped away her tears, but she couldn’t stop smiling. He was here. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see the city.”
Vade scrubbed a hand down his face. He was still in his fighting leathers, but his belt was weaponless. He paced the length of the room. “I can’t fucking believe you. Why would you even come here?”
“I was just going to sneak in and see if anyone needed healing. Then I was going to leave.”
He shook his head, looking like he wanted to throttle her. “Your naivety is truly astonishing.”
Despite his anger, she had never been happier to see him. “I’m really sorry, Vade.”
His eyes drifted down her body, his lips curling in disgust. “There’s an exit at the end of this hall that leads out to a side street.
Once I open this door, we’re both going to have to slip into roles to get down the hall convincingly.
You’re going to have to act like a whore, and I’m going to act like your customer, got it? ”
She nodded, fiddling with her necklace.
“If we run into anyone, play your part until we can get out.”
“I understand.”
Vade opened the door and poked his head out, looking both ways before waving her forward. He grabbed her hand, and they headed left, walking briskly. They passed door after door topped in gold numbers, and she couldn’t believe how many rooms there were.
And this was only one hall.
When a door ahead of them opened, Vade pressed her to the wall and planted his lips on hers.
She knew what he meant by ‘play the part,’ but somehow, she didn’t think he’d actually kiss her.
His lips were slow and hesitant, hands barely touching her waist. He kissed her with such rigidity that it made Orelia do the same.
She gripped his arms above his elbows, trying to urge him to soften, to be more believable that he was truly enjoying himself with the girl he paid for.
Despite the awkwardness of it, his lips were soft, and the warmth of his proximity gave her a sense of comfort and safety she hadn’t expected.
Safe in the arms of the king’s executioner.
She would have laughed if she could, but Orelia found herself wanting to continue kissing him. Voices grew louder, then softer as whoever it was passed by, ignoring them.
Vade pulled back and looked both directions. “Let’s go.”
Orelia slipped her hand in his as they passed another series of doors.
When more voices sounded, her back found the wall and his lips found hers again, his mouth barely opening for her.
Surely he couldn’t be this clumsy of a kisser?
she thought. Not with how often he flaunted going to places like this.
The voices amplified, a man and a woman. The man said something about a shipment being blown up at the docks, and the woman laughed in response. Instead of continuing down the hall, they stopped a few doors away and spoke quietly to one another.
Vade moved his lips to her neck, and Orelia arched for him, sneaking a peek over his shoulder. When the woman looked her way, Orelia panicked that the golden-haired beauty would recognize their charade, so she grabbed Vade’s face and kissed him hard.
He froze.
Something about him not being in control for once made her want to continue leading. Orelia tried to encourage him to relax by sliding her lips gently over his.
Vade’s hands were featherlight against her bare sides, but once he opened his mouth for her, her body was pressed to the wall. The action tore a sharp gasp from her throat. He deepened the kiss, tongue lashing out to taste hers.
Orelia’s hands slid over his muscled chest beneath the soft leathers, and she wanted to dig her nails into his sides. Wanted to feel his skin in her grip.
Vade ran his rough palms around her gilded back, fingers slipping under the fabric of her dress. He pulled her closer to him, and when her nipples brushed against his shirt, she moaned into his mouth. He moaned back, sliding his fingers into her hair, gripping her hip hard.
There were still voices in the hall, but Orelia had no idea what they were saying anymore.
All she knew was the man she couldn’t stop touching, couldn’t stop wanting.
She pulled him in closer by his belt. He growled into her mouth, and the mischievous smile playing on his lips sent a wildfire through her blood.
His fingers trailed along her ribs, stopping beneath the curve of her breast.
Her body was aflame and between her legs grew slick with arousal.
She wanted him to touch her everywhere. Orelia slipped her tongue back into his mouth.
She slid a hand up under his tunic and ran her fingers along his rippling stomach muscles.
When her nails met the skin forming the vee of hips, Vade snarled, kissing her so hard that she couldn’t breathe.
Orelia was lost to the feel of him until she felt something else press against her lower belly. She moaned, tugging on his belt harder, needing him closer.
Vade balked and pushed himself away. He panted down at her with touches of gold paint on his mouth. Her chest heaved, and after staring at one another for a few seconds, Orelia noticed they were now alone.
“We should go,” Vade said, though he made no attempt to move.
“Right,” she whispered, panting.
He blinked a few times, seeming to come back to himself. Vade grabbed her hand, the simple touch as electrifying as it had been when that same hand grazed her ribs. They maneuvered swiftly through the hall until the exit came into view.
“There are two guards right outside this door. When I push it open, run down the stairs and turn left. There will be an alley right in front of you. Go down the alley until you see the whiskey barrels and wooden crates. Wait for me there.”
He reached for the door, but she grabbed his wrist. “I’m not leaving you behind.”
His eyes scanned her face briefly before he looked over his shoulder. “Yes, you are. I’ll get rid of them and meet you in the alley. Now, run on three. One, two—”
“Hey! Stop right there!”
Doyle stood at the end of the hall, flanked by the two batalins that had assaulted her. Judging by the looks on their faces, they couldn’t wait to do it again if they caught her.
“Three!” Vade shoved the door open, and Orelia darted down the stairs.