Chapter 3
TAUREN
I’ve never liked parties. Too loud. Too bright. Too many humans.
This one’s especially sickening, with its glittering chandeliers, oversized bow decorations, and jaunty music that’s loud enough to make my ears ring.
Apparently, it’s a birthday party for one of King Sol’s precious twelve.
Though it feels more like a meat market, with each daughter currently being pursued by at least three powerful men from various kingdoms.
Sol sent out invitations weeks ago: ‘Come and meet the illusive twelve dancing princesses and buy one if you’re rich enough.
’ While he may not have been that explicit in the invitation, you’d be a fool not to read between the lines.
Anyone with a crown knows that Sol has a gambling problem, and new palaces don’t come cheap.
That being said, I’m not here to bring home any princesses.
Tonight, I’ve only got eyes for one: the troll-faced lord who’s currently trying to woo a tall princess with chestnut hair.
She winces as he stoops into a low bow, nearly toppling over from all the wine I’ve watched him guzzle down this evening.
If she wasn’t one of Sol’s spoiled daughters, I’d probably feel sorry for her.
Still, I’ll try not to spill blood on her golden skirts if I end up slitting his throat.
Any minute now.
“Everything is in position, sire. We’ve dealt with the last of his guards.” A low voice buzzes by my ear.
“Thank you, Kennix,” I reply under my breath.
My chief adviser lurks beside me in shadow form, his true demon form invisible to anyone except our kind.
If a human were to look our way, they wouldn’t see him until their heads were fully turned, and even then he’d only be a dark blur in their peripheral vision.
With the ballroom so busy, no one here would stand a chance.
Especially not our drunken target.
Adrenaline pulses through me as I push away from the wall.
I’m so close now. Everything this arsehole has ever done to me, my family – it all comes down to this.
My vision closes in on his stiff white overcoat.
The tapping of fingers against his glass echoes in my mind.
He laughs, and it’s so grating that I don’t notice the young woman crossing my path until she’s right in front of me—
“Oh, I’m so sorry!”
My chest collides with a shoulder as a yelp hits my ears. My hands lock around a small waist, steadying someone. But when I lower my chin to glare at the inconsiderate stranger, the world falls away until all I can see are two dark eyes above a cat-like grin.
“So sorry!” Her voice is like a bell. “I’m afraid I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
I step back. A small woman stands before me, her hair as inky black as her eyes.
She’s human, I think, but she’s not dressed like any human women I’ve seen before.
Her gown would be better suited to the demon court, with its dangerously low neckline and crimson colouring, like poisonous berries – a deep red shade that matches her lips.
I want to look away, but my gaze catches on the sliver of thigh peeking out from her skirt.
I swallow thickly.
It’s then I realise that my hands are still gripping her waist.
“Excuse me.” I move away, this time making sure we’re a few feet apart.
“You’re excused,” she purrs, stepping towards me and closing the gap again. “What’s your name, handsome?”
“Tauren.” It falls out before I can help it. Shit, I need to get it together. I didn’t come here to talk to women, but for some reason I can’t look away from her.
“Tauren?” she murmurs. “Hmm… that’s a nice name.”
The sound of my name on her tongue stokes a fire within me, but I force it down. Glancing over her shoulder, I spot my target still bothering the brown-haired princess, but his goblet is running low.
If I don’t make my move soon, he’ll—
“Are you here alone?” The girl rolls up onto her tiptoes, her breasts nudging my chest. “Or do you have another handsome friend you can share me with?”
Something in me tenses at the thought of that. “No,” I grunt. “To both your questions.” Then I shake my head, adjusting my cuffs. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some very important business to attend to—”
“Your hair is lovely.” She reaches up to brush a lock of hair out of my face. My breath shudders as her fingertips skim my forehead. “It’s so soft too. I like it.”
Is she drunk? There’s a hint of wine on her breath, but not enough to explain the devious look in her eyes. It sends a tightening below my belt.
“Excuse me.” I don’t want to, but somehow I lower her hand and weave past her. Though I barely make it two steps before I’m pulled back, my skin tingling beneath her touch.
“Does this business involve meeting one of the princesses? Because I can assure you, you’ll find everything you’re looking for right here.” She grins teasingly. Before I can stop her, she positions my hand on her waist.
“Touch me,” she whispers, pressing those damned perfect breasts into my chest again. “I know you want to.”
Arousal shoots below my belt. “I shouldn’t…”
“You really should.” She pushes my hand down.
Shit, I need to get a grip, but everything within me is screaming to let her do this. She lowers my hand to the slit in her skirt, pushing up the fabric. My cock twitches as I brush her thigh.
She’s so soft that I can’t help but pull her closer.
Cherry shampoo brushes my nose. I inhale deeply as she guides my hand towards her bloomers. My breath seizes when my fingers find only skin. Wet, hot skin.
Of course she’s fucking naked beneath her skirt.
She grips my shirt as my thumb brushes her folds. Her hand falls away from mine, but I don’t need her help anymore. I tease her silky entrance. She lets out a surprised moan, the sound louder than the music of the ballroom—
“Sire?”
I startle. The woman yelps in surprise. Dropping her skirt, I pull her against my chest.
“Can I help you, Kennix?” I snarl at my adviser. He’s out of shadow form and watching me with a confused expression. The woman in my arms attempts to wriggle away, but I tighten my grip on her. I’m not done with her yet. Nowhere near.
Kennix’s brow almost reaches the dark waves of his hair. “My lord?”
It takes me a moment to process what’s happening. I glance at Kennix, his regal tunic blending in with the other humans at the ball. The ball. Then I glance at the young woman, a rosy blush on her cheeks.
Clearing my throat, I put some distance between us. “Forgive me,” I tell her, trying to ignore the now persistent throbbing beneath my belt. “There are other matters for me to attend to here. Good evening.”
Kennix shakes his head and motions towards our target. But before we can leave, the woman speaks.
“So you do have a friend for me to play with,” she purrs, edging closer to Kennix. “And he’s handsome too.” Kennix’s ears turn pink as she runs her fingers down his chest. For some reason, just watching them makes it hard for me to breathe. “What’s your name, gorgeous?”
He laughs nervously. “I… uh.”
“Enough.” I push them apart. The girl is back against my chest as Kennix stumbles backwards.
“Sire!” He steadies himself, but I keep my focus on the woman.
“Who are you?” I glare at her. “Who do you work for?” There’s got to be more to this. Women don’t just throw themselves at me like this. Not outside of my castle. She’s some kind of assassin, or a rogue demon, or—
“I don’t work for anyone.” Her smile falls for a moment before slipping back into place like a mask. “But I can be yours for the night, if you’d like that.” She winks.
“My lord, you’re making a scene,” Kennix says in a worried tone.
I look up. Around us, nobles are glancing our way and whispering, some of them with wide eyes as they notice the woman.
I meet her grinning gaze. “Who are you?” I breathe.
Soft lips on mine is my only response.
My whole body tenses. Eyes fluttering shut, I reach up, ready to break the kiss, but my fingers only tangle in her hair, tugging her closer. She moans against my lips, biting my lower lip softly. I shudder.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she rolls her hips against mine.
“Touch me,” she sighs, guiding my hand up her thigh again.
Her kiss tastes like paradise. For a moment, I almost give in and fuck her with my fingers right here in the middle of this ballroom until the jaunty music wakes me from her spell and my eyes fly open.
I push her off me, out of breath.
“Tauren…” Kennix warns, but I barely notice him. All I can focus on are the dozen party guests surrounding us with shocked expressions. The young woman doesn’t seem to mind. After fixing her skirt, she gives the crowd a small curtsy.
“Hope you enjoyed the show,” she laughs wickedly at them. “Be sure to pass your reviews onto Father – Camellia too if you’d like to see her squirm.”
My hands flex. I’ve no idea who her father is, or Camellia, and I don’t have the time nor desire to find out, but for some reason my body refuses to leave her side.
Rogue demon or not, she’s coming back to my castle tonight.
Even if I have to drag her. She may have almost ruined my plan, but worse than that, I’ve never enjoyed a kiss so much as the one we shared just now.
The second I deal with Lord Elheart, I’ll have this woman tied up with her legs spread in my dungeon and her pussy will be my fucking celebratory feast.
“We need to move, Tauren.” Kennix says. “We don’t have time for this.”
“Yes,” I sigh. “We most certainly don’t.” I march forward and grab the woman’s wrist.
“What are you doing?” both her and Kennix shout in unison.
“Stall him,” I bark at my adviser, wrangling the girl until she’s walking ahead of me.
“Get off me!” she squeaks, but I ignore her protests, pinning her arms behind her back.
“This may be our only chance to interrogate Elheart!” Kennix argues. “We can’t let him get away—”
“So don’t. Stall him,” I snarl. Keeping one hand over the girl’s mouth, I drag her out of the ballroom.