Page 42 of Light Fae's Love
But as he hails me like we’re the best of friends, that lovely tenor voice scrapes through me like a blade. Florian’s sea-green eyes twinkle with delight that he has me in his sights once again—just like he did before. He doesn’t know things are different this time, as I keep my bond to Ariana and Lucca quietly, and firmly, in check. Not just because I don’t want to show my hand, but also because I never want Florian to feel my bond.
Lest he find some way to use it against me—or take my bound lovers from me.
“Quindici! Ça va? How the stars align to see you here!”
Florian comes to me, flowing forward through his adoring crowd like a ship on the sea. Setting his hands to my shoulders, he gives me a peck on either cheek like we’re friends who have simply become estranged. Dressed in tan linen slacks, an eggshell cowlneck men’s sweater with a crisp white shirt, plus russet men’s dress shoes, Florian looks like a billionaire on holiday in the Mediterranean as he flashes his ultra-white smile at me.
His chiseled face is tan, those sea-green eyes sparkling from his golden-stubbled face. Florian’s short, tawny gold hair is rucked up into a pleasing mess, like he’s just been out speed boating for the thrill of it today. I’m not sure he hasn’t. Like me, Florian can daywalk, a talent that’s exceptionally unique among Vampire-kind.
But unlike me, he has many other abilities that he doesn’t show anyone.
Until it’s time to use them—with terrible effect.
“Shaina, ma belle, please get my friend Quinn here a cup of your specialty, if you would.” It’s only now that I notice he has a young woman with piercing lavender eyes and long, white-blonde hair on a slender golden chain at his side. Dressed in a strappy buttercream cocktail dress that nearly exposes everything but doesn’t quite, she’s got Florian’s expensive, slim rune-worked golden manacles around her wrists, though they’re fashioned to look like classy bracelets.
One of his custom golden torques is around her neck, which is what the chain is attached to. As we stand there, she whirls up a blood-halo around herself and holds out a wineglass. With a motion from one hand, she funnels all that blood into the glass, spilling not a single drop. It’s an impressive display of magic, and from her lavender eyes and what she just did, I know she’s a Blood Dragon.
But she’s enslaved to Florian, evinced by her jewelry and how she just did his will for him. Blood Dragons hate Vampires, because their magic is our perfect food source. They’re also wickedly hard to seduce or dominate, or mesmerize into a Vampire’s Dark Haven, because they detest us so much.
This poor girl has been given the works by Florian, no one home in her eyes as she hands me my glass. I feel Ariana shiver beside me, understanding the horror of who Florian is as she gets impressions from our mind-connection. I shut that connection down, lest Florian feel it and get the idea to seduce Ariana into his awful harem of women and men that he owns with his power. He trots them out at parties, when he isn’t forcing them to be slaves in his bedroom.
Of whom this poor Blood Dragon girl is no doubt a part.
“A lovely cup, Florian. My thanks.” I play it cool now as I accept his gift. He’s not stupid enough to put any of his magic in the blood right now with so many Council-aligned Masters watching. But it’s not beyond him, I know as I sip, feeling for the telltale smoothness of Florian’s terrible seduction in his offering.
There is none. The blood is clean. I set it down after the first sip, though, letting him know we’re not friends, even though I will not make a scene right now and be his enemy.
His lips quirk. His sea-green eyes devour me, sweeping me from head to heels. Attraction simmers off him; I let him be attracted as he admires me, since my looks are a weapon with Masters like Florian.
His gaze slips to Ariana next, and I firm my power around her as much as I can now, letting him feel that she’s not for the taking. His smile becomes ferocious as he stares her down. To Ariana’s credit, she doesn’t flinch.
Just lifts her chin at him, giving him a direct, fuck you look.
I couldn’t be more relieved that his charms aren’t working on her, just as they had never worked on me long ago. Florian had to resort to requesting me through Emiliana, back when I was a Hotel Courtier for her and had to do her bidding. But that time is long gone; I see hunger in his gaze as it slips to me again. It’s been two hundred years since I was last in Florian’s bed.
He’s clearly been missing it, as his gaze lingers on me.
Before snapping back to Ariana—Florian prepared to make my life hell tonight.
17
WANDER
Iunderstand the man standing before me at Arturos’ party is Quinn’s nemesis as he reaches out, taking up my hand. Since Quinn has made no move to interrupt it, I let this golden-handsome god of a Vampire kiss my hand. Still, he pins me with his sea-green eyes, as if expecting something else to happen as he touches me. I feel a distant thought from Quinn, though he’s mostly shut down our mind-connection now so this Master can’t discover it, that this man is used to everyone around him succumbing to his mighty seductiveness—even other Master Vampires.
His touch isn’t working, however, though I feel him put some power behind it now to mesmerize me. Still nothing. I stand like a rock before him, even though other Master’s powers, like Arturos’, have rolled me before. I see intrigue flash in Florian’s bright gaze.
Along with a terrible darkness—as if I present a challenge to him now.
A challenge he won’t give up until I succumb.
“Well, Quinn’s Dark Fae,” he says, pleasant now and straightening as he releases my hand with a little rub of his thumb, though it still does nothing for me. “My name is Florian Delano, Master of Monaco. The Council has heard so much about you, darling. Welcome to our little fête.”
“The party is lovely, Arturos. Thank you for inviting us.” I turn to our ally, Arturos, and give him my brightest smile. I see it affect him as he beams at me also, something the sober, eons-old Master of the Deeps hardly ever does.
It makes Florian pissed now that I’ve ignored him so completely, when he can sway so many with his power. He simmers before me.
As Quinn’s lips lift in the smallest, pleased smile.