I was careful to keep perfectly composed, not giving anything away. “Don’t degrade sex workers like that. They deserve better than your slurs. Or for Jedrek to be mentioned in the same sentence.”
His lip curled in barely controlled anger. “I took you in order to keep that dragon prince in line. But I’ve received word that he has essentially cleared the kingdom of demons. You’re of absolutely no use to me alive, but at least you might offer some potential as revenge. We’ll see how tall he stands when he watches you and your family suffer gruesome deaths, hmm?” He took a step away, clasping his hands behind his back. “Enjoy the party. It’ll be your last.”
Cold washed through me as he strode away, every movement full of rage.
“Looks like we’ve run out of time,” Micah said softly, watching him go.
“I have, at any rate.”
“We have. There’s one issue with what he said, though.”
“What’s that?”
“The officers. We can clear all the ones we see, but they have some sort of power to avert the eye. They can get away without being noticed…and then they’ll alert the guards, who’ll be after us in no time.”
I gripped the bars as my heart clattered against my ribcage. “I have a plan for the officers. They drink that fizzy drink right before the lull—the blackout. My crowded everlass leaves are ready. I just need to cold-seep them to speed up the release of their power. I can drop them into the canister when I’m brought up with Vemar—he’s great at making distractions. If the faerie and alpha can get us past those locks, and Hannon can manage the boats, I can get us the rest of the way. All I need is the opportunity.”
“Then we must ensure you have it.”
Later that night, I was purchased for the first time. I would join the others in the private rooms reserved for the paying participants and their “acquisitions.” The couple Hadriel had tried to set up hadn’t come through. Instead, I’d been purchased by a guy influenced by Leala. The details? I would need to wear leather, expose my tits and ass, and…urinate on someone.
Like…what in the holy fuck?
What in the holy fuck?
For the first time, I kinda wished the demon sex magic could influence me. It would make this task a lot less grim.
“You can’t be serious,” I told Leala when I met her in the changing room after the main party adjourned for the night. Govam had escorted me that far and then closed the door on us. I assumed he’d be waiting on the other side, ensuring I couldn’t make a run for it.
With no help from me, she pulled chaps onto my legs. “I’m sorry, milady, I am. Hadriel told me the deal he could work out. But that couple didn’t have a friend we could hook up with Calia, and she’s the most important person for you to connect with tonight.”
Calia was the indigo-eyed faerie, and apparently she’d been sold to Mr. Pee-body’s friend, who was fine with partying in the same private quarters.
Apparently, they enjoyed watching too.
“Why do I have to wiz on him?” My stomach still churned after what Dolion had told me. I had precious little time. Micah had overheard that the next big party would be in a month. According to Dolion, I’d be gone before that, and I had to make sure it was by my own choosing. “Why can’t you do it and I’ll pretend to watch?”
“Because you are gorgeous and strong and he likes to be dominated. Your smell is going to drive him wild after we get him in the right mood. You won’t have to do anything objectionable, milady. Except maybe whip him or shove something up his ass.”
“No.” I shook my head. “Please tell me you’re joking. I mean, sure to the whipping. But otherwise…no. Nuh-uh. Nope.”
“It’s fine, milady, really. He’s a lamb. You will only have to be the aggressor. He won’t try anything with you. No one will. He doesn’t share his nightly toys like some of the others do.”
“Ugh. Fine, but how am I going to meet with Calia?”
“With some guidance from Hadriel and me, these after-parties have become a little looser, and I expect that’ll hold, even with the dragons present. They’ll probably try to work the sex demon magic on you to keep you tame, but we both know it doesn’t affect you the same way it does everyone else. Here we go, here’s a leather bustier.”
It left my breasts open to the air.
“Trust me, this is the best way,” Leala said, finishing up my outfit. “The only way, actually. We didn’t have a lot of options.”
No options, and no time.
“Fine. I mean, I can’t believe this is even a thing, but fine.”
“Neither did he. I am very good at assessing kinks, and I just knew this would do it for him. He is big into being humiliated. Here we go.” She fastened me with a chain choker and then dressed herself in lace and satin, her breasts as bare as mine and her nether region equally uncovered.