The bastard who grabbed me was dressed in full black and covered in the same black balaclava as the man who had nearly killed Theo at the Equinox Ball. Was it the same guy?
I scanned the room for the masked man’s fallen knife. If he were unarmed, everyone would be safer. But Theo wouldn’t have it. Between punches, he ordered me to run outside.
Scared positively shitless, I followed his command. I flung myself through the emergency exit and ended up in the courtyard. In the distance, near the low point on Stormcloud’s perimeter wall, I saw the orange flicker of a lit cigarette.
“Zephyr!” I shouted.
He turned and waved. I started running to him. The crisp night air bit my bare shoulders and back. I didn’t care. I was pulsing with fear. I knew if I could get to Zephyr, it would be okay. We would find the other Kings, and this masked maniac would be—
It didn’t work. A fist slammed into the back of my head and dropped me to the ground.
Over me, the man in black huffed and glared. “Time to die, Biba Quinn.”
Up came the blade. I shut my eyes and prayed.
The knife never came down.
I heard shouts and feet scuffing against the rock. When I dared raise my eyelids again, I saw Zephyr and Theo fighting the man.
He was outmatched, but he had a weapon. The guys would connect a blow or two, but then he’d fend them off with his knife. Each time, though, he’d retreat back a few more feet. Now he was at the edge of the wall.
The fall was inevitable, but it was still a shock when it happened. Zephyr planted a roundhouse punch against the man’s jaw. He stumbled back, and his legs tripped over the ankle-height stonework.
Back he went, screaming horrifically as he fell into the abyss below.
After a minute, the echo of that blood-chilling shriek faded, and we were left in the still night, with only the reverberating bass of the music inside.
We stood together, the three of us, in Zephyr’s room, breathless and frightened and looking at each other.
After a couple beats, Theo asked what was in all of our heads. “Who the fuck was that?”
“What does it matter?” Zephyr replied. “He went over the edge of a mountain. Every bone in his body is shattered. No one will ever find him.”
“Someone must have sent him for Biba, specifically. Just like they sent someone to knife me. We both know it was probably someone connected to the Kings.”
“Dammit, Theo. We don’t know anything of the sort.”
Adrenaline was still pulsing through me at that point. I didn’t have the patience or the focus to deal with these two guys measuring dicks in front of me. “Enough!” I shouted. “Whatever happened, we’ll have plenty of time tomorrow to sort it out. Can’t we just stop this fighting for one night?”
“And do what, exactly?” Theo sulked.
“To begin, can you two promise me you won’t kill each other tonight?”
The boys looked at each other: my erstwhile suitor and my current lover. Two sides of the same coin, forever at each other’s throats.
“Listen, Brant,” Zephyr said, “I appreciate what you did for Biba. It was impressive.”
“You too, Williams.”
“The way I see it, we can try to destroy each other later. For now, let’s consider ourselves even. Truce?”
“I’d like that.”
Cautiously, they clasped hands. All three of us breathed a sigh of relief. We were safe, at least for the night. We could relax.
“There will be questions in the morning,” Zephyr said gravely. “I’d say it’s best we part ways and try to sleep.”
Theo looked at me, and I nodded my agreement with Zephyr. That same sweet sadness was in his eyes. His desire for me was undimmed. That was certain. And it was killing him to leave me in that room with his enemy.
But he did. Ever the gentleman, Theo bid us goodnight and excused himself into the night.
As soon as the door to Zephyr’s room shut, I felt my lover’s hands untying the string that held my delicate clothing on.
“It’s time for bed,” he whispered, sliding the spaghetti straps off my shoulders and drawing down the top of my jumpsuit.
I turned around and peeled off his T-shirt. His inked torso still glistened from his combat to save my life. My breasts swelled, anticipating his hands and mouth on them.
I fell into Zephyr’s powerful arms. My lips collided with his, and we were in another world. Exhausted though both of us were, the flames of our mutual attraction were reignited. His big hands raked through my hair and down my naked back.
“Oh God, Zephyr,” I moaned as they found their way down my ass to the wetness between my legs. “Take me, devour me, make me forget tonight.”
He obliged. Reaching around me, he lifted me off my feet, cradled me, and carried me to the bed. At that moment, despite everything, I wasn’t afraid anymore. We were safe, aroused, and heedless of the future.