Bride Of The Beast

Drop it Kiya

“See?” I said. “You aren't a brick.”

I had expected a sharp comeback. Instead, he looked up and smiled. Not a practiced, "Lady Raven" tilt of the lips, but a real, messy smile that reached his eyes.

The air left my lungs as if I’d been kicked.

Gods, he looked so beautiful.

The thought hit me like a physical blow. It was dangerous. It was wrong. I almost tripped over my own feet.

“Sorry,” I choked out, the word feeling like ash.

I looked away immediately, staring at a random candle on the wall until my eyes burned. My hands went cold. I locked my jaw so hard it ached, forcing the distance back between us. I couldn't let him see that. I couldn't let myself feel that.

The second the music died, I let go. The warmth of his hand felt like a brand on my skin.

"Stay with Denis," I said, my voice coming out broken.

I didn't wait for a response. I turned and walked away, my heart hammering a rhythm that was far too frantic for a prince who was supposed to be in control.

I pushed through the terrace doors, the freezing night air hitting me like a physical slap, but it did nothing to quiet the pulse thrumming in my ears.

I leaned against the stone railing, my knuckles white as I gripped the freezing rock. I needed to calm myself down; the bond was raging so much I could actually feel my heart pulsing.

I closed my eyes, but it didn't help. I could still see that smile.

We had a deal. He was a human boy I was hiding to keep my place, and I was the beast who had already taken too much from him. It was supposed to be a survival tactic, a necessary lie. But my wolf was quiet—too quiet. It was watching him with a terrifying, calm possessiveness.

"You're making a habit of running away, Eilís."

I didn't have to open my eyes to know it was Kiya. I heard the soft, familiar rustle of her silk and the confident click of her heels. When she stepped up to the railing, she looked at me, her gaze analytical and sharp.

"I'm not running," I muttered, my voice rough. "I'm cooling off."

"Is that what we're calling it?" She tilted her head, a knowing, silk-thin smile playing on her lips. "You looked like you were drowning in there. One waltz with your human 'bride' and you're out here gasping for air."

I finally looked at her. My jaw was tight, the muscles jumping. "Drop it, Kiya."

“You know, I don't get it," Kiya whispered, stepping closer until her perfume threatened to drown out the scent of cedarwood and honeysuckle still clinging to my coat. She reached out, her fingers grazing my forearm. "But I know you. I know how you look when you're pretending, and I know how you look when you're losing. Be careful, Eilís. If you start feeling something, don't forget there's a monster underneath."

I pulled my arm back, the movement sharp. "I haven't forgotten anything."

"Good," she said, her expression softening into that pitying look that always made my blood boil. "Because the Council is still counting the days until the next full moon. And I’m still waiting for the day you realize that a human can't give you what you actually need.”

“Gods, I hate you,” I whispered.

She smiled back. “But you need me.” She raised her fingers and traced a line from my cheek to my chin. I fisted my hand, but I could do nothing but stand still. “Dance with me.”

I stared at her, my skin crawling where her fingers touched me. The request felt like another trap.

“I don't feel like it," I said.

Kiya didn't flinch. She just kept that sharp, knowing smile on her face, her hand dropping slowly from my chin. "I'm sure the Council will be interested to know how much recovery you've had ever since you turned feral. Unless, of course, you aren't too shaken to handle another turn on the floor?"

I looked past her, toward the ballroom. I could see Raven still standing with Denis. He looked small, his shoulders hunched as he tried to blend into the background.

Every instinct I had wanted to go back in there, grab him, and pull him away from the prying eyes of these vultures.

My fist tightened, my fingernails digging into my palm.

"Fine," I spat. I let go of the stone railing, my hands finally beginning to warm up from the freezing air. "One dance. And then you stay out of my business for the rest of the night."

"We'll see," she murmured.

She took my arm, her grip firm and possessive. As we walked back through the terrace doors, the music shifted to something faster, more formal than the waltz I’d shared with Raven.

I led Kiya onto the floor, my movements stiff and mechanical. She moved with a practiced grace that was supposed to feel right, but every time we turned, my eyes instinctively went to the edge of the room.

I found him immediately.

Raven was watching us. He was holding a glass, his knuckles white, and even from across the room, I could see the confusion and hurt in his eyes. He looked like he’d been slapped.

I knew this looked bad. Dancing with Kiya while my mate stood watching was a form of disrespect, but I couldn't stop it.

"Eyes on me, Eilís," Kiya whispered, pulling my attention back. She leaned in closer than necessary, her voice a soft purr that didn't reach her calculating eyes.

"You're supposed to be enjoying this. Remember?"

I tightened my hold on her waist, my jaw locking. I went through the motions, spinning her through the crowd, but my mind was stuck on the terrace, on the way the light had caught Raven's messy smile.

It was a nightmare, and the worst part was that I had to keep smiling through it.