Embrace the Dark

13

Chapter Seven

T

he inside of the bar was only lit by a few candles around the room, illuminating dark wooden tables and chairs, plus a few booths with red leather in the back. A large man with a long moustache wiped down the bar from behind the counter while giving me an unfriendly look. The few patrons inside all had a rough edge to them—tattoos, muscles, scowls—and glared at me for daring to enter their pub. Not a friendly crowd.

"I see the princess has come to play,” a female voice said to my side.

I turned toward the sound, where a striking woman with long black hair and gray eyes sat in the corner with her legs crossed, revealing thigh-high boots. Her sneer didn't do anything to make me feel like I should stick around another minute.

My fists clenched at the word princess, but I stopped myself from responding. “I’m looking for Varek.”

“Of course you are.” She rose to her feet and I spotted a large dagger at her waist. “Follow me.”

She took me to a door beside the counter, past the scowling bartender, and led me down a dark hallway. We passed two doorways, only one of which was open. As I peered inside, I was shocked to see an enormous room, which must have been built into the hill behind the bar. This place didn't look this big from the outside.

Dozens of people stood inside in a circle, surrounding two huge, sweaty, shirtless men who circled each other while everyone else cheered. One of their fists flew toward the other, but I didn't see the blow land before the door slammed shut.

“That’s not for you,” the woman said.

"Was that an underground fight club?" I asked, unable to hide the shock in my voice. Such a thing was forbidden by the Silver Guard. Then again, Varek was a known criminal, so I shouldn’t have been surprised.

She shrugged and headed around the corner. "Didn't see anything like that."

“Of course not,” I muttered.

She stopped at another door and knocked sharply, then waited for the deep, “Come in,” on the other side before she opened it.

Varek was inside, sitting behind a large black desk. He looked up and met my eyes, and that little spark between us made me suck in a sharp breath. Why did the man have to be so damn handsome?

"Oh.” Varek looked down at the open notebook on his desk. "It's you."

"That's the welcome I get?" I asked, my blood boiling.

"Better than I got earlier.” His eyes shifted to the other woman. “Thank you, Wrill.”

Wrill gave him a quick nod, then stepped out and shut the door behind her, after throwing me another sneer.

“She seems lovely,” I said.

“She’s my sister.”

“That explains it then.”

He slammed his notebook shut. “You’re bold to come walking through the front door of my pub. I thought you’d be a bit more discreet, princess."

“I'm not a princess, and why should I be discreet? If I take you as a mate, everyone in the four Realms will know."

He steepled his long fingers. “I will admit, I’m surprised you came to me so quickly. I thought you’d debate and dawdle for a few days, before finally realizing this is inevitable.”

I huffed. “I don’t dawdle.”

A slow grin spread across his face. “I do like a woman of action.”

Something about the way he said it made me flush. What was it about this man that had me so out of sorts? I steeled myself and said, “I’ve decided to take you as my mate.”

“Obviously.”

His arrogance only enraged me further. “On one condition.”

He arched a dark eyebrow. “Oh?”

“You have to give up your criminal lifestyle.”

He tilted his head back and let out a laugh that sounded a lot like a roar. Then he cut it off short and asked, “Anything else?”

“You’ll need to move into the palace, of course.”

He waved a dismissive hand. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass."

"Excuse me? If you are to be my mate, you'll have to give up..." I gestured vaguely to the room around me. "All this and join me at the palace."

"No, I really don't."

My jaw dropped, even though I wanted to remain cool and collected. Who would turn down living at the palace and becoming a Dragon? "What other choice do you have?"

He stood, giving me a good view of his strong arms covered in black ink. “I’ll be your mate, don’t you fear, but I’m not giving anything up. I’ll remain here in the city, while you stay in the palace with your other men.”

“Do you even want to be my mate?” I asked, completely flabbergasted.

His eyes narrowed. “The Death Goddess chose me and I will serve her however she commands.”

“And she commanded you to be my mate, with everything that involves!” Gods, why was he so damn frustrating?

"Was that all you came for?" He picked up the notebook on his desk and put it on a bookshelf behind him, then turned back to me. "I was hoping you wanted to sample the goods."

“What? No! Why would you possibly think that?”

"Too bad. I made the bed and everything." His eyes moved to something behind me, and I followed his gaze to a bed large enough for two. When I’d entered the room, I’d had nothing but eyes for him, and now I saw that this office also served as a bedchamber, probably a temporary one.

I was suddenly extremely aware that I was alone in a room with a criminal and a bed. I’d eventually need to have s*x with this man, but he would not be my first. I'd kill him before that happened, Death Goddess be damned. I was more than capable of doing that.

“Go back to your palace.” He walked around the desk and slowly approached me. I held my ground, unwilling to give him an inch. "You may be the princess of this city, but I'm the king. One day, you'll bow to me too.”

“Never.”