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Valen’s words from earlier return to me. I gave the ring to my sister.
My heart pumps, hope returning to me in full force. I’d never thought I’d see the day when I almost weep at the sight of a Bauer sneaking up on me. I have no doubt that Valen’s sister is as powerful and clever as he is, but there is just one of her and five magicians, one of whom is Dimitar and his vast magical capabilities. She’ll be fucked if they notice her.
A plan forms, one that will keep the guarding magicians thoroughly inspecting the ground and Dimitar preoccupied. Disgust at the thought surges, but I shove it down. When this works, it will all be worth it. That thought is enough to send a thrill through me, and I duck my head submissively. “Comfortable.”
Dimitar uses his hand on my neck to tug my face back up. “What was that, pet?”
None of the arousal I feel when Tori and Valen use that term rises, and it forces me to act my heart out to fool Dimitar. “I’m tired of struggling. I’d rather be comfortable.”
His callused hands scrape along my throat as he purrs, “You’ll have to earn my trust back. You’re a slippery bastard.”
I slowly turn in his hold. “Yeah, but I’m also in gauntlets.” He leans up to accommodate me, and my face brushes his, the smile curling my lips an imitation of the one I use to tease Tor. “And I’m an opportunist. You taught me that.”
He laughs, his posture relaxing. I’m not sure I fully believe it. It’s too easy, but I settle in when his knees shift wider for me to kneel between. It’s a fight not to check on Emilia’s progress. I can’t risk Dimitar looking up at all. I can do this. I can choke down my disgust for this man, and once I’m free, I’ll kill him.
Oh, fuck, that will be well worth it. It loosens my posture, allows me to lock eyes with him without scowling. The anticipation of slitting his throat, of seeing him growing cold on the ground, must look like a seduction because Dimitar’s full focus lands on me, his yellow eyes searching me lazily. Thinking of Tori being free of Dimitar is a joy that turns my smile bright, and I weaponize all my attractiveness against this asshole. It works, and Dimitar eats it up with a widening grin.
He eases back on the sofa he’s on, his hips shifting forward. His arm drapes over the back of the couch, the other sliding up to cup my jaw. He hums, his thumb gliding along my lower lip. My lips part obediently. Raw lust glints in his eyes. “It’s a pity you didn’t see the potential of submitting sooner. You always let your stubbornness get in your way. If you’d been smart, I could’ve enjoyed teaching you so much more than just being an opportunist.”
“I’m sure we can work something out.” I nip his thumb and smirk when he sucks in a breath, his pupils dilating. “Don’t lie. I know I was much more than an add-on to your deal with this on your mind.”
His tongue slides along his lip when he pushes his thumb into my mouth. Biting crosses my mind, but I quickly summon Valen’s face, layering it over Dimitar to make it easier. I dutifully suck like the obedient little pet he wants.
I nearly laugh when Dimitar’s voice turns rasping. “True, it was on my mind when Alasdair approached me. He offered your severed hands, but I ensured the rest of you, whole and not too damaged, was included.”
I suck as I draw back, his thumb exiting my mouth with a wet pop. “Thank you, Daddy,” I say breathlessly.
The surge of vicious victory is addictive when Dimitar shivers all over, his hips bucking. I distance myself from the sick connection between this name he prefers and him mentoring me and focus instead on basking in my superiority. Something akin to pleasure ripples through me, and I hold onto it with both hands. It makes the way my gaze drops to his bulge more convincing.
I have this bastard wrapped around my finger. If I actually wanted to be his plaything, I’d own him.
I meet his heated gaze again. “My hands alone not good enough for you? You needed my mouth, too?”
He laughs and pulls me forward, forcing me off the ground to straddle his lap. He begins to leisurely release the buttons on my shirt one at a time, and I nearly break from character when dread surges. No. I cannot let my mind slip away like that. I have to keep his focus on me no matter what.
Luckily, Dimitar is too locked in on the way my shirt parts to notice any hesitation from me. “I’ve always had a weakness for you.” He trails his fingers down my chest in a slow covetous stroke, following the scar he left on me. My stomach convulses in a gag and I hope he thinks I’m ticklish. “At first it was just to get those rings, but you wormed your way inside my heart.”
I lean forward again and grin darkly. “You don’t have a heart. It was devoured by that fucked-up token of yours.”
My lips graze his in a tease to cover my gaze flicking up, but I don’t spot Valen’s sister before Dimitar shivers and wraps his arms around me. He pulls me tight to him, and I slip back into character. I keep myself loose, let him fully be absorbed by me so that he’s too distracted to sense Valen’s sister’s approach. I whisper against his lips, keeping just out of reach because I’m not sure I can handle kissing him without getting drunk, “Why do you want my rings so bad?”
“They’re Leon Obdurate’s tokens.” He surges forward, using my shock against me. He kisses me deeply, passionately, and I can’t react to do much more than keep my jaw dropped.
His tongue thrusting hard knocks me out of my shock. I squeeze my eyes closed and kiss him back just enough to get away with ripping my mouth free to demand, “What did you say?”
He slams my back down on the couch, and my shoulders twinge at the awkward angle. I try to roll to keep from getting trapped under him, but it’s too late. Dimitar shoves me back down. I suck in breath, Dimitar’s massive body spreading on top of mine to pin me in place.
His smirking face fills my vision. “Your father really fucked up raising you. Didn’t you ever wonder why your tokens are so different?”
Being pinned like this surges memories of Alasdair’s dream, of the fear from that night. I try to regain control of my senses, try to keep my façade in place. But the horror is replaced by the mind-numbing shock from the revelation about my rings and how my fucked-up deadbeat of a dad never bothered to tell me shit about them. “I’m the first magician’s descendant?”
Dimitar barks a laugh. “Don’t flatter yourself. The only thing you come from is a long line of criminals. Your grandfather stole them from the Archweaver during the last Ascension, when the Order was too preoccupied to notice a thief sneaking in.”
His thighs wedge between mine, and I permit him to force them apart for the tactical advantage it will give me. His eyes glint, and I let my legs curl up his legs to keep him distracted from Valen’s sister practically above him. My heart pounds and I force my gaze to lock with Dimitar’s, to gasp lustily when he slides his hand along my thigh. I smile, the thrill of him believing he has the upper hand just barely outweighing the repulsion that surges.
He leans down. “Now you’re going to be obedient for once in your life. You’re going to make me my tokens, and maybe I’ll let you live. Remember, I don’t need you.” His hand grips my jaw, and he growls, “Now show me how much you value your miserable life.”
He grabs my belt and bites my neck so hard that I choke in pain, his teeth sharpening to canines to break my skin.
