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The party is filled with some of the most important people in the supernatural community. Royalty and political figures talk, dance, and make deals with hand shakes and I take note of it all, watching as the crowd grows around us. The live orchestra on the stage beside a throne-like chair was decadent, but I expected nothing less for this type of event.
Nox watched people as well, he would lean down and whisper things in my ear and I would gaze longingly up at him, playing up the part of a newly married couple. We didn’t have to try very hard to sell it, both of us finally behaving like the newly mated couple we are.
Eventually, about an hour after we get in, the music stops and a portly man, with bad acne and a smell that permeates the room, stands at center stage, a wine glass in his hand that he taps with a silver spoon to get the crowd's attention. A few people whisper but for the most part, there is silence.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight. The Dragon quite enjoys your company in celebrating his birthday. Without further ado, let me introduce our host for the night, Dragon O’Dare.”
From the back of the stage, my target makes himself known. He is a large man, not quite as big as Glavior, but close. He is wearing a gray suit, with a blood red shirt under the jacket. The first three buttons of the shirt are unbuttoned and I can see dark tan skin covered in bright tattoos underneath it. His shoes look to be made of actual dragonhide and the gold jewelry he has draped around his neck and on many of his fingers are garish and bulky. His black hair is slicked back from his face, the lights above him making it look greasy and stiff with the amount of product he uses. His face would be handsome if it weren’t for the dark red scar that slashes through the middle, from the left temple, all the way across his left eye, across the bridge of his nose and down his right cheek. The scar pulls down the corner of his lip, so even while he is smiling, the right side of his mouth is turned down in a permanent scowl.
“Friends!” He calls in a deep voice, his dark eyes scanning the crowd. I see his eyes lingering on a few of the women in the crowd. “Welcome to the Keep, and thank you for choosing to be here to celebrate my two hundredth birthday with me.” The crowd claps politely, a few of the men call out whoots and a few joking slurs about his age. I imagine the man is a dragon shifter, so two hundred really isn’t that old. Most dragons live to be well over a thousand. Dragon waves his hands, as if patting the air, to get the crowd to quiet down again. His eyes keep roaming through the people, but when they get to me, he freezes. His smile subtly changes, becoming predatory. Exactly what I wanted.
“Drink, mingle, get to know each other and make deals. I’ll be around. Enjoy your night.” He says, keeping his gaze locked on me. I pretend not to notice the way he is tracking me, looking up at Nox and smiling sweetly.
Nox looks down at me and smiles back, leaning over to whisper in my ear. “You’re entirely too good at this type of hunt. I’m almost afraid to ask how many men you’ve lured into your trap.”
Laughing at the mischief in his gaze, I answer honestly. “None that have lived to tell about it.”
Nox laughs out loud, causing a few heads to turn in our direction. Women and men gaze at us both with longing and lust in their eyes. I may have glared at a few of the women that edged closer to my mate, but I held myself back as best I could. Nox chuckles under his breath, but takes my hand and guides me to the dance floor. He spins me in a circle before pulling me close to his body. His lips rest at my ear, whispering the lyrics of the song the band is playing. Some human song I’ve never heard about flying to the moon. I can feel his magic leaking into the room. It’s subtle, and I imagine that no one would know what it was. Still, the people around us move closer. Men reach out, touching my arms and ‘accidently’ bumping into me as we swirl around the dance floor.
I can feel the shift in the atmosphere when the Dragon moves closer to us. Nox’s gaze flicks over my shoulder and back again quickly and he smiles softly at me. He leans down to whisper in my ear one more time.
“Show time killer. Don’t you worry, I’ll be right behind you.”
Nox spins me out again, this time letting go of my hand instead of pulling me back in like he did before. I crash into someone's chest and glance up to see a smiling Dragon as he rests his hands on my hips. I chuckle nervously, my eyes darting around the room instead of looking into his eyes. It’s part of the game, a lure to reel him in and make sure he takes the bait.
“I-I- uh, I’m so sss-so-orry.” I stammer, causing him to chuckle, no sound comes out, but I can feel the vibrations in his chest.
“No problems, Doll. You can bump into me anytime. Would you care to dance?”
I try to take a step back, but his hands tighten on my hips, keeping me close to his chest as I stammer about some more, glancing around again as if I’m hoping someone will save me. The Dragon whispers into my ear, causing gooseflesh to pebble on my arms.
“It’s the least you can do, Doll. It is my birthday after all.” He leans back and smiles at me.
I’m sure he expects the expression to be charming, disarmingly so even, but I can see the monster behind the charismatic mask. Still, I don’t want him to move away, so I giggle softly, blinking up at him then forcing my head down to stare at the floor beneath my feet. This part of the game is easy. All men with power are the same. They underestimate women because they think they are better than we are. I just prove how wrong that way of thinking is. “I-I mean, I guess. Since it’s your birthday.” I say, moving my hands to his shoulders and relaxing my body for him to take the lead. He twirls me around the dance floor for four songs, whispering in my ear. He tells jokes about the people in the room, giving me more information than he intends to. I giggle when appropriate and make sure I glance around. Slowly, I let my body relax into his hold, leaning into him and making sure I keep my face close to his, our cheeks brushing as we spin. It doesn’t escape my notice that he has been moving us closer to a hallway, away from the crowd and I have to bite my cheek to keep from smiling. Again, this assignment is too fucking easy.
“Come have a drink with me, Doll.”
“But, my husba-” I try to protest, turning to look over my shoulder. I can see Nox, he is standing by the stage, talking to the conductor of the orchestra. His eyes meet mine and he nods, letting me know he sees me walking away and will keep the crowd distracted.
Nox jumps onto the stage as the Dragon takes my hands and leads me out of the ball room. Nox’s voice fills the room and I can imagine the dazed looks that falls on the guest’s faces. All according to plan. Just a few short moments, and the Dragon will be dead.
The Dragon leads me down the hall to a large double french door. He opens it and motions for the guards that followed us from the ballroom to wait outside. He guides me inside, sitting me down on a couch before turning his back to me to go to the drink car sitting beside the door. His mistake I guess.
“Your husband won’t mind, Doll. None of the men here do, not when it’s me giving their wives the pleasure of my company.”
While he is fixing his drink, I let my Glamor fall and silently step behind him, pulling my dagger out of its sheath. This is the best part, the part my magic craves. Before he starts to turn to focus on me again, I’m right behind him in my natural state, Consequence, my blade, aimed at his throat so the tip just barely touches the skin of his neck when he is facing me.
I smile evilly as his eyes widen. He drops the glass of dark liquor he just poured and his breath freezes in his chest. I don’t usually gloat, but it feels appropriate with this man. He has spent his life committing horrible acts against children, he shows no remorse and even with a blade at his throat, he doesn’t seem to have any sense of humility.
“You know, you’re my biggest pay out yet. My hardest target, and yet, you weren’t even that hard to get to.”
“What do you want?” He asks, as if there were anything he could give me.
“Your death.” I say softly.
My wrist twitches and I watch as a red line of blood forms on his throat. Slowly the line begins to drip down to his chest and he gargles, the sound of him dying paired nicely with watching the light leave his eyes. I watch the whole time as his hands move up to clasp his throat and he falls to his knees. The river of red against his tan skin slowly gets faster. He claws at his own skin as he stares at me in the eyes. I keep smiling, not feeling even the slightest bit upset as watching a man like him die.
My magic can feel his life force leaving his body and it feeds on it like a starving puppy. Watching him bleed to death is getting old, so I lift my dagger again and bring it down hard against his neck from behind. The appendage flsie off, blood coating the floor, my clothes and some even splashes against my face. His head bounces a few times, before rolling under the cart. I hear it thump against the wall and watch his torso finally hit the floor. The Dragon is slain. Now it’s time to clean house and get back to my mates. I touch the rock in my pocket murmuring the phrase to make its counterpart glow, letting my men know it was time for them to have their fun while Nox and I take care of the inside. Gripping my dagger harder with my right hand, I let my magic circle my left hand and paste a smile on my face as I throw open the doors. I’m finally home, doing what I love to do.
