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Exhaustion from fighting and gripping my emotions finally washed over me. My breaths slowed, and I was able to suck down one ragged breath after another. “Ruslan?” I whispered, needing to hear his voice.
“Yes, sprite?” he murmured, still not releasing me.
A light sigh released the last of the air in my body, and my eyelids drooped as I relaxed into his embrace. “Why are you always so warm?”
“Because I am a Dragon. Fire runs through my veins. And it’s a good thing too, since you are always cold,” he huffed a laugh into my hair. “Do you want to go to bed?”
“Tell me a story until I fall asleep?” I murmured.
Ruslan chuckled; this had become our nightly routine when I couldn’t sleep, and he was always willing to oblige my requests. I wrapped my legs around his waist, still tucked into his chest, and he walked us into the bedroom, laying me gently down and then crawling in next to me, pulling me beside him once he settled. I curled into him, needing every inch of my skin to touch his. A deep exhale slipped out, and my heavy, swollen eyes began to close.
Ruslan cleared his throat, then launched into a story for me.“Once upon a time, a Dragon fell in love with an Angel…”
A small smile settled on my face as I listened to his highly embellished tale, losing myself among his words, until finally, I began to fade in and out of the story, drifting away to the land of sleep. I barely woke when he shuttered the lights in our room and turned us to the side so his entire body could sleep flush with mine.
7
Béke Day One
The door to the carriage opened with a blast of frigid night air, and we stepped into the snow before a slate stone building decorated with metallic climbing ivy. The craftsmanship was impeccable, and if it weren’t for the silvery color, I’d think that the Iron Fae had enchanted vines to withstand the harsh winters. Vadim whistled as he examined the filigree etched into the doors, the whorls and dainty details drawing out a story I did not know.
We pushed through them when Liliana complained of the cold, and a bulky male waited just inside the entrance, his face serious until he saw Anton and Slavian.
“They’re with us.” Slavian jerked a thumb over his shoulder, swaying slightly.
“Your usual table is available, My Lords,” the male replied, moving out of our way so we could enter the dimly lit area. Anton and Slavian descended a set of stairs to a sunken level below, the beat of drums building with each step into the earth. The air smelled of herbs, metal, and sex, and I soon learnedwhy, when we cleared a fog of smoke and landed on the floor where scantily clad males and females served drinks and sacks of herbs to groups of people lounging in the middle. Off to the sides, curtained rooms both hid and revealed half-naked bodies writhing together while others smoked the herbs in front of them. The High Lords sauntered to a larger space at the back of the room, pulling aside the curtain for us to pass. The beat of the drums quieted as we took seats on the deep couch lining the walls.
A female appeared a moment later with a bottle of amber liquor and glasses for all of us. “My Lords, so glad you are here tonight. It was getting boring without you.” She batted her lashes as she placed everything on the table in front of her.
“Zoya, I hope you’ll join us later.” Anton pulled her into his lap, and she giggled, placing her hands on his chest.
“Do you want me to bring you something stronger?” She trailed a finger down his abdomen until it disappeared from view.
“Nothing too strong, Zoya, as this is our guests' first time experimenting.” Anton gestured to us where we sat toward the back of the room.
She hopped up from his lap with a sly grin, spinning to face us. “Welcome to Steel, My Lords and Lady. You will certainly enjoy your time with us.” She bit her lip as her eyes trailed over me, stopping at my groin. “I’ll be back in a few moments with your herbs.” She swayed her barely covered hips as she walked away from us.
Vadim whispered next to me, “I think this is the best decision we’ve made in months.”
Viktor and I snorted simultaneously, though I got the sense he was ready to let loose himself. Endre sat protectively next to Liliana, who was unfazed by the whole experience, as if she had frequented it many times. Slavian started pouring drinksfor us, sliding them down the long, narrow table in each of our directions before pouring the last one for Liliana and handing it to her with a grin.
“To our health.” He raised his glass, then threw back the liquid. We replied in kind, and the alcohol burned on the way down, not in an unpleasant way. He immediately poured another round for us all, and I embraced the second shot, needing the buzz to drive away the image of Izidora spread before Ruslan that kept appearing behind my eyes, triggered over and over again by the sensual space we found ourselves in.
I rolled my shoulders, feeling the effects already, my body loosening along with my tongue. “What is this place?” I asked Anton, who was already pouring his third glass.
“It’s a place where you can lose control and experiment. Every desire you’ve dreamed of can be fulfilled here. Steel is very exclusive, and only the best Félvér work and play here.”
“Félvér? What is that?” Viktor leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs to hear him better over the thrumming music.
“Those of us who have mixed blood, we call ourselves Félvér. I am half Wolf,” Anton explained, his drink sloshing. Viktor and I shared a look that said ‘we’ll play dumb’ since we already knew about Izidora’s half Angel heritage, but any additional information about these Félvér would only serve to help us in the coming fight. Anton’s lips were loose now, and if he was willing to share, who were we to deny him the opportunity?
Viktor didn’t hesitate to continue with his questioning. “Interesting, I’ve never met a Wolf before. What abilities does that give you?”
“Well, not to brag, but my mother is an alpha. I can fully shift into a Wolf,” Anton boasted unabashedly, then he jerked his thumb in Slavian’s direction, spilling alcohol in the process.“Slavian here is part Demon, part Centaur, but he only got horns and wings from his mother.”
Zoya pushed aside the gauzy curtain a moment later, then laid sacks of herbs on the table. Anton pulled her into his lap once again. “Zoya is a Wolf also, and she likes to play.” He nuzzled her neck, and she sighed and leaned back into him. He trailed a hand down the bare skin on her front, slipping a hand under the fabric that covered her hips. She moaned as he touched her.
“Come back later and bring more friends,” he purred in her ear, before removing his hand. She straightened her skirt, flashing him with a seductive smile, then disappeared into the dimly lit room beyond.
