Cato’s lips twitched, breaking the tension in the room. “Ignore Lord Belshazzar’s surliness. He did the same as you tonight, and, apparently, it wasn’t as pleasant as your experience.”
“Fuck you.” The overlord glowered at him.
“And I thought you preferred redheads.” Cato raised his hands, laughing softly. His eyes returned to me, faking a whisper, “Normally, he’s not this grumpy after a work-fuck with a beautiful woman with red locks.”
My eyelashes fluttered as I blinked. Twice.
Lord Xenon and Cato started chatting together about Lord Belshazzar’s exploits with—many—redheads in the past, tossing bantering comments at him every so often.
“Do you want me to remind you of your exploits?” Lord Belshazzar growled quietly in warning. “Because there have been just as many. Some of them have been damn memorable too, you twats.”
I turned, my shoulders stiff, and poured whiskey into my drink until the liquid reached the top of my mug. With my mouth shut and my eyes down on my drink on the counter—while the three continued to badger each other—I merely shoved the bottle over my shoulder.
When it wasn’t immediately taken, I wiggled it in irritation.
The bottle was jerked from my hand…and a blue-eyed demon’s voice, barely audible, rumbled in my ear, “You still smell like him. His cum is leaking out of you right now.”
I turned my head to the side, sniffed once, inhaling deeply. I snarled with quiet fury. “At least I took a shower. Her pussy juice is still on your face.”
My mouth snapped shut. My eyes flew wide.
I stared in utter shock at the white cabinet in front of me. My entire body didn’t move, no air entered or escaped my lungs. I might as well be in Rest right now.
Whereas the overlord had simply been informing me, helping keep my time tonight a secret, I had just reacted like a jealous harpy.
Was I jealous?
Was I?
I digested my feelings, nibbling on my bottom lip.
A redhead. His magic damn cock inside her…
His sculpted body moving over hers, glistening with sweet sweat. Each muscle bulging as he moved.
My eyes flashed red…
Oh. Fuck.
I was jealous. And I had no right to be.
Overlords were not on the goddamn menu.
I grabbed my mug in a hurry, and quickly skedaddled from the kitchen, barely managing a wave over my shoulder to the others. Once out of their sight, I was racing down the hallways to my bedroom.
What the hell had just happened?
I never thought this day would come, but it was quite possible I needed to take my jackass father’s advice. I never imagined he would be right—on any subject. But the squishy, stupid heart had no place in politics. And Lord Belshazzar and I were definitely in the political arena together, as were Master Nial and I.
I slammed my door behind me and rested my back against it. My gaze caught on the mug I had in my hand. I’d managed to keep from spilling even a drop of the liquid inside. I exhaled a shaky sigh and took a large gulp from my cup, allowing my head to fall back against the door. I closed my eyes, attempting to calm my racing heart, letting the alcohol warm me from the inside out.
I needed to regroup. To focus on my mission.
Lord Belshazzar was off limits.
One night of pleasure, no matter how fantastic…and perfect…it had been, did not make his cock mine.
Master Nial had no hold on my heart.
An embarrassing past crush turned into a night of sex as adults, no matter how fun it was, did not give him a piece of me.
My mission here was to be queen.
Not to further my love life.
I would be quee—
Knock. Knock. Knock-knock.
I stifled a groan and pushed off my door.
As I turned, I took another large drink and glared daggers at the offending door. I was not in the mood for company tonight, not even from my best friend. Perhaps if I ignored the person they would leave.
I took another sip. Silent.
Knock.
Just one.
And clearly pissed off since my entire door shook.
I sighed and pulled my door open.
My jaw dropped slightly, not at all prepared.
Lord Belshazzar leaned against my doorframe, still in his black dress slacks, no shirt, no shoes, and tapping the bottle of whiskey against his right leg. While glaring directly at me.
He hissed in irritation, “Are you going to let me in?”
The overlord glanced either way down the hall.
I stood like a statue, until I shook myself internally, and then opened the door wider. I gestured with an arm for him to enter, shutting my gaping mouth at this surprise.
The vampire growled quietly under his breath, then waltzed inside my room. He grabbed my door from me, shut it, and locked it right afterward. The man stood glaring at me. The overlord watched me stare back at him.
He snapped, “What?”
“Why are you here?” I sputtered.
What. The. Hell.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No.” I shook my head in slow motion. “No, it’s not.”
He waved his free hand up and down his frame, motioning at his attire. “My room shut down before I was able to get back to it tonight. I’m locked out unless I want to raise the alarm to get in there. I need a shower, as you not so politely told me. And I’m not in the mood to sneak around my own damn home until I can find a free bedroom.”
I blinked. Stunned. “You should really get the security system on your room changed.”
“No shit,” he grumbled. He glanced around my apartment, eyeing the feminine clothes flung around here or there in the living area of the suite. “So, may I?”
My brows furrowed. “May you what?”
“May I stay the night?”
My lips thinned, remembering my mental focusing from only minutes ago. “I don’t…think that’s wise.”
I wasn’t sure if I could stay strong in my conviction if all of him were to stay with me tonight.
His regard snapped back in my direction, and his eyes flared red. I stood extremely still as his furious gaze ran down my body, and stopped full force on my crotch hidden behind my black pajama pants. His nostrils flared, and when he peered up at me, his fangs were slightly lowered.
He snarled, “I don’t take a druid’s sloppy seconds, so you have nothing to worry about.”
My jaw started to slacken again in embarrassed shock.
Then my blood warmed in anger, my hands curling around my mug, and I hissed, “Good. I don’t take another cunt’s sloppy seconds either.”
We eyed one another in the awkward silence, both of our eyes glowing a warm, furious blood red.
His fangs lowered to their full intimidating length, glistening in the light. “We both had business to take care of tonight. Let’s just leave it at that.”
My nostrils flared, but with his truthful words—and his attempt to defuse a slippery situation—I nodded in jerky motions. He was giving us an out, which was needed.