Free Blade to the Keep by Lauren Dane Page B

by it so he restrained himself. “He’s older, but not as powerful.”
    “So are they fuckbuddies or what? Clearly they have an agenda because they’re coming right at Theo like it’s wise or even healthy.” But since it was a Joint Tribunal situation, he couldn’t just go drawing and quartering anyone for kicks like he could on any other day. Which wasn’t to say his reaction to their breaking his rules wasn’t painful and bloody. Or that he wouldn’t simply save his drawing and quartering for the day after the Joint Tribunal ended.
    Flavius had a thing about humans being cattle, so she’d been right about Victoriana being of the humans-are-meatbags school of thought. Boring as fuck, but not unusual in old Vampire.
    Theo wasn’t a humanitarian. But he was nothing if not a pragmatist. He didn’t refrain from slaughtering human beings because he was good and kind. He just realized it was better and safer for them all and protected their existence if they didn’t do that sort of thing. Plus, they willingly gave blood anyway, so what was the point?
    “They’re a couple, yes. As for having an agenda? Don’t we all, darling Hunter?” He took three steps and pulled her close, his mouth to her ear. “Their agenda means you need to be extra alert. Victoriana is dangerous, Rowan. Do not underestimate her.”
    “I don’t plan to.” She kissed his neck, thanking him. She also made a mental note to buy him a dozen or so cravats. She had no idea where to get one, but the internet was amazing that way.
    “Shall we continue our walk?” He turned her carefully and she wrapped her arm around his, her breath misting around her.
    “Dinner will be in an hour or so. I need to get ready and listen to Valerie pretend she’s important instead of being diverted to a meeting that didn’t mean shit.”
    “You knew that when she attempted to goad you earlier, didn’t you?”
    “Of course I did. That’s why I have this job and she doesn’t. That and a better fashion sense and the brains not to eye-fuck the Scion when he’s standing with her superior in every way.”
    Clive couldn’t stop his smile when she sniffed her annoyance. The other woman had barely registered on his radar, but it did please him that Rowan cared enough to get a little worked up over him. “You are, of course. So why let her get to you?”
    “It was rude. Paramour? Whatever. I wasn’t agitated because I was worried about you accepting her clumsy offer. She’d run crying once you flashed fang her way.”
    “Instead of ordering me to my knees and between her thighs like some women would.” He raised a brow and scented her blush.
    “A girl should know what she wants and demand it when necessary.”
    “It’s a good thing we agree on such things.”
    “It really is.”
    They paused when he moved to enter through one of the drawing rooms. He figured if he could get back upstairs they’d have a few minutes before they had to get ready. He wanted her so much his incisors lengthened a bit before he got himself back under control. He stepped very close and she looked up at him, a hint of a smile on a mouth he wanted all over his skin.
    “Scion, you’re thinking something really dirty, aren’t you?”
    “How can you tell?”
    “You get this light in your eyes, and the left side of your mouth tips up just a tiny bit and I want to lick it.”
    “You know what it does to me when you declare your wish to lick any part of my body.” He caressed her hip, dipping down to kiss her quickly, and that’s when he caught movement at the doorway and pulled back. Alice stood there, looking apologetic, but that she didn’t leave meant it was something important and business related. Damn it.
    Rowan saw Alice, as well, and squeezed his hand before stepping away. “I have a quick errand. I’ll see you at the dinner.” She lowered her voice. “Maybe afterward, if you don’t annoy me to the point that I want to stake you, I’ll order you to your knees.