Page 40 of Foretold

Axe’s green eyes widen. “With Astrid here? I don’t fucking think so.”

“What’s the pixie bottle?” I ask, intrigued.

“It’s alcohol infused with pixie dust,” Bane explains, his eyes narrowing. “Very rare and usually gifted to incubi when they come of age.”

Pixies, a rare lesser fae, are the smaller fairy types that humans thought we all were before the veil opened. They all hid deep in the forests and glens.

“It will be a night you won’t forget,” Kai promises, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. His eyes then turn to me. “But yeah, Princess, maybe you should stay home.”

Bane leans back in his chair, studying me with his head slightly tilted. “I won’t be drinking so I can guard her.”

His dark eyes land on me, and a shiver goes down my spine at the look in them. Bane has a way of making me feel both extremely safe and on edge. Maybe because there is an attraction there, and I was trying to pretend there isn’t.

“Or maybe I’ll be the one guarding you,” I reply, and Bane smirks.

“I’m in,” August says, and I feel his eyes lingering on me.

Kai brightens, a slow-spreading smile taking over his face. “It’s settled then. Everyone, get ready. We are getting fucked-up tonight.”

Axe groans, scrubbing his hand down his face. “Father is going to kill us. But I do need to feed.”

I forget sometimes that they need the lust to survive, and the clubs they go to provide that.

“You and me both. We’ll blame it on Astrid,” Kai replies, winking at me. “He won’t get angry at her… she can do no wrong.”

Rolling my eyes, I stand and leave to get ready. Not wanting to disturb Bree, my maid here for any help, I do it myself, choosing a black dress that ends halfway to my thighs and a pair of black boots. I leave my hair down, the ends caressing my hips with each step, and my face bare, except for a dash of color on my lips. After sliding my ruby dagger into the sheath on my thigh, I go in search of the men. I pass Bane’s room first and stick my head inside the slightly open door. His room smells slightly of spicy incense. “Bane?” I call out.

“Come in, I’ll be out in a second,” he calls back from his bathroom. Hesitantly, I step inside his bedroom, my nosiness winning out.

A large window showing off the beautiful night sky draws my attention first before I take in his masculine bed, covered in black sheets and brown furs. Next to his bed, my eyes widen as they land on some red rope intricately tied in patterned knots. My mind roams back to Kai’s comments about Bane liking ropes, but this seems like more than that, the knots appearing like well-thought-out art instead of the rough tying up I was picturing him being into. Picking it up in my fingers,I’m examining it when Bane steps out, his hair still wet and his body bare besides a pair of dark trousers slung low on his hips. His body is a masterpiece. Tattoos cover every inch of him, but it doesn’t distract from his muscled stomach and strong, developed arms. He’s a warrior, there’s no denying it. His eyes flash amber as he takes me in from head to toe before looking at the red rope still in my hand. I drop it onto the bed like it burns me.

I clear my throat. “Sorry, I just came in to see if you were ready to go.”

“You guys ready?” Kai calls out, and I quickly stand. Bane gestures for me to leave first, with him close to my back. We meet with the others and head out, zipping right to the front of Lust, Kai with his damn bottle of pixie alcohol in his hands. The music is loud as we enter, skipping the line like we usually do for some VIP treatment. We take our usual table by the dance floor, and all stare at the rainbow-swirling bottle in front of us. I’m not going to lie, I’m tempted to have a little taste.

“No,” Bane decrees from opposite me, his dark eyes narrowed.

Glasses appear, and Kai starts pouring.

August looks over at me, teeth dragging along his lower lip. “I agree. We don’t need you getting into any more trouble than you usually do.”

My jaw drops. “I’m a grown fae, and I’m going to try some.”

Picking up a glass, I slide it over to Kai, whose eyes go to Axe, who shrugs. “Just a taste.”

So I get a shot-sized amount while the rest of them, aside from Bane, get a full glass. Staring into the swirling rainbow, I’m the first to taste it, the sweet flavor exploding on my tongue and making me moan. “Okay, that is good.”

My head starts to feel light, and my shoulders relax, tension draining from my body. I feel Bane’s eyes still on me,unimpressed. “Why do you hardly drink?”

“He’s a control freak,” Axe answers for him, smirking.

In and out of the bedroom, apparently.

I don’t realize I say that out loud until my brothers start laughing loudly.

Goddammit!

Wincing, I sit back in my chair and risk raising my gaze to Bane’s. His eyes are flickering amber, the only sign that my words affected him. “And what makes you say that, Princess?”

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