Page 50 of House of Ydril

“Having fun at a party?” I reply mockingly.

“No,” he says as he takes a step closer. I draw in a breath and take one back. “You’re up to something. I’ve been watching you, I mean, you’re practically a full-time job, and all this time, you’ve been avoiding the Duke and circling the Vipers like a cat in heat. So…”

I don’t see him getting closer, but he’s now in my face, crowding me so much, I can feel the heat radiate off his body. “Whatare you up to?” he demands.

Anger gets the best of me. “I know the Little Prince is used to having his way,” I snarl as I move to push past him. “Butnot everythingis your business.”

His body vibrating with rage, he grabs me by the waist and the very next second, I’m being taken away with such speed, my vision blurs to the point of blindness.

Chapter twenty-two

“Whatdidyoujustcall me?” Faust snarls at me, his breath ragged.

For a second, I just blink at him, feeling disoriented and confused.

We’realonein some deserted hallway off the Main Hall and my heart is pounding like crazy. I’m pressed against the wall with his hands caging me in. He’s fucking tall so I have to tip my head back to meet his eyes. They’re glazed and filled with rage as he waits for an answer.

“Little Prince,” I finally drawl. “Isn’t that what you are?”

“You know nothing about me.”

Holy shit, he’s so hot when he’s drunk. I fight to stay still as the need to press myself closer to him threatens to drive me crazy. “I know you like to fight kids instead of fightingforthem.”

“Yeah, what else?” he demands, his nostrils flaring.

“I know you like to stick your nose in random students’ lives instead of, I don’t know, making your subjects’ lives better or something?”

His chest heaving with all the rage, he grabs me by the waist.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I hiss at him as I try to push him away.

“Shutting you up,” he growls and crushes his lips on mine, pulling my body closer to his.

I let out a moan, the desire for him overpowering me. Before I know it, my hands are scrambling to feel all the stiff muscles of his chest and back, like they can’t do it quickly enough. I bite his lip and he gives off another low growl. He forces his tongue deeper inside my mouth and squeezes me even tighter, until I can feel nothing but the throbbing of his dick between my legs.

And just as I feel one of his hands traveling up my thigh, dangerously close to see just how wet he’s made me, I push it away. “No,” I say as I break free of his grip.

“Yes,” he breathes out as he tries to take my hand. I don’t let him.

I’m already turning to walk away when I hear him snarl under his breath, “Get back here, now.”

Almost instantly, I feel this strange pull, my mind losing control of my own body. I start to panic, but I’m already walking back, stopping only when I’m right in front of him, his hand already wrapping around my waist. My eyes round in shock as he leans close to whisper, “Just this once. I need to get you out of my system, Quinn.”

But as soon as he pulls back to look at my frozen face, a flash of surprise crosses his eyes and he quickly lets go of me. Completely. He takes a step back, but I’m so angry and I’m once again in control of my own body.

Without thinking, I tap the Element rune and I send him flying into the wall with a loud thump. My body shaking with rage, I walk up to him and ignoring the shock in his eyes, I drawl, “Don’tevertouch me again.”

With that, I turn on my heel and I walk away. By the time I’m back in the Main Hall, I feel like crying. I mean, I knew he was an asshole, but a straight-out danger?

Shaken up and pissed off, I try to find Nuala, but she’s nowhere to be seen.

And just as I think about leaving myself, I’m approached by a scrawny fae-blooded guy who just blinks at me. “What?” I snap at him and immediately regret it.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you angry,” he starts, visibly embarrassed but pushing through it. “I just saw that you don’t have a date for the Grand Ball yet, and I’d like to be the one to take you.”

Once again, I feel watched. My eyes dart around the hall and I see Leo stare at me from a distance, sending me into another fit of rage. “You know what?” I turn to the guy, bitterness in my voice as I say, “I don’t think I want to go to another Ball, ever again.”

To my surprise, he laughs. “Gotcha.” He pauses before he adds, “And I guess you’re not really in the mood to talk, so I’ll be on my way.”

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