Page 3 of Lord of Dance and Desire

Constin waited a beat.

Two.

Andrei said nothing.

Constin was a Lord, but not a High Lord. He didn’t have Andrei’s raw power.

But no one in the room doubted the threat.

The luudthen turned back to me and knelt on the side of the bed. “Darling, do you want to go to your bedroom?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to carry you?”

“No.” I began to get out of bed, my hand pressed above my groin.

Constin’s eyes narrowed. “You’re in pain? He hurt you.”

I didn’t look at him. “It’s not his fault. I have a condition that makes sex painful at least a little most of the time. He tried to be gentle.”

I ignored my pang of guilt. I’d weaponized my silence out of spite, letting Andrei hurt me knowing it would hurt him when he realized what he’d done. I hadn’t expected him to getConstinthough.

“He knew about this condition?” Constin asked.

I jerked a shoulder.

“He knew. Darkness don’t let me kill this boy.” The back of my neck prickled as his eyes began to glow.

“Con, it’s okay. Please, can you just help me back to my room?” I tried to straighten.

The glow faded. “Of course. Here, put this robe on. All right, baby—I’m sorry.” I’d stumbled, and he’d touched my arms to catch me. He let go. “I’m sorry.”

I tried to ease my throat with saliva. My bottom lip was also dry. “I’m fine. He didn’t rape me. I didn’t tell him no.”

Constin stood unmoving, eyes blank. “The next time you don’t tell him no in this fashion, he won’t live through the night.”

His quiet scared me. I almost backed up, but I’d be returning to Andrei’s bed and I wasn’t ready to face what I’d done. What I’d tried to sabotage.

My breath hitched, and some of my numbness faded under concern.

“Please don’t hurt him.” I injected as much firmness into my voice as possible.

“Take care of her,” Andrei said quietly. “Deal with me when she’s settled.”

I dared a quick look at Andrei. He was kneeling, hands on his thighs, his head lowered. He didn’t see me look.

The silence stretched as Constin studied me, then nodded, mouth a white slash.

“I won’t hurt him the exact way he didn’t hurt you.” He turned to Andrei. “Do you agree, my Lord?”

There appeared to be only one correct response. Andrei bowed, forehead touching the carpet, saying nothing as Constin gently ushered me from the bedroom. We entered my room and I sat on the bed.

Constin sighed, leaning against the wall. “We have rules, Anah. Protocol we live by because we’re too powerful, and too impulsive. I’ve tried to raise that boy to not be a self-indulgent, thoughtless terror, but sometimes things slip out. His father was—well, never mind.”

I rubbed my temple. Their relationship was so. . .Fae. They were luudthen—which meant friends, lovers, confidants, protectors—but Constin also acted like Andrei’s uncle sometimes.

“I’m fine. It wasn’t rape. I knew I could have stopped him. I—it was my fault.”

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