Page 2 of Distant Heart

“Shit.” He pulled back and looked behind him where he’d last spotted Devyn and Ryker. “Where’s—”

“Too late,” Ares pointed and Illya turned just in time to spot Ryker storm across the marble floor.

Ryker ripped the pin off of the other man’s jacket and leaned in to say something that had him tensing. Before the other guy could reply, he grabbed him by the arm and dragged him through the throngs of people out of sight.

“Think they’re finally going to admit defeat and hook up?” a new voice asked a moment before Camren joined them at the railing.

“Where the hell have you been?” Ares asked, though he was already back to playing on his device.

“Around,” Camren replied noncommittally. “Anything good come through yet?”

Illya shook his head and tried to ignore all the longing glances they were getting from the crowd beneath them. Praeda wasn’t exactly a secret. Everyone knew what tonight truly meant, and what it meant for them if they happened to be chosen by one of the Black Harts. Not all of them were as averse to the idea as Illya. Some of the Black Harts looked forward to the hunt.

“It’s not like you can’t just have your pick of the litter any given day of the week,” Ares stated.

“What’s your excuse then?” Camren teased. “Too busy with your fake lovers to bother catching real tail?”

“Don’t be jealous I have something interesting to occupy my time.”

Camren didn’t deny it, instead he clucked his tongue. “If you’re that into him, why don’t you just find the guy?”

“He’s not real,” Illya reminded, but seemingly went unheard.

“The character has a voice actor, right?” Camren shrugged. “So? Find him. Next best thing, am I right?”

“No, that’s not—” Before he finished his sentence, Ares paused, head slowly lifting from his screen to stare vacantly across the room.

Illya cursed under his breath.

“Gotta go.” Ares headed down the red-carpeted stairs without further explanation.

“Did you seriously just do that?” Illya glared at Camren, who merely grinned like the asshole he was.

“What? He was going to come to that conclusion on his own eventually. I just helped him along, that’s all.”

“And when he’s on the news for kidnapping?”

Camren held up both hands and took a deliberate step back.

“You’re a real piece of work.” Illya went back to watching the students as they arrived.

“Where’s Ellery?” Camren asked. “Why isn’t he here yet?”

“No clue.” There were eight Black Harts this year, and Ellery was the youngest of them. Still, he was a sophomore, so it wasn’t like he hadn’t already done this once before. “He’ll show up eventually.”

“Oh,” he motioned with his chin. “Speak of the devil.”

Ellery stepped through the doors and accepted the pin from the female student working the front counter. Then he took another and passed it off to someone behind him.

“Who’s with him?” Camren tried to catch a glance, but Ellery kept his companion completely blocked from sight until they’d made it to the side of the room where the landing of the stairwell was located.

Illya straightened the second Ellery moved aside and he caught his first look at the blond at his side.

The blond sneered at something Ellery said, hands shoved into the pockets of his black jeans.

“Hey, are his eyes the same color as your hair?” Camren nudged him.

No, they weren’t. They were a shade lighter, and the second those lilac eyes lifted and met Illya’s, he felt a jolt shoot straight down to his groin.

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