Page 43 of Dragon Unleashed

My eyes trace the course of his tongue.

“Look, Lorelei, this is just as uncomfortable for me. Do you really think I want my father deciding who I spend my life with? Of course not! We need to work together. We need to play for time. Aggravating him isnotthe answer.”

My heart sinks a little. He’s right, it’s not like he actually wants to marry me.

“How does it work then?”

“Thank the goddesses you’re being reasonable, for once.”

And there we go. He’s back to being an asshole.

“At least pretend you like me. Start acting like someone I’d date. Formal occasions call for formal dress, and at other times, something a bit more subtle. You look like a—” He stops himself, then gestures to my outfit. “This doesn’t cut it, Lorelei.”

I choke on my drink.

Farrell pats me awkwardly on my back.

“You need to see less of Chano.”

I pause. “I guess we could sneak around.”

“No. You need to see less of him, full stop. My father’s people are watching. And if you bond to the second stage with him, it will be obvious to a blind man.”

Did he seriously just demand I stop seeing my Aeternum?

Without another word I empty my glass, place it in his hands, and walk out.

“Lorelei?” Farrell shouts after me. “Lore! Don’t walk away from me!”

The man is unbelievable, un-fucking-bearable. But damn if I can get our kiss out of my head. I told Chano. I told him Farrell kissed me. He just looked at me. Didn’t threaten to kill him, didn’t say anything really.

I should have owned the thing. Told him Farrell kissed me and I kissed him back. To make it believable for Lady Tenebrae, of course. I kissed him back to make it believable.

That’s all.

I shoulder my way through the crowd toward the portal. The shimmering, oil-slicked surface is calling my name. At least since I’m only moving from one bit of campus to another I can use the damn thing. I’m going to enjoy this night if it kills me, with my friendsandwith Chano. I glance at the time on my phone. Shit. Val’s set starts now.

I step out of the portal and lurch forward, tripping over my own feet, hand to my mouth to avoid barfing. That thing never gets easier. The sheer magnificence of the night slows my dash toward the main stage. Fireflies light the trees up in an ethereal glow, the main street lamps in the academy’s commercial district are dimmed to a spooky amber, and the only business open is the Wailing Moon. Explosions in the distance draw my eyes past the bar to the pinwheel fireworks over the stage.

I almost fall over Naeve where she crouches on the ground, rummaging through the giant granny handbag she somehow managed to haul here.

Her face lights up as she pulls a camera from the depths of her bag, grabs my hand, and tows me toward the stage. “There you are, bestie!”

Bestie.It’s been a long time since she called me that.

In no time Chano finds us. As his big arms wrap me up from behind, I can’t help it, I smile. Naeve hops from foot to foot beside us, singing along to every one of Val’s songs. Hairy hags, I wish she could hold a damn tune.

At the end of Val’s performance she launches herself off the stage to the final drum clash and sets her magic at the giant bonfire. The whole thing goes up in a whoosh to the delighted screams of the crowd.

By the time Val has elbowed her way over to us, Naeve almost has her breath back.

“That was awesome, Val!”

“I was cranky that we weren’t the headline act,” she says. “Until I heard who was. I am such a fangirl of the Twins. Who would put an angel and a demon onstage together? But it works! I totally want to be on the Ferris wheel when they start their set. The best seats in the house.”

In the darkness, the wheel glows a muted red. Towering over the pop-up bars, it’s a stunning silhouette against the clear night sky.

Screwing my eyes up, I blink several times. I grab Val’s sleeve.

---