Page 45 of Snow White

Eric ignores the fawning women and saunters over to Snow, making my teeth grind. His scent makes my skin itch as if saltwater has dried on it. I fight to keep myself from scratching at my arms, refusing to let him know he affects me.

“What are we going to do? Throw a ball?” He says it so deliberately loud that the other women gasp. Eric’s famous for his illicit balls in the coastal palace. Invitations to one are coveted, and it is whispered that the activities are clothing optional.

Snow looks up at him, glacial eyes clashing against the riotous sea. “Eric!”

As he throws his arm across her shoulders, their similarities are even more apparent. When he is close to Snow, Eric’s eyes seem slightly less vacant, his smile less forced. Snow’s presence affects him as it does me, and for a moment, I forget all the reasons I hate that he is here.

Eric snorts. “I’m joking.”

My mind is already calculating. If the rumors are correct, one of Eric’s get-togethers might allow me the opportunity to force out more of my remaining competition. There is the added benefit that I doubt anyone would notice if I cornered the princess in a dark alcove and had my way with her. I lick my lips again, savoring the thought.

Not important right now.

“Why not, Snow?” I ask, my voice soothing and seductive. It is the same tone I used on her earlier, the one that made her melt for me.

Snow flushes in response and looks at me. She blinks repeatedly and shifts in her seat. “Why n-not, what?”

Belle glides to Eric’s other side. “Throw a ball?”

Snow chews her lip, and I slide my hand into hers, squeezing reassuringly. She glances at the three of us, all of us waiting for her response. “My father won’t be here.”

I gesture to Eric. “But the vagrant will be.”

Eric makes a face at my name for him, even as Snow frowns. “So? I don’t understand.”

Poor thing, she doesn’t want to let us down.

I smile softly at her, softer than I should, and purr, “Don’t you want to have some fun?”

Snow nods, her glacial eyes warming. I can practically read her thoughts, even as they remain hidden behind that wall of ice in her mind. She’s imagining slipping away with me during the ball while everyone’s distracted. She wants more of earlier, andso do I.

I release her hand and fix the lines of my dress. “Well, let’s throw a ball. I’m sure all the women could use a fun little distraction from Eric’s continued presence.”

Belle covers a giggle behind her hand, and Eric’s eyes lock on mine, a barely leashed storm brewing in their depths. Uh-oh, it looks like someone doesn’t have full control of their powers yet.What a shame. It would be absolutely terrible if he lost control and injured those he loved, wouldn’t it? Then, I recoil at the thought because that includes Snow.

A pounding begins in my head. What is wrong with me?Why can’t I shake this? She’s a pawn! She is a necessary sacrifice if I am to become the queen I was born to be. Yet, I’m licking my lips for more of her taste. My gut twists in horror at the idea of her shedding a single tear because of me. I need to distance myself from her. What happened this morning cannot happen again.

What in the name of dark magic was I thinking? I seduced the one person, besides that loathsome prince, whose memories I can’t touch. If I breach the icy wall in her head, she could become unresponsive, lose all memories, and even… die. The pounding in my head increases, the pain settling behind my eyes and causing my vision to vibrate.

“Alright, let’s do it,” Snow says, and it’s the only thing that I can hear at the moment. The sound of her voice cuts through the agony in my head.

I need distance from Snow White. She could ruin everything. Sheisruining everything. My craving for her purity and innocence is altering my focus, and my carefully laid plans are disappearing before my eyes. I nod, touching my head. “Please, excuse me.”

I can’t even look at her as I leave the room, knowing she’s going to be wearing an expression that will cut me off at the knees. Her bright icy eyes will be wide, full of unshed tears. This will hurt her. I am pushing her away after I tasted her for the first time. She awoke me with a kiss, and she’ll blame herself. And she’ll be right. It is because of her. It’s because she awakens feelings in a heart that turned black long ago. How she does that, I’ll never understand. She shouldn’t be affecting me.I cannot let her affect me.

I lick my lips again.

Chapter Thirty

Snow

As soon as Azura walks away, the empty sensation in my chest seems to grow. There is something wrong, but I am not sure what. One moment her eyes were devouring me. The next, she was in pain and had put distance between us.

It is because she doesn’t want you. Who would? Naïve little Snow.

I press my lips together, ignoring the voices that have returned full force.

After our time together this morning, I thought things would change. But every time Azura leaves me, my heart aches, and I feel adrift. The sensation doesn’t ease until I can see her and smell her, feel her hand brush against mine.

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