Page 22 of Of Mercury and Mist

I didn’t answer him.

He ran his tongue along his teeth and shook his shoulders. “They tried to break into your system, left minuscule traces, but they didn’t get anywhere.”

He stood, placing my laptop on my desk, keeping his eyes on Ashley who had now climbed even further on top of me. Technically, she had no right to safety, but I let her huddle. Her heart was racing, and her eyes were dazed. She’d needed the small comfort in order not to panic.

“Stop staring at her,” I hissed at my friend. Grabbing the woman by the waist, I lifted her and pointedly tucked her on my other side, out of Kiam’s reach. He could’ve gotten to her if he wanted to, but her placement sent a message—hands off.

He glanced at me and then back at Ashley, who couldn’t take her eyes off the man. “Do you like what you see?” he asked, his voice low and seductive. Her knees knocked together. If I were a human woman, I probably would’ve fainted.

The fear flowing from the woman beside me like a tsunami was not helping the situation and there was no way for me to inhale all of it without bringing about her demise sooner than planned. Kiam’s very existence depended on what Ashley said next, if she decided to speak at all.

For a vampire, Kiam was bulkier than typical, his shoulders wider, his features slightly less refined. He was tall, as was I, but his presence took up more space and his features begged one to stay away. He was attractive, of course, but the appeal couldn’t be said to be instant. It didn’t help that his eyes were still glowing with an unnatural brightness.

There was no way for me to tell what Ashley truly thought about that, but she’d stayed quiet about everything she’d witnessed so far and remained silent now. The eyes, the teeth, who knew what she was thinking about all she’d witnessed. The likelihood was great she’d chalked it up to hallucination or imagination, as humans often did when we compelled them to. The system wasn’t foolproof, though.

“This is my slave and pet, Ashley. Ashley, you may greet our guest, Kiam.”

The sound that came out of her mouth was a combination of a groan, and maybe a whimper. “Don’t be rude,” I admonished over the odd noise she’d made before I slapped her ass. Her body bowed and her mouth opened, but she didn’t say anything else.

Kiam pressed his lips together and sighed. “Such a shame you won’t share. I’d love to hear the sounds she’d make while in my hands.”

Ashley remained still, as if she hadn’t heard him. There wasn’t a single fluctuation in her aura to indicate she had. Kiam glanced at me. “Shock?” he asked. Her eyes had glazed over, unfocused and staring into the distance.

“Perhaps. Tell me, Kiam. What do you do when a woman betrays you?”

He rubbed his chin. “What type of betrayal are we considering? The punishment must fit the crime.”

“Let’s say you’ve given the woman everything and then she steals from you. What would you do?”

My anger rose within me again, fresh. I’d done everything I could to make sure no one messed with her, to make sure Andy behaved and didn’t hurt her. I’d even recognized her talents and given her the lead position in her department. And all for what? For her to laugh and spit in my face.

The man appeared to seriously consider this and not just to humor me. “Depending on individual circumstances, an automatic death sentence. Battles are hard-fought and it isn’t easy to acquire what we own. Many deaths result, divides form, and the strongest reign as victors. Property is held sacred and should be honored as such.”

He stepped up to my desk, laying his palms flat as he leaned toward her. “Tell me, poacher, what did you steal that was worth your short life?”

EIGHT

Micha

“Why are you doing this to me?” Ashley ground out, her voice barely above a whisper. She was in the shower in my apartment, fully dressed and sitting on the marble tiles. You’d think the walk-in was full of mold or soap scum rather than bearing a luxury preheated floor and multiple rainfall showerheads.

“You’re a mess, little slave. We can’t have that.” When I flicked the switch, warm water rained down on her, flattening and straightening her wild, curly hair as much as it could. “Clean yourself up. There’s a washcloth on the shelf and plenty of soap and conditioner.” She had dried cum on her face and her makeup was streaked down her cheeks; I wasn’t going to leave her like that.

After opening a cabinet, I retrieved some thick, fluffy towels and a robe. “Here, I’m leaving these on the counter.” Her head was between her knees. “I’ll be back in a moment, and you better be washed up when I return.”

As I closed the bathroom door behind me, I remembered I gave her the wrong bodywash. Much to my irritation, she was still in the same position when I walked back in. Grabbing the correct bottle and another product I suddenly remembered from under the sink, I opened the shower door. “Here, take this,” I said.

Slowly she lifted her head, her eyes dazed. “Is this how it's always going to be?”

Thank God she’d never had to go to war. She’d last five minutes, tops. “Dalhia Honey, right?” I thrust the container her way.

“What?” she stretched out her arm to clasp the bottle, rising to her knees. “How did you know?”

“Your hair stuff is on the counter,” was all I said.

Her gazed dragged to the counter, before stunned eyes met mine. “Wait...you talked to Della? Is she here?”

Ashley fell on all fours, slipping on wet tile, before pushing herself up and scrambling for the door that I quickly closed in her face. Her hands slapped against the glass before she started screaming for her friend. Next thing I knew, she was throwing her shoulder into the panel

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