Page 12 of Chess

Chapter Seven

Chess

Chess had never needed the luxuries that palace life offered, but he sure as hell appreciated them. Especially now that he was lying, tightly bound, on the floor of Ever’s…

He wasn’t sure it could be called ahome. It was a literal hole in the ground with added creature comforts. It was no bloody wonder he struggled to find her safe houses in Wonderland all these years. If they were as well hidden as this one was, it was going to be nearly impossible, and Maddie was undoubtedly locked away in one of them right now.

He’d just have to smoke the Hatter bitch out. Right after he took care of Rav and cleared his name because, otherwise, searching Wonderland would be a nuisance.

Turning his attention to Ever, he studied her face. She’d fallen asleep on her mattress hours ago with the viola tucked under her arm. The worry had drained from her features as she slumbered, making her appear younger. Her lips were parted, her breaths soft. The wig she’d worn the night before and the fancy up-dos he’d seen her wear previously didn’t do her justice. Her white hair looked softer than his sheets back in the Ruby Heart Palace. Sheets he would do nearly anything to fuck her on if the situation was different…

“Oi,” Chess called to Ever. He couldn’t get distracted right now. Despite his many,manyattempts to free himself, he was still just as confined as when he’d first awoken and he was over it. “Oi, Queenie. You going to sleep all day?”

Ever’s eyes cracked open and she smiled with a yawn. “What else should I be doing,Princeling? Entertaining you?”

“Oh, I would like that very much. I’m sure you know all sorts of ways to keep a maleentertained,” he said with a coy smirk. “But unchaining me would be a good start.”

“Hmm, let me think about that…” She closed her eyes again, her smile widening. “No.”

“No?” Chess threw himself up into a sitting position and scooted up to the mattress, chains clinking. “I can make this very uncomfortable for you as well, you know. Unless you plan on murdering me every day?”

“Perhaps I do,” she mumbled.

Chess held back a growl. He had no intention of staying like this any longer—he was no one’s prisoner. Getting caught was his fault. He’d been too sure of himself in the alley outside the club, but he should’ve known the queen of Ivory wouldn’t go quietly. Temporarily killing her was the only way he was going to get her back to his basement. Going straight for a pseudo-death was much faster and more efficient than dragging her off while awake, though a raging headache did accompany it after.

Not quite as uncomfortable, hm?Chess would need to play a little dirty, he supposed. With a smile, he dropped his fangs and slinked forward. Ever’s arm hung off the mattress, her lily scent caressing his nostrils. She didn’t even open her eyes as he neared, then he drove his teeth into the exposed flesh of Ever’s forearm as hard as he could. Her blood burst in his mouth and he lost all sense as her flavor—the richest he’d ever tasted—sent a wave of ecstasy through him.

Ever screeched and, grabbing a handful of his hair, ripped him off her. “What the hell are you doing?”

Chess grinned as a trickle of her warm blood flowed down his chin. “Tit for tat.”

“I never bit you,” she snarled, throwing him away from her.

He fell on his side with athunk, unable to use his limbs to stop himself. “Unchain me and maybe I’ll let you.”

Ever stood over him, wrinkling her nose. Blood trailed down her arm from his bite, dripping off her fingertips, but the puncture wounds were already healing. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’d rather drink from a dead man.”

She moved to step around him, and he raised his chained legs into the air to block the path between himself and the mattress. “We both know that would kill you.”

“And yet”—she stared at his legs hovering before her—“I stand by my statement.”

“Such a brutal white rose, you are.” He chuckled. “I could make you feel more alive than any feeding could. Would you like me to prove it?”

She picked up her viola from the mattress behind her and ran a bow across the strings. She tilted her head as if listening for something. “Mmm, the notes seem to sayno.” Ever kicked him in the ribs, forcing him to lower his legs as he curled in on himself just long enough for her to get past him. Silently, she picked through a pile of neatly-folded clothes and selected a long-sleeved jumper with three old musician faces across the front with the wordsI listen to dead peopleabove them.Dead composers, he thought, but had no idea which. Then she slipped inside a side door and the sound of water sloshing in a bucket filled the room. A few moments passed before she came out again smelling of soap, dressed in her fresh jumper, and her white hair was tucked beneath a curly brunette wig.

“I’m going out,” she announced.

“What?” Chess rolled to his stomach, pushed onto his knees, and managed to stand. Fuck his hurt pride, the indignity, the embarrassment of being captured. She was so sure he wouldn’t get out of this place that she was prepared to leave him alone? Without talking things out first? What if she was caught by someone else tonight? What if she— His anger immediately deflated as fear coursed through him instead. What if she was going to tell her spy she’d caught him? What if she learned the truth that he was a wanted male and turned him over to Rav in exchange for Ivory?

“Afraid of being alone?” Ever asked sarcastically.

“We need to talk,” he said, serious.

The tone of his voice must’ve gotten through to her because her body stilled, her eyes narrowed in thought. He was seldom outwardly serious—even she had to know that. His reputation always preceded him as the untroubled prince.

“About what?” She angled her head to the side. “I’m not releasing you.”

“Why not? You don’t think you could snap my neck a second time?” He almost winced, knowing the jab might curb her willingness to listen. “I can help you get your throne back.”

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