Page 49 of Chess

“You’ll pay for that later.” He chuckled and fuck it, he gave into quick temptation and drew her close, capturing her mouth with his. Just because he could. Just because he was the bloody prince of Scarlet. And just because he damn well loved her, even if she didn’t know that. He’d bring her to the edge of pleasure again and again, and only let her fall off when she begged him for it. “Though, you’ll probably enjoy the punishment far,fartoo much.”

“You talk a lot.” Amusement danced in her eyes, and he’d bet anything that between those pretty thighs of hers, she was aroused. “Lead the way to your portal into the Ruby Heart Palace.”

Chess swallowed hard, knowing he needed to leave the distraction at this cemetery. There was no point in delaying the inevitable any longer. If his time was over, there was little he could do to change fate. He would die in Wonderland though—not in this forsaken mortal world. Wonderland was a brutal place, but at least they didn’t hide that fact like the mortals did. As a child, he’d experienced more ill-intention hidden behind kind smiles than he’d care to admit. “Keep up,” he said with a wink, and raced through the peaceful London streets.

Ever was right behind him the entire trip to the tree where the portal into the palace basement was. The entrance rested at the tree’s base, hidden by leafy shrubs. She said nothing as he pulled aside the brush covering the opening and motioned her inside. Without hesitation, she hopped down into the hole. His pulse raced as he glanced over his shoulder to make sure they were alone, then he leapt down beside her.

Once they crossed into Scarlet, Chess would be hunted down like a bleeding human in a city of starving vampires. Ever, too, though she might be better at talking her way out of a death sentence than him. Rav might be willing to cut a deal with her with the right terms. But if they managed to kill Rav, Chess could live in relative peace … as soon as he cleared his mother’s murder from his name, at least. He could easily blame his mother’s servant, Rine, who had been dead in the same room, and claim he’d killed the female for the injustice.

“And the concert begins,” Ever whispered to him.

He nodded.

They stepped through together and Chess drew in a deep breath. A mixture of scents—blood, hot summer air, and sulfur from the portal—filled him with a sense of home, but the Ruby Heart Palace didn’t quite feel the same. The slate tunnels were so familiar yet less endearing.

“Are you all right?” Ever asked under her breath.

“Smashing.” Chess swallowed hard as centuries of memories assaulted him. Some good, some bad. All tainted now. He led her down the black slate tunnel, then turned down another.

“Did ya hear that?” a bloke called from the far end.

“Hear what?” another male replied.

Chess froze.Well, fuck me.Rav had the guards in the lower tunnel levels now instead of at the top? What kind of shite was that? He glanced at Ever, whose fangs were already dropped, and he gave her a nod. They could easily take out two guards, then finish with their plan.

A loud sniff from the second guard, followed by an annoyed grunt as the strong sulfur smell must’ve reached them. “It’s probably the king coming back,” the first male said.

Chess’s gaze snapped to Ever. Rav wasn’t even here?Bloody hell.

“I thought he was staying in the mortal world for a few days.” The male’s voice jarred Chess’s memory. If he wasn’t mistaken, it was a vampire his mother turned about a century ago.Michael? Micah?Something like that. “Maybe he’s coming back early with one of those groupies?”

“Nah, I overheard him mentioning Apex which is one of them fancy clubs.”

“No shit?” The second sounded impressed, though given that Rav was king, it didn’t seem that strange. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

Ever tugged at Chess’s shirt and motioned for them to go back the way they came. He followed reluctantly. There was no getting in unannounced and Rav would simply find them when he came home if they didn’t get out of the tunnel. If he had to fight Rav in the mortal world, so be it. At least he wouldn’t have an entire palace worth of guards at his disposal.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Ever

Ever and Chess kept their feet light as they raced down the slate tunnels until they reached the portal. She hurled her body through, the barrier tickling her flesh, and stepped out into a small, dirt cavern. Six feet above her, moonlight shimmered down from a round opening. Chess stepped through behind her and lifted her by the hips without hesitation, thrusting her toward the mortal park. She dug her fingertips into the dirt around the edge of the hole and hoisted herself up. A grunt escaped her mouth—going up was more tedious than dropping down.

“I like my view right now, Queenie,” the prince called up, and his smile translated in his tone. He said the most ridiculous things at the most inappropriate times.

Ever rolled her eyes as she threw herself from the hole, the fresh air hitting her nose. She stood and turned, smiling as she grabbed Chess’s hand and drew him out. “Have you ever thought when we crawl out of these holes at night that we look like the zombies straight from the mortals’ movies?”

“Ah, but aren’t we the monsters of their movies?” Chess purred, brushing a lock of hair from her face. Her gaze focused on his gleaming yellow irises, and she remembered how he traced her entire body with delicate fingertips, how his lips moved slowly,seductively, up and down her flesh. How he thrust inside her from the front, from behind, then her riding him into bliss, him driving her into madness. She’d never felt something so … so … she couldn’t grasp onto the words. Her damn fingers ached for a viola to draw the things from her mind.

Swallowing, she drew herself from those thoughts. “Some of us. But we need to get out of here before the guards investigate who used the portal.”

“Those fools didn’t sound the brightest.”

She highly agreed with that statement.

The club awaited and more than a little blood would be spilled. Ever just prayed it wouldn’t be her or Chess who ended up without their heads and hearts.

A bird cried out in the distance and the flap of another’s wings tore through the air. The moon rested high in the sky, its color a pale silver as it cast its light upon the park. Ever and the prince jolted forward, barreling through the foggy area.

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