Page 9 of Chess

“There are little birds singing in your ear then, eh?” He figured as much. There had been a vampire dancing with her—he could’ve very well been the one to have told her. Most of her own guards had turned on her, but that didn’t mean Ever had no friends in Wonderland after Rav killed those still loyal to her. The crazy Hatter was long suspected of being a spy and, after she killed Imogen, Chess had little reason to doubt it despite Maddie’s insistence that she didn’t know where Ever was.Liars and sneaks.

A man in a mesh T-shirt stumbled into Ever, spilling his beer and knocking her into Chess. He caught her by the waist and they both stiffened, her breasts pressed firmly against his chest. The White Queen’s lily scent drifted to his nostrils and, before he could draw the smell in further, she shoved him away. With lightning-fast reflexes, he latched onto her arm, taking her back three steps with him.

“Well, that wasn’t very nice,” Chess chided, his gaze locking onto her brown eyes.

“Let me go,” she hissed.

Chess tightened his grip on her arm. “After nearly four years, I think you owe me a conversation at least. You did stab me, remember?”

“I owe younothing. You deserved it.” She fisted the front of his shirt and paused, seeming to remember they were in a mortal club, surrounded by humans. “And you took my throne.”

Chess chuckled. “DidItake your throne?” He leaned down, his nose brushing the tip of hers. “As I recall, it was your brother who stole the allegiance of your guards. Whether or not my mother asked me to take your heart the night of the ball, your time as queen was over. You chose to flee that night instead of fighting to keep your crown, so don’t push the blame onto me.”

Ever was rather pretty when she was angry, despite the hideous wig. Color filled her cheeks and her eyes sparkled under the flashing white lights. It was much more attractive than her false seduction at the ball—just before she kneed his family jewels. As a betting male, he was willing to guess she was a spitfire in bed when she was upset. Under different circumstances, he might’ve even offered a good hate-fuck.

Alas, he was wanted in Wonderland, his mother was dead, and he had three scores to settle. If he played his cards right, Ever could lead him straight to Maddie, then help him destroy Rav. Followed, finally, by Ever’s destruction. He owed it to his mother for failing to stop her death. Without any living monarchs in Wonderland, war would eventually break out, but what the fuck did he care? Chess had always enjoyed traveling through Wonderland and doing his own thing instead of playing at politics. Let the courts implode.

Ever opened her mouth to reply when the burly, tattooed bouncer from outside the door stepped up to them. “Everything okay here?”

“Yes,” Chess and Ever answered in unison. Nosy mortal. Everything would be perfect once he convinced her to help him get revenge.

The bouncer looked between them for a moment. “You better take the argument elsewhere.”

“We’re finished,” Ever assured him, twisting her arm from Chess’s grip as she released his shirt. She shot him a scathing look and stalked toward the door.

“Wait, darling,” he called, flashing the bouncer a smile. “I have the keys to the flat.”

Without wasting another second, he darted after her. He would be damned if she vanished again after all this time. Stepping to her side, he hooked his arm through hers and held tight as they exited the club. The line of humans waiting to get inside nearly wrapped around the side of the building now and a new bouncer had replaced the one who had interrupted them inside. Ever’s features tightened, her teeth grinding as they passed beneath a softly lit street light. He felt her arm muscles flexing with the desire to rip him off her, but there were still too many humans.

“We need to talk,” he said in her ear. “No fangs, no fights.”

“Just words?” she snapped, keeping her gaze straight ahead to a narrow, dark alleyway across the street.

“Exactly.” The violence would come later … after she helped him accomplish what he wanted. He didn’t fail at the tasks his mother assigned him, and just because she was dead didn’t mean he wasn’t going to fulfill her wish to see Ever killed.

They stepped from the pavement, and she tightened her arm around his, her fingernails digging in to his flesh. “Like I would ever believe a word out of your mouth, Princeling.”

He chuckled. Of course she wouldn’t—just as he wouldn’t believe her—but that didn’t matter. They could tell each other beautiful lies all the way back to Wonderland for all he cared. Perhaps a hate-fuck could be in the cards after all.

Speeding up their pace, Chess practically dragged Ever into the shadows between two shops. Rotten food and piss permeated his senses, but it offered the privacy they needed. He hauled her to the other side of the industrial bin before releasing her. She took a step back and let out a loud breath.

“We can help each other,” he offered without preamble. He would keep the fact he was wanted for matricide to himself. If Ever already knew, she would’ve rubbed the information in his face, and it would work to his advantage if she thought he still had the full privileges of being a prince.

Ever laughed, the sound incredulous. “Us? Help each other?” She shoved him again, both hands slapping his chest. “Be serious, Chess. The only help I will be giving you is to the grave.”

Fuck this. She wasn’t going to believe him. He didn’t even blame her for it because he would’ve had the same reaction. Letting her race back into hiding wasnotan option, however. “Don’t say I didn’t try to do this the nice way,” he said with a sigh.

And lunged.

Chess didn’t want to have to do it, but she’d left him no choice. His hands wrapped around her neck, squeezing. Once she passed out, he would take her back to his basement where she would eventually wake as good as new. She would be just as trapped as him when the sun rose, leaving them with ample time to come to terms. Ever kicked at him while he lifted her off the street by the neck, pressing her against the brick building. He shifted to take each blow to the legs instead of his groin. Once was enough.

Ever’s fangs lowered and she took a gasping breath—tried to—as she reached out to claw at his face. Couldn’t she just pass out already? Chess slammed his eyes shut to avoid getting them scratched and took those blows too. He would heal before the night was over. All he had to do was get—

Palms landed on either side of his head.Ever’s palms.Chess’s eyes flew open and he met her defiant gaze. A grin spread across her lips as she tightened her grip on his head and then—

Crack!

Chapter Six

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