Page 164 of Red Ruin

Vhex drops his chin on my shoulder. His jawline is too sharp.

The devil is coming out.

I lift my hips, trying to release the pressure between our bodies and settle his wild silks.Thank the stars, the angle doesn’t let Kevan see under the desk.

Vhex grinds me back down. His clawed hand drags below my belly. Staring dead into the orb, he curls his claws around my pussy. “Mine.”

The smoke of his voice toasts my collarbone. His silks bite even harder than his grip, not just putting on a show, but staking aclaimthat drives into the deepest part of my soul.

The orb slips from my fingers.

A helpful shadow plucks it from the air.

Remy glides the orb back to eye level.

Silver hair spills messily over his pointed ears. Wearing a cloak of shadows and a hint of my blood like ketchup at the corner of his mouth, Remy rocks the aura of a mad vampire prince.

His thoughts tangle as dark and twisted as a midnight jungle, but his voice gusts out surprisingly airy. “Who is this small skeleton?”

“You’re speaking to Duke Kevan Kyorgos, Sword Major of the Eastern Legion’s Deathguard,” Kevan says haughtily. “If you’re using her to get to me?—”

Remy gives the orb a snow globe shake, scrambling the rest of Kevan’s words.

“Use her?” Remy turns to me.

Shadows coil up from the legs of the chair. Ignoring Vhex, they flow down my arms, shivery but not cold. One gentle wisp strokes down my palm. It wraps around my finger, filling in the slight indent still left from the ring I tossed into a fountain as I left the estate.

“I can only be used.” His shadows press little sucking kisses into the gap in my skin.

“Mine,” Vhex growls, all smoke and gravel, snatching my fingers away from Remy’s deadly lips.

He angles his hips as if a territorial chair-fuck is just the thing to solve my problems.

My mouth twitches.

I rescued Vhex and Remy more than I chose them, but if I were going to pick Sentinels to piss off Kevan?

Exhibit V.

Exhibit R.

Neither gives a fuck about Kevan, left waiting on the other side of the frosted orb.

Their attention feels so warm. I tuck my chin to stop the heat climbing my throat.

Frustration, anger, and all those sharp-edged emotions ease.

At least for now, I’m not alone. I stretch through Vhex’s grip to open my palm. “Let me talk to the skeleton.”

“Why?” Remy’s shadows snatch the orb away. I feel their tug at my ring finger.

“We need his Sentinels.” I reach again.

Remy’s lips flatten.Not the answer he wanted.

“He hurts you.” Remy’s hand drifts to press his heart.

“Not anymore,” I answer hoarsely.Not after tonight.“Give me the orb. I know how to handle him.”

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