Page 29 of A Court of Hearts and Hunger
I pull my dress over my head. “Perhaps, instead of threatening me, you should try other ways of convincing me to give it up. So far the only thing you’ve promised in exchange is a less painful death. That’s not much incentive.”
"Don’t bother trying to convince me to spare your life,” he says crisply. “It’s rare that I obtain such a young, fresh, virginal specimen of human being. I am going to dismantle you, take you apart, and use you up. Have no doubt about that.”
He reattaches my leash, which seems pointless since I have no choice but to follow him anyway. This time, when he opens the door of the bedroom he showed me, there’s no glamour in place. It’s a bare stone cell, with a cot, some blankets, a washstand, and a chamber pot.
“Your new home,” says the Rabbit sardonically. Once I step inside, he closes the door and it seals with a brief flicker of magic. He speaks through the barred window. “I’ve enjoyed our time together, kitten. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”
9
Fin is drunk. And he’s deeply affected by whatever he’s been smoking from that hookah. He wouldn’t let me have more than a puff or two—he said too much of that particular Fae herb could be lethal to humans.
Thanks to the wine Opal poured, I feel warm, pleasant, and a little dazed, but my mind seems to be in good working order. Unlike the Sugarplum Faerie, who is reeling about the room, his gauzy wings whirring sporadically, making the most vulgar jokes I’ve ever heard from him. Opal belts out great peals of laughter, and I know Louisa would be howling if she were here. But I can’t help worrying. Shouldn’t we be in bed, taking our rest before the journey into the Unseelie kingdom?
Fin strips off his shirt and vest, pulling his wings through slits in the back of the garments. His bare skin is flushed, practically glowing. “Gods, that’s better,” he breathes. “I was so hot.”
“We should really get some rest,” I tell Opal. “Is there somewhere we can sleep?”
She stares at me meditatively. “Not much fun, are you?”
“I can be, when it’s the right time and place.”
“Oh, yes she can,” chortles Fin, catching my hands and pulling me up, off the couch. “She’s the best fun I’ve ever had, I swear.” He ducks his head, his breath warm against my ear. “Dance with me, precious.”
“There’s no music.”
“For you and me, there’s always music.” His kiss is flavored with rich smoke and tangy wine. His mouth ensnares me, entrances me—I’m his willing prey, melting into the circle of his arms.
We sway in rhythm, bodies sliding against each other in a slow, sensual dance. His hand slides to my rear, cupping the curve of my ass, and he kisses me again with a fervent, heated violence that sends arousal spinning through my stomach. In my slightly muddled state, I forget to be careful, and my tongue skims across his razor teeth. Salty blood fills his mouth and mine, and he hums in soft concern, sucking gently on my tongue.
“I have a healing sweet you can take, love,” he murmurs.
“Don’t waste your supplies, Sugarplum,” says Opal. “There’s a tonic in that cupboard. Should do the trick.”
Fin pulls back from me, blinking as if he’s trying to clear his mind. “What’s in the healing tonic?”
“The usual. What else?”
Fin grimaces, though I’m not sure why. “Fine.”
He starts to walk to the cupboard, but he staggers. I manage to catch him, but he’s so tall he nearly knocks me over.
“I’ll get it, Fin,” I assure him. “You’re drunk. You should sit down.”
But when I’ve fetched the tonic and sipped enough to heal my tongue, he’s still swaying on his feet where I left him.
“Fuck,” he mumbles. “This isn’t right. Opal, you… what did you give me?”
“Just some mushrooms,” she says evenly. “You know I can’t let you go into that place. Not withheras your only protection. She means well, but she ishuman, Sugarplum. The two of you will die. I’m saving you. Keeping you here until your fool of a cousin can come and stop you from running off.”
“I’m the maid’s only chance,” Fin says, feeling for the couch and crashing onto it, his wings pinned beneath him. “And the White Rabbit has the Tama Olc, Opal, I told you—”
“Surely there’s someone else who could go,” she replies.
“Perhaps there was, once. But many of Lir’s best spies and soldiers were killed trying to defend this kingdom against the Rat King. I am one of the most powerful Fae in this entire realm, and you know it.”
“Powerful,” she snorts. “And yet you need my help to get beyond a simple wall.”
“Not a simple wall,” he mutters. “You know they have spell-detection charms along the border now. If I use magic to get through, they will detect our presence, stop us, question us—”
