Dark Champion (Flirting with Monsters #4) - Eva Chase Page 0,22
contrived some way to shut down the estate to visitors, but I couldn’t quite shake my well-trained thieving instincts. We were guessing that she’d ensured an absence of security guards as well, but we hadn’t confirmed that yet.
Omen matched my subdued tone. “If Tempest is anything, she’s a hedonist. The trouble for most other beings, mortal or otherwise, is the things she tends to take pleasure from do the opposite for everyone else involved.”
“A hedonistic sadist with no concern for consent. I can’t wait to meet her.”
The hellhound shifter gave me a sharp look, as if I hadn’t laid on the sarcasm doubly thick. Or maybe because of the sarcasm. “I know restraint isn’t your strong suit, but if you could manage to let me handle most of the negotiations, it’ll work out better for all of us. She’ll ask you some direct questions, so obviously answer those, but… don’t give away more than you need to.”
“Funnily enough, I do have some experience dealing with dangerous shadowkind.” I poked him in the arm.
He bared his teeth at me, but, shocker of all shockers, it looked more like a grin than a grimace. The closest thing to a good-humored smile I’d gotten from him since he’d dragged me off and chained me up. Maybe I’d earned myself a few more points in the Keep Sorsha Alive column without realizing it.
“Considering that your main approach to ‘dealing’ with me is to provoke my temper in every possible way, I’m going to suggest you take a different tactic here,” he said.
“Where would be the fun in that?”
“We’re not here for fun, Disaster.”
“I know, I know. I figure after you’ve literally had me in chains, I should be allowed to tug on yours a little to even the score.”
As soon as the words fell from my lips—because, I admit it, I really did have a bit of a problem of shooting my mouth off without quite as much forethought as might be wise—a flicker of panic shot through my chest. Had I gone too far, reminding him of the actual if magical chains the Highest had him in? I hadn’t meant to imply anything about the bonds that obviously rankled him more than anything in his existence, but that was the problem with not thinking before you spoke.
Omen merely rolled his eyes skyward with a wordless sound of exasperation, so I guessed I wasn’t ending up back in my own chains over that affront.
Just as we reached the door, it swung open. Thorn peered at us from the other side. He and Flint had joined us for this meeting so we’d have extra muscle along in case talking didn’t pan out so well, and Snap was lurking too, having refused to hang back. With my thieving past, I couldn’t help envying the shadowkind ability to slip right around doors and unlock them from the inside as need be.
The hall we stepped into took my breath away all over again. In the thin light that streaked through the immense arched windows from the security lamps outside, gold glittered all across the molded walls and ceiling. Between the gleaming mouldings, richly colored paintings covered nearly every surface. Dozens of crystal chandeliers as tall as I was dangled at intervals.
If I’d been here on burglar business, right about now I’d have been thinking I should have brought a bigger bag. Possibly an entire trailer.
As Omen and I headed down the hall, Thorn vanished back into the shadows. Our feet whispered across the polished floor.
The looming grandeur made vigilance feel even more necessary. My voice dropped another octave. “Where in this place do you think we’ll find Tempest? Or is she going to find us?”
“Oh, no, she’ll enjoy having us come to her.” Omen tipped his head to the right as we rounded a corner. “Chances are she’ll have claimed the queen’s bedroom as her own.”
Where else? I might have appreciated the shadowkind woman’s aplomb if she hadn’t allied herself with an army of murderous mortals.
Omen couldn’t have been here with her before, but he’d probably been in other bedrooms with her if he could make that statement so confidently. A question prickled up through me that I tried to suppress… but why? It might be useful to know to help me follow the conversation ahead.
“So, you’ve made it very clear that you’re no longer friends with Tempest. Were you ever more than friendly?”
Omen’s mouth flattened. “If you’re asking if we ever fucked, then yes, a handful of