In any other circumstances, she would have yelled at Vale to keep his hands to himself, and kicked him in the nuts for good measure. Right now, the uninvited arm around her waist felt like a lifeline, an anchor keeping her firmly on the ground.

What was the seelie king playing at? Speaking of her mother fondly and laughing over the name they shared. This was not how she'd pictured this encounter going. A glare, maybe veiled threats, would have been more appropriate given the fact that there was a price on her head ordered by his father. But of course, Shea had been right; he wasn't going to try anything here, in public and right in front of the unseelie queen, who'd introduced Devi as her ward.

The king stressed her out. A crown did little to impress her, and she didn’t doubt that, should any other man try to harm her in any way, she could have taken care of herself. The issue was that using her powers against him, or kicking his ass, wasn’t an option. Starting a war by age thirty wasn’t something she wished to add to her list of accomplishments.

Devin Farel's green eyes went from Valerius to her, and something flashed, disappearing too quickly for Devi to identify it, but she could guess. He'd planned insults and intimidation, or worse, if—or when—he caught her alone. Now that the dark prince, who he obviously feared, had pretended to make a claim on her, he couldn't do anything.

Devi covered Valerius’s hand with hers, playing along. Vale was wearing black leather gloves, but somehow the touch felt warm.

The king's eyes softened, and he spoke with the appearance of pleasantness. “I understand she died when you were young. I’d known her from the very day I was born until the day she left sixty years later. If you wish to speak of her during my stay, it would be my pleasure.”

Devi stiffened. Right, like she was going to voluntarily spend time around him.

“I do apologize for spoiling the fun,” Vale said. Nothing about his stance seemed apologetic at all. “But Devi and I are going to be swamped until the solstice, aren't we, darling?”

It was another lifeline thrown her way by the most unlikely savior of all. Devi clung to it, wondering if it would cost her her soul. Surely he’d demand payment for his kindness, one way or another.

“Yes, so much to do.”

Hopefully no one would ask her exactly what she had to do, because outside of work and catching up on some sleep, there was nothing on her agenda.

“My offer stands if your schedule opens up,” the seelie high fae assured Devi before finally turning his back on them, returning to his company.

Devi's chest rose and fell more freely now that he was at an acceptable distance.

“Thank you,” she whispered softly.

Vale's answer was swift and final. “Later.”

She got it. They'd started a game, and they had to continue to play by its rules. But she wasn't one to do as she was told. She could very well play the part of the besotted arm candy while saying what she wanted to say.

Devi twisted her neck to look up toward him with a smile. “And here I thought you were kidding, but you do take your duty to rescue damsels quite seriously, don't you?”

“Or perhaps I simply thought to save the poor, unsuspecting fellow from your filthy mouth. It wouldn't do to let you embarrass the court.”

She glared, and Vale pinched the bridge of her nose fondly.

“Be good. Let us not make a spectacle of ourselves.”

Too late for that. The welcome ceremony was carrying on. King Devin introduced his subjects while Shea shared words of welcome and offered wine, but the attention of everyone in the room was entirely focused on them.

Realizing that, Devi wondered how much of a bad idea this whole charade was. It certainly had helped to push the son of a man who hated her very existence at arm's length, but that only helped her for a week; pretending to be with Valerius Blackthorn might have consequences until the end of her life.

She brushed the thought aside. If the seelie were allowed anywhere near her, the end of her life might come a lot sooner than expected.

The introductions finally came to a cheerful conclusion when the queen announced, “Let us drink and dance.”

“Great fucking idea,” Devi replied under her breath.

"Drinks first," Valerius opted as he herded her toward the closest bar, his arm still around her waist.

The crowd parted to let him pass, and Devi realized that the little game came with good perks.

“I'll have a nectar,” the prince said to the common fae minding the bar, then removed his gloves and loosened the top button of his white linen shirt. Devi was surprised when he turned to her. “Your poison of choice?”

“You know,” she said, “you actually strike me as the kind of guy who orders for your dates without asking.”

The prince rolled his eyes, telling the bartender, “Make that two.”

She only had herself to blame for that.

She would have liked to appear badass, but truth was, Devi couldn't hold nectar. No one her age could, except her friend Rook, perhaps. She’d seen him drink some without making a complete fool of himself.

She was far from a lightweight. Her mother had served her watered-down wine in her youth, familiarizing her with alcohol. It was a custom among the nobles so their children could toast with important guests without passing out. Drinking spirits all night long was no problem for Devi, but nectar was basically the equivalent of a cocktail made with equal parts rum, whiskey, vodka, and gin, then sprinkled with a touch of aphrodisiac on top. What was worse, it tasted refreshing, light and fruity, like incredibly delectable water flavored with a hint of fruit or flower.

Older fae had had the time to build an immunity to it. But the first time Devi had tried it, she was halfway down her first glass when suddenly she'd found herself topless and riding Drake Night’s dick like the world was ending on the morrow. Trying to recall the events leading to that unfortunate occurrence, she’d actually remembered quite clearly that she had accosted him in the most brazen of fashions.

It had been five years ago. Since, she’d taken sips here and there to get used to it, but there was no possible way she could handle a full glass.

Devi clicked the bottom of her glass with Valerius’s and sipped it carefully. The prince downed the contents of his in one go before gesturing for a second one.

“Show-off.”

Valerius bit back a smile.

“And the lady will have wine, now that she’s learned that her sharp tongue can easily get her in trouble,” he added with a knowing wink. “Let’s not let that go to waste.”

He lifted his hand, intending to take her drink. She let it go, but for the briefest instant, their fingers touched. A jolt of energy struck her with an astonishing force, and a gasp escaped her lips. Devi looked up to him in confusion, wondering if he’d used some sort of magic, only to find Valerius watching her with just as much puzzlement.

She chuckled. “Static.”

“Right. Of course. Static,” he repeated before downing her drink. “Ah, and here’s our bartender.”

“Are you seriously going to finish three nectars in as many minutes?”

No answer was necessary. The bartender handed her the wine and Valerius his third drink. The prince promptly downed it like it was water.

“I’m not carrying you to bed.”

“That truly breaks my heart. Keep them coming,” he told the bartender.

“No,” she objected firmly. “If you’re to stay with me, I’ll not have you act like a fool tonight. Bring him wine.”

The poor bartender’s eyes went from his prince to Devi. She made things simple for him, removing a gold coin from her purse and handing it out. It was always an open bar at the throne hall, but gold spoke everywhere.

“Did you seriously just tell me what I could drink, and bribe the fucking bartender too?”

She shrugged.

“You realize I have more money than you, and that I could, regardless, order him to serve me.”

“You’ll keep your money and your egocentrism to yourself for another half hour or so. Then I’ll excuse myself, and you’ll be quite free to drink yourself stupid and act as you please,” she informed him.

“And now I understand why you’re still single.”

“I’m twenty-eight,” she replied, rolling her eyes. It was rare that a common or high fae her age would commit at all; most didn’t form a bond before they’d seen their first century, at least. “And I have plenty of offers, thank you very much.”

“Of course you do. I simply doubt they come from anyone who’s heard you speak more than two sentences in a row.”

“You really are a dick.”

“And you are a prickly shrew.”

She wasn’t sure how or why, but Valerius was now standing quite close to her, so close there wasn’t more than an inch between her chest and his. Valerius towered over her frame, although she was tall. He’d inclined his head toward her so she might hear his insult over the brouhaha of the two courts.

They were, in fact, close enough to kiss.

She had no clue why that thought crossed her mind, but she banished it as quickly as it had come. She blamed the whole thing on the sip of nectar. Kissing him? She should have thought, Close enough to knee him right where it hurts. That was more likely.

“Well, be that as it may, we have to pretend to get along for the rest of the evening, so try to keep your more dickish instincts in check. In return, I’ll attempt to do something about the prickliness. Deal?”

“Why, are you offering a pleasant evening with you, my lady? How could I possibly refuse? Come. Let us mingle.”

The Unseelie Court was an odd mixture of formality and chaos. One minute they were all curtsying to the seelie delegation, and the next, everyone danced, laughed, drank, and fucked in dark corners.

Devi itched to leave as soon as the chaos started, wanting to return to her apartments and catch up on some sleep or some reading. Hell, she would even have headed to work, given a choice, but Drake and all her superiors were in this hall, making it clear that she wouldn’t find anything to do if she stopped by the protector headquarters.

She wasn’t against celebrations per se, but there was quite a crowd today. As well as Valerius Blackthorn, who was known for unbelievable dramatic escapades, they now had the highest members of the Seelie Court and their flamboyant escorts in attendance. No one wanted to miss the chance to shake hands and rub elbows.

That sort of things held no appeal for her, and she had personal reasons to want to stay far, far away from the seelie. However, Valerius wasn’t cooperative.

“Don’t you look at the exit yet, dearest. Your absence will be noted and indeed seen as an insult at best. Cowardice at worst.”

She wished she could disagree. “It’s a circus, and everyone is staring at me, thanks to you,” Devi said with a sigh.

Valerius chuckle. “No, I assure you, I’m quite innocent in the matter. They’re staring at you thanks to that fucking dress you’re wearing.”

Devi narrowed her eyes. She liked her formal dresses, and her occupation didn’t provide her enough occasions to make use of them. Tonight she wore a backless, dark green silk halter neck that fell to the ground and embraced all her curves along the way. She’d paired it with black bracelets around her left bicep and her right forearm, black shoes, and dark makeup. Her hair, usually tied in a knot and out of the way, was braided and thrown over her right shoulder.

Black and green were the colors of the court of night. Her dismissal of lighter tones, such as blues and silvers, which were the seelie’s colors, was entirely purposeful.

“Your disapproval is noted and disregarded.”

“And again, you misunderstand me entirely. I can’t quite decide whether it’s willfulness, modesty, or coquetries. I was paying you a compliment, Devira Star Rivers.”

“If those are the kind of compliments you pay, no wonder you’re still single.”

She’d really tried to stay civil, but she couldn’t help it. He’d practically begged her to poke at him.

“I have plenty of offers, thank you very much.” He echoed her previous reply with a wink.

“No doubt. You do come with a pretty set of jewelry. Almost makes up for the rest. Not quite though.”

“All right, now I have to shut that pretty mouth.”

She had a reply at the ready, but he stole her voice, as well as her capacity to move or think, when his lips quite suddenly descended on hers, swallowing her gasp. He covered them softly at first, and then, finding them unresponsive, he coaxed them to life by pressing his lips harder on hers.

She had no explanation as to why she stepped closer, entirely closing the distance between them, or why she wrapped her arms around his neck and threaded her fingers through his luscious brown hair. Valerius’s large hand circled her waist and pulled her against him as his tongue licked at her bottom lip. Devi was lost, at the brink of insanity, pushed to a point where she had cause to believe that she might just die from this. And yet one resounding thought came to mind. More. She needed more.

Valerius obliged. As he held her against his hard frame, his lips moved from her mouth. He kissed her collarbone, quite softly, and then trailed his lips along her neck until he'd reached her earlobe. He teased it with the tip of his tongue before nipping at it cruelly.

One of her hands moved to his torso, fighting with the top button of his shirt, needing the damn material off him, but the prince took a step back.

The sudden sense of loss was overwhelming one second, and the next, she was livid. Absolutely livid. What the hell was he thinking, the womanizing piece of trash! Working her up like that, and in public! She had an honorable reputation, dammit. He was reducing her to nothing more than a fucking court slut.

Devi didn't question why his touch had awakened her that way. With seven hundred years of whoring himself, it was no wonder he was skilled with his damn maddening lips.

“What the fuck was—”

“Shush. There are hundreds of eyes on us. We couldn’t very well have sold our little farce without sealing it with a kiss, could we? Now come. I see they’ve set out a buffet.”