We all go quiet when Violet grins and whispers something in Jasper’s ear. His scrunched face smooths, and she just keeps whispering.

“Anyone hear what she’s saying to him to relax him like that?” I ask, really wishing at least one of us had learned to read lips.

She keeps moving up the stairs, finally turning into her room, and we all adjust so we can see her straight-on. She has big windows too, and the curtains are open for the moment.

I spot a kid on the roof across from us, frowning…and then he stares across the street to where Violet is swaying with Jasper in her arms.

“Sickos,” the kid says before he ducks back inside.

“Great. Just great. Now I’m as pathetic as all of you,” I say tightly.

CHAPTER 12

VIOLET

“Are you really being this mean to me right now?” I ask Vance as I walk into his office without even knocking.

He’s sitting behind his desk, feet propped up, as he grins around the end of a pen he has pressed to his lips, eyes slanting to me.

“Your father, by some miracle, changes his mind and is going to give me this really cool piece of art I’ve only ever dreamed of owning, and Ighan played a key part in designing it. Yet you’re putting red tape in front of me over a technicality? It’s a big deal, and—”

“I’ll sign anything you put in front of me, Violet. So long as it’s put in front of me in your office,” he interrupts.

I hesitate, wondering why he’s grinning wider. I expected him to still be brooding over the whole surprise flogging thing. Not grinning at me.

“Then let’s go sign it in my office.”

Absently, he slides the pile of papers in front of him aside to reveal my very big book that’s open.

“It appears I need an invitation to be on the property.”

I roll my eyes. “Ah, so now I see. This is the newest chase.” I turn to walk out, adding over my shoulder, “Don’t use the sanctuary against me, Vance. I’m not playing games. That’s—”

My words stop when I slam into a hard body, forcing my head to whip around to find an amused Vance grinning mischievously down at me.

I look behind me and back at him, sighing in frustration that I was gipped out of immortal speed.

His hands go to my hips like he’s steadying me, but it’s really just an obvious move that only gets him a bored look from me.

“You’re in a really good mood and trying to manipulate me. Should I be worried that you’re no longer upset about—”

“We’ll not discuss yesterday ever again,” he tells me, his smile turning a little sour. “You made your point.”

He lifts a paper and pen, handing it to me.

“But I can’t uphold your laws if you don’t let me, and I’d like an invitation, Ms. Carmine.”

I eye him warily, as I take the pad and pen from his hand. Leaning over, I use the table next to me to quickly write him out an invitation.

“What’s with all the formalities, Sir Van Helsing?” I ask as I finish signing my name.

Before I can lean up to hand it to him, he’s suddenly pressing against my back, loosely dragging the strap of my dress over my shoulder, as I go still against him. He’s not exactly acting like himself. This is more of an Arion move. Or Damien, the masterful illusionist.

When Vance’s lips drag up to my neck and his hands start sliding up my thighs, lifting the edges of my dress with it, I stare into the mirror. It feels just like his touch, and smells just like that fresh, silky smell he always has.

“I don’t really know what you’re doing right now, but if it doesn’t stop, I’m going to have to hurt you,” I warn him as the threads whir through the air.

His lips tug into a grin at one corner, as he lifts his gaze to meet mine in the mirror, his hands stilling on my hips.

“To you, it’s going to seem as though I enjoy the chase, just as you’ve accused. So I’m not going to chase, Violet.”

I glance over the way he’s surrounding my body with his, caging me in, and then bring my gaze back up to shoot him a disbelieving look.

His grin remains, as he moves his hand up my spine, causing heat to stir inside me in an inconvenient way. It’s the first thing to convince me this is really Vance. The touch is too familiar not to be his.

And it’s really hard to ignore, but I do.

The breath I release is partially a groan, because I swear I want to throttle him…and fuck him right now.

I open my mouth, and he grins bigger before clamping his hand over my lips.

“Save the speech, Violet. I know what I did wrong this time, and I’m never again going to be punished.” His eyes grow more serious, and the smile gets colder. “Never again,” he echoes.

I shake my head, trying to tell him that was more of a statement than punishment, but he actually shushes me, as he spins me around and begins backing me toward the door.

“I’ll be by your office later,” he says before the door opens at my back, and he disappears out of it quicker than I can process the movement.

“That was weirder than usual, Sir Van Helsing,” I call loudly.

I really expected a lot of yelling and ‘putting me in my place’ talks about what Idun is going to do to me if I push her and blah blah blah.