Luckily I spotted Tamor. He came with Ro at his hand. From a few years now they were playing a couple on the public. They look stunning together. He was wearing a white with gold accents suit, and Rosalind a beautiful, off the shoulder, red dress. I was so happy to see her but we should act on public so I formally nodded to her.

Tamor left her with a bodyguard and invited me for a dance so we could speak freely. As we dance I give him a short report about today and my impression of Allaway, smiling all this time because he was my ‘uncle’ and it was supposed that we haven’t met in a while.

“Be careful around them,” he pointlessly advised me, I knew that already, “Vadas is interested in you and that is good but don’t do anything stupid.”

“You talked to Jade” I was sure that pup told him about my lack of objectivity toward Vadas. “It is nothing, he is just cute” I explained looking down like a scolded child. He lifted my chin his gaze making me uncomfortable.

“Sky, we don’t know so much about him, don’t make something you may regret later.”

“I know, dad” I aimed for his favorite nickname, his eyes softened just for a second.

“Don’t take me with ‘dad’” he growled through gritted teeth.

“Fine, I’m sorry, I’ll be careful” I chuckled at his outburst.

He kissed me on the forehead and we heard someone clearing his throat. We turned to see Vadas.

“Lord Tamor, nice to see you, hope you’re doing well,” he said casually. Tamor’s features hardened but he responded politely, after all, they were fighting for opposite goals. Then Rosalind approached, and he instantly calmed down when she took his hand.

“Honey, you invited your nice but won’t invite me for a dance?” she playfully scolded him.

“I guess we can’t make our beauties wait,” Vadas said.

“At least we agree here” Tamor replied leading Ro away. I turned and waved goodbye.

I let a sight. Then I felt warm hands gently caressing my waist and a hot whisper in my ear making my heart skip a couple of beats.

“That was about ‘don’t talk to bad guys’?” he chuckled, and my body melted at the sound.

“Was it so obvious?”

“Yes,” he grinned.

“Oh, that is so embarrassing” I whispered hiding my eyes with my hand, he took it in his and placed a soft kiss.

“That is just normal, I am a bad guy.”

“Are you trying to scare me?”

“No, just to warn you” he whispered leaning closer. I don’t know what he saw in my expression but that seemed to satisfy him, “One more dance?”

“I thought you’ll never ask,” came my reply.

So the evening went on, I danced with some more males, even with a redcap and a dark elf. Vadas disappeared for a while from my sight. That seemed enough encouragement for Allaway to invite me. My refusal would be too noticeable so I let him led the way.

“So, sweetheart” he mocked the nickname Vadas gave me, “how you ended up to meet my right-hand?”

“By accident at a restaurant,” I answered with a small smile like remembering that moment.

“Interesting, so you don’t know him for so long as I know”

“Does it matter?”

“Depend on how you look at things.” While saying that his hand goes to my lower back and pressed me closer, whispering in my ear “I can give you more than him, you know.” The oily sensation made me almost gag.

I imputed some distance between us, adjusting his hand. Although I maintained a reserved behavior, my anger was ravaging me from inside, how dare he!

“Lord Allaway, I’m pretty wealth on my own, you can’t give me something I don’t own already and next time refrain from this kind of purpose.”

“Hm-, so you are the proud type, you know-“ he again leaned to my ear “I’ll own you, one way or another, on your will or against it.” His sick smile sending chills through me. The music stopped and so we did.

“I hope, Lord Allaway, that you know better than to threaten me” his smile just grew. I turned and walked away, the event was over for me.

I said my goodbyes to hosts and was heading down a hall to the entrance, suddenly I felt a hand on my waist. I wanted to fight him until I saw his green and gold suit. He turned me and pushed me gently to the wall.

“Hey, I’m sorry Lylia, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he took in my appearance and I willed a few tears to my eyes, “what happened? Someone hurt you?”

“Nothing, just a misunderstanding” I faked a crybaby's face, he wanted to be the hero after all.

“That’s why you were going to leave without saying anything? That was something really bad then, tell me", "now” he demanded.

“Just someone made me an indecent proposal and I got angry, and frustrated so-“ I lowered my gaze, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to go like that.”

“Who is he?” he asked. When I looked up, his eyes were no more gold but black.

“It’s okay I managed the situation, don’t get mad please,” I said caressing his cheek with my hand, he calmed down a bit.

“I need to come back but let me take you home first.”

“I’m fine, don’t bother yourself.”

“I’ll take you.” He stated.

We were going to use his carriage, he helped me get inside and gave coachman my address. It was getting cold and he took me onto his lap holding me close. I froze for a moment not expecting that feeling inside me. Vadas lifted my chin, our eyes met and I saw his pupils dilating but for a different reason now. He leaned slowly to me, giving enough time to refuse him if I wanted, but I didn’t.

At first, his lips touched mine so softly, like a light brush of a feather, he stopped a moment letting me release a brief I didn’t know I was holding. Then he pressed harder. His lips so soft, yet insistent. He was playing with me and doing it well. His tongue licked my lower lip asking for entrance and I gave up. With a moan, he started to kiss me fiercely, a few sounds of pleasure escaping my mouth. His hands roamed down my body pressing me to him, letting him feel my curves. I moved my fingers through his hair dragging him closer as he kissed my neck. The carriage abruptly stopped and I almost jumped to the other side, breathing hard.

He escorted me to the door. Cupping my cheek with his palm, Vadas sighed hard.

“I could say that I’m sorry but the truth is I am not, still I didn't want to scare or rush you.” He said biting his lip, he looked so much younger now.

“I could say that I didn't want it” I reply giving him a soft kiss on the lips, “but the truth is that I did” I closed the door in his nose grinning like an idiot. He let out a happy sound of victory and headed back.

Oh my, I lost my objectivity for sure.

With my thoughts about a hot bath, I headed to my room. The house was quiet, Jade must be still at the reception and Jocelyn asleep.

When I almost reached my room a feeling of unease hit me. I retrieved the dagger from my corset and slowly opened the door. I willed the lights on but it didn’t work. For a fae, my powers were miserably low but at least enough to turn on the light.

“Come in already” thundered a deep male voice, somehow familiar, so I did, hiding my dagger between dress folds.

“Who are you?” I asked in what I hoped was a steady voice.

“If I wanted you to know I would let you turn the light on” he chuckled wickedly.

“Then what the fuck are you doing here?” I growled, annoyed with this shit.

“Ts-ts, a lady with such a bad mouth,” he mocked me, making a new growl escape. He laughed at that, the sound vibrating through my bones.

“I am here at a friend request,” he said, clearly pissed that he must do this.

“What friend?” I burst to interrupt him. Something made me fly against the wall, pinning me to it.

“Don’t you dare to do this again” he exclaimed clearly angry, “stay away from Vadas and his circle, you don’t know what you get yourself into” he growled, the power of it rippling through the house. He took back the power holding me. I collapsed on the floor, gasping for air. My anger raised and I knew the red circle around my iris was visible, luckily not through lentils.

“I won’t if you don’t give me a reason” I stubbornly stated.

“Your life isn’t a reason enough?” he asked back, in an amused tone.

“No” came my short reply, his laugh filling the room, shaking me till the bottom of my being.

“No one told me you are that stupid.”

“I prefer brave.”

Then in a blink of a second, he pinned me to the wall by my throat. Sniffing the air he continued in a disgusted voice:

“You reek of him”, “pathetic child”, “what you did?” he demanded. His voice booming before me.

“Who sent you?” I managed to say.

“Baby you’ll know in time, if you'll be a good girl, so follow our advice and behave.” He hissed through his teeth.

“Don’t act as if you know me, as if you care!” I screamed. While pushing and trashing in his hold. Again hearing his grotesque chuckle. I froze upon feeling him closer.

“I know more about you than you think Sky, or should I better say, Lilith?!”

And before me appeared a pair of red glowing eyes.