Twisted Games

Chapter 3

"Perhaps you should slow down, miss."

The shot glass clinked against the counter, drained of all its contents once again. Golden irises flickered up the barkeep. "I'll decide when it's enough." Slender fingers pushed the glass forward for another pour.

All the eyes in the room were on her. The women openly glaring as their companions began to lose interest in them. The crusty makeup on their faces couldn't cover the nasty expressions, and was no match for the natural, ethereal beauty of the dark-haired woman.

The men were openly drooling. Their eyes filled with lust as they trailed over the thin material of the crimson dress that hugged her body a little too tightly. The slit spilling open on the side, revealing nearly all the way up her slender leg resting across her other at the knee. One little twist and they might get a glimpse of her panties, if she wore any.

A sigh passed her lips, Vira rapped her fingertips on the wooden counter, uninterested in any of it. She should be thirsty for their blood, and this was a buffet as any one of them would agree to a tryst with her. But her mind was elsewhere, lost in the memory of the previous night.

"Take what is mine again and I will punish you without restraint."

His gaze unlike any other. It didn't travel down her exposed body, like all other men ogling her perfect form. Instead, he couldn't have looked less interested. Only muted displeasure that she'd drank from his glass.

Faust didn't release his tight grip on her throat as he reached out to pluck the crystal glass from the counter. His Adam's apple bobbed as he took a long sip, jade irises carefully observing her squirming, tongue darting out from between bloodstained lips.

One little squeeze to her neck.

One choice word.

"Behave."

And the pureblood stilled.

How curious.

Vira was desperate for it, unlike with Charles. A full switch into a submissive. Her breaths uneven but not just from his hand around her throat. Thighs rubbing together for any stimulation that she could give herself.

The woman sighed again. "What a buzzkill." She'd been left completely unsatisfied. He'd walked away without another word or even a simple glance, as if she had never been there. Vira stretched her arms over her head. Ah, well. She'd make him pay attention to her one way or another.

"You're a bold one. Showing up in this bar after the little show you put on at our home yesterday."

Vira grinned for the first time since arriving, sending a wave of dreamy sighs over the other patrons at the tavern. "You were there? There's so many of you I don't think I'd ever be able to remember." A lie. She'd etched every one of them into her memory. Golden irises drifted over him. Would it be so bad to indulge a little more?

Arthur leaned down, hot breath tickling her ear. "We both know you're straying a little far from the truth, my dear. Honesty goes a long way and all that."

Her lips planted against his cheek, leaving a stain of her lipstick. "Careful, I do bite," she responded, giving a wink as she pulled away. All the men in the room were foaming at the mouth, jealous that he'd been brave enough to approach her. "Did you want to play with me, too?"

"In fact, I would very much like that." Arthur produced a deck of cards from his pocket, amused at her innocent confusion. He'd known exactly what she meant, and he was absolutely tempted, but the mystery writer was no fool. He loved a dangerous game with a gorgeous woman as much as the next bloke, but he did not have a death wish.