“Sonorina Lei is twenty-three and has great recommendations,” I interrupted my future mother-in-law, and this time she puffed out her lips in displeasure.
Too vibrant. Too vulgar.
I didn’t like strong makeup on women. Felicia also used a lot, while Elenia didn’t seem to wear makeup at all. She didn’t need it.
I immediately wanted to punch myself. There should be no room for these kinds of thoughts in my head. Why would I compare Felicia to some fairy?!
But I did. And I keep thinking about her.
As well as my brother’s plans for the night.
“But she’s a fairy,” Priscila wasn’t giving up, clearly hinting at my dislike for all the Light Ones, especially their women.
“Felicia liked Sonorina Lei, and I was impressed by her resume. It’ll be fine.”
“I wonder what made an impression on your brother,” Beltran noted ironically. “He’s clearly interested in this girl.”
And I was clearly going crazy.
Instead of being happy that this parasite had latched on to Elenia so quickly, I still wanted to punch someone. First of all, Xanor.
I wondered why I asked him to leave her alone. Was I hoping that this would further increase his interest in her or did I really believe that he’d listen to me and leave her be? But Xanor never listened to me, and my behavior clearly contradicted my agreement with Elenia and common sense. I had to pull myself together and let her do her job.
After getting rid of the Solts, I poured myself some whiskey. Alcohol helped me relax, and I wanted to clear my head of the mess that had been brewing in it for days. It seemed to work... Until I noticed Elenia in the hallway. I asked her to come in, and she reluctantly obeyed, as if my company was torture for her.
This made me angry. As did her appearance.
Her dress fit like a second skin. I was sure that if she turned her back to me, there’d be no room left for imagination. At first, I wanted to grab her hand and drag her back into her bedroom to make her change her clothes... Or just drag her into the bedroom. But I pushed down that urge and began to question her to see how things were going with Xanor.
I bet she didn’t have lipstick, but that didn’t make her lips any less bright and tempting. Especially when she bit her lower lip, and I just wanted to do the same. To taste her.
I got even angrier when she said she was ready to do anything with Xanor.
I held back with all my might and reminded her that she was contradicting herself.
“Yesterday, you told me that I was clueless about relationships and that you yourself would decide what you’d do with my brother.”
“Well, I decided.”
“To be compliant?” I almost growled, fighting the urge to feel her hair around my fingers, and...
I had to stop thinking about it, otherwise, it may well end like my recent fantasy on the table. Fortunately, Sibyl appeared right in time. In her presence, I quickly sobered up and came to my senses. I hardly ever got drunk, but it seemed that I could easily get drunk from Elenia’s mere presence. The scent of her skin haunted me everywhere and had a much stronger effect on me than any drink.
“What do you want, Sibyl?” I asked, restraining the irritation that I always felt at the sight of the eldest daughter of the Solts with difficulty.
She knew it, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so wry, even though her voice sounded soft.
“Everyone’s already gathered and are just waiting for you. They’re waiting for you too.” She looked sideways at me. “Or should I tell them that you’ll be joining us later?”
With an incredible effort, I managed to pull myself together. I couldn’t let her notice anything... Sibyl wouldn’t miss an opportunity to inject poison into me and hurt Felicia. I didn’t want to give her a reason for this.
Attraction to Elenia was just a common side effect of the magical connection between Light and Dark. People like me came from their power and their sacrifices. Therefore, we were attracted to them. I was attracted to her. Stronger than I would’ve liked it. Stronger than I should’ve been.
But I had strong willpower, I’d manage to keep the Dark instincts under control. On the other hand, willpower was never Xanor’s strong suit. I just had to keep reminding myself to stay away from her.
And I did exactly that. I left without looking at her again.
The first person I noticed in the small dining room, which could accommodate several dozen guests, was Xanor. For once, he decided to dress appropriately for the occasion — pants and a button-up shirt. And his hair was combed and neat. All just to impress Elenia.
I quickly extinguished a new outburst of anger and greeted Henara — a lively, sharp-tongued old woman, and Beltran’s mother. Oli, the youngest daughter of the Solts, had arrived too. I noticed her talking with Felicia and, saying goodbye to Henara, I joined them.
“Hello, Garanor.” Oli smiled at me, automatically fixing her brown hair, which fell over one of her shoulders.
She and Felicia were very similar. In character, appearance, and even voices. I didn’t understand who Sibyl took after... Bright and beautiful on the outside, but completely rotten inside.
But, every family had its black sheep. Both the Solts and the Horoses.
“You don’t look good. Look at those circles under your eyes. Clearly, you’re overworked.” Oli seemed worried about me.
“I told him the same thing today.” Xanor approached us.
He patted me on the shoulder, complimented the girls, and I mentally returned to the topic of black sheep.
“And what’s he doing here?” I said louder than I should’ve.
Xanor followed my gaze.
“Uncle Elias? I told you this afternoon that he was also invited. And he came with some girl.”
I noticed her too. She was a blonde in a bright red, and rather vulgar, dress, but my attention didn’t linger on her. Catching my eye, uncle saluted me with his glass. At the same time, he grinned wryly, as if declaring that he’d try to ruin my life yet again.
“What’s wrong with you today anyway?” Xanor asked, and I came to the conclusion that I had missed an entire conversation with him.
The entire conversation, except for that part which concerned Elenia.
“I hope you’ve been thinking about your wedding.” Oli giggled.
“More likely he imagined himself on the throne of Grassor.” Xanor grinned.
Felicia waved her hands.
“Alright, stop it. Garanor really has a lot to do right now. And, dear, I’d like to add one more thing to that list, if you don’t mind,” she said timidly.
I nodded absentmindedly in response, continuing to think about monster number two. Elias Horos was my father’s younger brother. He owned an impressive part of shares in our media holding, which I had been trying to halve for several years. But Elias was in no hurry to part with his inheritance, and he was a huge pain in the ass on the board of directors. He constantly opposed my decisions, and sometimes, unfortunately, there were clever people who supported him.
Glancing across the hall, I saw Priscilla’s older sister in the farthest corner, an old maid called Margarita. She almost always preferred to avoid the attention of others. Quiet, timid, non-conflictive.
Priscilla was as lucky with her sister as I was unlucky with my brother.
“Elenia suggested we fly to La Molita tomorrow. It’s one of the venue options. I love that castle very much, and I’d like you to fly there with us. What do you say? Think you can put aside an hour or two?”
I wished I could stay away from Elenia, but Felicia looked at me with such hope that I couldn’t refuse. It seemed that I was already deep in this shit. I felt a bit guilty, maybe for the first time ever. And all because of the attraction to this girl, who was capable of adding more trouble to my already complicated life.
“For you? Anything,” I answered, and her eyes lit up with joy.
“Oh, is that the fairy you told me about?” Oli livened up ev
en more. “I really want to meet her!”
“Speak of the devil...” Xanor was the first to notice Elenia and the first to approach her. He said something to her, smiling, and a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.
“New faces?” My uncle said, looking our way. He put the glass on the fireplace mantelpiece and leaned on the counter. I could see his nostrils flare up as he sniffed the air. He also smelled her, and he liked it, too.
Damn it.
“I didn’t expect to see a fairy within these walls,” he added, looking at me.
Felicia saved the situation again.
“Elias, this is Sonorina Lei. She’ll be in charge of our wedding.”
“Nice to meet you, Sonorina Lei,” Elias smiled menacingly, and Xanor’s eyes darkened.
I felt like there were too many Dark Ones around Elenia, but I wouldn’t let Elias do anything.
“Come here, girl,” Henara called to Elenia. She had already managed to take a place at the head of the table.
Elenia obediently approached her. She was calm and confident, like dining with the Grassor elite was a common thing for her. She withstood the long, attentive gaze of the Solt widow, who then nodded with a smile.
“I like her. Good choice, Felicia.”
“Thank you for your trust.” Elenia lowered her head slightly.
“And now sit down, otherwise, at this pace, we’ll have breakfast, not dinner,” Henara grumbled, and everyone, obeying her order, hurried to sit down at the table.
Xanor settled down next to Elenia. Oli was on her other side. I sat across and, even though I didn’t want to, I constantly stared at her.
I noticed that she had very delicate features, a small dimple on her chin, sensual plump lips, and beautiful eyes. Now, in the light of the candles, their color seemed even deeper. If I were a poet, I’d compare them with the bluest sea.
But I wasn’t a poet, I was an idiot with a bunch of nonsense in his head.
Elenia wasn’t bored. Oli happily kept up a conversation with her, Xanor also paid a lot of attention to her, pouring wine and passing the food.
Henara quietly discussed something with Priscilla and Margarita, Elias was busy talking with Beltran, Felicia was trying to get to know the blonde, and I just ate quietly when Sibyl interrupted the peace with a loud question.
“Elenia, please, satisfy my curiosity. Tell me, do those things bother you?” She ran a finger over her temple. “Don’t they give you a headache or something?”
I noticed how Elenia squeezed the cutlery a little stronger (as if she was trying to prevent herself from throwing a knife at Sibyl, although I wouldn’t have minded such a turn of events), but her voice sounded calm.
“I don’t even feel them.”
“There’s no psychological discomfort?” That bitch wasn’t about to stop. “After all, your gift is forcibly blocked. Does your daughter already have blockers, or is she still too young?”
“Sibyl, it seems to me that this isn’t the most ideal topic for a conversation. Especially at the table.” Felicia tried to tame her sister.
“Why not? I’m just curious.”
Elenia was in no hurry to satisfy her curiosity.
“So you have a daughter?” Elias joined the interrogation.
“As far as I know, with a Dark One.” Sibyl continued.
I had no idea how she found this out, but I had the urge to pull her from the table and throw her out of the dining room. Through the door, through the window, through whatever.
Color started fading from Elenia’s face, and her knuckles turned white as her fingers gripped the cutlery even tighter.
“Wow, how interesting.” Elias grinned.
“It’d be even more interesting to know the name of the father.” Sibyl leaned back in her chair. “Or do you, Sonorina Lei, not know either?”
“Sibyl, one more word, and we’ll continue the dinner without you.” I was faster than Xanor, who like me, clearly wanted to get this bitch away from the table.
“Have I offended you in some way, Garanor?” She blinked innocently. “Why are you so hurt by my interest in our guest?”
This time, Henara was faster.
“Your misplaced interest shocks me, Sibyl,” she said sharply. “Are you a Solt or the marketplace gossip girl? You most certainly don’t behave like the first, and the second has no place at this table.”
Sibyl fell silent, and the rest of the dinner went relatively calmly. Afterward, everyone moved into the Green Living Room next to the dining room, from which Elenia and Xanor suddenly disappeared. Suddenly, but not without being noticed. At least by me. My brother took her by the waist in a businesslike manner, and she let him. They left together through the glass doors leading to the terrace, and I understood where and how all this would end today.
I should clearly be congratulated. Everything was going according to plan. But I didn’t fucking want this plan anymore.
Chapter 12
Elenia
At dinner, I had to admit that Xanor could be nice when he wanted to. Even charming and courteous. The most interesting thing was that his attention hardly bothered me. I couldn’t say the same about his older brother though. As soon as I felt Garanor’s gaze, I immediately wanted to flinch, or disappear under the table, or even run out of the dining room.
I honestly tried to shake off the memory of our conversation in the library, but I couldn’t. How could I get rid of the stupid thought that there, behind the closed doors, he wanted to kiss me. And…
And I have apparently lost my mind due to all this stress!
I hardly managed to contain myself when Sibyl started to attack me. Inquiries about blockers were tolerable, but to aim at my child... I’d like to grab her by the hair or, to make that bitch shut up by using my gift. But I was afraid that the Dark Ones would kill me for it.
After dinner, I talked with Felicia and Oli, which was a much more pleasant experience.
“Can I go with you to La Molita, too?” the younger Solt asked.
“Oh, you must!” Felicia said.
“Well, in that case, I think I’ll join you as well.” Xanor approached us silently from behind. “Let’s fly in two aerocars. Elenia, would you keep me company?”
I felt a strong hand resting on my waist, and I wanted to move away, but something (Garanor’s look) made me change my mind. What did I tell him? That I was an obedient and efficient employee. So I’d show obedience now. It was just his hand on my waist. He wasn’t dragging me into his bed.
The hand slid smoothly onto my thigh, and a hot whisper tickled my ear.
“How about some fresh air?”
If I refused, I’d have to continue to feel Sibyl’s poisonous gaze. It was better to really unwind, and then, using the fatigue excuse, run back into the guest room. It was what Xanor had planned, but I certainly wasn’t going to sleep with him today.
Ideally, I wouldn’t sleep with him at all, but I was bound by a contract, and Xanor, alas, wasn’t one of those who’d agree to wait too long.
So I left with him. From the spacious terrace, we descended into the garden, after which we walked out the gate, and headed toward the sea.
We walked side by side, with him hiding his hands in his pockets.
“Sorry about Sibyl. She can be like that sometimes. A complete bitch.”
“It happens.” I didn’t even try to hold back a grin as I added: “She has nothing in common with her sisters. Not in appearance, nor in character.”
Sibyl was darker, more vibrant, and curvier. She lacked the tenderness and sophistication that Felicia and Oli possessed. Let alone kindness and a sense of tact.
“Let’s not talk about her.” Xanor frowned in an odd way. “Better tell me about yourself. Were you married?”
Here we go.
“No, I wasn’t.” I smiled, although I knew that this smile wasn’t real.
“And Marisel?” he asked carefully, obviously testing the waters.
“I don’t want to talk about Maris
el and her father.”
“Understood.” He surrendered surprisingly easily.
If only it was this easy with Garanor...
A yellow brick path led us to a sandy beach. Here, the air was even fresher, saltier, and intoxicating. The kind that could get you drunk faster than a glass of wine. Cool wind blew from the sea, so I wrapped my arms around my shoulders. Xanor noticed this and drew me to him to warm me up.
“To hell with questions,” he whispered, hypnotizing me with his dark gaze. “Your past is your past, Lenny. I promise that I won’t rummage through your soul. You can tell me later if you want. Until then...”
In the meantime, he clearly followed the plan of driving his tasty prey into a trap. He leaned toward me, almost touching me with his lips. His hands traced my waist before sliding down and lightly squeezing my behind.
“How about we get to know each other better?”
All my courage and confidence seemed to have disappeared. It was one thing to think that something might happen with him in the future, and it was quite another to realize that this something could happen right now. Here, among the stones, at the very edge of the sea, or over in the pavilion outside the gate, at which he looked so intently as we passed it.
“It depends how much better,” I answered just as quietly, trying to gently move his hand away from my body.
He was in no hurry to let me go. He touched my cheekbone with his lips, bit my earlobe, and whispered, teasing me (or annoying me) with another bite-kiss.
“As much as two adult single people can.”
“Actually, we aren’t even people.”
“You’re emphasizing the wrong words, Lenny.”
He hugged me so strongly that I could feel his pants get tight. I didn’t know if he felt my anxiety (although, he wasn’t a fairy, but an arrogant and self-confident asshole, used to getting whatever he wanted!), but I was already shaking.
“Xanor, we met two days ago...”
A Deal with the Dark Fae: Enemies-to-Lovers Standalone (Cruel Intentions Book 1) Page 10
