VANESSA
I was still straddling Lysandros with his cock softening inside me when his fingers brushed the brand behind my ear again.
"Serpent sister. You're one of Nyra's girls," he whispered in disbelief.
How the hell did he recognize a symbol of the Serpent Sisters?
I tumbled sideways from him, ignoring the drag of his cock along my walls as I jerked away.
The clasp at my ankle did not allow me to go far from him. Not as far as I wanted.
I shook my head in denial. "You must be mistaken."
"If I am, why do you have the insignia of a snake right there behind your ear?" His eyes narrowed to slits. "You're here to kill my brother, aren't you?"
In the flash of a second, I was on the bed, wrapping the other iron clasp around his neck until it was digging deep into his windpipe.
He struggled to push me off of him, kicking and gasping, yet he was no match for someone as nimble as I was.
"Gene— pleas…"
"Not until you tell me how the fuck you know about the Serpent Sisters. Give me a solid reason why I should let you live," I sneered, tightening my hold until he was wheezing.
"I…Me. It was…me," He choked out, clawing at my hands crushing into this windpipe. "I…ugh…plea…" he gasped, "i paid Nyra."
The words dropped like a bombshell.
"What?" For a second, I almost let down my guard. However, just as quickly, I slammed them back up. "That's a fucking lie!"
"I'm…telling the truth. Gen…" he tapped my arms, slowly growing weak. "Please…"
Nyra only spoke with people if she agreed to. If Lysandros said he met with her; then he did.
He didn't just come across her by accident. His meeting with her was arranged.
"If you try anything else funny, you'll be welcoming your brother to the great beyond," I threatened.
After he gave me his word, I unwound the chains from around his neck.
Sagging against the headboard, he drew in ragged breaths, fingers flying to his throat to rub the red skin there.
"You have one more try to save yourself. How did you know I'm here to kill your brother?"
"You think you're the only one who wants that monster dead? Look at his friggin' eyes. What happens when he completes the transition and turns full beast?" He spat the words filled with venom.
I forced my pounding heart to come to a quiet. "That means you're not going to tell him?"
The question hung unanswered, his eyes narrowing at me in a glare before he looked away.
"Like I said, he's a fucking beast who wears a crown. One day, that monster is going to tear through the palace and slaughter everyone who stands in its way. He must die."
A portrait of Leonidas hung on the wall on the other side of the bed and it had drawn my attention.
My fingers traced the portrait. "Then he better hope I don't enjoy making monsters die."
I tossed the chains I used in strangling Lysandros to the floor. When I turned around, he had his eyes on me like he was studying me.
"What?"
"You are his mate. I've seen the way he looks at you like you're the key to breaking his curse. If he shifts fully, we're all finished."
The word brought back Leonidas' voice in my ears. Mate.
If I was his mate, it meant he couldn't hurt me no matter how he tried. That was if it worked like those tales in the movies.
"But his…monster hates the sight of me. Leonidas has a hard time keeping him in control whenever I'm around."
Lysandros had a thoughtful look in his eyes. "The monster has sensed your intentions. You have to be more subtle about challenging him. You have to earn his trust."
Why were they all saying the same thing?
There was no time to win the trust of a someone like Leonidas whose intuition was sharper than an average man.
I scoffed. "I have just six nights to kill him. How do I achieve that? We're talking weeks of wooing him."
He'd gotten off the bed and was now approaching me. "You have to stop having murderous thoughts for now and give the beast a chance to lower his guard. Once that happens, Leonidas is all yours."
His treacherous hands slid up my sides and I proceeded to wrap mine around his neck.
Whatever deal he had with Nyra was Nyra's. A lot of people in the palace had seen my face now, so I needed to be sure my end was covered.
Who better to do it than the Prince himself?
"What's in it for me? You've seen how easily I can kill you if I want. How easily I can overpower you. What do I get in return for not telling the King of your own intentions?"
An eyebrow cocked in response. Followed by a sly smile that made his eyes twinkle in mischief.
"Threatening a prince, that's a first." He leaned down and slowly kissed my cheek. "Just finish the job, Vanessa. Kill him and I'll make sure you walk out of here rich and free. I could secure your release from Nyra and we can even fuck like this every night once he's gone."
I pulled back, stunned. "How did you know my name?"
He laughed aloud. "A man must never reveal his sources but that look in your eyes tells me you're not going to give up." He cleared his throat. "Let's just say I know a little Duke."
I knew who it was without question. "Noel."
"Yes, that must be it. A very enthusiastic man who cannot seem to forget the rather short dance you shared at the ball. Or the memory of you from when you both were kids."
Of course he couldn't. Growing up didn't change him, only made him more desperate.
I pushed thoughts of him out of the way to focus on what mattered.
Lysandros' had an offer too tempting to refuse. All I had to do was earn the beast's trust and kill him.
An action I'd tried before…and failed.
"It won't work. I have to leave the palace and report to Nyra."
His hold tightened around me as I tried to pull away.
"Why?"
I met his eyes. "Because I tried before and he healed himself. I stabbed him in the heart and it didn't kill him."
"Ah, yes. Meet me in my quarters tomorrow night and we'll arrange that. I'll make sure my brother grants you release to roam the palace grounds. After all, you're his Queen-to-be." He winked, flashing a smile, then letting me go.
Why did I feel a sliver of unease crawl up my spine at his words?