NI

ing her before she stumbled. The overhead lights poured down, catching the scarlet silk of her gown, fabric that clung and flowed all at once-liquid fire wrapping around her. And then I saw her eyes. Dark brown, flecked with gold, sharp enough to slice through me and soft enough to make my chest clench. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. "Apologies," she whispered. Her voice... God. Low and melodic, but with an undertone I couldn't name. I swallowed, words catching in my throat. "No... my fault." They sounded wrong, clumsy, like they didn't belong to me. There was a charge in the air, sharp and sudden, tethering me to her. And then-just as quickly-she smiled, faint and unreadable, and slipped away. A shadow in red. I stood frozen, chest hollow, already missing something I didn't even have. "Let me guess," Klaus drawled, materialising beside me with that smirk that made me want to punch him. "You think she did that on purpose? Pretty girl baiting the big fish?" "No." My denial was immediate, sharper than I expected. I surprised myself with the conviction in it. "And if she did... I'd have been a willing catch." Klaus raised an eyebrow but didn't press. I ignored him anyway, my gaze darting across the room, hunting for a glimpse of her. My heart hadn't stopped pounding. Who was she? The rest of the night became torture-smiling at people I didn't care about and nodding through meaningless chatter, all while scanning the crowd. I spotted her again, sitting with a man old enough to be her father. Something primal and ugly surged in me. Possession. Hunger. I didn't think. I just moved. "I'm cutting in," I said, no preamble, no question. The man chuckled, amused, and stepped aside. And then she was in my arms. Her hand on my shoulder. My palm at her waist. The music swelled, but it barely existed. The world narrowed to her. "Bold move," she said, h