Tell me how Ras first felt when Dahlia pitched the idea that Aurora was a package deal, ( as in she needs to find HQ and have some level of access) Vs. Now that he knows her?
The words rang with finality in the empty warehouse hallway, a sentence not meant to be challenged.
She pushed on anyway. The angle she had triedâ to make her sister appear like a tool, something beyond value that this man would want, make him think that without it, it would leave him weakerâwasnât working. He just wasnât buying into it, didnât believe Aurora would be worth the risk. And to a point she understood. She was asking a lotâasking Rasmir to trust an outsider with his most sacred space, his temple, his empire. He allowed no one into this space that had not sworn to serve him. Aurora would not answer to June of the Elven Patheon, but perhaps she would respect Rasmir Sabrae, the orphaned street urchin who had to cut, steal, and claw his way up from the bowels of the earth to claim his seat at the top.
And if Dahlia were to survive here, she would need her sister. The way Rasmir needed her.
âThose are my terms.â
The rogue stopped in his tracks, the small tendrils of shadow that had trailed his steps stopped too.
âPardon?,â he said, brow arched.
âYou want to keep me as your second, then I will need this one thing from you.â She fought the urge to cross her arms. No submission.
âYou ask too much, Black Dahlia. My offer is for you, and you alone.â
âAnd this is my one stipulation. Take it or Iâm out, June,â she returned, mirroring the use of his title.
âYou realize you know too much at this point,â he said, his voice a rhythmic timbre she otherwise would have found enticing if she werenât trying to barter with an underworld gang god.
She intended for it to sound menancing but his mouth turned into a wicked grin at just the right moment to make her voice weaken. She wished the butterflies in her rib cage would stop staging a riot so that she could focus.
âWould you like it to be?â His eyes danced with mirth and something else she could quite place.
She wanted to slap him. And almost did, but he spoke up breaking the tension.
âIâll take your... request into consideration. It would be such a waste of talent to kill you where you stand. Not to mention I just had the carpet dry cleaned and I would hate to have to make a fifth call this month to have you scrubbed out.â
âYou arrogant son of aââ
His laughter drowned out her curse and he disappeared into nothingness, leaving only a smoking trail wafting in space in his wake.
âRemember that time you considered killing me?â
âWhich one? There have been too many Iâve lost count.â A shit eating grin broke out across Rasmirâs face from across the table as he winked at her.
Dahlia chucked a piece of cheese at him, nailing him in the cheek.
âIâve been hit!â He dramatically grasped his face and started to sink to his knees.
âYouâre full of shit, Sabrae.â
âYes, as you kindly remind me at least twice a day, darling.â
She nudged him with her boot, knocking him on his ass.
âIâm talking about the time you thought you could kill me after I asked for Auroraâs passcode.â
âAh, that time. I wouldnât have actually. I thought it was cute how defensive you are of her.â
âCute?â Dahlia wrinkled her nose.
And suddenly she was prone, her feet knocked from under her before she could even react. Ras, now poised over her pinning her wrists above her head, dipped low and kissed the top of her nose in between each word.