Chapter 17: Red wine and Rivalry

The invitation came in an elegant black envelope with silver calligraphy that reeked of old money and older secrets. Kai held it like it might bite him.

"A gala?" he said, staring up at Adrian with an arched brow. "Is this code for 'blood orgy' or something?"

Adrian snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. It's a business event. Formal, boring, filled with posturing vampires trying to out-pretentious each other."

Kai pursed his lips. "And I'm supposed to go… why?"

"Because my firm needs both of us to show face." Adrian smirked. "And because I want you on my arm, looking hot enough to cause a scandal."

Kai flushed. "You're impossible."

"Irresistible," Adrian corrected smoothly. "Now go pick out something that makes your legs look unfair."

---

Kai hadn't been to anything remotely like this. The ballroom was dripping in chandeliers and velvet, with gold accents glinting under warm lights. Everyone looked like they'd stepped out of a Vogue fever dream or a coffin.

He stood awkwardly beside Adrian, wearing the only suit he owned that didn't scream corporate intern. His tie was slightly crooked, his hands shoved into his pockets. He felt small. Overdressed and underqualified.

But Adrian…

Adrian looked like sin dipped in silk.

Hair slicked back, suit tailored to within an inch of its life, a blood-red handkerchief tucked in his pocket like a warning sign. He moved with predator grace, and everyone watched him.

Including the vampires.

"Who's your pet?" one of them purred, a sleek man with fangs bared in a lazy grin.

Kai bristled. "Excuse me?"

Adrian slid an arm around Kai's waist. "He's my partner. In work. And otherwise."

The man chuckled and wandered off, but the seed had been planted. From then on, Kai felt eyes following him. Judging. Assessing. Some leering.

Adrian noticed.

He leaned close, voice low and possessive. "They're curious about you."

"Gee, I wonder why. Maybe because I'm the only werewolf in a fifty-foot radius not wearing a fucking collar?"

Adrian smirked, but there was a hint of something darker in his eyes. "Maybe they should be afraid of you."

"Maybe you should be afraid of me," Kai shot back, but his heart thudded when Adrian's gaze dropped to his mouth.

"You're not scary, Kai. You're dangerous. There's a difference."

Before Kai could respond, another vampire approached tall, lean, and devastatingly handsome. And judging by the way Adrian tensed… familiar.

"Adrian," the vampire drawled, voice rich and amused. "Didn't know you were into mutts now."

Kai bared his teeth, the growl barely contained.

"Back off, Lucien," Adrian said sharply.

But Lucien just laughed. "Relax, cousin. I'm just making conversation."

Fucking cousin?! Of course he had a smug, aristocratic, vampire cousin. Kai nearly rolled his eyes out of his head.

Lucien turned to Kai, offering a mocking bow. "You're prettier than I expected. Shame about the bloodline."

Kai blinked once. Then smiled. "Funny, I was about to say the same about your personality."

Lucien's grin faltered, and Adrian oh, Adrian looked positively proud.

The rest of the night was a blur of whispered snide comments, possessive glances, and Adrian's hand never straying too far from Kai's waist. He could feel the tension coiling tighter with every drink, every glance, every smirk.

By the time they left, Kai was buzzing not from alcohol, but from adrenaline. From the way Adrian opened the car door for him and said nothing, just looked at him like he was something precious that had almost been stolen.

"You okay?" Adrian asked softly once they were alone.

Kai exhaled. "That was… intense."

"You held your own."

"I wanted to rip that guy's throat out."

Adrian's eyes darkened. "So did I."

Silence stretched between them, thick and electric.

And then Adrian leaned in.

"Kai," he whispered, "don't ever let anyone treat you like you're less. Especially not here. You're mine."

Kai should've slapped him for saying that.

Instead… he kissed him.

Hard.

And Adrian pulled him close like he'd been starving for it.

The gala had ended but the night was just beginning.

The limo ride home was cloaked in silence. Not the uncomfortable kind but the heavy, smoldering kind. Kai sat stiffly on the opposite end of the seat, lips still tingling from Adrian's kiss, heart beating like a damn war drum in his chest.

Adrian hadn't said a word.

He just stared.

That same intense, unreadable look. Like he was peeling Kai apart in his mind, dissecting every reaction, every breath, every stutter of his pulse.

It made Kai squirm.

"What?" he snapped, arms crossed and eyes avoiding Adrian's.

"You," Adrian said simply. "You surprised me tonight."

Kai blinked. "That a bad thing?"

"No," Adrian murmured, voice dropping, dark and smooth like aged wine. "It made me want to do things I probably shouldn't."

Kai's mouth went dry. "Define 'shouldn't.'"

Adrian leaned in, slow and deliberate. "Like bend you over the balcony at that gala. Right after you insulted Lucien in front of a hundred vampires."

Kai's cheeks flamed. "Jesus"

"You don't get it, do you?" Adrian said, voice thick with something dangerous. "They wanted to humiliate you. Undress you with their eyes. Treat you like a toy because you're different. Mine. But you... You fucking bit back. I wanted to mark you right there."

Kai swallowed. Hard. "Okay, but maybe not in front of your cousin?"

Adrian smirked, something primal dancing in his eyes. "Especially in front of him."

The limo jerked slightly as it came to a stop in front of Adrian's building, the moment shattering like glass. Kai exhaled, heart racing, legs suddenly feeling like jelly.

Adrian opened the door and held out a hand.

"Coming in, puppy?" he teased, cocky and cool once again.

Kai narrowed his eyes but took the hand anyway, letting himself be pulled to his feet. "You know, keep calling me that and I might just mark you."

Adrian arched a brow, amused. "Oh? Promise?"

The elevator ride up was worse. Tension climbed with every floor. By the time the doors opened, Kai practically bolted out, trying to escape the heat crawling down his spine.

But Adrian caught his wrist.

Spun him around.

Pinned him lightly to the wall of the hallway, lips brushing the shell of his ear.

"You're not just some omega to me, Kai," he murmured. "You're dangerous in a way none of them understand. That's what makes them fear you. That's what makes me crave you."

Kai's knees threatened to give out.

Adrian stepped back just as quickly, as if the moment had never happened.

"Get some sleep," he said casually, unlocking the door. "Big meeting tomorrow."

And just like that, the vampire disappeared inside, leaving a very flustered werewolf in the hall breathless, blushing, and cursing softly to himself.

"Fucking bloodsuckers…"

But gods help him… Kai couldn't wait for tomorrow.