The male in the middle stood and held his hand out. When Sweyn placed hers in his, he spun her around and led her onto the dance floor with the other two guys following. Oh, they asked her to dance. Shit, she’s dancing with three guys at once. This has to be my moment. Wait, Katelin is here.

I looked up to Everest and arched one eyebrow. “Take Katelin to dance. Keep Sweyn on the dance floor.”

“Are you going for the page?” he asked telepathically.

I nodded.

His face gave nothing away. He simply turned to Katelin and held his hand out. “Dance with me?”

She gasped and her cheeks flushed. “Yes, thank you.”

The second the music started, I pretended the dancing was closer to me than it was so I needed to move back up a step. I waited a few beats until her back was turned to me then I leaned backwards onto my palms again. When they clapped, I pulled the door open again. Problem was, I was at the wrong angle to reach inside. Every time Sweyn would turn I would scooch over an inch. I had to do this subtly.

“Look what I found . . . sitting here all alone,” a male voice purred in front of me.

I recognized it in an instant, even as my stomach rolled. Aelric. It was just like that night in Everest’s room when he found me in there alone. Those red and white eyes looked me up and down as he licked his lips. His fangs hung far too low for my liking. His blond hair was tied back behind his head, which made his widow’s peak even more pronounced. I sat up straight so I’d be ready to move if I needed to, my purse was still hooked around my wrist.

Aelric pursed his lips. “Does Lady María dance?”

I shook my head.

“Pity.” He grinned—and then suddenly knelt down, lifted my foot off the ground, and sucked my big toe into his mouth.

Muscle memory took over before I could stop it. I kicked him in the face as hard as I could. He wailed and flew backwards, holding his nose as blood splattered onto the stone floor. Before I could react any further, he growled and dove for me. His clammy hand wrapped around my ankle and yanked me toward him. I gasped — black magic coiled around Aelric’s throat and lifted him off the ground. His hold on my ankle vanished so I scurried back until I hit the throne. My pulse was flying. The entire ballroom was staring at us now. The music cut off.

Everest’s eyes were blazing. The muscle in his jaw flexed.

Sweyn appeared in front of me. “Aelric, what did you do to pretty María?”

“He sucked my toe into his mouth,” I shouted in Spanish. Then I gagged and shivered. It wasn’t a reaction I had control over.