“I think,” Snow said as she and Corinne descended the staircase, “Tonight you will stay close to me.”

Corinne had absolutely no objections to that idea. “What do you have in mind?”

Snow’s voice lowered to the sultry pitch she’d used when they’d been talking through the mirror, the voice in which she’d described kissing her way down Corinne’s body. “What I have in mind is pleasure. To overwhelm you with it. To surround you with so much sensation there’s no room for thought. To give you over to your body so completely your mind won’t be able to get in the way.”

Corinne sucked in a breath at the wash of heat Snow’s words created. “Yes. Please.”

Her reaction earned her a satisfied smile from Lady Snow. “But first, I must see to my guests.”

Corinne nodded and followed.

They circulated the party together. In many ways, this was no different than the numerous parties Corinne had attended throughout her life. Lady Snow engaged in polite chatter with other attendees. Talk of health and the court, of family and work. Conversations were perhaps more vague than usual, with no real names exchanged, but by the talk alone, this could have been any of a dozen social functions Corinne had attended during Shadow Court.

Except for the fact that many of the people Snow spoke with were barely dressed. Or were standing there, exchanging pleasantries with Snow while another person knelt at their feet, or crawled along behind. Or, even more distracting, Snow would be catching up with one guest or another while they were all watching someone else be tied, or whipped, or fucked.

As they circulated, Corinne saw people she recognized—or at least their masks, their costumes were familiar. They stopped to chat with the tall, beautiful Griffon woman who had first said that she thought Snow would like Corinne. Hidden behind a mask, but unmistakable by her stature. While moving from one room to the next, they passed Sun—dressed the same as she had been at the last party—who nodded and smiled at Corinne. Corinne looked away, embarrassed. In another room, Frost leaned against a wall, surrounded by a cluster of guests who all seemed eager for his attention. Trailing from his hand were two delicate silver leashes, connected to a man and a woman, naked, identically collared, kneeling, head bowed.

Snow noticed the direction of Corinne’s gaze. “Frost does find such pretty pets.”

“Don’t they get bored?” They were just sitting, waiting, and no one seemed to be paying any attention to them at all.

“Are you bored, my dear?”

Corinne laughed at the absurdity of the idea. “Here? With you? Never.”

“Then trust that neither are they. Or, if they are, that it’s part of the game.”

Through it all, Corinne tried to pay attention—to listen, to observe, to be a good spy. Any clue, any hint that pointed towards sinister activities. She kept her senses open for the nima, nothing their movements, watching for any pockets where they seemed to be afraid, or people who they seemed to avoid. But no one here seemed to upset them.

Lady Snow, in fact, was reassuringly surrounded by nima who seemed to adore her. They surrounded her in a cloud, whispering and dancing every time she moved. If there was anyone in this place engaging in magic that touched the demons, it wasn’t her. Of that, Corinne was certain.

But for the rest, it was hard to focus, when, at Lady Snow’s side, Corinne had the attention of everyone in every room they entered. Hungry eyes all over her. Questioning, admiring, desiring. It made her too warm, a little dizzy, with the feeling like she was floating through the room, tethered only by the force of Lady Snow’s light hand at her back.

As they mingled, every now and again Lady Snow would pull someone aside, just out of Corinne’s hearing, for a whispered conversation. Seven or eight different people. Every time, she returned to Corinne with a mysterious smile.

Corinne lost all track of time. The night felt more and more like a dream as it went on. A dream where she was acutely aware of every inch of her own body, of every whisper of air that moved across it. Of Lady Snow’s closeness, of her own desperate wanting.

“Snow-más.”

The soft, purring voice snapped Corinne back to attention. A mask of intricate filigree and an elegant, but concealing, wrap did successful work of disguising the woman’s appearance, but her voice was quite clear. Soon-mi was here, standing in front of Lady Snow.

“Amaranth,” Snow nodded in return. “So pleased you were able to join us tonight.”

“I couldn’t miss it. A matter of a wager between Moon and I. Someone he and Sun have had their eyes on. You know how it goes.” Soon-mi’s gaze twitched to Corinne. “But I see you have company. I don’t want to keep you.”

Did Soon-mi recognize her? Corinne’s mask was fairly concealing, but the rest of her outfit was anything but. For the first time since she’d walked into the room, Corinne felt truly off balance and out of place. A fellow Dragon had seen her. True, the same Dragon from which Corinne had heard about all this in the first place, but still…

All her fears, her awkwardness, her shame swam up and threatened to overwhelm her. Which only made her feel worse as she feared she’d once again fail Lady Snow.

The hand at her back pressed a little harder, an anchor of support. “Do please excuse us,” Snow said, and Soon-mi gave a nod of her head and continued on.

“It’s all right,” Snow whispered in Corinne’s ear. “I promise.”

“I know her,” Corinne whispered back.

“Remember anonymity is the rule here. If she knows you, she won’t say anything outside this space. I know Amaranth too. You can trust her.”

“I don’t want to think about her.” Corinne leaned closer, into Snow’s side. “I don’t want to think about my clan, or anyone else. I just want to be here. To be present. With you.”

Snow’s fingers stroked up and down Corinne’s spine, a light touch, transmitted through the corset. “Then I think it’s time. Follow me.”

Snow led her to a quiet room with low light and soft carpet. A room where they were alone. Snow led Corinne to the center, then stepped back a couple paces, giving Corinne a focused consideration that made Corinne feel like she was going to melt.

From a pocket in her gown, Snow produced a length of cloth. “Will you trust me, my little Dragon? Will you let me guide you through this?”

Corinne nodded again. At this moment, she couldn’t imagine any question Lady Snow could ask that she wouldn’t answer yes.

Snow came back over to Corinne, lifted the cloth to her face, and wrapped it around her head. A blindfold. It was loosely tied, but on top of the mask, it cut off Corinne’s vision entirely.

Snow dropped a light hand on Corinne’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

Was she? This wasn’t what she’d been expecting. She wasn’t sure about not being able to see, of not knowing…

Or maybe that was perfect. She couldn’t second guess, couldn’t think about what she didn’t know was coming. And Snow was there, next to her. “I’m fine.”

“More than fine very soon. I promise.”

She turned Corinne so she stood at Corinne’s back, hands resting on Corinne’s shoulder. They gave Corinne an anchor, reassurance.

The distinct sounds of more footsteps shuffling on the carpet surrounded Corinne. “This is all for you, my darling.” Snow’s breath was hot against Corinne’s ear. As hands began to touch her.

More than she could track. Light touches on her arms, her face, her legs. With the blindfold, with the touches from every direction, Corinne couldn’t get her bearings. She couldn’t count or follow or predict. She was awash in sensation, floating on a sea of flesh.

She couldn’t hold back a moan as the exploring hands warmed her skin, woke it, a mix of light strokes and soft massage and gentle traces all over.

Not just hands. One of Corinne’s fingers was immersed in warmth, surrounded by a soft, eager mouth. A tongue stroked lightly down the inside, over the webbing that joined one finger to the next, circled lightly over her palm, and Corinne learned just how sensitive her hands could be.

The veil over her right breast drew across her skin as it was pulled aside, and warm, wet heat covered her nipple, dragging a soft cry from Corinne. Her legs had gone weak, but she was supported, held up as more mouths descended, warm and soft on her shoulder, tugging at her ear, the back of her knee, the inside of her thigh.

“So beautiful,” Lady Snow whispered in Corinne’s other ear, the one that wasn’t currently being explored with delicious delicacy. “The way you look right now, utterly surrendered. Fearless.”

Corinne could only barely follow her words, her mind buried beneath raw sensation.

The hands on Corinne’s thigh worked higher. Corinne squirmed, pushing into them. Wanting them so badly to touch…yes. A brush against her lips. Not enough. Another touch, a teasing stroke. Corinne whimpered.

More fingers, so close to where Corinne wanted them. More than two hands, she was sure. “Please.” Corinne begged. The most coherence she could manage.

Fingers parted her, stroked her, moved inside her. Then a tongue against her clit sent her crashing over the edge.

Along with the wave of pleasure came a wave of disappointment. Corinne wasn’t ready for this to be over. Not yet; not so soon.

Snow’s hand ghosted lightly over Corinne’s hair. At least a dozen hands on her body, and Corinne still knew which fleeting touch belonged to Snow. Just that brief contact was a reassurance, a promise.

No one withdrew. It seemed this was only the beginning.

The mouth on her cunt went to work in earnest. Corinne writhed at the heightened sensation, but hands held her steady. Other tongues circled her nipples, caressed her hands, teeth nibbled at her throat.

She came again as new fingers worked their way inside her, curling as they stroked, pushing her higher. And again as she gasped for breath.

She was exhausted, drowning in relentless pleasure. Too much and not enough. She wanted it to stop. She wanted it to never stop.

Every touch had become intense. Corinne sobbed and begged and had no idea what she was begging for.

“Once more.” Snow’s throaty voice in her ear. “One more time. Come for me, darling.”

Corinne did, as though Snow’s words alone had power over her body. This final surge of pleasure wrung everything from her, and Corinne screamed as it ran through her.

She was lowered gently to the floor, carefully arranged on the soft carpet. Corinne heard the sounds of people moving away, until she was left alone, once more, with Lady Snow.

Snow knelt at her side, stroking her hair, patiently giving Corinne time to recover.

As Corinne came back to herself, she pulled off her blindfold, looking up into a soft, fond smile on Snow’s face. “Thank you,” Corinne said.

“It was my pleasure.” She helped Corinne to her feet, brushed her hand down Corinne’s cheek. “Thank you for letting me share this with you.”

Snow gave a tiny sigh, noticeable only in the movement of her shoulders. “I must return to the party now. You’re welcome to come with me, of course. Or, if you prefer, the room upstairs is yours for the night. There is a lovely bath, and no one will disturb you unless you ask them.”

“Thank you. But I think…I’m going to go back to my hotel. I’m exhausted.” Which was true. But she also needed some time to herself after the intensity of everything that had just happened. “Should I leave my dress in the closet?”

“The dress is yours, darling.” Snow raised her fingers to Corinne’s lips as she started to object. “No arguments. I insist.”

Corinne nodded mutely, overwhelmed.

Snow gave her one more smile, then walked out into the party. Alone, Corinne returned to the room upstairs just long enough to change, to gather her things, and leave.

On her way out, as she passed by the mirror, she had to lift her hand to cover the almost drugged-looking smile on her face.