Chapter 130 – Leverage
Fiera’s smile didn’t fade.
But her tails twitched again—just slightly—and her hand finally dropped from his coat.
She didn’t walk away.
Not yet.
But she’d made her move.
And Lux?
Lux was still standing. Still smiling.
Still very much in control.
For a second, Lux thought that would be the end of it. A flirty exchange left to hang in the perfu-thick air of the auction hall, a mutual smirk and an unspoken ’next ti.’ But she didn’t move. Didn’t turn away. Instead, she stepped closer again—heels whispering across the marble, nine tails brushing the hem of his coat like they had a mind of their own.
"I don’t plan to use you as an accessory," she said softly.
Then, her voice dropped lower.
Velvety. Dangerous.
Like velvet wrapped around a knife.
"I want to use you as... leverage~."
She purred the word. Like it was a promise. Or a dare.
Lux tilted his head slowly, eyes narrowing in curiosity. He wasn’t smiling now—but the spark in his gaze said she had his attention.
"For your collection?" he asked, dry as ever.
Fiera’s lips curled just enough to show fang. "No. For ."
She reached up, ever so lightly dragging a finger along the inside edge of his open collar.
"I’m a fox demi-human, Mr. Vaelthorn," she said, drawing out his na like she was tasting it. "I can sll things. Different things."
Lux raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"I can sll your blood," she whispered. "It’s not... just a human, is it?"
His jaw ticked—just slightly.
She leaned in again, now brushing close to his ear, her voice warm and wicked.
"There’s sothing else in there. Sothing... ancient. Sothing rich. You sll like temptation and danger and... legacy. And whatever it is, I want it near when the curtains close tonight."
Lux didn’t flinch.
Didn’t even blink.
But his system stirred quietly in the back of his mind.
[System Notification: Seduction Alert – High Emotional Resonance Detected.]
[Fiera Ninevyn: Actively scanning for bloodline traits.]
[Warning: Charm tension exceeds 65%. Recomnd: Neutralize or escalate.]
He smirked.
"You flirt like soone who’s never heard no before," Lux said.
Fiera’s grin widened. "You say that like it’s a bad thing."
"It’s a dangerous thing."
She stepped back slightly, just enough to et his eyes again. Her tails swayed slowly behind her, forming a semi-circle of motion and silk.
"I like danger," she said.
"You are danger."
"And you’re the kind of man who doesn’t run from it," she whispered.
He didn’t answer that. Mostly because it was true.
Their eyes stayed locked.
For a mont, everything else in the grand auction lobby blurred. The other guests. The murmuring staff. The glass walls and glittering chandeliers. It all softened to a hum beneath their conversation.
"Co with ," Fiera said. "At least to the prep room. Let show you what I planned."
Lux exhaled slowly, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusent. "Still trying to ’rent’ ?"
Fiera didn’t even pretend to deny it. "You’re the kind of presence that turns a show into an event. I don’t need you for fashion. I want you for effect. For impact."
"Honest," Lux said.
Fiera studied him again—longer this ti. Not playful now. Sothing assessing. Sothing closer to curiosity wrapped in hunger.
"Always," she said after a beat. "I will ask her."
Lux blinked.
"I’m serious," Fiera said. "If she says yes, I’ll dress you in sothing that’ll break every cara in the room. If she says no... I’ll behave."
"Define behave."
"I’ll only flirt with you," she said, "from a reasonable distance or no distance at all."
Lux laughed, low in his throat.
Warm. Dangerous. Way too amused.
He tilted his head, brushing a stray strand of hair from Fiera’s shoulder without thinking. His fingers lingered for half a second—just enough to make her lips part slightly.
"You’re relentless," he murmured.
"And you like it."
He didn’t deny it.
Her grin sharpened. "So... call her?"
Lux shrugged. "No need."
He stepped back, raised a brow, and smirked. "I’m not the one who needs permission."
Fiera blinked, slightly caught off guard.
He gestured casually. "You want on that runway? You call Rava."
She narrowed her eyes like he’d just dared her to kiss a god.
Then she pulled out her phone without missing a beat.
Lux watched with a slight tilt of amusent while Fiera dialed. Her nails glinted against the black glass, and her thumb tapped far confidently.
The call clicked.
Connected.
"Rava, darling~," Fiera said sweetly. "I hear you’ve brought Mr.Vaelthorn as your date tonight."
Lux could already hear the eye-roll on the other side.
"What do you want, Fiera?"
Fiera gave Lux a slow sideways glance, clearly performing now. "Oh, just a little favor. I want to borrow him. One walk down the stage. Nothing scandalous. I’ll return him freshly dressed and mostly untouched."
Lux mouthed mostly? with a smirk. She ignored him.
The pause on the line dragged.
Then—
"...And what does Lux say about this?"
Fiera handed him the phone.
Lux took it casually, holding it to his ear. "She asked. I said I’d only do it if you say yes."
"You really are making the villain in this," Rava’s voice was low, unimpressed. "She’s using you as a fashion weapon, you know that, right?"
"She’s using well," Lux replied. "And technically, I’m just walking. Not modeling. Just arm candy."
Another pause.
Then—
"Fine," Rava said. "But if you upstage her, I want a cut of the scandal."
Lux grinned. "You’ll get it in writing."
He handed the phone back. Fiera was already beaming.
"She agreed," he said.
Fiera’s tails twitched in delight.
"You hear that?" she said, smug as sin. "You’re mine. For fifteen minutes. Tops."
Lux sighed theatrically. "Fine."
He stepped toward her, eyes glinting. "But you’d better dress better than this."
She grinned. "Oh, I will." Her fingers curled around his wrist again, this ti more possessive than seductive. "Co with , pretty boy. Let’s make the whole room jealous."
And with that, she led him away— straight toward velvet-draped backstage chaos, caras, stylists, and clothes worth more than kingdoms.
Lux followed with the calm of a man walking into fire.
Because as the devil?
He liked the heat.
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