Chapter 139 – I’m Better When I’m Wild
Another item floated up.
A cursed puppet.
Mira humd, bored.
Elyndra flipped her hair again.
Rava just quietly ordered another drink.
Lux? He leaned back, the royal eyes still buzzing against the back of his neck, the sll of old perfu, burning incense, and power soaking the room.
[System Alert: Duchess relain increased scanning. Heart rate: Accelerated.]
[Duke Albrecht is currently considering whether to sabotage your drink. (Unlikely to succeed.)]
[Investor-Class Lord Cendric attempting to confirm your surna via illegal aura profiling.]
Lux smiled wider. ’Get in line.’
He sipped slowly.
Still not bidding.
Still not interested.
Still completely unbothered.
Because this wasn’t his show.
Not yet.
But the mont it beca his?
They’d rember who he was.
Or at least—
Who they shouldn’t have ssed with.
Lux swirled the last of his drink and let the glass tilt in his fingers like it weighed less than the patience he was currently running out of. His gaze drifted to the stage again and then back to the room, which had begun to buzz at a whole new frequency.
The glances were sharper now. Slanted. Not curious anymore. asuring. A few nobles whispered while pretending to sip their wine. Soone behind him scribbled sothing down. Likely a na. Maybe a guess.
Lux exhaled through his nose.
[System Notification: Duke Albrecht has initiated low-level sabotage.]
[Item: Gifted Drink. Delivery thod: Staff – Gold-cuffed server, 3 o’clock direction.]
[Detected Substance: Class 0.7 digestive stimulant. Effects: Diarrhea, cramping, dehydration. Ti to onset: 20–30 minutes.]
[Threat Level: None. Amateur Hour.]
Lux looked toward the server.
There it was. A glass of sothing richer than anything else being passed around—dark amber, smooth, high-end. Maybe aged bourbon soaked with cherrywood. A dusting of edible gold leaf clung to the rim like it was trying to impress soone with too much money and not enough self-awareness.
The server smiled, eyes blank under a charm spell. "From Duke Albrecht," he said smoothly.
Lux stared at the drink.
Then smiled.
"Oh?" he said, tone light.
He took the glass.
Held it up like it was a toast.
And without hesitation—
Drank the entire thing in one smooth, slow, deliberate gulp.
The duke—across the room in his white-furred mantle and smug overfed face—froze mid-conversation.
Lux let the glass hang lazily from two fingers.
Turned.
Locked eyes with the duke.
And smiled.
Slow.
Very slow.
The kind of smile that said ’try harder, mortal.’
The server awkwardly extended his hand. Lux placed the empty glass back into it like he was returning a finished spell component. "Delicious," he said mildly.
The server blinked and shuffled away.
Next to him, Rava tilted her head, a blue tentacle curling up around her ankle under the table like it was prepping for violence.
"You know him?" she asked quietly.
Lux didn’t take his eyes off the stage.
"Nope," Lux replied casually. "But he just tried to poison ."
Rava blinked.
"What?"
"Mmhm."
Her body tensed beside him. She sat straighter. "Do we—?"
"Nope."
Lux smiled. Didn’t even flinch. "Mortal poison doesn’t affect ."
Rava stared at him, lips slightly parted in a way that almost made him laugh. Because he knew she was already trying to process the implications of what ca next.
"And," he added, "now I have a legitimate excuse to drag you into the nearest restroom and f*ck you."
Rava choked on air.
"You’re insane," she whispered, heat rising in her cheeks fast.
Lux leaned in. "Bored. There’s a difference."
"You can’t just—"
"Oh, I can," he said, voice smooth as oil, "and you know I will."
Her mouth opened. Closed. Her pupils dilated. Tentacles twitched beneath her dress like they were debating whether to wrap around his wrist or slap him.
"Lux," she warned.
He grinned. "Yes, darling?"
"Don’t tempt ."
He leaned in, close enough that his breath traced the shell of her ear. Close enough that her spine straightened like it had just been touched by a live wire. His voice dropped low—silk wrapped around smoke.
"Better idea," he whispered. "Your tentacles could seduce here."
Rava froze.
"Touch ," he murmured, slow and deliberate. "Here... and there. Tease under the table. Ignite . Make desperate for you. I’m better when I’m wild."
Rava’s eyes widened—sharp intake of breath. A flush rushed up her throat, creeping hot behind her ears.
"W-What?" she managed, choking the word like it had claws.
Lux pulled back just enough to smirk at her, eyes gleaming with mischief and heat.
"Or..." he drawled, "you could let do it."
Rava stared at him.
He didn’t blink.
"I can make you desperate," he whispered, voice smooth as sin. "More desperate than this. Because I know my incubus pheromones already did sothing to you... and to this room."
Her lips parted. She didn’t even try to deny it.
Because she couldn’t.
She felt it.
The heat.
The ache.
The way her thighs pressed closer when he got too close.
The way her tentacles twitched like they wanted to wrap around his wrist and drag.
"You’ll screw up the auction," she hissed, trying very hard to act normal. To act like her heart wasn’t a goddamn drumline.
He clicked his tongue, annoyed.
"Tch. Not fun."
Then her voice ca—softer, breathless, barely audible.
"You know what they say about forbidden venues and forbidden events..."
Lux leaned closer, voice pure fire now.
"They always end in sin?" he whispered.
"They don’t say that."
"They should."
Mira turned her head toward them, one brow raised. "Are you two whispering about a side bet?"
Rava cleared her throat. "Sothing like that."
Elyndra leaned forward. "He’s plotting cris. I can see that face."
Fiera looked down the row at Lux, eyes narrowing. "You really drank that whole glass? From him?"
Lux nodded. "He’s sweet. Wanted to share his best bottle."
"You’re impossible," Fiera muttered, clearly holding herself back from saying sothing spicier. Her tails twitched again, betraying the emotions her face refused to show.
"I get that a lot," Lux said with a lazy smile, settling deeper into his chair like the entire auction hall belonged to him—which, at this point, emotionally speaking, it did.
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