Venera had noticed the ring, of course she had. The real question, however, was whether she cared.
Being a homewrecker was hardly a flattering title, and even Venera could acknowledge that much. Yet in her own twisted mind, things felt different when it came to the art of luring a woman away from a man, boyfriend or husband alike. Was it bold? Certainly. Reckless, perhaps. But if there was one thing Venera had come to understand over the centuries, it was that men often reacted differently when another woman pursued what they considered theirs. Many of them even found amusement in it at first.
Men were simple creatures. That much, at least, she understood well.
Frankly, Venera did not particularly care about the repercussions. Whether Elijah himself attempted to put an end to this little game, or whether one of his siblings intervened instead, mattered very little to her. She was not immortal, nor invincible, but the power she wielded was hardly something to dismiss lightly. And if nothing else, she felt daring enough tonight to risk the consequences.
โIt is not merely flattery,โ Venera replied softly, her voice smooth as velvet. โIt is simply the truth. You are absolutely breathtaking.โ Her gaze lingered deliberately upon Tatia, entirely unashamed. โBut I suppose that is to be expected from the enigma known as the doppelgรคngers. I can understand why Silas spiraled the way he did if Amara was anything like you, which, I imagine, she was, considering the entire doppelgรคnger curse and all.โ There was the slightest tilt of her head then, slight amusement flickering behind her eyes. โThough in the end, Silas was merely a foolish man.โ She swirled her drink lazily. โHonestly, had I been Qetsiyah, I would have chosen Amara as well over the dullness that was Silas.โ
The irony of her words was not lost on her. Entire covens had worshipped Silas once, treating him as though he were divine. To Venera, such devotion meant very little. Gods, monsters, immortals, they all bled in the end.
โAmara may be long gone,โ she continued, โyet you remain. Still radiant, still powerful. Still capable of making an entire room feel dim by comparison.โ
That seemed to be the opening Venera had been waiting for, though she could not quite tell whether Tatia was genuinely entertaining the idea or merely humoring her little game. In truth, it hardly mattered. Venera had always known how to work with even the smallest crack in a door left slightly open, and she intended to test just how far this one might lead.
โThat sounds suspiciously like an invitation for me to linger a little longer,โ Venera mused, her lips curving into a slow, knowing smile. โI suppose I could manage to stay around for a while.โ Her gaze drifted briefly across the crowded room, toward the sea of predators.
โThat is, of course, if this charming little celebration does not end with a bit more red being spilled than intended.โ Her tone was light, teasing, though there was an unmistakable sharpness beneath it. โThings do tend to become rather interesting when so many vampires gather beneath one roof.โ She lifted her glass slightly before taking a slow sip. โNot that I am particularly worried.โ A soft hum followed. โThough I confess, I am not entirely certain what exactly is being celebrated tonight. I am merely someoneโs plus one...โ Her eyes flickered with false innocence. โThough I cannot seem to find where my date has wandered off to.โ The lie rolled off her tongue effortlessly. In reality, she had slipped inside unnoticed, uninvited and entirely unbothered by it.
โOr perhaps,โ she said quietly, stepping just a little closer, โthe celebration is meant to be for you.โ
