ChapterThirty-Eight
SUNDAY
Istood outsideIniquity, my palms sweaty and nerves coiling in my belly. One of my ever-present shadows hovered nearby. I could sense whoever it was watching me, but they never crossed into my line of sight.
The short, slinky black dress I was wearing was so far out of my comfort zone, I had to fight the urge to tug on the hem with every passing moment. But how could I deny Noah this?
He’d left a package on my bed while I was in with the headmistress. The dress and ridiculously sexy lingerie inside spoke volumes about what he had planned for tonight. So did the note that simply read,
Iniquity. Our room. Sunset. - N
No questions, no polite requests. Just instructions.
Usually, it was the act of getting undressed that had my body quivering with need, but as I put on the items Noah had selected specifically for me, I found the opposite to be true. With each brush of silk between my thighs or scratch of lace over my nipples, my arousal grew. At this rate, he wouldn’t have to do more than crook his finger to send me toppling over the edge.
The sensual roll of bass filtered to my ears as I stepped over the threshold and headed down the darkened hallway, my path a straight line to the staircase that led to the room I needed.
Excitement and anticipation hummed in my veins. Would we take another step toward a mate bond tonight? Was that something I wanted? If I accepted that from him, wouldn’t that mean I’d chosen? The questions tumbled through my brain, pushing away the arousal I’d been feeling and replacing it with anxiety.
“Sweet Sunday, you look absolutely delectable this evening.”
Lilith’s sultry voice interrupted my thoughts, and I blinked, not realizing I’d been seconds away from running straight into her.
“So do you,” I said, not having to force my smile as I took in her red leather dress and the whip coiled down her arm.
The succubus’s eyes narrowed as she ran her gaze over me. “Everything okay, sweetheart? I’m sensing some fear, and not the fun kind. Anything I can do to help make your visit more comfortable? Do you want me to call Thorne? He’s not here yet, but I know he’s on his way. He reserved your room for you and left very specific instructions.” She winked. “If it helps put you at ease, you’re in for one hell of a night.”
My nervous energy morphed into lust under the power of her gaze and whatever sexual energy she was putting off. I had to admit, I needed that. She dragged me out of my own head with no effort, and I appreciated that about her right now.
Taking a deep breath, I shook my head. “No. I’m fine. I’ll just wait for him in the room.”
She slid her fingers down my arm, the lust she exuded washing over me. “You do that. And just remember, that room is foryouas much as it is for him. Use it as you need. There’s nothing to say you have to wait for a partner.”
As soon as the suggestion left her crimson lips, I knew I’d be taking her up on it. Maybe if I could relieve some of this tension, I’d feel more in control when Noah arrived.
I turned down the hallway that would take me to the gray room. Just like last time, the door swung open as I approached, inviting me in. Unlike last time, there was a small table just beside the door, a tiny bottle filled with iridescent swirling silver liquid placed in its center. A tag stating ‘Drink Me’ was the only clue as to its purpose.
“Who am I, Alice?” I muttered, fingers playing across the tag.
Nevertheless, my curiosity got the better of me. Noah had set this up for me. He wanted me to get out of my head and relax after the news of our forced dates to the masquerade. I picked up the vial and uncorked the top, giving the liquid inside a cursory sniff. It smelled sweet and rich, like some kind of nectar.
“When in Wonderland,” I murmured, lifting it up and draining the contents.
Immediate, uncontrollable desire pooled between my thighs. Oh, shit. Maybe I should have waited.
I took one tentative step forward, but the tantalizing brush of material over my skin was almost too much. I stopped, reaching out and grasping the table as I let out a breathy moan. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to control my racing heart and the surge of sensual heat pulsing through my veins. What the hell had I just done to myself?
Opening my eyes, I blinked a few times to clear my fuzzy vision. My heart lurched as the scene surrounding me became not the beautiful bedroom I’d expected but Caleb’s office. It was sparsely decorated, cold and empty, although strangely laid out just like the room atIniquity. His altar was still there, though instead of cool stone and wood, it was made up like a bed, complete with thick satin pillows and draped with a silky black sheet. Where the frosted window usually sat in the gray room, there was now a wide screen, reminiscent of what you might find in a confessional separating the penitent from the priest. I swear the shadow of a man moved behind that screen, and a dirty thrill ran through me.
I shouldn’t be here. I should be with Noah. He was the vampire I was waiting for. But something built inside my chest, a magnetic pull toward the screen. Like I was being summoned.
“Have a seat, Miss Fallon.” Fuck, that voice. I knew that voice. Caleb’s Irish brogue rippled across my senses, raising the fine hairs at the back of my neck in anticipation.
“Caleb?” I whispered.
“In a manner of speaking.”
The vague admission was enough to let the last of my inhibitions fall away. If it wasn’t really Caleb, if this was just a fantasy, then it was okay. Why shouldn’t I give into my subconscious’s deepest desire? What was the harm in a little naughty roleplay with my imagination?