“I hope I never get the pleasure.”
The humming laughter is a gentle soothing sound, and I can’t pretend not to be interested enough to ignore the stranger at my side. My hair tilts back just slightly, but when I glance out of the corner of my eye, he too is peering at me from behind rain-soaked, black hair. Black eyes study the long length of my frame. But his eyes meet mine all the same.
And a slow, carving smile curves his full lips so far back, I just know he literally eats people for a living.
Nope.
Stop ya right there. Those ones are the deadliest.My logical mind springs to life like a cock-blocking assassin.
Dammit.
I peer up toward Ivy once more. Her head is tilted back, and she’s silent as she listens intently to Leavon.
“So please, over the next week, my home is your home.”My destiny is yours,I think like an echo as he starts his next recited line. “My destiny is yours. Welcome.” The sound of heavy gears and barred walls parting is heard through the pounding rain. The group ahead of me, my sister included, stride toward the gates that are now open somewhere up ahead, and I have to be on my way if I’m going to protect her.
I walk away from the crowd.
Until I disappear entirely.
* * *
I climb the windowsills with quick hand placements and kicking boots until I’m at the third floor. I trained for this. When I was here, I was urged to build my strength and my magic.
And when I left, I never stopped building those things. Except it wasn’t to impress Leavon anymore. It was to protect myself from him.
The Chosen rooms were on the third floor when I was here. Let’s hope they still are.
My slick footing barely heaves me over the window’s ledge, and I can hear the laughter of the crowd rising from the floors below.
The others will be here in minutes.
I scurry down the corridor. In the candlelight, I scan the nameplates of the new occupants on the doors. The letters are a blur to me until I spot the one circling my mind over and over.
Ivy Cuore.
And below her name is another. I was prepared for that. Every Chosen has a Carnal roommate who helps them adjust and advises them.
I can be that person.
I slip Bethory Hallins little name off the door, and the clank of it clattering down the corridor is a nerve-racking sound, but it’s done.
A sigh of contentment eases from my lungs at how easy it was to become her roommate.
I push open our door, and... fuck.
“You must be Ivy!” A bubbly little demon whore beams at me with a toothy, white smile.
I blink at her for several seconds.
“Bethory?” I ask with a slow, churning smile of my own.
Her head rattles a happy yes.
“An important-looking woman with a clipboard downstairs was just asking for you actually.” I point my thumb over my shoulder.
Bethory’s smile turns serious.
That’s what clipboards do. They’re very serious, you know.