Chapter 27 #2
They pressed themselves into the corner where two shelves met, Ramona’s back against the books, Zara in front of her. The space was barely wide enough for two people. They were pressed together, chest to chest, Zara’s hands braced on either side of Ramona’s head.
Ramona’s heart hammered through her body, roaring in her ears. Through the tether, she felt Zara’s elevated pulse, her protective focus.
The lights turned off, and Ramona couldn’t see anything in front of her. “I’m feeling jealous of your dark vision right now,” she admitted.
Zara huffed a small laugh, too close to her ear. Through the tether, Ramona could feel a pulse of arousal. Zara’s hand slid down her side, settling on her hip. Zara’s thumb was making slow, lazy circles over Ramona’s skin. In the darkness, the sensation felt heightened on her skin.
Ramona tucked her face against Zara’s neck, and she felt the demon shiver against her. The warmth of Zara, the feel of provocative thoughts through the tether, the danger and excitement and thrill of the moment… This want, this need for Zara, was making her reckless.
Ramona’s breath was coming too fast. Not just from fear now. From the pressure of Zara’s body against hers, from the heat between them in this cramped space, from the absolutely inappropriate timing of her body’s response to their situation.
It was the adrenaline, she told herself. It was just the tether sensing the heightened energy in their bodies.
“Listen,” Zara whispered, her breath warm against Ramona’s ear, making her recall all manner of things Zara had whispered to her in the dark for weeks now.
Ramona tried to concentrate past her racing heart, her stupid lust. The footsteps were still distant. Not moving closer. Just a guard making regular rounds through the main library.
Zara didn’t move from where they were pressed together in the dark. Ramona could feel Zara’s breath on her neck, the warmth of her body, the way her hips were pinning Ramona against the shelf.
“Ramona,” Zara murmured. “Your heart is racing.”
“We’re hiding in a place I’m banned. Of course it’s racing.”
“That’s not why.” Zara’s voice dropped lower, amused. “Really? Here? Now?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ramona whispered.
“Liar.” Zara shifted slightly, pressing closer. “You’re so turned on.”
“I am not—”
“You are.” Zara’s fingers teased along the waistband of Ramona’s skirt. “We’re breaking into your former workplace, hiding from guards in the restricted archives, and I think you’re getting wet thinking about… what, exactly?”
“Nothing,” Ramona breathed. “I’m not—”
“Don’t lie to me.” Zara’s lips were at her ear now. “I can feel everything you’re feeling. So tell me — what are you thinking about?”
Ramona bit her lip. Refused to answer.
“Come on, we have at least twenty minutes to wait here,” Zara whispered, her tongue tracing the sensitive shell of Ramona’s ear.
Ramona let out a ragged breath.
Zara’s hand slid lower, found the hem of Ramona’s skirt. “Is it this? Being trapped here with me? The danger?”
“Zara—”
“Or is it something else?” Zara’s fingers traced the edge of her skirt. Not quite touching skin. “Maybe the fact that we’re in Thornwood. The place that expelled you. Taking back access they tried to deny you.”
Ramona’s breath hitched. “Both,” she finally whispered. “It’s both.”
“Mmm.” Zara’s approval was palpable. “You like this. The risk. The rebellion.”
“Maybe.”
“Definitely.” Zara’s hand slid up beneath her skirt now, fingers finding her inner thigh through her thin tights. “Should I stop?”
“No,” Ramona said immediately. Too quickly.
Zara laughed softly. “That’s what I thought.”
“This is insane,” Ramona breathed. “Someone could catch us. This is basically the worst possible thing we could be doing.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Zara’s fingers moved higher. “That’s what’s getting you so worked up. What else do you plan to do while we wait?”
Her fingers reached the edge of Ramona’s tights, pushing past the waistband, tracing over her underwear, to find her absolutely soaked.
“Fuck,” Zara whispered. “You really are—”
Ramona buried her face into Zara’s neck, partly to hide her expression of desperation, but also to nip at the sensitive skin there. She felt a pulse of pleasure through the tether.
“Why not?” Zara’s fingers pressed against the fabric, not quite touching where Ramona needed. “You’re the one who’s so turned on you can barely think straight. While we’re hiding from security. In a library.”
“Zara, please…”
“Please what?” Zara’s voice was wicked. “Please touch you? Please make you come while there’s a guard walking around upstairs? Please make you be quiet while I finger you in the restricted section?”
“Yes,” Ramona gasped. “All of that. Please.”
“Well.” Zara’s fingers slid beneath the fabric. “Since you asked so nicely.”
She found Ramona wet and wanting and completely desperate.
“Oh,” Zara breathed. “You’re already—”
“Shut up and touch me properly,” Ramona demanded. Her hips pushed forward, seeking more contact.
“So bossy.” But Zara obeyed, fingers moving in deliberate circles that made Ramona’s knees weak. “Is this better?”
“Yes,” Ramona whimpered. “Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning to.” Zara’s other hand covered Ramona’s mouth gently. “But you need to be quiet for me. Can you do that?”
Ramona nodded frantically.
“Good girl.” Zara’s fingers pressed inside her.
Ramona moaned against her palm. Her whole body went taut, fighting to stay silent while Zara’s fingers worked with devastating precision.
“That’s it,” Zara murmured. “So perfect for me.”
The footsteps of a guard on the floor above was distant background noise that only made Zara’s touch feel more intense. The knowledge that they could be discovered any second, that Ramona was letting Zara fuck her in a library where they were stealing ancient grimoires…
It was overwhelming.
“You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?” Zara’s voice was low, intimate. “About the risk. About getting caught. About what a scandal it would be if someone found Ramona Greenbriar getting fucked in Thornwood’s restricted archives by a demon.”
Ramona whimpered against her palm. Her hips moved with Zara’s fingers, chasing the pleasure, completely lost in it now.
“So beautiful like this,” Zara continued. “So desperate. I can feel how close you are already.”
She was. Ramona was so close, every nerve on fire, the combination of danger and desire and Zara’s fingers inside her pushing her right to the edge.
Zara’s thumb found her clit, circled it with perfect pressure. Ramona’s eyes rolled back.
“That’s it,” Zara breathed. “Come for me. Right here. Right now. Show me how good it feels to take back what’s yours.”
The orgasm hit like lightning — sudden, overwhelming, all-consuming. She bit down on Zara’s palm to muffle her cry, her whole body shaking, waves of pleasure rolling through her while Zara worked her through it with practiced skill.
When she finally came down, boneless and trembling, Zara huffed a quiet, self-satisfied laugh.
“Feel better?” Zara asked, slowly withdrawing her hand.
“I—” Ramona started laughing breathlessly. “I can’t believe we just did that.”
“You started it.” Zara adjusted Ramona’s tights and skirt back into place, wiping her hand on her own jeans after Ramona had gasped when she’d reached to wipe it on a nearby book. “Getting all worked up while we’re hiding from guards.”
“You didn’t have to finish it.”
“Where would be the fun in that?” Zara kissed her forehead. “Besides, you asked so nicely.”
The footsteps had faded completely. The library above was silent again.
“Can you focus now, Mortal?” Zara asked.
“Yes.” Ramona tested her legs. They held. Barely. “Yes, I can definitely focus.” She blinked. “Has it been enough time yet?”
“Almost.”
Right. The grimoires. The actual reason they’d broken in.
“You search that section.” Zara pointed left. “I’ll take the right.”
They split up. Ramona moved through the stacks with her tiny flashlight, running her fingers along spines, reading titles in ancient, dead languages. Her heart was still racing, but differently now. Not just fear. Excitement. The thrill of taking back access that had been forbidden.
She found the first grimoire tucked between larger volumes. Liber Purgationis Maleficae. She pulled it carefully, opened to the table of contents. Chapter seven. Cleansing demonic corruption from convergence points. “Zara,” she whispered. “I found—”
A sound.
Distant but distinct. Footsteps. Not coming from above, but somewhere closer.
Ramona froze, listening.
The footsteps continued — regular, measured. A guard making rounds?
Zara appeared beside her instantly, silent. Their eyes met. Through the tether, Ramona felt Zara’s sharp attention, her assessment.
The footsteps were getting closer.
Ramona pulled out her phone but didn’t get service. Zara checked her HellBerry, and Ramona saw a message from Felix.
Felix: A guard is coming downstairs, not sure why. Am setting off alarm on other end of building to buy you time. Hurry UP.
They found the other two texts in a frantic hustle — splitting up again and practically running between shelves.
“Got them,” Zara whisper-yelled down the aisle where Ramona was kneeling and squinting at a title she couldn’t read. Zara held up the last grimoire. “And the curse identification texts. We have everything.”
They checked in with Felix to see if they could leave and got a thumbs-up.
They left the way they’d entered — carefully, quietly. Up the stairs, through the dark library, down empty corridors.
Zara angled her phone, shielding its low light. “Felix says we have to change our route out. Go left.”
Ramona veered into uncertain territory, pushing open a door that they hadn’t planned to. An alarm immediately sounded, and she looked to Zara, panic spiking either in her own body or in Zara’s.