Chapter 12
Callen
The twisted metal gate creaks as I push it open, my eyes scanning the poison garden's sinister beauty. Vibrant flowers in unnatural hues sway gently, their petals dripping with toxins. Through the maze of deadly flora, a familiar figure wanders by - Brigid, looking utterly lost.
Damn it, Lochan. You had one job.
I watch her for a moment, appreciating the way her the neckline of her t-shirt reveals the swell of her breasts as she bends over to peer at a blood-red bloom.
My body responds instantly to the sight of her exposed skin. Adjusting myself discreetly, I approach.
This could be fun .
"Careful there," I call out, my voice smooth. "That pretty flower will melt your skin right off."
Brigid whirls around, gray eyes wide. I flash her my most disarming smile.
"My apologies for leaving you with Lochan earlier. Leaving a boy to do a man's job was ill-advised."
The jab at my oldest friend comes out teasingly, but there's an edge to it. Lochan should have known better than to let her wander off alone.
Surviving Grimstone is hard enough for those of us who were born into magic, let alone someone who literally just found out about the supernatural world yesterday. She’s like a newborn babe when it comes to all of this
Brigid's guarded expression doesn't waver, but a slight flush creeps up her neck. "I can take care of myself," she says coolly.
“No doubt.” I glance at the deadly plants in front of her as I move closer, blocking her from getting any nearer to them. Any one of them could end her life with a simple touch of a petal.
My gaze rakes over her body, lingering on the curves hidden beneath her baggy clothes. Such a shame to keep all that beauty concealed. I imagine peeling away each layer, revealing soft skin inch by tantalizing inch...
I force my eyes up to her face and my thoughts back to the present as Brigid speaks.
"Why did you leave earlier?" she asks, her tone wary. "You didn't wait for me."
I shrug, keeping my expression neutral. "I had something to do." She doesn’t push for more.
Brigid glances around the garden, taking in the thickly twisting vines and lush foliage. "Where are we exactly?"
"Ah, welcome to Grimstone's poison garden," I say with a theatrical sweep of my arm. "Everything here is as beautiful as it is deadly. Much like yourself, I'd wager."
Brigid rolls her eyes at the line, but I see the hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
"I didn't mean to end up here," she admits, frustration coloring her voice. "I was trying to get back to my room but went through the wrong door. This place is like a damn maze."
We start walking along the winding path, poisonous flora surrounding us on all sides. We stop for a moment, and I gesture to a particularly striking blood-red flower.
"Beautiful, isn't it? That's Bitter Bloodroot. A single drop and your throat swells shut within minutes."
"You seem to know an awful lot about deadly plants," Brigid remarks, her tone a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.
I flash her a grin. "I make it my business to know about beautiful, dangerous things."
My eyes roam over her form again, making my meaning clear. A blush creeps up her neck, staining her cheeks a delightful pink. Oh, how I'd love to see just how far down that blush goes...
"Is that so?" she asks, her voice wavering almost imperceptibly. She's aiming for nonchalance and missing spectacularly.
I step closer. "Indeed. And you, my darling Brigid, might just be the most intriguing specimen I've encountered in quite some time."
Her eyes flicker to my lips, betraying her thoughts.
I trace a finger along her neck, reveling in the goosebumps that bloom in its wake. "Last night, I had the most vivid dream…" My words were soft, almost inaudible. Yet, as they drifted into her ears, like phantom threads, they wove a story. "I was thinking of you," I continue, "in my bed."
Her lips press together tightly. I know she’s seeing exactly what I want her to see. I trail my hand along her arm, waiting for her to push me away or tell me to stop.
She doesn’t. She meets my gaze with her own, arching an eyebrow as if challenging me to continue. Fascinating .
I dial it up a notch and push the vision into her mind.
"I pictured myself, licking my way up from your ankle," I begin, " kissing my way up your thighs, savoring every inch of your creamy skin."
She shudders, and I see her squeezing her thighs together. I know that under my mesmerism she’s feeling every single sensation as well as seeing it.
"And then," I whisper, leaning in so our noses almost touch, "I imagined tasting you."
The silence between us is deafening.
"Callen, I—"
"Shh," I repeat, brushing my lips against her ear, "I'm not done."
I see her body arch towards mine, almost imperceptibly.
"I licked all the way up to your center," I continue, my voice barely a whisper. "I couldn’t get enough of your sweet pussy. You were dripping for me, darling, and it was beautiful."
I see her lashes flutter, her eyes closing involuntarily, and her hands twist.
"And when I finally looked up," I say, emphasizing each word, "I saw your beautiful face, and I wanted to watch you come all over my fingers.”
I trail my fingers back up her side, moving along the curve of her collarbone. "And do you know, Brigid, that thinking of you like that, laid out bare for me," I moved my hand to lightly grip her chin, “makes me wonder how the real thing will compare to my imagination.”
Brigid’s eyes are closed. Her mouth is parted. I’m so close I can feel her breath on my lips. She’s on the brink, and with one devilish thought I could push her over and watch her come undone.
Unfortunately, that’s not in the cards today. I reluctantly tear my gaze from her beautiful face and see that my appointment has arrived. I break the spell with a snap of my fingers.
I step back abruptly, watching her confusion as her eyes widen.
“Let’s get you back.” I walk to the gate and hold it open for her, gesturing that she should go in front of me.
We’ll have our time to play later.