The Inferno

Chapter 27 Conflicted

“Y ou’re safe here, with me, us…”

That sentence keeps repeating in my mind, in his voice, with his sincere gaze upon mine.

What does he mean I’m ‘safe’ with them? Safe from what? Who? How could I be safe when they’d never given me any reason to believe it?

I didn’t manage to ask my questions though. I’d pushed myself to the limit and my injuries had finally taken control of my remaining consciousness, forcing me to succumb to sleep after his words.

Now, a soft rustling sound, accompanied by gentle metallic clicks and the shuffling of feet, is awakening my senses.

My power coils around me instinctively, edging out around the room before I even open my eyes. When I do, I see the back of a woman, long black hair tousled into a messy bun, hunched, delicate shoulders which move over a metal tray. The healer.

“Kacey, right?” I try to say, but the words are barely audible. My throat feels raw, as though covered in grit, which makes swallowing difficult.

But it’s enough, the woman suddenly flinches, dropping what was in her hand before catching it with the other, clumsily, and spinning to face me.

“I can be—I mean, y—yes, yes, it is, ma’am.”

My brows raise at the title, then pull together. I’d never been called ‘ ma’am’ before and I wasn’t sure I liked it.

Her wide, baby blue eyes flicker nervously over me and I watch as she gently places the small object back onto the tray before wringing her small, gloved hands together.

“Sorry, yes, that’s my name.”

Her skittish energy plumes around her like a flare of sunlight and my power hungrily latches onto it, pulling it into us and devouring. The feeling of it running within me, coiling around my skin, makes me feel whole again.

I never wanted to feel any other way, ever again. Ever.

“How—how are you feeling?” she asks, her eyes struggling to hold mine. Again, apprehension and worry seep from her .

“Much better, thanks to you.” I even manage a small smile and I slowly pull myself up, until I’m resting against the pile of pillows behind me. “You seem… Is something wrong, Kacey?”

Her eyes jump back to mine, her pale cheeks blooming into a violet shade. “Honestly? I’m just so relieved you’ve woken up. I was terrified what would happen if… what they’d do if—”

“Did they threaten you?” My tone drops, my hoarse voice sounding purposeful now.

“No!” she replies quickly, her big, oval eyes meeting mine fully. “No, Ez—Lord Ezekial asked for my help, he said I didn’t need to do it but, he seemed so sad... I mean, when a council member asks you do to something you just do it, y’know?” Before I can reply, she continues a little faster than before, “And then I saw you, and I thought, ‘Kacey, what have you gotten yourself into now?’ but then I was here and you were so… but then I saw—the enforcers, he didn’t mention them, and I thought, ‘Oh boy, this is just great!’ and they just sat so silently whilst I healed you, it was soooo creepy, and terrifying, and I thought, ‘Are they just waiting for me to mess up?’ . Then, when I was done, and I tried to bathe you, well… I tried to clean you the best I could...”

I wait for her to finish, enjoying listening to the varying tones of her voice and the warm feeling of similarity it brings. When she says certain words, she sounds almost like Alexis. Then I realise what she’s said and I glance down at my body, still clad in what remains of the dress, encased in dried blood with slips of milky skin peeking through.

“They wouldn’t let you?” I query, plucking at the material clinging to me in disgust.

“They didn’t really want me touching you,” she confirms, her voice quiet as though she wasn’t sure she could say it aloud. “Not unless I was healing you, they were very… clear about that. I mean, which I get, kinda, because I can sometimes—”

“Huh, is that so?” I frown, not meaning to interrupt but my annoyance from Kacey’s words bubbles over.

I bite my tongue as I chew over the fact they’d rather I stewed in… whatever I was stewing in, then be washed by another being, a healer, nonetheless, and a woman…

Interesting.

“If you feel well enough, it might be best if you have a shower,” she says. Then her face heats again and she quickly continues, “Not because you need to, I mean if you want to, that is. Because it will help me check if all your injuries are healed, you see, and—”

“Kacey.”

“Yeah?”

“Breathe,” I say slowly, softly.

She does exactly that, taking one large, deep inhale then slowly blowing it out. I mimic her action, making her take another large gulp of air and slowly exhaling together. I feel the tension slowly pulling away and physically draining from her tense shoulders.

After three more, I glance over myself again and wince. “I think a shower is exactly what I need,” I mumble, feeling the blood cracking as I begin to move.

When I start to stand, my power is already poised, ready, surging to the surface and supporting me instantly. I smile in response, seeing the coils slithering over my skin in invisible lines.

Goddess, I missed this.

Kacey moves to create more space as I become familiar with my gait again, she watches every one of my movements whilst worrying her lip. But my smile only widens with each painless step until I make it to the bathroom door.

“If you need any help, I’ll be just here!” Kacey practically squeaks. I deliver her a small smile before I shut the door. She’s a ball of nervous, frantic energy splurging all over and I decide, immediately, that I like her.

The bathroom is exquisite.

Clad with black marble, dark grey cabinets and chrome fixtures. Large, green ferns sprouting in the corners and ivy draping over the concave edges of the ceiling. I’ve never seen a bathroom like it, and I stare a while longer until the shower beckons to me.

I must spend almost an hour in there, the gigantic, chrome waterfall shower head towers above me, covering every inch of my body, and some, whilst I loofah, sponge and rub all over.

My hair is the hardest part to tackle, I allow the water to drench every strand before I begin plying apart the tacky clumps, pinching them apart with my nails first, picking off bits of dried blood which crumble. I have to run my fingers through it several times before I even attempt dousing it in shampoo .

I’m washing out the lavender scented conditioner when the water is no longer tinged by my blood. Watching it lighten from red to pink to clear was almost therapeutic.

When I step out into the hot steam, I feel alive again.

I wipe away the condensation from the ornate, oval mirror, framed by swirling silver patterns, and finally catch sight of myself.

I sigh with relief.

I wasn’t sure what I’d expected. I still remembered the list of my injuries from Julien and Kacey, and the horrific image Kane flashed into my mind, but now, only small marks around my throat remained, barely visible until I lean over the onyx sink to look closer.

“Wow,” I whisper, running damp fingers over my rib cage, collarbone and the temple of my head. There isn’t a single sore spot, not an inch of raised or bruised skin.

When I exit the bathroom, wrapped in a slate coloured, fluffy towel, Kacey abruptly jumps up from an armchair. Her soft gaze quickly scans the bare parts of me, before running up over my towel-clad body, then to my face.

“Your hair really is that colour,” she practically whispers, her face instantly reddening when she realises. “I mean, did that sound bad? It was just because of all the blood, I just couldn’t tell if it was your hair or—”

“You’re an extremely skilled healer, Kacey.” I smile genuinely, allowing the feeling to eat away at her nerves. “Thank you.”

Her cherry red cheeks burn again, eyes darting anywhere but me for a moment, then she blurts, “I don’t normally heal people.” My gaze narrows slightly but she quickly continues, “I used to! I mean, I can… it’s just… I prefer to heal animals now, well, not just animals, I’ll heal just about anything that can’t speak back to me.” She ends her little blurting episode with a quick smirk, then it drops. “I’m not saying I didn’t want to heal you. I didn’t mean that at all, I—”

“I love animals,” I interrupt, taking a seat upon the edge of the bed in attempt to ease her more. “So, will you heal the animal forms of shifters?”

Her eyes instantly light up, the blue becoming brighter as she sits back onto the chair near me. “Oh yeah, I’ve healed some really rare ones too! ”

“I’d love to see that.” And I genuinely mean it, I feed from her excitement and encourage it to grow. “What was the rarest one?”

“Well, at the moment we have a dragon—”

“You’re awake?”

I flinch at the sudden voice which causes Kacey to pause. “Are you OK?”

“I’ve literally just gotten up and taken a shower, seeing as Kacey wasn’t able to bathe me, even though I’d been stewing in Goddess knows what for Goddess knows how long.” I abruptly send over, annoyed at the interruption but also the implication of his tone, that I should have told him the second I’d woken.

Who does he think he is?

“Fuck, Red.” My skin hums. “It’s so good to hear you again.”

That sends an abrupt shiver along my spine. Then crackling skitters over my skin, making my coils eagerly pulse. Ah, I’d almost forgotten it did that.

“Sorry Kacey, I got distracted.” I easily smile, not happy with my lie but knowing deep down I couldn’t just disclose being able to speak with them. Especially when I had no idea how I could or what it meant that I could. “How did a dragon get here? I thought dragon shifters all lived—”

I practically growl at the knock upon my door, but my power only spikes and unfurls in extreme eagerness. I forgot I had to battle with this, mind, body, power, blood…

Before either of us respond, the door opens and a beaming, and shirtless, dark fae appears. At least he had the manners to knock, albeit once, before barging in.

His blue markings practically burn my skin as he moves into the room and my power collides with his, turning the cobalt colour into a deep plumb before fading once again. I forcibly tense to stop the gasp that feeling creates, a deep hum in the very core of my body that I’m not willing to acknowledge right now.

But his face. Goddess damn .

His dimples are prominently displayed as he continues to smile directly at me, casting his piercing gaze at Kacey briefly too. I swear I hear her heart flutter, her eyes slipping to his chest for just a moment, her face becoming a beacon of crimson. I have the sudden urge to snarl again but I swallow it down .

Each step closer makes my power frantic and I force it back, slightly. It does, but like an annoyed teenager it takes it time, curling around me in thick coils of violet angrily.

“You’re interrupting our conversation,” I mutter, eyes intent on his because, if I’m being honest, his bare chest looks so hard and smooth I’m terrified I’ll try to touch him if I stare any longer. “Don’t you have any manners?”

“When it comes to you? No.” His lips slip into a teasing smirk and crackles flicker around him. The humming along my skin intensifies. I decide to remain seated upon the bed, worrying I might stumble if I tried to stand up.

“No—no, it’s fine, sir. I was just finishing my final checks. I’m sorry for taking so long.” Kacey immediately stands, eyes dropping to the ground as her hands raise to hover over me.

“Please, don’t feed his ego by calling him ‘sir’ Kacey,” I murmur, narrowing my gaze at the smirking fae.

Sai grabs Kacey’s seat and, without hesitation for the poor, nervous woman trying to heal me, he slumps down into it, slinging his arm over the back, lounging with his legs slightly parted like he’s preparing to be painted.

I hate how my mouth waters at the rippling of his muscles, especially the ones which line his stomach.

I hate the way his firm, lean body is decorated by beautiful markings.

I hate how they curve around him in just the right places, just so , emphasising his taut form.

I especially hate how his black, combat pants are sitting slightly lower, so I can just about see the stern v-shape leading down...

“Sir? Don’t worry, Red, it doesn’t do anything for me. Not unless it comes from your mouth.”

My brows shoot up from my obvious appraisal. He could have spoken sooner, could have called me out on it. But no, he allowed me to look, he wanted me to.

“Wanna try it?”

I choke out a dry laugh before covering it with a cough. Kacey hasn’t even started healing me yet and now she’s frozen, possibly worried that she’s caused this reaction. I plaster a tight smile on and nod encouragingly at Kacey to continue.

“Shut up.” My eyes flare slightly in warning .

Sai’s salacious gaze never leaves mine and I watch him back. I watch as his tongue runs along his lower lip, then up over his canines. I watch as he tilts his head to the side to study me and my embarrassment at every angle.

How can anyone look like that?

“I— erm.” My eyes shoot to Kacey, thankful for the distraction. “I might need a bit longer to heal your neck, if that’s OK, ma’am?”

“Ma’am, really?”

“Don’t.” I keep looking at Kacey. “That’s fine Kacey, thank you.” I smile up at her, before resuming my narrowed gaze upon Sai’s mischievous face. “Don’t you dare.”

“Does that do it for you? Ma’am?”

I scowl at him, thankful Kacey can’t see my expression as she stands slightly to the side.

His tongue now runs along the inside of his cheek as his gaze narrows, his lips always in that playful smirk. “Nah, but I know what does, Red .” His markings flare and I think I’m on fire. “I know you’re partial to a ‘good girl’ too."

“Sai,” I practically groan, snarl, plead in my mind.

His sapphire gaze flares when I say his name. He leans forward in the chair, placing both elbows on his knees so our faces are nearly level, staring directly at me. “Do you remember the last time you said my name like that?”

This fucker.

I scrunch my lips together and tilt my head to mimic him. “Well, I hope you’ve got an awfully good memory, because it won’t be happening again.”

He drops his head down, shaking it gently as he laughs. His soft curls bounce, partly covering his eyes and my fingers twitch. His laugh is so soft, so husky, it makes my heart flutter.

When he meets my gaze again, my entire expression softens at the tenderness I see there. “I thought we’d lost you.”

I’m completely taken aback by his words. I blink a few times before sitting up straighter on the bed, his intent gaze and sincerity never leaves me.

“I think you’re all done!” Kacey suddenly informs, her cheery voice popping the serious atmosphere and making my eyes snap to her .

“Thank you, Kacey. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me,” I say with earnest, watching again as her cheeks glow a crimson similar to my hair.

“No—no problem, you were a great patient. I mean, you were paralysed for most of it so of course you were— but, what I meant to say was—”

“I knew what you meant,” I interrupt, smiling softly to help ease the nerves which amplified the second he came into the room.

“If the marks on your neck are still there tomorrow, I might need to come back, if that’s OK I mean.” Her deer-like eyes bounce between me and Sai.

Sai looks at me with a small smile, I think he quite likes Kacey too, and I have to work hard to hide my laugh.

“I’ll talk to Lord Ezekial, but I know he’s very pleased with you,” Sai says, addressing Kacey as he stands to his full height, muscles rippling and markings pulsing as he does. He towers over her and she looks more like a fragile doe than before, wide eyes staring up at him.

At his comment, her breath catches and a small hand raises to her chest. “Really?”

Why do I have the innate urge to trap her in my arms and protect her from the world? I keep those thoughts at bay as Sai pulls a small, black rock from his back pant pocket and tosses it to Kacey, who only just manages to catch it.

“See you later, Kacey,” he easily dismisses. Kacey sends a small wave my way but the second her fingers clasp around the rock, she disappears.

I stare at the empty spot with furrowed brows, trying to ignore the nickname he had given the healer by busying my mind with other things, like…“What the hell was that rock?”

Sai openly laughs at me now, a soft, patronising chuckle which even my power doesn’t appreciate as it nudges into him.

“This?” He pulls another from his pocket, the size of a marble, pinching it between his thumb and index finger. “Want me to show you?” he teases, already swaying as he steps towards me.

I remain seated upon the edge of the bed, hand clamping my towel like a vice as he peers down at me with those stormy eyes. He quickly drops, crouching inches before me, holding out the rock towards my face .

I flicker my gaze between him and the rock before reaching forward with my free hand. At the last second, he pulls away, making me frown with annoyance.

“What do I get in return?” he asks, the teasing, suggestive sound of his voice tugging at my chest. My breath catches in my throat as his eyes trace all over me in a slow trail filled with heat.

“Why is there always a game with you?” I ask begrudgingly, trying to keep the rasp at bay. I hesitate for a second before reaching out again.

He catches me by the wrist, his power instantly sinking into me and causing a sharp current to rush through my spine. I stare at his fingers coiling around my wrist so gently, our faces closer than before.

“I’ve told you before, Red. I’m a dark fae. I’m selfish,” he murmurs, his eyes tracing my face. “We’re always placing bets, making bargains, manipulating people to get what we what. It’s in my nature.” His voice draws me back to his lips as he smirks, the edges of his canines peering out.

Our proximity, accompanied with his feather-light touch, has a devastating effect upon my composure. My skin heats, my power crackling madly beneath it, urging me to release more, to take more, and I can feel my gaze softening as I fall under his spell.

“But I also know how hot it makes you when I tell you what I want, like right now, you’re desperate to know my terms. What I’ll ask of you. What I want to do to you.”

If his eyes were previously a storm, now they’re a raging tempest. Like a siren dragging me into the deepest depths of the ocean, I can’t look away; his dangerous murmurs are melodies of sin I can’t escape.

And I want more.

I need more.

“What, no more come backs?” He smirks, but there’s a flicker of uncertainty in his voice now because, instead of speaking, I’m leaning forward until we’re a hairbreadth apart.

His entire body stills.

My power oozes around us in a vibrant halo, his eyes are fixed upon me, his markings flare erratically.

I take my time. Consuming his face with my gaze. Memorising him.

Slowly, I close the distance until our lips barely skim.

Then, I repeat the action, skimming his lips. It’s not a kiss, just a touch. His fingers tighten around my wrist .

When he tries to nudge closer, to make this more than just a touch, I draw back just so. He quickly learns to remain still, to allow me to lead this game, even if his restraint is hanging by a thinning thread.

I hear his quiet, ragged breaths every time I’m within reach, the urge to close the space almost painful.

When my lips are barely tracing his again, the touch a feathery caress, I press just a tad harder and he releases a guttural groan against our mouths.

All lights in the room shatter, engulfing us into complete darkness.

The sound of imploding glass fractures my haze. I pull back, staring in horror at Sai as I brieflypress fingers to my lips, my lips that were touching his.

“I— I don’t know why I did that, I’m—”

His mouth is on mine.

It’s a ravenous, possessive kiss that removes all thoughts, all restraints, re-igniting my need to just touch him.

I kiss him back, harder, commanding more, feeling his hands race into my damp hair, tugging at the strands, and urging me to submit. My fingers grip his shoulders fiercely, nails digging, and the towel drops—forgotten.

We’re both battling for control.

He pulls me into him, a harsh tug that has me gasping against his mouth and his tongue eagerly sweeps in, his power caresses me and I moan wantonly.

I’m pushed against a wall, drunk from his touch as my legs hook onto his waist. His lips run along my throat, teasing the skin in tentative nips and licks. I whimper when his tongue runs along my neck in one, long, languid stroke.

He’s winning.

“ Fuckkkk ,” he grits out before his mouth clashes with mine once more. Lips, teeth, tongue battling with the need for more. Our powers collide, the sensation another layer of pleasure and I shiver. “You feel incredible,” he murmurs whilst somehow still kissing me.

Another light, somewhere outside the room, shatters, then another. It only adds to our heat, our powers amplifying every single touch, our nerves becoming trip wires.

“Red, we need to stop,” he murmurs, panting. He manages to pause for a second, our lips just touching as he speaks, “The others are coming. ”

But I can’t think .

Can’t understand his words.

I just need to feel . Feel him .

I’ve amplified our emotions, these sensations, to the point of erasing all logical thoughts and when I stare at him, at his swollen lips, his racing chest and intricate markings casting us in a deep, violet hue... stopping is the last thing on my mind.

“More,” I plead, before lunging for his lips again, but he holds me just out of reach.

I can see the conflict on his face, his blown pupils, locked jaw. “But the others—”

I growl like a fucking animal, gripping his hair, yanking his head to the side and running my lips, teeth, along the marking taunting me there, ending upon the very edge of his jaw.

“Fuck—Red—I...”

His words cut out, the force he used previously depleting as I continue kissing and teasing his marking. When I slowly travel upwards to his lips again, I catch his frantic eyes and, this time, I pause at the darkness lingering there.

“They’re going to kill me,” he murmurs, before dropping his lips back along my throat, teeth skimming my jaw slowly whilst his grip tightens upon my hips. My head falls back with a low moan from the sensual pain, his pace slowing even more as he whispers against my lips, “But I can’t deny you.”

This is too hard.

Processing thoughts, making words.

I want to feel.

Need to feel.

But his words pierce some of the lust induced fog, the words ‘others’ and ‘kill’ coming to the forefront of my mind.

“Wait... wait,” I say a little louder when he doesn’t stop. “They? Who? Who’s coming?” I’m breathless and trying desperately to ignore his mouth upon my jaw, his fingers trailing along my naked thigh, whilst I piece his words together.

“You, if—”

“The others? You mean...” My panic immediately swells, my power coiling in and around me, instantly forming like a layer of armour.

This only seems to encourage Sai. Rather than stopping, I feel him smirking against the hollow of my throat, fingers brushing over my breasts causing me to gasp.

When I try to pat his hands away, albeit haphazardly, he stares up at me innocently with those stormy blues .

“Put me down,” I quietly demand, my hands clasping his shoulders as I push him downwards.

He pauses and, eventually, he begins to do just that. He maintains our gaze as he carefully lowers me to my feet, hands remaining around my naked waist.

Just when I’m about to dash around him for my discarded towel, he suddenly pushes into me, pushing my spine flat against the wall again. Before I can act, he’s already lifted his leg between mine, high enough to ensure I’m now straddling his thigh, my back arching off the wall.

Our chests are tightly pressed, foreheads touching, lips skimming, and the sudden friction against my bare skin is... euphoric .

I bite my lip to stop the whimper erupting but when he slowly, teasingly, rolls his hips into me, gripping my waist to hold me in place, causing the fabric of his pants, his thigh, to rub against me just there.

I gasp against his mouth, " Fuck. "

He stops. Then he moves again, so slowly, tortuously slow, barely a movement, whilst he watches me fight against myself.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” Sai whispers, our lips barely touching each time he moves. “So sensitive to my touch. Think you can come like this, Red? From me barely touching you? Just grinding against my thigh like this?”

I’m lost again.

My chest raising and falling in heavy pants. Soft, desperate sounds escape me with every teasingly slow touch.

He never quickens the pace.

He continues rolling into me, grinding my hips down and against his muscular thigh, until I’m on the very edge. “You’re so close, aren’t you?”

I nod against him, another whimper falling from my mouth as his thumb brushes over my quivering lower lip.

“I want to keep you like this forever,” he murmurs, voice thick with need, darkness seeping into the words which brings me even closer. “Do you know what edging is, Red?”

I shake my head and his other thumb brushes against the edge of my breast. He releases a deep chuckle and the vibration only brings me closer. I lean forward, desperate to have his mouth on mine again, but he holds back.

“No, you’re not coming now,” he whispers, the sound dark and controlling, filled with a primal undertone.

I whine like an animal, almost crying at his refusal to give me the release I desperately crave.

“Shh, I know baby, I know,” he hushes my pained cries, tracing the edge of my jaw with his lips as he murmurs in Faeish. I have no idea what he’s saying, but it somehow soothes me. “Soon, just not now.”

I feel like crying.

I feel the tears forming in my eyes, then his mouth finally lands upon mine again.

But this kiss is different.

Soft and reassuring, rather than possessively taking. When he pulls back, his bright gaze cautiously grazes over me, his thumb tentatively brushing against my lips which feel pleasantly sore.

My entire body feels on fire, humming with an invisible current, one wrong move and I’ll surely erupt into flames.

I’m panting softly, forcing myself to take longer breaths, attempting to soothe my coiled body.

Finally, my mind reappears from its lust filled haze and a deep, burning anger forms in the pit of my stomach. Sai sees the change, his gaze practically glowing with excitement as my eyes narrow into slits, my body tensing so hard I nearly shake.

“You fucking asshole,” I snarl quietly, grinding my jaw and pushing against his bare chest in quick, hard jabs but he remains solid before me. “Let me go, get the fuck off me.”

“There she is.” He grins, ignoring my fists upon his chest and staring directly at me instead. “Don’t be mad, Red. I only stopped because they’ve just entered the house and if they’d heard the sounds you were just making… Well, let’s just say it would get awfully crowded in here awfully quick. I didn’t think you’d be ready for that.”

My eyes widen at that information and my power also reacts, tendrils seeping out and under the door, confirming instantly that we are not alone any longer.

I’d been so enraptured by Sai, his touch, his power, his taste… I hadn’t even felt them arrive.

His fingers trail over my cheek, bringing my focus back to him. His eyes are softer now, a slight furrow between his dark brows as he continuously touches me, as though checking I’m still here, like I’ll disappear if he stops.

I feel a new emotion seep into me, one of worry, of guilt. It’s heavy and cold.

I hate it .

My power quickly eats into it, twisting it into one of calm instead. My tightened fists finally relax, flattening out upon his bare chest as my voice softens. “Why do you feel like that?”

Sai doesn’t respond, he’s lost in thought somewhere. His fingers repeat the same gentle caresses over my face, he never stops touching me as he stares ahead at nothing.

I raise my fingers, placing them upon his cheek and copy his movements. It seems to awaken him, his eyes bursting with life again and finally meeting mine.

“Why do you feel like that?” I repeat softly.

There’s a spark of anger but it’s quickly smothered out before he responds, “We should never have left you.” I pull back, confused, searching his face. “When Ezekial… If I had stayed, you wouldn’t have… I’m so sorry, Jasmine.”

Had he ever said my real name before?

The sudden flash of warmth running through my veins tells me otherwise. Somehow, his touch becomes even more intimate now and his eyes are swimming with a sorrow I’m desperate to rid him of.

“No, don’t alter it,” he suddenly says, possibly feeling the emotions beginning to change, his other hand tightening around my waist. “I deserve to feel this.”

“Shouldn’t I get to decide what you deserve?” My voice holds a bite of anger and his eyes flare with surprise from the tone. “I was the one it happened to. I’ll be the one to decide what you get or don’t get to feel.”

The words are out, the sexual undertone completely missed by me, but Sai latches onto it instantly. His sad, puppy dog eyes igniting with the chance, sparking back into a luminous blue which makes my heart race.

“Oh really, Red?” His smirk slowly re-forms, his voice dipping into a dangerous whisper and my power flickers excitedly. “Please, please tell me exactly what you want me to feel, your wish is my—”

“ Meeting downstairs, five minutes. Bring her.” His tone is glacial. Like ice cold water dousing me.

Sai sighs, dropping his forehead to mine in a gentle gesture which brings heat again. But his next move is what surprises me the most. He places a chaste, tender kiss upon my lips before reluctantly pulling away .

This kiss wasn’t to take control, or manipulate, or seduce… Before I can figure out this new game, the rock from before is back and he places it under my hand still against his chest.

Suddenly, I’m in a new room. Sai’s back is facing me as his opens a large, orante, charcoal cupboard lined with various clothes. I play with the rock between my fingers for a moment, then realise I’m still completely naked.

My gaze flickers around the dimly lit room, reaching for a t-shirt scrunched up on a dark, velvet chaise. It’s so large it could easily be mistaken for a bed. I slip it on, instantly being drown by the scent of Sai and feeling my power eagerly latch onto the fabric.

When Sai turns to face me, Alexis’ purple gym bag is hanging from one hand and his eyes scale every inch of me. My heart races again. I remind myself I’m no longer naked but Sai’s intense gaze makes it easy to question reality.

“The rocks allow you to flit?” I suddenly ask, needing to break the heat his expression creates as he stalks towards me. He nods, one terse head movement, and then he closes the distance, my eyes searching the bag for a desperate distraction.

“It’s a piece of my power,” he elaborates, his husky voice urging my eyes to meet his vibrant blues. “You can’t wear that.”

I scrunch my brows at his sudden order, gripping the hem of his t-shirt and suddenly want to rip it apart at his tone.

“Don’t worry, I won’t ruin it. I just didn’t want to be naked with you any longer.” I practically humph at the end, my cheeks reddening from embarrassment as I grab Alexis’ bag and harshly tug.

He doesn’t let go, and I tug again, meeting his gaze with my angry scowl. When he tugs me against him suddenly, his arms barricading me to him, my power surrounds us in panic.

His lips caress the shell of my ear as he murmurs, “Seeing you wearing something of mine is driving the darkness in me to come out. The dangerous, possessive part of me that won’t stop until it claims you in every way.”

I shiver at his words, his voice is tinged and altered with the darkness he speaks of and it only urges mine to stir too, I feel it uncoiling.

“So, I suggest you get changed and we get that perfect ass of yours downstairs before I decide to flit somewhere else and let it out. OK, Red? ”

I’m nodding against him instantly, feeling the darkness of his sweeping over me in a possessive crackle that emphasises everything Sai just said.

When his grip finally softens, I quickly pull back and retreat into the bathroom behind me. I hear his soft laughter trickle under the door and I shiver again, but it isn’t fear I feel... far from it.