Page 25 of His Dark Cravings

The room feels lighter, the shadows retreating as the last guest exits. I feel good, almost exhilarated. The evening exceeded my expectations. It was… surprisingly fun.

Standing there, the quiet hum of the house settling around me, a smile plays on my lips.

I wonder what the next outfit will look like.

Chapter 9

Everly

The low hum of the house is a constant companion these days, a background thrum to my new life. It’s been... easier, since the dinner party. Work feels less like wading through quicksand, more like... navigating a stream I used to visit often. Even the dolls feel less like figures from some strange dream and more like... well, complicated people I'm getting to know.

I’m in my room, waiting for dinner to be ready. The scent of roasting meat and something subtly spiced hangs in the air, and it's making my stomach growl.

I wonder what Lila is up to—probably orchestrating some kind of chaos. Sable will be applying her makeup, I imagine, getting ready for dinner. And Winter is probably meditating. Or sharpening something. A sudden curiosity hits me.

I want to see what they're all doing, not just imagine it.

I head out of my room and down the long corridor, my bare feet making no sound on the plush carpet. When I get upstairs, I pass the vast living area—empty—and turn toward the game room. I've walked past it many times but never spent any time there. This space feels playful, almost juvenile. A huge pool table dominates the room, its felt surface gleaming under soft lights. A bar, stocked with liquor of all kinds, runs along one wall. A few gaming consoles sit neatly arranged against another.

Talon would love it here.

Sable’s here, her back to me, her fiery red hair tumbling down to her waist. I want to run my fingers through it. The crack of balls hitting each other fills the room as she makes a quick motion. For a moment, I just watch her, admiring the way she handles the cue stick—not that I’d ever admit it out loud.

“Need something?” Sable says impatiently. She doesn’t turn around, but I notice the tense set of her shoulders.

“No, not really. Thought we could talk,” I say, my voice softer than I intended.

I step further into the room, eyeing the pool table. I've never played, but I'm willing to give it a try if she offers.

Sable finally turns to face me, the cue stick resting against the table. Her hazel eyes narrow as she studies me.

“What’s there to talk about, Everly? You here to make small talk? Bond over our shared hobby of being Xavier’s playthings?”

Her tone stings, but I stand my ground. “I just thought it might be nice to get to know each other better. We’re in the same situation, after all.”

Sable rolls her eyes, the motion exaggerated. She strides across the room, her combat boots stomping heavily against the floor. “Spare me the drama. You think we’re the same? You think you belong here?” She stops in front of me. “You’re not like me, Everly. You’re not like Winter or Lila or any of the others. You’re still... soft. Innocent. And it’s going to get you hurt.”

Her words hit hard, but I refuse to let her see it. “And what exactly is your situation, Sable? You act like you hate it here, like you’re some kind of prisoner. But you’re still here, aren’t you? You could leave if you wanted to.”

Sable’s laughter is harsh, cutting through the room like a blade. “You really are clueless, aren’t you? You think Xavier lets people just leave? You think he’d let someone like me walk away after everything he’s done for me?”

“For you?” I repeat, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what you call it?”

Sable’s eyes flash with anger, her hands clenching into fists. For a moment, I think she might lash out. But then she takes a deep breath, her composure snapping back into place. “You wouldn’t understand,” she spits, turning away from me and walking back to the pool table. “You don’t know anything about him. About what it’s like to owe him everything.”

A noise behind me makes me turn, and Winter appears in the doorway, her sharp blue eyes taking in the scene.

“Is there a problem here?” she asks, her tone cold but calm.

Sable shakes her head, picking up the cue stick again. “Just Everly being her usual naïve self. Nothing to concern yourself with, Winter.”

Winter’s gaze shifts to me. “Maybe you should focus on your own path, Everly. Instead of trying to understand Sable’s.”

“Why is everyone so against us even talking?” I demand, frustration bubbling over.

“Because this isn’t a playground,” Winter says bluntly. “And not everyone is going to like you just because you want them to. Focus on yourself. That’s the only way you’ll survive this.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Winter’s already turning away, leaving me alone in the room with Sable’s animosity.

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