Page 85 of Feel Free to Scream

He sighs, accepting the call. “What?”

I never really noticed the difference between how he speaks to me and other people before.

The single word is cold. He’s not snapping per se, but his voice feels like it’s covered in needles, like a cactus. He comes with a tread carefully warning label to the outside world.

Not to his close family. Not downstairs at dinner—unless he’s addressing Rick the Dick. And not to me.

“Are you coming tonight? I wanna see if it’s worth staying home. Otherwise, I might take Dez to the movies.”

“I’ll ask Claire. I’ll text.”

He ends the call without another word. And here I thought he liked Markus.

“Ask me what?”

“The wyverns are throwing a party. Markus wanted to know if we’d attend.”

That gets me to laugh. “I don’t know, is it safe? My last party did not go well, if you recall.”

He snorts. “I disagree. Everything worked out just fine, as far as I’m concerned. But I don’t mean the public show we threw last week. Their parties upstairs on Saturdays are like ours, down in the basement on Sundays,” Keller tells me, raising one eyebrow suggestively.

“Oh.” My mouth suddenly feels very dry.

Last Sunday was…something.

“I did wonder. If you were hosting orgies every night down there,” I explain.

Keller doesn’t seem to find my question off color. “Only Sundays and special occasions. The lions, serpents and webs tend to handle Thursdays. Who even wants to party Thursdays?” He makes a face. “The sharks often set up their parties on Fridays—although sometimes we’re invited up to Raventhorn. Saturdays tends to be wyverns, and we vespers do Sundays. Our audience is more specific. Fewer guests, even in other rooms. I prefer it. But Markus wants us there, or he wouldn’t have called. I’m guessing Dez wants to party with her new friend.”

“I do like Dez.”

“Mm. Do you like her enough to watch her fuck my cousin?” he asks.

My insides immediately clench. “What?”

“She’ll ride him right in front of us. She’ll watch you fuck me, too. Markus and Dez don’t share, but they do like shows. Watching them, and being the star performers.” His tongue darts out, licking the tip of my ear and tracing it down to my neck. “So do I. So do you, I think.”

My mind goes back to last Sunday. I was so, so scared, but even then…I enjoyed it. I enjoyed each reminder that there was an audience. And I sure as fuck enjoyed how Keller made me feel.

“Will you wear your mask?” I find myself whispering, like I’m admitting a secret.

Maybe I am.

He lets a heartbeat pass. “Do you want me to?”

Fuck, I think I just drenched my panties. I’m going to have to change them.

Or just remove them.

I nod against his chest.

“Very well. A proper masquerade for you, little ghost.” He said he’d text, but he calls instead. I know it’s for my benefit, so I hear. “We’re in. Tell everyone to mask up.”

“Fuck, it’s been a while. Masks off at midnight?”

“On the dot.”

Jesus.

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