Page 89 of A Kiss From Death
I feel a tingle drag up my bare leg, where I spot a small shadow making its way over my skin. It crawls up my leg and slithers over the silky nightgown I’m wearing until it grips the side of my chin and turns my head to face the center of the room. My heart stops when I find Hade’s intense eyes pinned on me from the chair he’s lounging in casually.
After training with him in the Bubble earlier, I crashed for a few hours before I joined the other contestants for dinner. My mid-day nap made me restless and resulted in me tossing and turning as I tried to pick apart the riddle. I eventually dragged myself out of bed and asked Hade if he would take me to the library.
“No luck?” he questions with a smirk, like me being riled is amusing to him.
“What gave it away?” I tease, the tension slowly falling away the longer his eyes roam my body.
“I know it’s never good when you start talking to books. We really need to find you some friends.”
I throw him a scowl and flip him my middle finger. I swear he knows exactly how to push every single one of my buttons. His deep chuckle draws flutters in my stomach, and I silently curse him for affecting me so heavily, even when I’m mad at him.
“You’re tense, Nyxi,” he says, an edge to his tone.
“According to who?” I respond innocently.
He sets his book to the side and leans forward in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees. “Your shoulders are taut and your fingers are digging into your delicate palms. Your legs are crossed so harshly, your thin excuse for an outfit is drifting up your thighs, and if you tense even the slightest amount, I’ll have better entertainment to look at than the book I’m reading.” His gaze turns heated as he draws out his next words. “So yes, it appears you are very, verytense.”
A shiver travels up my spine, making me jerk slightly. I feel the cold silk of my nightgown slide another inch up my thigh, andHade’s eyes snap to it instantly. My skin heats every place his eyes drag over, and my breathing hitches the slightest amount.
I slide my hands down to the hem of my dress and rest them there, forgoing dragging it back to its proper length. Looking up at him through my lashes, I purr, “Maybe I am,Hade.” I raise an eyebrow at him. “What are you going to do about it?”
I trail my finger across my upper thigh, absentmindedly drawing a pattern, which makes my finger graze the hem of my dress, dragging it up another delicious inch. I spot Hade’s jaw tick in response, gripping his armrests, turning his knuckles white.
A deep growl is drawn from the depths of his chest, and there is no mistake who it’s aimed at. His eyes lazily trail from my face to the hem of my dress, down my legs, then back up to my face.
A wicked grin takes over his face as he leans forward again, and my heart picks up with adrenaline. I can see every dark, depraved thing running through his beautiful head, and I’m both scared and exhilarated.
“Lean back and spread your legs for me,” he commands.
All the air from my lungs leaves me, and a dark chuckle leaves Hade’s lips, looking fully amused. I shoot him a questioning look, and his mouth kicks up to one side.
“I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge.” His deep voice bounces around my insides, igniting me until I’m flooded with an overbearing heat all the way to my toes. “Now, be agoodgirland do as you’re told, Nyxi.”
There’s a dark challenge in his voice, one that, no matter how defiant I want to be, it’s impossible to ignore. He holds the reins to my body now, and I think he has for some time. Being the good girl I am, I slide my back further against the wall and uncross my legs so they are spread in front of me.
“And how exactly do you intend on doing anything while sitting on the other side of the room?” I challenge.
A darkness takes over his eyes until they are two chasms of death. “I don’t have to lay a single finger on your body to make it come alive for me, beautiful.”
He licks his lips, making wetness pool at my center. Slowly, he slides back in his chair and spreads his legs wide, dominating the space like a god. He rests his hands softly on his legs as he drags his heated eyes lazily to my center. Black flames burn from within his eyes with such intensity, my throat goes dry, and I resist the urge to clench my legs together.
I gulp loudly as a bead of sweat trickles down my forehead from the charged air between us. “Now what?” I breathe seductively.
“Now,Nyxi, you’re going to touch yourself for me until every ounce of tension is forcefully rung from that sinful body of yours,” he commands.
“Oh,” I gasp, words leaving me in a puddle of writhing need. “And you?” I question, but it’s barely a whisper.
The devil stares back at me, and I almost faint on impact. “Me?” His deep voice makes my legs tremble. “I’m going to enjoy tonight’sentertainment.”
I stare down the devil and wet my chapped lips. I’ve never backed away from a challenge, and today will not be a first. I draw each shaky knee up, letting my knees flop out. The action makes my nightgown draw up past my hips, laying me bare to Hade’s hungry eyes.
A breath escapes me when I feel his eyes connect with my center, but I remain rooted, refusing to cower. I watch his throat bob as he slowly swallows and curses under his breath. I’m glad I’m not the only one at the edge of sanity.
Biting my lip, I scrape up the courage to slowly drag my palms up my bare thighs to my hips. Looking up, I drag my hand ever so slowly, hovering it directly over my center,teasing him.
“And here I thought you would be the one drawing the tension from my body,” I taunt, my voice breathless.
“Who said I wasn’t participating in the fun too?” His voice is so low, it feels like talons dragging across my skin. Before I can even register his words, a tendril of black magic lashes out, slithering across the floor, aimed directly at me. It takes its time crawling along the floor like a predator cornering its prey until I feel the tip of it crawl across my foot.
