Page 147 of House of Ruin
They walked back into the corridor, and then Norse led them deeper into the home. She didn’t look around, keeping her gaze focused on his back.
Finally, they reached the kitchen, and Norse opened a door in the far-left corner leading to the basement.
Alecto stopped, arching an eyebrow at him. “Seriously?”
Norse shrugged. “It’s the only place where nobody will interrupt us. Other than my bedroom.”
Alecto smirked and, with a pounding heart, climbed the stairs down into the basement.
She had heard the rumors. All of them had. But none of the rumors and stories could have prepared her for what awaited in the Dragons’ basement.
Alecto stopped on the last step, taking in the view in front of her.
“Is this your first time in our Pleasure Torture Dungeon?” Norse’s voice tickled her ear.
Alecto swallowed and nodded. “It seems my invitation to visit got lost in the mail,” she said, willing her voice to be steady. “What a pity.”
“Well, you’re welcome to visit anytime, Black. I wasn’t sure it would suit your tastes.”
The walls of the basement were covered in dark blood-colored velvet. It was obvious they were soundproofed with spells and more to not allow a single sound to escape the wretched walls.
The dark hardwood floor was covered with heavy expensive rugs. And the devices that took up a lot of space in the room looked like they belonged in a horror movie.
Alecto walked past the large metal device shaped like an X and a vertical coffin that had large spikes mounted in the door but lay open right now.
One wall was lined with all sorts of tools, like floggers, whips, and chains, some of them smaller and some looking borderline dangerous.
“We’re the House that practices the most sex magic,” Alecto said, amused. She ran a hand over the line of leather floggers hanging on the wall. “But this…this is another fucking level.”
Norse leaned against a four-legged device that reminded Alecto of a headless horse—or a dog—and crossed his arms.
“It’s not always about sex,” he said. “Many of the times, it’s about seeking release through pain. Many leave the Pleasure Torture Dungeon basking in a wholly different type of afterglow. It’s quite liberating if you’re brave enough to try.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
Norse smirked.
“I have to say, your choice of environments for rehearsals is…unique,” Alecto said, looking around some more. “First, the Cursed Forest, and now the dungeon in your home…”
She hoped the Snakes heard her location. The last thing Alecto wanted was to die in a fucking sex dungeon at the hands of a crazy warlock.
In the pocket of her pants, she gripped her bones and the vial with the truth serum to calm herself. To remind herself that she was in control.
“I think ambiance adds a lot to our performance,” Norse said. “The Cursed Forest was fitting for that one scene. And I think this environment is fitting for the scene we’re about to perform.”
“You sure do know how to get a girl in the mood to play,” Alecto said, walking over to one of the benches. She slipped from her coat and draped it over the bench, turning to Norse. “Let’s get on with it.”
Norse inclined his head. “Let’s start.”
Alecto cleared her throat.
“My lover,” she said, her voice soft. “You’re my moon, lighting the path in the darkness of the deepest night. You’re my flame, burning the blood in my veins and keeping me warm in the darkest of the winters.”
Alecto walked closer to Norse, meeting his intense gaze.
“My Carmen, my dear, lovely Carmen,” Norse whispered. His eyes roamed Alecto’s face. “Before I met you, a Goddess who looked like you visited me in my dreams, scorching my whole body and soul on fire. I didn’t know it back then, but it was a sign. A sign that you were there, somewhere, waiting for me to claim you.”
Norse caressed Alecto’s cheek. They were standing very close to each other, almost sharing a breath.
