Page 47 of House of Ruin
When the madame didn’t say anything to whoever entered, the witch went over to the seating, settling in one of the chairs at the back of the auditorium.
All the hair rose on Alecto’s neck, her instincts suddenly on high alert. She felt as if whoever it was, they were watching her.
“Why don’t you relax, Black?” Norse’s voice was low, barely louder than a whisper.
Alecto lifted her eyes to find the gunmetal silver of his gaze warmer than usual. She narrowed her eyes.
“Oh, so you’re gonna try to blame this on me?” she whispered back. Or more accurately,hissed.
Norse smirked, shaking his head. “Lose the claws, would you?” He threw a sideway glance to the dark auditorium, the dozen eyes watching them. “I can’t get into my role of being smitten by Carmen when you’re glaring at me with two daggers, as if you’re ready to rip my throat out if I get too close.”
Alecto scoffed, rolling her eyes. She brushed her hair back, and Norse’s gaze flickered to her exposed neck. Gods, boys were so easy…
“Okay,” Alecto agreed with a smirk. “I’m going to look at you as if you really are my future lover and not…” She measured him with a slight scowl. “You.”
“So noble of you, Black,” Norse replied coolly. “Has anyone ever told you that your kindness could freeze half Inathis?”
That actually made Alecto smile, a genuine big smile, as she took a step away from Norse and prepared to repeat the lines again.
The uneasiness was still with Alecto, making her heart race and palms sweat, but she pushed it aside. When she stole a glance to the auditorium, the dark figure was still there, sitting in silence.
Who the fuck was there? Nobody had permission to sit in on acting classes like that. Unless it was someone like Detective Vin, who surely had permission to walk anywhere he wished at Venefica. The figure was tall enough.
“Oh, blessed Goddess, is that you standing in front of me right now?” Norse repeated the lines, drawing Alecto’s attention back to him.
This time, though, his gaze was intense, full of conviction. Even his whole body changed, coming alive as he spoke the words, his chest puffing, his shoulders rolling back.
“I’m noGoddess, young man,” Alecto replied, her voice strong. She took a step closer to Norse, tilting her head to the side. “I might be gifted by the Gods, loved by them enough to be granted the favor of seeing one’s fate, but that doesn’t make me anywhere close to being as sacred as the Deity herself.”
Norse’s lips parted, his eyes intense. His tongue peeked to wet his plump bottom lip, and Alecto took another step closer.
“Who are you, young man?” she asked, tilting her chin. She willed as much fire into her words as she imagined Carmen always had whenever she demanded someone’s attention. “Reveal to me who you are and what you’re doing by yourself here at this time of the night. Nobody comes to Crystal Lake this late.”
Now Norse was the one taking a step closer, words spilling out of his mouth in a hurry. “Excuse me for my manners. Your beauty robbed me of all of them.” He paused, his eyes frantically wandering her face, drinking in every detail as if he were a thirsty man in the desert.
Despite herself, Alecto felt her cheeks heating at the intensity of it.
“Your skin is glowing like the moonlight in the mortal realm,” Norse said, his voice almost a whisper. He reached out a hand, as if mesmerized by the look of her, inching closer for a touch. But his hand never reached its destination. “What I would give to touch you, Goddess.”
“So do it,” Alecto urged, now breathless. “Be brave and touch me, young man. Or keep your empty words to charm someone else.”
“Brilliant!” Madame Raquel shrieked, clapping.
It took Alecto a moment to snap out of the role. To will herself to step away from Norse, ignoring the searing heat between them. She cleared her throat as she turned to the madame at the edge of the stage. Her eyes were two shining obsidians as she looked at the pair of student actors.
“This is what I want to see,” she cooed. “I want to see the vibrating tension between Seville and Carmen, the undeniable attraction that made it into the history books! Now off you go for now. Harlots, on the stage, please!”
Immediately, Alecto looked to where the uninvited stranger had sat before, but they were gone. The seat they occupied was devoid of anyone’s presence. Relief rushed through Alecto so suddenly, she could almost kiss someone.
Without sparing a glare at Norse, Alecto climbed the stairs down from the stage. But then a hand wrapped around her forearm, stopping her in her tracks. She whirled to find Norse’s fingers touching her.
“Black,” he said. His hand stayed put even though he had Alecto’s attention. She arched a brow but didn’t yank her arm back. “Why don’t we meet to read the lines sometime next week? I don’t know how much more public humiliation we can live through.”
Alecto didn’t like the idea of having to spend time with Norse outside class more than she had to, but this was important for her actingandher House. So she was willing to do whatever it took.
“I think you’re right, Fox.”
“Thank you, Black.”
