Page 81 of Tower of Ash and Darkness
Vanessa huffs softly, her enjoyment fading as she crosses her arms.
“Honestly, you’re worse than him.”
The corner of my mouth twitches, but I don’t allow the smirk to form. I turn back, my voice clipped.
“Let her through.”
Malachi hesitates, his dark eyes searching mine before stepping aside. Vanessa slips past him, her gaze lingering on him briefly before turning to me. She moves with grace, her every step calculated to draw my attention, but I’ve already crossed to my desk.
My hands brace against the cool wood, grounding me as I stare at the plans laid out before me. The lines and symbols blur together, remnants of what I’ve done clouding my mind. I feel Vanessa’s presence behind me, the air thickening with her scent, her emotions brushing against my heightened senses.
“You’ve been quiet,” she says softly, her voice teasing. Her hands settle on my shoulders, trailing down my arms with intentional slowness. “That’s not like you, Cas.”
I say nothing, my grip on the desk tightening as her touch stirs the restlessness already rising in me.
“Did you see her?” Vanessa whispers, her voice dropping lower. “The way she looked at you?”
The mention of Lailah sends a jolt through me, cutting through the haze Vanessa’s blood has left behind. My jaw clenches, my fangs pressing against my lower lip as anger flares hot and fast.
“Enough.”
Vanessa chuckles, her fingers tightening briefly before sliding away.
“Oh, but it’s true, isn’t it?” she presses. “She’s jealous. She hates me. And yet, she can’t take her eyes off you.”
Her words hit their mark, igniting a spark of anger that flares hotter than I expect. Before I realize what I’m doing, I grab her wrists and shove her back against the desk. The wood creaks beneath the force, but she doesn’t flinch. Her eyes glint with satisfaction.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I growl, my grip tightening as I lean closer. “You think this is a game?”
Her voice drops to a sultry whisper. “Isn’t it?”
The urge to crush that smirk burns inside me. My fingers tightenaround her wrists, and I consider letting the anger consume me. But I release her instead, stepping back as frustration surges through me.
“Get out.” My chest heaves as I try to steady my breathing.
Her gaze lingers, challenging me, and then, with precision, her hands move to the straps of her dress. She slips them off her shoulders, the fabric sliding slowly down her body. The sound of the dress pooling at her feet is deafening, her bare skin kissed by the dim light of the tent. She stands there, exposed and unapologetic.
“I said, get out,” I repeat, my voice low, cutting through the air like a warning.
She tilts her head, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips, a purposeful sway in her hips as she steps closer.
“Do you want me?” she whispers, her voice barely audible, her body an invitation.
Her words sink in, twisting something dark inside me. I don’t move. My patience is worn thin, fraying at the edges. Vanessa stands there, a living, breathing temptation—an easy distraction.
“Do youneedme?” she whispers again, her fingers threading through her hair, pushing it back with slow motions that expose her collarbone, the curve of her neck—a calculated act meant to tempt me further.
My resolve snaps. My hand moves before I can think, tightening around her neck, my fingers pressing against her pulse. She lets out a low, deadly laugh—a sound that ignites something darker inside me, a savage urge to squeeze harder until that laugh fades into silence.
“I can be her, you know…” she murmurs, her hands trailing slowly up her torso.
She raises her hands to clasp my wrist, leaning closer, her breath ghosting over my skin.
“All you have to do is ask,” she breathes, her eyes locking onto mine, daring me to respond.
My fangs ache with the primal urge to sink into her. But she isn’ther. I tower over her as I lean closer, my lips brushing her ear. My voice is a low whisper.
"Get. Out."
