Page 46 of Knox
"I think that’s why I like it." A spark of enthusiasm lit up Adrian’s eyes. "I could read the story and imagine I was in a different world."
"You don’t like this one?"
"Do you?" Adrian shot back. "There is nothing magical about this world. You’ve noticed that too. It’s not like Veridia where anything can happen at any time. I loved reading about the Forest of Whispers, the Fields of Memories, the Night Court…"
Knox had to stop him there. "The Night Court is not a place to dream about. Once, maybe it was, but not anymore." A note of bitterness entered Knox’s voice. His family had served the Prince of the Night since long before his birth. Knox himself had punished and even executed countless people for the Court, never questioning his orders until they’d asked him to turn on Zev… all because Zev had loved someone he shouldn’t have.
Adrian looked at him as if he understood. "I know," he said, fingering the necklace he still wore. The necklace with the emblem of the Night Court. "It’s still hard for me to believe that it’s all real for you. For me it was only ever a place to escape." He glanced down at his necklace. "Should I take it off?"
"No, keep it. I still believe in everything the Night Court used to represent. That darkness should not hide from the light, that we should all live our lives according to our passions, that a life lived in moonlight is no less worthy…" He was tempted to reach out to Adrian again, to touch the pendant that hung from his necklace—to touch Adrian.
Adrian swallowed as if he could guess what was on Knox’s mind.
Maybe because it was onhismind as well.
"Tell me," Knox said. "When you read my story, is it only the scenery you admire?"
Adrian flushed, but he didn’t shy away from Knox’s gaze. "No. I like the characters too."
Knox smiled, listening to the fast beat of Adrian’s heart. "Which characters do you like?"
Adrian rose from his desk chair. "Lyrian. Zev." He licked his lips and approached. "You."
"What do you like about me?"
"Do you want the long version or the short version? Because I’ve written entire essays tackling that question."
Knox couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to tip Adrian’s chin up. He liked those hazel eyes, liked to see the play of emotions on Adrian’s face. "You called me a monster, and rightly so."
Adrian’s skin took on a brighter shade of red. "I didn’t mean it like that. Your flaws make you interesting. Perfect characters are boring."
"Oh?" Knox studied Adrian closely. "Do you still feel that way about me now that I’m not just a character in your story?"
Adrian stared at him. It seemed the answer didn’t come to him easily.
Of course not.
"Take your time to think about it." Knox let his hand sink to his side—he tried to, at least.
"No, wait!" Adrian caught his wrist. "I mean… I… What we did this morning. That was…"
"Yes?"
Adrian huffed a breath, apparently annoyed at his sudden lack of eloquence. "Ilikedthat," he stressed finally.
"We could do more than that," Knox offered, because he very, very much wanted to do more than that.
Adrian’s heart beat incredibly fast now, and the scent of his desire hung heavy in the air between them, calling out to Knox’s every incubus instinct. He had his prey exactly where he wanted it.
Adrian’s lips parted to respond, but before he could speak, Evelyn’s voice cut through the tension between them.
"Adrian, dear, the workers are here!" she called out. "Time to get your room in order."
Knox’s eyes flicked toward the door, annoyance bubbling up at the interruption as he forced himself to step away from Adrian. "We’ll continue this later," he promised.
Adrian still seemed flustered, but he shook himself out of it, adjusting his glasses again. "It’ll be good to get the room fixed up," he murmured, glancing at the ceiling through which Knox had entered this world.
Knox hardly remembered the fall. He remembered looking up to see Adrian. Wrongly, he’d assumed that it was this strange new world that fascinated him so.
