Page 53 of Of Monsters and Mazes

“O-oh.” I heard her squeak as a time clock appeared. I couldn’t help but think she’d immediately deduced the assignment. A full hour was allotted for this one. An unusually exorbitant amount of time, but then, even the Minotaur knew not to rush pleasure.

Sela laughed nervously, her chin tipped down to hide her expression behind her hair. Though I could still see the way she was chewing on her lower lip as the reality sunk in.

Fuck, she was killing me with those expressions. Drugged or not, every little shift had me teetering between a desire to protect her from all harm, while also wanting to be her worst monster of all. She was too much like my devil, but at the same time, she was completely different. She was tougher and braver than he was. Theron would have refused the challenge no matter what was on the line—for a matter of fact, he already did. She, however, was ready to face any pain and humiliation required, no matter how much it left her shaking.

It was just sex. Just a toy. It was simple pleasure. She was completely okay with that, up until she discovered she couldn’t do it herself. That a practical stranger, and a man she didn’t know or trust, had to do it for her.

Did such a thing scare her?

Did I scare her?

I hoped I did.

“Huh, I guess you were right. The vibrator challenge is fairly innocuous.” A smirk slid across my face, and I didn’t bother to fight it. Maybe this was the better option after all. “Why are you so embarrassed? This was what you were hoping for.” I wanted to pick on her. Keep poking the obvious little insecurities just to see her squirm. Gods, I was a terrible protector. Though I was sure Theron knew that when he gave her to me.

“I figured I’d just have to use it. I didn’t think you’d have to use it on me.” She muttered, only audible thanks to my acute hearing. “I barely know you, s-so it seems like a lot.”

“It’s a team challenge, Bijou. I’ll be involved in every single one. I would suggest you keep that in mind going forward.” I took a step closer. “I could have just bopped you on the nose with a box cutter, but you wanted the easy way.”

“I still stand by my decision.” She still didn’t look at me as she stuck out her hand and presented me the toy in her palm. I wondered if the increased insecurity and bashfulness was purely due to the serum, or if she was always this uncomfortable with her sexuality.

I grabbed the small device, and I examined it for a few moments. A simple object. No hidden blades. Nothing violent. When I clicked through the vibration modes, some warmed and some cooled, but none were to a temperature that was dangerous or damaging. It seemed to genuinely be an ordinary sex toy.

That was odd, too. Though Jericho wasn’t much for permanently mauling anyone, Rai usually was. This was still the Minotaur’s maze, first and foremost, and I’d never seen the Yellow Sector play with a tribute sexually. I was starting to wonder what had gone on before she’d run into me, because it all felt very curious and unusual. Either way, this was a fantastic cure for my boredom.

“Checks out.” I nodded to reassure her. The positive confirmation was enough to get her to peek through her hair at me. “Don’t be so nervous. I’ll be gentle if that’s what does it for you. Unless you’d prefer something else.”

“Gentle is fine.” That blush on her cheeks was doing something for me. Prickly but sweet, fierce but innocent, ashamed yet dirty.

A good girl who never let herself be a bad girl.

The inability to be honest about her needs, while clearly having more than a few, made me want to dirty her up that much more. Force her to admit to all of those kinks and depraved desires she couldn’t vocalize. Find the secrets she couldn’t tell someone who she thought had more power than she did.

The appeal was that she wasn’t pure, and I was getting the opportunity to interrogate that reality out of her.

Stop getting ahead of yourself. I chastised my own overactive imagination. Again, that must have been the serum talking. I’d ignore the fact that the drug was only dragging out my own already present thoughts.

I definitely had a type.

She took a deep breath before she faced me fully. Then she presented as someone unbothered and casual. Though a slight trembling betrayed her stoicism. “Yeah, it’s no big deal.” She managed.

“How can I get you there the fastest, Bijou?” I said her pet name through a purr. She opened her mouth, and I made sure to remind her before she could answer, “Just know that the maze will know if you’re faking it. I need you to find that full mental, physical, and emotional release, or we’ll be sent back to the beginning.”

“Oh, so that’s why it’s a challenge. I have to count on a man to know how to make a girl orgasm.” She managed some of that snark again, and that clever smile between blushing cheeks was impossible to look away from. She was acting now, and it wasn’t remotely believable, but I didn’t expect it to be. I liked that it wasn’t.

“My lovely Sela, you don’t need to worry about that at all.” I flashed my fangs in a grin as I closed the remaining distance between us. Using one finger, I lifted her chin until her gaze was in line with mine, then I cradled her cheek with my hand. “Better yet, let me figure it out for you. You can tell me if I’m hot or cold.”

The bob in her neck made my heart skip a beat, and I held her head in place as I turned on the device. She remained perfectly still as I started hovering it just over her temples. Close enough to hear the low buzz, but far enough that it wasn’t truly touching her at all. Her eyes followed the vibrator as I slowly moved down her cheek, her neck, and her collarbone, and she shuddered as if she could feel it just by seeing it.

“Is it here?” I asked as I gently circled her right nipple. Her breathing hitched, while her nipple hardened beneath her thin cotton t-shirt. “Or here?” I shifted to her other nipple, until she was very visibly firm. Getting these small glimpses of her arousal, while she was still fully clothed and trying to stay modest, was nearly as exciting as having her naked in my hands.

“You said Jericho’s watching, didn’t you?” She jerked her chin from my grip and tried to retreat a step so she could cover her chest. She was blushing harder than ever. “Quit fooling around.”

“I’m a man, remember? This is incredibly difficult for me.” I teased, earning a tentative glare. That was just fine with me. Her haughtiness was cute, too. “Let me try again. Is it here?” I closed in on her again, backing her into the wall so she would have support, then I danced the vibrator down the center of her abdomen. I circled her navel through her shirt, though my gaze was still fixated on her attempt to cover her breasts. Such a silly thing to hide considering where she was about to let me venture.

I traced a center line, up and down, staying above the waistband of her skirt but below her bust line. She bit her lower lip, and she turned her head away. She slowly lowered her arms so she could steady herself against the wall, but not without dipping her chin in silent resignation.

That’s a good girl.