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The bass pounded through me as I moved against his body, liquid and deliberate. I locked my eyes with his, letting the curse’s magic take effect, and I sensed him losing himself in my gaze.

My fingers traced circles at the nape of his neck as we moved our bodies to the beat of the music, crashing against each other like the waves on the rocks just below us, and I drank in the scent of his darkness. It was so hard not to devour his heart right then and there.

My words, laced with magic, caressed his ear with a whispered breath, cutting through the noise around us. “You want me so badly, don't you, Jake….?”

Jake's eyes glossed with the smoky golden light as he stared back with a spellbound look. “Yes…” he whispered, his face flushed and voice distant, his gaze locked on mine. The seeds of desire had been planted in his mind, and all I needed to do now was water them with careful precision.

The golden song was something that I appreciated the most out of everything that had come with the curse. The power to control—something that I had never experienced before—sent chills through my body every time.

When I had used it on Eddie, I had felt conflicted. He’d done nothing wrong. Didn't deserve his free will to be taken from him. But the ones I fed on? It thrilled me now, and they deserved every ounce of it.

The humidity in the club thickened around us as I weaved my magic into the air, creating condensation that moistened Jake’s skin. Water droplets dripped down his face, slowly seeping into his clothes, as if he’d just run a marathon. Controlling water like this was something I never grew tired of, and I had learned quite a few tricks in my short time.

The music ended, and the next track began to swell as we moved off the dancefloor towards the bar. I had done just enough to get him hooked.

Jake’s shirt was soaked from the mix of moisture and sweat, and I laughed to myself at how easy it had been to manipulate it. He looked down at his wet clothes, caught off guard by how soaked he was. “Uh, hope I didn't get you wet,” he laughed, a mix of confusion and embarrassment flooding his face.

You wish, I thought.

“Hardly.” A genuine laugh escaped me. “Let’s grab a drink,” I said, tugging at his shirt collar. He followed me obediently as we made our way to the bar. “You look like you could use some water…” I grinned devilishly.

“Ladies first,” he said with a wink, already congratulating himself for closing the deal in his mind.

The bartender asked us what we wanted, but as Jake opened his mouth to respond, I cut him off. I was in control here, and he needed to remember that.

“Two shots of vodka and water, please,” I said, smiling. My fingers caressed his hand, playing with the invisible swirls of darkness that emanated from them. The gleam in my eyes grew brighter as I stared into his.

He remained captivated by my stare until the bartender placed the drinks between us, pulling him back to the moment.

Raising my glass, I tilted my head, coaxing him to continue to drown himself in even more alcohol. Not that it took much convincing. I could tell he was no stranger to over-indulging, whether it was alcohol or drugs—I sensed it all over his darkness.

As I set my cup of water back down, I thrust my own shot glass into his hand and watched as he threw it back. He winced again from the burn as it made its way down his throat.

You wouldn't have lasted a second from the pain that I went through, I thought, clenching my teeth.

“So,” I said, my eyes glimmering with curiosity. “You said you work at Willows Realty? I feel like I’ve heard that name before.” My fingers traced the rim of my glass as I watched his face carefully. “It’s big, right? Family business or something?”

Jake's face and body perked up, his ego brimming with pride at the opportunity to talk about himself. “Yeah, the biggest one in Seattle. The Willows own almost all of the waterfront developments.” He took a sip of water, and it took everything in me not to make the liquid stop in his throat. “I’ve been with them for a few years now—best decision I ever made. Plus, the money's sick.”

Yeah, because you all prey on hardworking people, asshole.

“Mmm, fascinating.” My head tilted in feigned interest. “So, you must work closely with the family?”

“I’m pretty close to them, yeah. I work with the CEO’s son sometimes. He's a piece of work, but a good time. His family keeps him on a tight leash.”

Not tight enough.

He laughed as his brow raised with curiosity. I doubted any woman had ever asked him this many questions in his life.

My heart raced in my chest, but I kept my face neutral, even though I wanted nothing more than to rip Jake's heart from his chest as if it were Preston’s himself.

“Oh yeah? I bet you guys tear it up, huh?” I purred, stroking his hand as I attempted to see how many more layers I could peel away.

A devious smile crept across his face, as if he were remembering things that he’d locked below the surface of his memory. “I mean, we definitely know how to have a good time.” Jake's hand moved to my leg, slowly working his hand up and down, over my skin.

Disgusting. I can't wait to show you what's underneath this skin.

I caught the flicker of curiosity in his eyes. Maybe one too many questions about Preston and the company. I forced a smile right as the familiar twinge of hunger reminded me that my clock was ticking.