AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No.” If she knew I was on my way, she might have conveniently made other plans or told the doorman to turn me away if she didn’t want to hear what I had to say. That’s still a possibility, but much less likely now that I’m already on her doorstep.
“I’m afraid the Mistress doesn’t do appointments anymore herself,” he says, stepping back to open the door wider. The hallway beyond is unchanged from my last venture here, from the elegant artwork to fabrics draping the walls.
“I’m strictly here on business,” I assure him, stepping forward until he’s forced to move back and let me in. “No services required.”
A year ago I might have indulged in the erotic entertainment offered at the mansion, but even if I wasn’t here on business, such things still wouldn’t hold my interest now. Not when I’ve become so enraptured by someone who’s decided to claim me as her mate.
A mate. Something I was never open to before. I had no interest in ever growing attached to one monstress in particular. Never tied down or held back by something as useless as feelings.
But now I’m not so sure.
Try as I might to deny it, Devyn has sunk invisible claws into me, and I’ve grown attached to her. I might even care for her, but it’s hard to know.
The demon part of me fights against the attraction–after all, affection is not in their nature–and it craves her destruction. Like tearing the petals from a rose, it would be beautiful to watch her break.
However, the other parts of me would never let that happen. I must protect her, no matter the cost, even if it means keeping her at arm’s length. Never fully submitting to the desire burning through me to claim her, never admitting out loud the chokehold she has on my soul. I keep her just close enough to sate the most intense moments of yearning, but far enough away that I don’t risk harming her.
It’s the way things must be.
“This way,” the doorman urges and turns to lead me down the hall. “I will inquire if she has time to speak with you. In the meantime, you can wait in the den.”
My eyes slip around the hall as we make our way to the end and turn left, drinking in the familiar decor. The den is a wide room with lush rugs, ornate furniture, and a gorgeously crafted fireplace. Marble-topped side tables flank the couch, and a chandelier overhead gives the room an opulent atmosphere. It’s grandiose and just my style.
With a bow, the doorman turns on his heel and heads back out the doorway, leaving me alone.
Uneasiness threatens to turn to nerves as I pace across the room and run a finger over the carved mantle, but I suppress the feeling. I have no reason to worry because this deal is already sealed as far as I’m concerned. Mistress Raiine will be more than willing to accept my offer, and I’ll be on my way to my next destination before long.
Quick, direct, efficient. My preferred course of action unless I’m devouring a particular blonde seductress who’s currently waiting for me back at my own mansion.
This time, I can’t fight a smirk.
I spin on the spot, too eager to take a seat on the crushed velvet sofa, and pace to the middle of the room.
Thankfully, I’m not waiting long before a tall, curvaceous figure steps through the door. She’s wearing a floor-length teal dress with an impossibly low dip in the front and a slit racing up one of her thighs. Her curly auburn hair is pinned back messily, lips painted blood red, and her four violet eyes are locked on me from the second she steps into the room.
“Rafe,” she says, her sultry voice making the hairs on my arms stand on end. “What a pleasure.”
“The pleasure is mine.” When she’s close enough I reach for her hand, careful to avoid her long, dagger-like nails, and kiss the back of it.
“It’s been so long since you’ve come to see me,” she says, putting a hand over her chest in feigned disappointment. “What’s kept you so busy?”
This monstress might pretend to be innocent, but she is no such thing. In fact, I would dare to consider her one of the most dangerous creatures in this realm. She’s cunning like none other–except maybe myself–and will use anything I say to her utmost advantage, but I don’t plan to give her any ammunition to work with.
This is my negotiation, and I can’t have her derailing it.
“Business,” I say dismissively. “You know how it is.”
“Don’t I?” A seductive smile appears on her lips, and she saunters over to a side table where a bottle of dark liquid sits. She produces a glass with a stem and fills it halfway before turning to face me once again. “Business has certainly been booming lately since I procured my most recent employee. He’s quite a hit with the beasts that come through these doors.”
“You mean servants,” I correct, tossing her a knowing smile. “There’s no reason to sugar-coat things, Raiine.”
Her eyes darken for a second, her jaw clenching slightly as she considers me, but then the same sickly sweetness returns to her features and is reflected in her voice when she speaks.
“Yes, but servants doesn’t sound nearly as fun, and that’s what we’re all after: a good time.” She chuckles and takes a long sip of her drink. “So, what brings you here, Rafe? I doubt you came all this way for small talk.”
Now that the Mistress is here and I’m not impatiently waiting, I casually move to the couch and take a seat. Draping an arm over the back, I sink into the cushions and look up at her affectionately.
“Who says I didn’t just want to say hello? After all, it’s been a while.”
