31. Dominic

THIRTY-ONE

DOMINIC

"Dominic…"

The sinister hiss stirs me awake.

I blink my eyes open and sit up in bed. A sense of unease ripples through me as I scan every corner of the room. One of the windows is open, and the curtain shifts in a gentle breeze.

Something moves beneath the quilt, causing me to stiffen. "What the fuck?" I whisper.

It starts at my feet and crawls up my legs, getting closer and closer. I stare at it for a beat before panic sets in, and I rip off the quilt, but there's nothing there. I swear something or someone was moving beneath the blanket and up my body, like a cold breath against my bare legs.

Something is observing me. Eyes follow me as I skate my gaze across the room. Childish giggles echo in the silence, followed by bare feet running across the floorboards.

It's too dark to see, so I reach over to switch on the bedside light then ease back, swallowing hard as the temperature drops.

"Dominic…" a voice whispers near my ear, making me scramble off the bed and tumble to the floor with a hard thud. What the fuck was that? My heart pounds as I stare at the empty bed and the crumpled sheets. I swear someone brushed their icy lips against the shell of my ear.

Unsteady, I escape into the dark hall. Elongating shadows on the walls seem to chase me as I turn to the left, a sheen of sweat covering my bare back. I steal a glance behind me before turning and running down the stairs. Suddenly, I stop short, out of breath, as I notice light streaming through the gap in the kitchen door. Inching closer, I nudge it open, the hinges creaking as the wilting flowers on the table come into view. I peer inside, lingering at the threshold, when Camryn appears in the doorway.

I stagger back. "Jesus, you scared me."

She holds on to the door and licks her upper lip, eyeing me with a flirtatious look. "Hi, Dom."

No matter how upset I am, my dick hardens when her eyes trail a slow path down my body and then back up. There's nothing innocent about how her gaze lingers on my bare chest, or how she cocks her head to the side and lets a seductive smirk dance across her enticing lips.

Fuck me. I'm screwed.

Camryn steps back and opens the door farther with one hand, that sinful smile hooking me as much as the quirk of her finger. She spins around and walks deeper into the kitchen, glancing at me over her shoulder. The invitation in her darkening eyes dislodges my feet, and I step over the threshold.

She walks around the kitchen table with a smirk, and when I slow to a stop, my heart thuds harder as she pulls a knife from the wooden block, inspecting the sharp blade in the ambient light. Her eyes lock on mine, and she points the blade in my direction with a wink.

What has gotten into her? I'm intrigued, but also wary. Camryn isn't usually this forward.

"We should talk about last night," I say.

"Talking is overrated," she replies, walking up to me.

My throat goes dry as I watch her hips sway with each slow step.

When she's close enough to touch, she lifts the knife and slides the tip of the blade down my chest, a dark smile twisting her mouth. "You trust me, Dom?"

I hiss when she nicks my skin.

Blood beads on the surface cut as her sinful smile widens, taking on a darker, more dangerous edge. She leans in and drags her tongue through it then trails it across my skin until she reaches my nipple. With a teasing flick, she looks up at me through her wispy lashes. "Do you trust me, Dom?"

She circles the small bud and drags the flat end of the knife down my chest.

"I trust you," I breathe, burying my fingers in her long hair.

Overhead, the light flickers, but I'm too drunk on Camryn to pay attention to the faulty electric.

She bites me, and the sharp sting twitches my dick. "Silly boy."

I watch through heavy lids as she interlaces her fingers with mine and leads me toward the door at the back of the kitchen.

"When will you learn, Dominic?" She sinks her teeth into her plump bottom lip. I'd do fucking anything to taste it, to kiss her, to brand myself on her skin.

"Learn what?" I ask, trapping her with my arm against the door and cupping her cheek.

She taps my lips with the blade and lifts her gaze. The knife trails a slow path down the curve of my chin, over my Adam's apple, and between my collarbones. All the while, she keeps me hostage with her big eyes.

If only she knew the hold she has on me.

"Not everything is what it seems." She reaches behind her and turns the handle. "Your desire blinds you." The door opens to the basement, and she pulls me forward with a taunting smile, engulfing us in darkness. But not before I see her change form into something truly horrific.

I turn to run, but it's too late; the door slams shut, refusing to budge no matter how much I pull on it. "You're not Camryn…" My voice trembles as I try to control myself. "You tricked me." Slowly turning around, I press my spine against the wood.

"He finally catches on. But don't worry," the demonic creature says, digging the sharp blade into my side and darting its forked tongue out to lick my earlobe. "I'll be gentle with you."