11. Geneva

11

GENEVA

I wake with a jolt, my head spinning as I'm yanked from the warm cocoon of sleep. Derina's sharp voice cuts through the fog in my mind, piercing my eardrums like tiny daggers.

"Up! Now, girl! You think you can lounge about all day?" she barks, her words dripping with disdain.

I blink rapidly, trying to shake off the disorientation that clings to me like a second skin. The lavish bedchamber slowly comes into focus, its opulent furnishings a sudden reminder of last night's events. My stomach churns as memories flood back, shame washing over me.

Why did I let Calix stay with me? Why did I want him to?

Despite myself, my hand instinctively reaches for the warm body I expected beside me, searching for his presence. He would deal with Derina for me, I know he would.

But my fingers find only cold, empty sheets. A pang of disappointment shoots through me as I realize he's gone, leaving me alone to face whatever this new day might bring. I swallow hard, steeling myself for what's to come.

"I... I'm sorry," I stammer, trying to gather my wits. I rub the sleep out of my eyes, confusion still swirling around my head. "I-I didn't mean to oversleep."

Derina's lip curls in disgust. "Spare me your excuses. Get washed and dressed. You have duties to attend to. What? Do you think that you're special because the client stayed with you the whole night?"

Is that what she thinks? I nearly let out an incredulous laugh. I stole the soul out of that disgusting dark elf. And honestly, I should do the same to Derina.

However, I'm too frazzled to think about grabbing another crystal right now.

As I scramble out of bed, my mind races with thoughts of what happened last night. The crystal, the dark elf's crumpled body, Calix's unexpected company—it all feels like a distant dream. But the lingering warmth in my chest tells me it was real.

"Move it!" Derina snaps, tossing my uniform at me. The coarse fabric feels rough against my skin after the silken sheets. "I don't care how successful your night was. You're still nothing more than a slave here."

I bite my tongue, swallowing the retort that threatens to escape. Instead, I hurry to the adjoining washroom, shutting the door behind me.

As my back rests against the door, my fingers brush against the hidden pocket where I keep the remaining crystals. I take them out, holding the duo in my palm. They're still here, a small comfort in this nightmare. But using one has left me shaken. Can I really do this two more times?

I mean, that dark elf deserved it. No one is gonna miss him. Finding another two bastards to do that to can't be that difficult. Right?

"Hurry up in there!" Derina's impatient voice carries through the door. "Master Sylas wants you ready in ten minutes. And you'd be a fool to keep him waiting."

I hear Derina's footsteps fade away from the bedroom, followed by the resounding slam of the door. The sudden silence is almost deafening. I exhale deeply, my eyes fixed on my reflection in the ornate mirror before me. The girl staring back looks scared, confused, and so very lost.

"What's going on with me?" I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief. "Why do I feel this way?" The questions hang in the air, unanswered. My mind is a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, some of which I'm scared to admit I'm feeling.

Despite every fiber of my being screaming in protest, I carefully set the crystals on the counter. They glint in the soft light, a reminder of the power I now wield and the choices I've made. With trembling fingers, I begin to peel the dress off my body. The silky fabric slides against my skin, and I shiver, not from cold, but from the weight of what's to come.

I turn on the faucet, letting the cool water run over my hands. As I lean over, intending to give myself a quick wash to begin the day, a familiar voice breaks the silence.

"Good morning, sunshine."

I jerk upright, water dripping down my fingers and splashing onto the counter. Calix lounges against the door, his crimson eyes crinkling with his smile. But there's a glint of something dark in his gaze that makes my skin prickle. My heart leaps into my throat as I realize I'm completely naked, exposed and vulnerable in a way I never wanted him to see me.

"What the fuck?" I yelp, frantically grabbing for the nearest towel. It's small, barely covering the essentials as I wrap it around myself, face burning with pure embarrassment. "Get out! How long have you been standing there?" My voice cracks slightly, betraying my unease. I take a step back, putting more distance between us, my feet slipping slightly on the smooth floor.

Calix chuckles, making no move to leave. His eyes rake over me, and I feel exposed all over again despite the towel. "Now, now. Is that any way to greet your benefactor?" he drawls, his voice dripping with false concern.

I clutch the towel tighter, my knuckles turning white as I grip the fabric. I'm acutely aware of how little it covers, how vulnerable I still am. My skin crawls under his gaze. "Benefactor?" I spit out, anger simmering within me. "You're disgusting! There's nothing beneficial about what you're doing!"

"Please," he scoffs, waving a hand dismissively. The gesture is so casual, so at odds with the tension thrumming through my body. "I've seen countless human forms. Yours is hardly revolutionary." His words sting, even as I tell myself I shouldn't care what this monster thinks. I fight the urge to shrink away, forcing myself to stand tall despite my near-nakedness.

"That's not the point. You can't just barge in here!"

"Can't I?" Calix raises an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "I thought our arrangement gave me certain privileges."

"It doesn't give you the right to invade my privacy like this!" I sputter, the embarrassment threatening to eat me alive.

He pushes off the door, taking a step closer. I instinctively back up, my legs hitting the edge of the tub.

"Privacy?" Calix laughs, the sound rumbling gently. "My dear human, you're in the equivalent of a brothel. Privacy is a luxury you can't afford."

His words are like a slap. I flinch, remembering where I am and what's expected of me. The reality of my situation crashes down, stealing my breath.

Calix's eyes gleam with dark amusement as he steps closer. I press myself against the cold tile wall beside me, the towel barely covering me.

"Oh, Geneva," he purrs, his voice smooth. But his words strike me hard. "Do you really think trapping souls is all there is to it? You've barely scratched the surface of what's possible in our world."

I swallow down the knot in my throat, trying to ignore the way his proximity makes my skin tingle. His scent makes my head spin. "What do you mean?" I manage to ask, hating how small my voice sounds.

He leans in, his breath hot against my ear, sending involuntary shivers down my spine. "The human world, with all its petty morals and inhibitions, is holding you back. It's a cage of your own making, trapping your true potential." His words are honeyed poison, seeping into my mind. "To truly succeed here, to harness real power, you'll need to shed that fragile human skin of yours. Embrace what you could become."

I can't help the shiver that runs down my spine. "I'm not fragile," I snap, meeting his gaze defiantly. I shake my head. "I'm anything but that. I've survived too much."

Calix chuckles, the sound sending a warmth that pools in my belly. "Prove it, then. Show me you're ready to do whatever it takes."

"I am," I insist, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'll complete any task you set me. On top of trapping souls, I mean."

His eyebrow arches, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Any task? Be careful with what you offer, little human. I might just take you up on that."

I lift my chin, refusing to back down. "Bring it on, Calix. I can handle anything you throw at me."

Calix's eyes flash with something that looks almost like approval. But then, the smirk on his lips grows even wider.

"Is that so?" Calix asks.

"Of course. I'll do anything you want. I'm not afraid."

He hums softly, his eyes trailing over my body. I didn't recognize it before, but it's starting to dawn on me. That's pure lust radiating off of him.

And he has me cornered in this bathroom, unable to leave unless I do whatever he says.

"Then touch yourself."