Page 29 of Deadmen's Captive

“Oh, are those costumes?" he asked, noticing the dress bags.

"Uh, yeah," I stumbled over my words, still caught off guard. "For the Halloween Ball tonight."

"Is that right? You’re going? Sounds like quite the event. Maybe I'll swing by," he mused, thumbing at the strap of his messenger bag. "See how you all clean up."

"Wouldn't miss seeing you out of those tweed jackets," Kate teased.

David smiled. “Oh, I don’t know if I’d come in costume. It is for the students after all. A night of intrigue and mystery, of mayhem. Time to lower your inhibitions and do things that scare you.”

His eyes rested on mine then dropped down over my body, and I shifted uncomfortably.

“Or get drunk and dance to Thriller,” I said, trying to lighten the mood.

He looked back up at me. “Or that,” he laughed, and inhaled deeply. I was so on edge, I was imagining crazy things now. David might not be my professor, but he wasn’t far off. He was university staff and he wouldn’t hit on a student.

"Well, either way, have a great night and take care," David said with a warm smile. He raised a hand in farewell before blending back into the bustling street, disappearing as quickly as he had arrived.

The noise from the high street fell away as Kate yanked me by the elbow, ushering me through the coffee shop's door. The scent of roasted beans and cinnamon rushed to greet us, but it did little to soothe my jitters.

"Okay, spill it," Kate demanded, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she let the door swing shut behind us. "He totally has a thing for you."

"Who, David? No way, he's just being friendly."

"Paige, come on." Kate raised her eyebrows. "The way he looks at you? It's not just 'friendly'."

"David? Crushing on me?" I shook my head and laughed. “He works at the art department."

“You’re not the slightest bit curious?” she asked.

“No, I’m really not.”

“Such a good girl,” Kate teased.

I laughed again and shook my head. “Nope, but I want to date a guy that gives me butterflies, you know? And David, I don’t know… there’s just no…”

“Spark?”

“Exactly. Now, can we please get a coffee before I collapse from caffeine withdrawal?”

Kate grinned, but as we joined the queue for the barista, my mind drifted back to the nightclub and a pair of tattooed arms that sent the butterflies dancing all over again and a certain blonde billionaire who’s smile set my body aflame.

Chapter Thirteen

BAST

Ileaned against the cool brick wall, watching her emerge from the costume shop. The sun caught her hair, lighting it up like spun gold. Tristan was right, this one was different. I had read through so many dossiers of the girls who’d applied to be our Persephone. A lot of them I knew personally, and although I knew the ruining of Persephone was symbolic only, it didn’t really set the scene to have a girl play the role who I’d already fucked countless times. Some of them weren’t bad lays, it was just… none of them really gave me what I craved. They were all too polished, too experienced, and I wanted real innocence to ruin.

Paige Matthews had innocence in spades. Not just her virginity, though I would take great pleasure in ripping that away from her. No, Paige had something else. A kind of warmth, a glow that came from the inside. One my DeathKnights and I would extinguish with our own dark flames, and I couldn’t wait to watch her burn for us.

It was odd though, her entering into this game. I knew her family history, had seen it in her file. Her mother had been Persephone too. Had she explained to her beautiful daughter what the role entailed in detail? Had she described how she got down on her knees to worship our fathers twenty three years ago? Somehow, I didn’t think so. Pauline Tremaine had been full of darkness and ambition herself and had taken on the Persephone role with gusto, or so my own father had told me. She’d bowed and scraped and whored herself out for the reward that came at the end of her year of service, and when she hadn’t landed herself one of the DeathKnights as a husband, she’d done the unthinkable and betrayed them all. Would Paige do the same? If she did, I wouldn’t be as lenient as my father. Pauline had been allowed to live after her betrayal out of respect for her family, who also had to live with her humiliation and disgrace. That wouldn’t be enough for me. If Paige betrayed us, I would kill her myself.

I crossed the street, dressed casually and with dark glasses to conceal my identity, I became a shadow among the late afternoon crowd. Paige moved through the throng of shoppers with her friend, but after a couple of minutes, she paused, turning to survey the sea of faces around her. I shoved my hands in my pockets, keeping my head down, but watching her through the dark lenses. Her golden skin was flushed, and her eyes were wide. She was nervous, I realised. Had she realised I was following? Hmm. Perceptive. I’d have to warn the guys to be more careful. We had all taken turns tracking her over the last few weeks, and leaving her black roses, but it wouldn’t do to have her catch us before tonight.

I studied her carefully. Her hair was a mess, her clothes casual to a fault. Dungarees and trainers, splattered with paint – a stark contrast to what I had in mind for her. When she became Persephone she would wear nothing but the finest clothes. I already had her entire wardrobe picked out in our house. Her measurements had been in the dossier, and everything had been hand made or tailored to her exact size. I had even commissioned her nightwear and the finest lingerie, to mould her into the image I desired. The queen she was destined to become, should she pass her trials.

As she turned back and began walking again, my eyes dropped down to the shapeless dungarees that hid the most delicious ass I had ever seen. She clearly worked out and took care of her body, and I appreciated it. Although it was hidden from me now, we all had access to the cameras in her bedroom, and I had lain in bed every night for two weeks watching her, stroking my cock as I thought of the many ways I could imagine of breaking her down.

I can't wait to rip away those ragged clothes, I thought to myself, the thought sending a thrill through me. To dress you up like the queen you're meant to be.

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