Page 108 of Stalked By Seduction and Shadows

Then I was back, watching Snow sip on a flute of shimmering gold magick.

“Snow?” a tall, attractive man asked, approaching us with another man at his side.

They were both turned and in their midtwenties, and it took me a moment to peg the man embracing Snow as her vampire one-night-stand, William. He was an artist, friends with Reggie, one of my most generous patrons. At this point, I often found myself talking to Reggie about art merely because I loved talking to him, no longer maintaining any game. He’d already been seduced. There was nothing left for me to do but continue to indulge his musings and tease my consideration of modeling for him.

“Scarlett, right?” William asked me, extending a hand and flashing a charming smile. “I’m William. I don’t think we’ve formally met, but Reggie speaks highly of you.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said. “Reggie is amazing. I’ve been dying to come to one of the art shows he’s always raving about.”

Both men were in all black, a peek of tattoos on their wrists and the base of their necks. They held wine glasses of crimson, a metallic scent strong in the air. They both had dark, curly hair and rugged features, though the man at William’s side was slower to smile, his features slightly solemn.

“This is my brother, Jack,” William said. “He’s a musician.”

At the strange emphasis on the word, I wondered if Reggie had passed along my love of music to these vampires. William exchanged a look with his brother, and it appeared as though he was being silently scolded.

Nearly rolling his eyes, Jack reached out and shook my hand. His hold was firm but quick, noncommittal. Despite his aloofness, I could see the way he scanned my body, the way his pulse had picked up a notch.

Snow was eyeing William with renewed interest, her cheeks flushed. I could nearly taste their shared lust on my tongue. I focused on the energy between them. It was a signature nearly like magick. For a moment, I zoned out, lost in that energetic charge, feeling it move inside of my own body. I wanted Snow to enjoy herself, to let go of her shame and fear just like I was trying to do with Rune.

I wanted her to give in to the magnetism between her and William that pulsed in the air.

In a split second, I’d zoned back in to the man in front of me, who’d been speaking despite my lack of attention. My inexplicable connection to Snow and William faded with a released breath and a pleasurable tingle on my spine.

Luckily, Jack didn’t get a chance to realize I hadn’t heard a word he’d said to me. Because next to us Snow and William were locked in a steamy, passionate kiss.

My mouth fell open, and even Jack’s cool, collected features unraveled with surprise.

William tugged on Snow’s bottom lip with his teeth before slowly pulling away. “Sorry, I just really wanted to do that.”

Snow panted, appearing very much like she wanted to lunge for him a second time. She slowly reached for her lips, before glancing back at Jack and me. Her hooded eyes blinked twice before sharpening again, more blush coloring her cheeks.

She laughed nervously. “Um, I’m sorry too, wow. I should’ve eaten more today. Elixir must’ve gone straight to my bloodstream.”

“I’m not mad about it,” William said softly, his eyes never leaving hers.

I turned my attention back to Jack, and we shared a shocked smile. “What kind of music do you play?” I asked him.

He cleared his throat. “Um, lots of things, really. Mostly been getting into that new style they’re calling dark tone. With a touch of magick, you can make a guitar sound different—amplified, charged. Combine that with more forceful vocals and you can get this music that’s fiery, passionate, even angry.”

“Noisy,” William muttered under his breath.

We both ignored him. “Wow. That sounds incredible. I think I might’ve heard some of that on my walk through Nyx the other night. They were singing this song about the war of the gods before they ascended this realm for their own. But it was funny, satirical. Really creative.”

Jack’s features lit up, feeding off my energy. His hand brushed my shoulder. “Yes! I know exactly who you’re talking about. They’re at the forefront of the genre. Buddies of mine.”

Suddenly, my entire body was swept with heat, a searing sensation on my throat and the place where Jack had excitedly grabbed.

I peered around the room in search of Rune. My search was cut short when the attendant from before approached us, her black hair swept behind her shoulders. A different, slightly older vampire woman with a blonde bob accompanied her.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we were asked to show you to your seats,” Bethany said.

Snow and I said our goodbyes, and I tracked the way William grabbed her to whisper something in her ear. Jack’s eyes consumed me up and down before they both turned and walked away.

I reached for Snow’s arm as we followed the people Rune had paid to dote on us, and she giggled low to my ear.

Before I could say anything, the woman with the blonde bob turned to us. “Bethany will show you the way, Miss Snow,” she said to Snow. “I’ll show Miss Scarlett to her seat momentarily.”

Snow and I exchanged a glance, Snow crossing her arms and going straight into petulant, protector mode. When Bethany reached for her arm, she scoffed.

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