Page 45 of Stalked By Seduction and Shadows

“It was you, wasn’t it?” I asked. “You’re the one who gave me all that furniture and wrote that unhinged note.”

If he truly wasn’t a liar, then he’d have to tell me the truth. Talking with Snow, the idea had seemed preposterous. But now? I didn’t understand what was between me and Rune, only that it was so intense that it made me forget everything else. Even stranger was how natural it felt, as if I’d known him far longer than twenty-four hours.

Gods. I was in such deep shit.

He smiled slowly, feigning innocence. “What about my note was unhinged?”

My mouth dropped open at his immediate honesty. “Did you—” My voice rose several octaves as my adrenaline soared. “Did you break into my apartment?”

If he was the gift-giver, and he’d only met me last night, that meant…

No. Did he break in while I was sleeping? Had he followed me home?

He inhaled deeply, twisting a strand of my dark hair around his finger. “What makes you think I did that?”

Horrifyingly angry and violated, I could finally break free of his sickening hold. I swatted his hand away. “Get away from me.”

Rune immediately removed his thigh from between mine and took a step back from me, and I struggled not to let the immediate feeling of lack show on my features.

I should probably unpack my disturbing reactions to Rune’s twisted words at some point, because, seriously, what the hell was wrong with me?

My body was stupid, and clearly incredibly toxic. It was a good thing my brain was the one in charge.

“You do not get to dictate my actions,” I said. “I do not know you, and you sure as hell don’t know me. When I want to bring men back to my apartment, to enjoy my new furniture, I will do so without your damn permission.”

His tattoos slithered across his skin, darkness swarming us as a cold wind lifted my hair. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because you have a big heart,” he said with a cold, sinister smile. “And seeing your lovers lose appendages or disappear off the face of the earth might make it crack a little. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

My fists clenched, cold anger licking my insides as I stared at him in disbelief.

He sighed, looking behind me as he mulled over a thought. When he met my eyes again, a scorching heat traveled down my spine. “I’m merely trying to protect you from the regret of lost hours on dull mediocrity, disappointment, and selfish, lackluster performances. I’d rather you suffer at my hands, personally. In far more thrilling ways.”

He stood eerily still, watching me with so much intensity that I struggled to hold on to this anger and not fall back under his enchantment.

“I will ruin all others for you, Scarlett,” he said. “Anything else but us will only feel empty, meaningless, soulless. I will be the only thing you can see, the only being worthy of touching you, of seeing all of you.” His power stilled, a resolute calmness eclipsing his features. “That is what I will demand of you, and what you will eventually give freely. All of you. The parts that you hide, the parts that you hate, the parts that others have made you ashamed of, the parts that you flaunt and wield as weapons.”

I couldn’t breathe. Something wasn’t right. The way he was speaking now—it was as if I’d already told him things, things I’d never said aloud to anyone before. He had to have lied about his powers. This must’ve been some terrible, intrusive magick. How else did he know about the emptiness? The way I felt surrounded by hundreds of people, yet still just as alone as I was when I escaped to the woods to stare up at the stars? The meaninglessness of every fling, every seduction, every game—the way a man could be inside of me and still not fill even an inch of the void in my soul?

This time, when Isabella’s voice demanded to be heard, I listened.

You’re a selfish whore. While I’m currently being tortured, abused, and drained of my blood and will to live, you’re rubbing up on a fascist vampire. A monster just like the ones who stole me from my bed. Look at you. There’s a reason your slutty witch friend couldn’t see your tar black soul.

My gaze fell to the ground, shame washing away the last remaining bit of my desire. I still heard the dull hum of the feuding mortals and vampires in the square, though it was quieter now.

Snow. I made a move to head toward the noise, but Rune was faster.

“Your friend is safe. I made sure of it,” he said, blocking me. “Go home, or I will force you there.”

At yet another mind reading and display of control, I backed away from him, refusing to meet his eyes as I walked the other direction.

“Stay away from me,” I said.

I didn’t turn to look back at him. I kept walking, my heart sinking and stomach twisting as I fought confused, useless tears. I ignored every catcall and hungry stare, willing myself to be as invisible and unassuming as possible. I didn’t have the energy to be me right now, and weirdly, it worked. I stopped being noticed completely. Maybe I looked too sad and pathetic even for predators tonight.

I was lost and wandering until I spotted the firebird stables and park in the middle of Lumina. From there, I navigated successfully to my apartment building.

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