Page 124 of Taken By Touch and Torment

“Leave me out of it, please,” I drawled. I watched Scarlett, assessing her mental state.

She appeared tense, but present. I’d had her move her nightly session with Belise to earlier so I could take her out tonight before her communication with Kole.

It infuriated me that the reason she’d avoided leaving my castle had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with her schemes. She was paranoid about word getting back to Durian that she was, gods forbid, happy to be with me. She was intentionally keeping herself a slave, and it was a tragedy.

Scarlett deserved to experience the world with reckless abandon. She deserved to live for herself, like she’d finally begun to before she was captured. To explore the nooks and crannies of the city, to travel to Valentin’s coast and sleep surrounded by mountains, to get lost in the grit of existence, from the cavernous underbelly to life’s greatest heights.

I had to take a page out of Scarlett’s playbook. I had to believe her current state of denial was temporary, and I’d be able to give her the life of her dreams in due time. Then I’d give her another life, and another after that.

“You ready to go, baby?” I asked, leaving out all heavy emotion—all fear and grief and rage. I only left her with the sturdiest of branches to hold on to.

She nodded, concealing her own rich kaleidoscope of feeling. She wore a sky-blue dress embroidered with golden stars, falling just above her knees, with tan ankle boots.

“You’re going to freeze,” I admonished.

She crossed her arms. “No, I’m going to wear that big fur coat. I’ll be fine.”

The image of Scarlett in the long white coat that swallowed her petite body whole was adorable enough to relent.

Scarlett and I were on our way to Reggie’s art gallery. Reggie had been one of Scarlett’s most generous patrons at Odessa. She was fond of the silver fox, and the only reason Reggie still breathed was because he’d been nothing but respectful despite his infatuation. And, of course, he knew who Scarlett belonged to now.

Scarlett barely spoke to me as we walked. The plausibility of mortal spies around us reporting to Durian was near zero. Still, she looked downright pissed when I tried to make her laugh.

Naturally, I did so as often as possible.

To her credit, Scarlett played her part excellently, despite my sabotage attempts.

“Want me to treat you like a slave sexually?” I purred in her ear. “Right here, in the middle of the street? For the sake of your cover, obviously.”

Scarlett blushed hard, staring up at me with those big blue eyes. Truly tragic for her that I could scent her blooming arousal, erasing all of her impressive efforts to feign disgust.

My hand found the back of her neck. I gripped her forcefully as we entered the charming gallery in River, close to the sprawling opera house and our grandest temple for Helia.

Inside, witch lights flickered, hovering near the ceiling and in the branches of crystalline, decorative trees.

A small crowd of exclusively turned men and women milled about the space, nodding with respect when I entered before all eyes moved to Scarlett. But preciously, Scarlett was staring slack-jawed at the gallery itself—hungrily devouring the nude marble sculptures, the paintings on the walls, the other pieces of art and décor meticulously placed.

I gently steered her forward with a hand on the small of her back. Our guards were scattered throughout the gallery, and several were standing watch outside.

Scarlett was blind to it all. When she finally tuned in to the array of prying, curious eyes, I assumed it was because the little demoness tasted their ripe desire.

My cock swelled in my pants. I fucking loved seeing Scarlett glow with amazement and appreciation, her features radiating that infectious, childlike awe. Just as I enjoyed seeing others burn with envy. Desired by all, my Scarlett breathed only for her vengeful God.

She peered up at me, unable to stop her eyes from glowing, her smile from spreading.

“That’s a good girl,” I whispered in her ear, delighting when she shuddered. “You’re safe here. Let go and enjoy yourself or I’ll force you to.”

She laughed, and I drank the sound like a dying man. Then, her features turned genuine and unguarded—the most seductive version of Scarlett there was.

“I love when you threaten me to be good to myself, Rune,” she said, her voice low as the vampire chatter resumed around us. “When I first met you, I wrongly assumed you were dominating me for domination’s sake.”

“Well, that’s also hot,” I said with a grin.

“But you never were, no matter how much you posture,” she said. “Thank you for building me up when every other man I’ve known has made it their mission to tear me down.”

I twirled her to face me, watching witch lights reflect in those perfect blue depths. “Always, Scarlett.” I trailed a finger over her rosy cheek. Her skin was accented with shimmering powder, giving her an even more angelic appearance than usual. “I told you I would ruin all others for you. And that declaration had nothing to do with my cock.”

She giggled, rolling her eyes. Then, she shrugged, eyeing me with a hooded gaze. “It could’ve.”

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