Page 50 of Every Shade of Shadow

"This magic taps into primal, ancient forces, my pet," he says, as if hearing my thoughts. "They forge profound connections between witch and warlock, and open the mind to the kind of pleasure you just received, though that was nothing, I’m afraid—a teaser."

His voice holds a husky note I've never heard before. When I meet his gaze, his eyes are hooded and dark with desire. My spent body stirs in response, heat pooling low once more.

A teaser?

A fucking teaser?

If that was a teaser, I fear whatever’s coming next might just kill me.

"Will you give yourself to these arts, my pet?" His words are a velvet caress. "Will you be mine to tutor and torment, to bring to the pinnacle of rapture and bind ever closer, until you cannot tell where your essence ends, and the shadows begin?"

I know this is dangerous ground we tread, forbidden magic. I could end up like the scarred woman at the ball, or worse. And yet I cannot resist. The promise of transcendence, of pleasure beyond mortal knowing, seduces me, as does the enigmatic man offering this dark invitation.

"Yes," I whisper.

A slow, wicked smile curves his lips. "Good."

He strides forward and grasps my chin, lifting me from the floor on unsteady legs, my inner thighs sticky and wet, tilting my face up to his. "First, there must be trust between us. You will give your body and mind into my keeping, and I will wring pleasure from them such as you've never known, and you haven’t known pleasure, have you, witchling?" He breathes me in.

I don’t answer.

His thumb strokes over my lower lip. "Do you trust me, little lamb?"

I search his fathomless eyes, glimpsing shadows of pain and longing beneath the desire.

“Yes.”

He removes his thumb and circles me. Heat flares under my skin, awakening a delicious ache somewhere deep inside my sex, a sickly pulse of pleasure.

"Tell me, have you been practicing?"

I have, though my magic never seems to have quite the impact it does when I’m with him.

"Yes, Professor." My mouth has gone dry.

"Show me."

I take a deep breath and summon a ball of purple flame in my palm. It crackles and hisses, sending wisps of shadowy smoke curling upward.

The corner of his lips lift upwards. "Very good." His fingers trail down my neck, leaving a wake of goosebumps. "Now I will teach you new spells. Spells of pleasure and pain. You remember the latter, do you not?"

I remember the way his hand came against my ass, the smarting bite of it, the way it hurt to even sit the following day. And the girl, the fire, her thoughts and pain mixed with my own…

"Yes, Professor."

His eyes rake over my body, hover over my sex, a greedy gleam in their depths. "Follow me.”

I follow him to the back of the room where a large iron cross has materialized, restraints hanging idly.

So yeah, that is a surprise.

And there’s Sabrina in my head again, screaming for me to leave.

But it’s too late.

Darkwood takes me by the hips, turning me and guiding me against the cross, the iron cold against my bare skin.

He brushes against my breasts as he lifts my arms into position, locking my wrists in place, sinking to do the same with my ankles, his breath ghosting over my sex.

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