Page 8 of Every Shade of Shadow

The Wolf holds out a black card between long, elegant fingers. "An invitation."

I stare at the card, gleaming gold numbers against a dark background. "To?"

"Lumina." His smile is slow, sensual.

“The magic academy?”

He nods slowly. “If you would like to put theory into practice, so to speak.”

Lumina. A mysterious magic academy for would-be witches and wizards, invitation only, the kind of pompous, shadowy shit I always promised Gran I’d avoid. To be honest, I thought it was bullshit—a fairytale. But there’s nothing fictional about the creature in front of me.

Still, my eyes widen at the impossible. "What's the catch?"

"No catch,” the Wolf whispers, leaning closer until I have to force my thighs together to stave off the ache between them, “but if you want to push your limits, set yourself free in ways you never dreamed of, find the power you’ve always wanted, this is your chance.”

I reach for the card, hesitating. There’s no harm in taking it, after all.

His gaze holds mine, bright with challenge and promise. It could be enchanted, maybe cursed, but fuck it. He slides the card across my palm, offering me a nod of approval.

I swallow hard, unable to look away from those transient eyes. The card seems to pulse with mystery in my peripheral vision. "What do you mean ‘power’?"

Why is my mouth so damn dry?

He smiles. "Power of every kind, over everything. Of control and release. Of pain, and pleasure." His voice is a dark caress that stokes heat through my blood. "It will be intense. Overwhelming. And like nothing you've ever known. Can you handle that?" he says, eyes dropping to my traitorous sex.

My heart pounds as I imagine what he's implying. Images flash through my mind, a chaotic tumble of silken bonds and naked flesh and—

But no, surely not. I’m sure Lumina would be many things, but that? No.

I jerk back to the present, face flaming. I can't think about this. I shouldn't even be having this conversation. I should get the fuck out of here.

Yet I can't seem to make myself leave, to force myself to move. And that’s a problem, because this guy could bend me over this seat, fuck me senseless, and I don’t think I’d be able to stop him.

I can't ignore the liquid ache between my legs or the traitorous curiosity unfurling inside me. His voice alone…

I stare at the card, at the elegant gold text. Below that, there’s a phrase in Latin, unfamiliar.

"What does this mean?" I ask softly, my finger running over the embossed print.

"'Enter in submission. Leave in ecstasy.'" His gaze bores into mine, bright with who knows what kinky Society shit. "The choice is yours, little lamb. Take my offer or walk back into obscurity."

There’s an implied challenge there, my heart a gavel in my chest trying to warn me. I know I should refuse. Know that a place like Lumina would be well beyond me. I don’t even practice. What could I possibly offer?

But how can I walk away from such an opportunity? I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m about to be evicted. At least at Lumina, if it exists, I’d have a roof over my head, meals, heat…I wouldn’t have to work a crappy job for a stupid boss with shitty customers. If nothing else, I would be spending time with him. I’d get to know more about this shadowy, mysterious figure in front of me. Which only makes me wonder who ‘he’ is. A scout? A Society member? Satan?

His smile is slow, victorious as he stands.

I look down at the card once more, but when I look back up, he’s gone.

Poof.

Sab chooses this very moment to return, two more glasses of champagne in hand. "Sorry about that.”

I take a glass, still thinking of the Wolf. “Ah, what happened to your gentleman friend?”

“Turns out he wasn’t quite a gentleman,” she smiles, straightening the top of her dress.

She eyes me. “Ana? Everything okay?"

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