“Please,” she whimpers, her voice hoarse with desire. “Please, don’t stop. I need this. I need you.”

I thrust harder, my body moving in perfect sync with hers, her cries of pleasure mingling with my own. Everything from before is gone now, replaced by the fierce need for her.

I pull out suddenly, and she whimpers in protest, but when I replace my erection with my mouth, she moans loudly. I wrap my lips around her, my tongue flicking and swirling, savoring every taste, every sensation. The blood coating my tongue, mixed with my release and her arousal, just sends me higher.

“Oh god, more,” she begs, her voice high-pitched with need. “Please, make me come.”

I slide my hands underneath her, lifting her slightly, and thrust back into her, my hips moving harder, my cock hitting her sensitive spots with each movement. “Do you want to come?” I ask, my voice low and seductive. “Do you want to feel this, this pleasure, this release, that only I can give you?”

I thrust harder, my movements becoming more deliberate, more intense. “Yes,” she moans, her body arching, her hips lifting off the bed. “Yes, please, make me come. Please. Make me yours.”

I can feel the release building inside her, her muscles tightening around me, her flesh quivering with pleasure, so I thrust harder and faster, my movements becoming more intense, more primal.

Her cries fill the space, mingling with my grunts as I thrust harder, my body slamming into hers, our moans echoing through the room. “You’re mine,” I growl, my voice low and possessive. “You’re mine, little darkness, and I'm going to give you everything you want.”

I feel the release building inside her, her muscles gripping me tightly, her body responding to my every movement. I thrust again, feeling her release wash over me, her body arching beneath me in the aftermath as she screams for me. I continue moving, milking her pleasure and letting the contractions of her walls draw me to another orgasm myself.

I still, and we lie there, panting heavily, our bodies still connected, our hearts racing. I slowly slide out of her, my cock glistening with our combined releases, still smeared with the remnants of her precious virginity, and I lean down to kiss her again.

“Goodnight, Cora,” I tell her reluctantly as I break away. “Sleep now.”

She’s out before I’ve even dressed and left.

25

CORA

Iwake feeling sore and hollow. Used.

I didn’t expect my first time to be like that, and yet…I sigh. I always knew that the masked man would be the one to take my innocence. That he wouldn’t stop until he’d crossed the line. There was something different about him last night though. He was out of control, lost to some demons, and acting out of need.

I don’t hate him for what he did. He needed it, neededme. And I’d still rather it was him than Victor.

I slowly sit up in bed, the cool morning light filtering through the curtains. My mind is a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, unsure of how to process what happened last night. The masked man’s touch still lingers on my skin, his presence haunting my thoughts. I feel a mix of shame and desire stirring within me. It shouldn’t have felt so...intense.

As I gather the sheets around me, I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. There are bruises blooming on my skin, marks of his desperation etched into my flesh. A shiver runs down myspine as I remember his hands on me, his whispered words that both soothed and inflamed me.

I know I should feel outraged, violated even. But there’s a part of me that can’t deny the forbidden thrill of it all. The way he spoke to me with longing in his voice, as if I held the answers to all his questions. As if I was the key to unlocking his deepest desires.

And as much as I try to push him out of my mind, I can’t help but wonder what will happen next. Will he come back for more, drawn to me like a moth to a flame? Or was last night just a fleeting moment of madness that will soon be forgotten?

I swallow hard, worried that it’s over now he’s got what he wanted from me. Tears prick at my eyes at the thought, but I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever lies ahead.

“Cora! Cora? Are you awake?” My mother’s voice calls from downstairs. I jump out of bed, wincing at the sharp pain that shoots between the apex of my thighs, and forcing myself to slow down as I pull on some clothes.

“I’m awake!” I yell back, my voice croaky from my screams - or sobs - last night.

“Come down! There’s someone here to see you.”

I quickly get dressed, before I hurry down the stairs, my heart racing with anticipation and fear. Who could it be? My mind races with possibilities. Could it be Slater, coming to apologize or beg for forgiveness for his behavior at the meal yesterday? Or could it be the masked man, returning to continue where we left off? Obviously, it’s not the latter. I’m still a little sleep-crazed.

Ha! Make that sex-crazed, Cora.

As I reach the bottom step, I see a figure standing by the window, back turned to me. He must have arrived while I was sleeping. My breath hitches, and my stomach twists in knots. I can feel the masked man’s touch once again, and the memories flood back, threatening to overwhelm me.

“Who is it?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s Sean.”