Page 12 of Caged By the Lich

The guard scrambles away, leaving me alone with V. He reaches out, plucking the crystal from my grasp. His fingers brush against mine, sending an involuntary shiver through me.

"A valiant effort," he muses, examining the object. "But ultimately futile. Did you really think I wouldn't be watching your every move?"

I glare at him, fury bubbling up inside me. "You can't keep me here forever."

V's eyes flash, shifting to a deep, mesmerizing purple. "Oh, but I can." He leans close, my body heating up from the proximity, and his next words come out in a sultry whisper. "And I will."

V's words ignite a fire within me. The smugness in his tone, the arrogance in his stance – it's too much. Something inside me snaps.

Without thinking, I lunge at him. A part of me — a very, very small part — is eager to get my hands on him for all the wrong reasons. Becausegods, he is gorgeous…and so fucking infuriating.

My hands curl into claws as I aim for his face. He's caught off guard, clearly not expecting this level of aggression from me. My nails rake across his cheek, drawing thin lines of dark blood.

"You bastard!" I snarl, throwing my full weight against him.

V stumbles back, his eyes wide with surprise. But he recovers quickly, grabbing my wrists as I try to land another blow. His grip is like iron, painfully tight.

"Feisty little thing, aren't you?" he growls, a dangerous glint in his eyes. Like he fucking likes it.

I respond by kicking out, my foot connecting solidly with his shin. He grunts in pain but doesn't loosen his hold. Instead, he uses my momentum to spin us around, slamming me against the wall.

The impact knocks the wind out of me, but I refuse to give in. I thrash wildly, my elbow catching him in the ribs. V lets out a hiss, his body pressing closer to mine as he tries to subdue me.

"Stop fighting," he orders, his breath hot against my ear.

"Make me," I spit back, twisting in his grasp.

Our bodies are flush against each other now, every movement sending sparks of awareness through me. I can feel the hard planes of his chest, the strength in his arms. It's infuriating how easily he overpowers me.

In a desperate move, I bring my knee up, aiming for his groin. But V anticipates it, shifting at the last second. My leg slides between his instead, and suddenly we're locked together in an even more intimate position.

We freeze, both panting heavily. V's eyes, now a swirling mix of purple and gold, bore into mine. I swear they are an embodiment of the lust pouring through me, the color not only displaying his own emotions — but it feels like they're manipulating mine.

Or maybe I just don't want to be responsible for the way I want to grind on the thigh beneath me right now.

I'm acutely aware of every point of contact between us – his hands gripping my wrists, his thigh pressed against mine, the rise and fall of his chest against my own.

"Are you done?" V asks, though he doesn’t look like he wants me to be.

I glare up at him, refusing to back down despite the compromising position. "Not even close."

A slow, dangerous smile spreads across his face. "Good," he murmurs. "I do so enjoy a challenge." V leans in close, his lips brushing my ear. "But I won't touch you —reallytouch you — until you're begging for it, little rebel."

I scoff, turning my head away. "In your dreams."

But then his mouth is on my neck, hot and insistent. Every nerve in my body lights up like a live wire. His teeth graze my skin, and I can't stop the small gasp that escapes me. Heat pools low in my belly, a warm tingling sensation spreading through my limbs.

My eyelids grow heavy, the world around me starting to blur. What the hell? I try to push against V's chest, but my arms feel like lead.

"You bastard," I slur, realization dawning even as consciousness slips away. "You're using... magic..."

The last thing I see is V's smirk before darkness claims me.

I wake with a pounding headache and fury coursing through my veins. Grogginess clings to me like a second skin as I struggle to sit up. The events from before come rushing back, and I clench my fists so hard my nails dig into my palms.

That manipulative asshole used his magic on me. Worse, I let my guard down enough for him to get close. I can still feel the phantom press of his lips against my neck, and it makes me want to scream.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed, noticing immediately that something's different. The air feels heavier, charged with an unfamiliar energy. My eyes narrow as I scan the room. New wards. I can sense them now, pulsing with demonic magic. Most humans can't feel it, but most humans didn't grow up with a demon lord as a father.

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