Page 38 of The Female

I remain frozen, Silas’s attitude making me feel emotions I’m nowhere near ready to try to sift through. After watching my reaction for another couple of seconds, he seems to take pity and steps away.

“Why don’t you go ask Gray about the tutor? I can tell you’re excited by the idea.” He gestures toward the door.

I mindlessly nod, admittedly happy about the possibility of getting a proper education. It’s always been something I wished I had. The idea of having to ask Gray makes me a bit wary, but I tell myself I can’t live in the shadows forever.

I’m going to have to speak to him at some point.

With one last hidden glance at Silas, I turn and make my way back to my room.

This place feels almost too good to be true, and I find myself antsy as I wait for some bomb to drop. There’s no way I’ve gotten lucky enough to be purchased by a group of men who genuinely have no intentions of harming or breeding me.

Despite their friendly attitudes, I know it’s just a matter of time.

My mind continues to race as I return to my room, worry and anxiety making my palms sweaty and movements jerky.

As much as I’d love to have a tutor as Silas suggested, the thought of seeking out Gray and asking him feels overwhelming. It wouldn’t surprise me if he demanded something in return for his favor, and the last thing I want is to be indebted to him.

I push my hair out of my face and release a shaky breath as I walk through the dining room and past the kitchen doors. The shadows are still here, all working in comfortable silence as they ready breakfast.

Peeking around the corner, I make sure the hallway leading to the stairs is empty before hurrying toward them. My earlier assumption that the three demons would still be sleeping was wrong, and I’d like to get back before running into anybody else.

I move quickly but come to a halt when I hear Aziel’s voice echoing through the large doorway that leads to the sitting room. I eye the distance between the sitting room entrance and the stairwell just past it.

There’s no way I’ll be able to make it there without him noticing me. Internally cursing, I straighten my back and drop my chin as I press against the wall and continue forward.

Hopefully, he won’t even notice me.

My pulse races as his voice grows louder, and my footsteps speed up in response.Keep your head down and be quiet. If you do that, you should be able to get past him.I stumble over my feet as he comes barreling around the corner, but I regain my balance quickly and slide closer to the wall.

Aziel pauses as he notices me, the frown on his lips deepening as he pulls his phone away from his ear and hangs up on whomever he’s speaking to. I stare at the ground as he approaches, still holding on to my childish hope that he’ll continue walking and leave me alone.

It’s not until he’s cornering me that I realize how foolish that thought was. I’m his intended target and the realization has me pressing myself further against the wall. Why does he hate me so much? He’s the one who bought me.

I make myself appear as small as possible as he grabs my shoulders and pushes me into the wall. My back arches and a quiet hiss slips from my lips at the sharp pain, but I continue to hold my ground.

His power is suffocating as he invades my personal space, and its intensity makes me desperate to drop to my knees.

I stiffen as he bends down, his face burying into my hair before he inhales, smelling me. Is he upset I didn’t shower? The stronger breeds tend to have more powerful senses, but I didn’t think they would be so intense.

Aziel’s fingers continue to dig painfully into the muscles of my shoulders as he lowers his face to my neck and smells me once more. I stare at the stairs, desperate to leave.

“Charlotte.” Aziel grunts as he pulls his face away from my neck and straightens back up. His hands loosen slightly where they hold me, but he maintains a firm grip to keep me in place. “I bought you for one simple reason. Do you know what that is?”

I gulp, struggling to keep a straight mind when his power seeps out of him like this.

“I’m sorry,” I apologize. This probably has something to do with Gray.

It’s clear I was purchased to be a steady source of food for the incubus. When he said he would stay out of my dreams last night, I was relieved, but as I stare at Aziel’s heaving chest, I realize that didn’t mean he would go without.

I’m willing to bet that he fed from Aziel again. It would explain the demon’s current anger.

“I didn’t know,” I plead, not caring how transparently fearful I am. If being weak is what’s going to keep me alive, then I’ll be the most helpless female the demon has ever seen.

Aziel laughs and releases me.

“You’re going to fuck Gray today,” he spits out, his words holding no emotion and leaving no room for argument.

My bottom lip trembles, the action seeming to anger Aziel further as he pushes me into the wall again. I wince as my shoulder blades slam against the plaster.

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