Page 13 of Magic of Sins

This must be his doing. He heightens my feelings. He makes me enjoy this food more than I would otherwise.

After the appetizer, he lifts another cloche. Lamb with spiced rice and apricots. I’ve never eaten meat before. The idea of eating a dead animal sickens me, so I focus on the rice and apricots. When he slides the wine glass over to me, I take a sip. The tart taste is interesting, but I’m not sure I like it.

“The best is yet to come,” Caden promises as I set my knife and fork aside a short while later and he raises another cloche.

Various small cakes and fruits are arranged on the large platter. It’s way more than I could ever eat. Not that it matters. He’s going to make me do it anyway by amplifying my feelings, so I allow him to put the plate down in front of me. I reach for a red fruit.

“What is it?”

“It’s called a strawberry.”

I try it. Its fruity sweetness spreads across my tongue as I bite into it.

“Try it with this.”

Chocolate cake. Even though no one I know has ever tasted it, we know what it looks like. Chocolate—the epitome of sin.

I shouldn’t …

Caden picks up a small bite of cake and holds it in front of my mouth. I press my lips together. The rich chocolate scent reachesmy nose.

I shouldn’t. But with the sin mage intensifying my feelings and my desire, I don’t hesitate any longer. Instead of taking the piece of cake from him, I let him feed me, licking the chocolate from his fingers. A soft moan escapes him, and I close my eyes in pleasure.

It’s delicious. It’s heavenly. It’s…

Not right.

Horrified at myself, I open my eyes and slap a hand over my mouth.

“What have you done to me?” I blurt out.

Caden leans back with a small laugh and licks the remaining chocolate off his fingers. “I didn’t do anything but feed on you. And I do have to say, it was a feast.”

“You’ve amplified my feelings,” I snap at him.

He wasn’t forbidden from doing so. We hadn’t established any boundaries, and yet it feels like he crossed one. He manipulated me.

“Drink some more wine, maybe that will temper your anger,” Caden suggests with a grin.

But for the first time, I don’t care if he feels my wrath. He’s already fed on me, so how much worse can it get?

I reach for my wine glass and toss the contents at him.

I freeze.

Caden doesn’t even blink as the red liquid runs down his face and drips from his eyebrows onto his dark-blue shirt and the small patch of exposed skin at his neck. He stands up and walks behind my chair, propping his forearms on its back. Wine drips down my neck. I feel his warm breath against my cheek as he speaks.

“I didn’t amplify your feelings,” he says. “I don’t do that. What you felt was all you.”

“No.”

My voice is just a whisper. It can’t even begin to express the horror I’m feeling right now. What I felt—all that eagerness and desire—was all me? He had nothing to do with it?

“You’re welcome, love,” Caden replies.

I can’t see the smug grin on his face, but I hear it very clearly.

Chapter Four