Page 20 of Daughter of the Darkened City

“Are you okay?” Enid said in the silence, stepping forward and placing a hand over her forehead. “You feel very hot, too. Are you unwell?”

The touch felt searing against her skin, drawing a sharp intake of breath from her.

“I-I’m quite well!” Avenay practically yelled and then shut her eyes in horror at how loud it had come out.

“Enid! You were amazing!”

Avenay’s eyes flew open as Carlotti trotted up, wrapping an arm around Enid’s bicep, gushing as she fluttered her doe eyes. Lead dropped in Avenay’s stomach, and she stepped away from Enid’s touch, toward the door. The image of Enid and Carlotti kissing hit her anew, and any warmth from Enid’s touch left her icy cold instead.

Enid smiled awkwardly. “Thanks.”

She turned back to Avenay, but Avenay only nodded her head curtly. “Thank you.”

Then she turned and left hastily, rushing up the stairs toward her room.

Steps sounded behind her, but she refused to look, even though it was surely Enid following. Avenay’s heart wouldn’t stop racing. It pounded with each step she took, finally reaching her floor, and shepractically fled to the door. She pulled out the keys and placed them in the lock, twisting. But the door wouldn’t come undone. She twisted and wiggled, shifting the key here and there, trying and trying to no avail. Frustration threatened to spill into tears.

“Here, let me help,” a midnight infused voice said, and she groaned.

Of course, Enid had seen all of that.

Enid came near, the tall demon encasing her as she reached around to take the handle. Avenay’s skin pebbled, and she fixed her gaze forward, desperate to ignore how close Enid was. Avenay’s breath caught as the demon’s hand brushed hers, light as a feather. She yanked it away; the spot seeming to throb. Enid’s other arm came around her side and Avenay was caught. All she could do was stare at the perfect profile of Enid’s proud nose as the demon twisted the handle, tugging up slightly, then inserted the key and turned the lock.

“Like that,” Enid said, her breath a whisper against Avenay’s cheek as their eyes met. Lingering with intent.

Heat rolled down her body in waves and she stepped forward into the room, away from Enid, clutching her papers to her chest. Enid leaned against the frame, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips as her eyes left Avenay’s and drifted across her face and down, down….

Avenay rolled her eyes. MaybeThe High Fliershad been holding back in their salacious stories of the Queen of Iniquity. To go from one female to the next in a span of minutes was an impressive level of disregard.

“I’m Enid, by the way.”

“Why are you following me?” Avenay asked, ignoring the introduction.

“I’m not. Did you want me to?”

“Not at all. I’m afraid I’m not one of your adoring fans.”

Well, not anymore.

Mostly.

Only a little bit. And that barely mattered. It was only a residual feeling she would certainly scrub from her heart tonight as she replayed the horrifying scene of Enid kissing her arch nemesis.

“Oh? I have fans?” Enid asked, a twinkle in her eye.

The twinkle lit a fire of aggravation in Avenay. “Don’t play dumb. It’s not cute.”

Enid took a step back, pulling keys out of her pocket and twirling them on her finger carelessly. “I’m not playing. I really am this clueless, I’m afraid. Tell me more about these fans of mine. Are they all as pretty as you?”

Enid stopped at the door across from Avenay’s, leaning against it casually, every muscled line of her body at ease.

“Only you can be the judge of that, I’m afraid.”

Her eyes roved over Avenay, making her shift uncomfortably. Then her gaze came back up to Avenay’s, a softness in them that made Avenay’s heart do that terribly annoying galloping thing again. “No, I don’t think they are. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone as beautiful as you.”

Avenay’s thoughts tangled around one another, collapsing to dust before they could form anything coherent. The words rang with sincerity, but then Avenay’s mind reminded her of all she’d seen tonight, of all she’d read of this rakish female.

“Does that line usually work for you?” she snapped.

---