Page 33 of Veil of Death and Shadow

Power emanated from her, so strong and sultry that I could almost taste it—like chocolate and cinnamon, but with a deadly twist.

One quick glance at Sora showed that she was just as captivated with the woman. Her lips parted in a soft “o” as her gaze locked on her.

It was a rare occurrence, rendering Sora speechless.

That, alone, was a testament to this woman’s effect.

As if used to this reaction, the woman only smirked. It wasn’t an unkind smirk, but it also wasn’t friendly. A reminder, mostly, that in the supernatural world, beauty was braided with danger—the sharpest tool of a predator, to be wielded whenever they felt like using it.

“Humans need to meet with me or one of my partners before they are permitted entry,” she said, her voice a sultry lick that had my stomach tightening—whether with arousal or fear, I wasn’t entirely sure. One seemed to fuel the other in this place. “I’ll assess your compatibility with my establishment.”

Sora took a step towards the woman, as if getting swept into her orbit was inevitable.

My jaw clenched as I stood there, rooted with my hand against the wall, silently asking it for strength.

“My name is Villette,” the woman purred, her lips curving into a more playful smile this time, one laced with a sultry challenge. She stepped back into the dark room behind her. “Please follow me.”

Sora took a step towards her, and I reached for her wrist, pulling her back. Her skin was warm. A soft, static shock sparked where we touched; the energy kinetic. “You’re sure this is safe?”

“Yes.” She turned to me, threading her fingers through mine and offering a soft squeeze, the shock shaping into a lulling buzz. “This is why I know it’s safe, Mars. Rex warned me about this part. Villette owns this place. Her protocol for humans is extensive—we’ll be kicked out if she’s not certain we can withstand it. Trust me. I wouldn’t bring you here otherwise.”

I took a deep breath and nodded. If there was anyone in this universe I trusted with my life, it was Sora.

We followed the woman into what was a remarkably unremarkable office for someone so magnetic.

There was a large leather couch, a luxurious armchair, and decor that oozed money.

But for a club that built its reputation on illicit encounters and sensuality, the paperwork and clutter littering the mahogany desk didn’t look much different from the desk in our apartment, where I poured over ledgers and receipts for Frank’s.

The lights flickered, the blues turning into deep reds. Villette rolled her eyes.

“You’ll have to excuse the dramatics of this place. We have quite a packed crowd tonight and the building is overindulging a bit.”

She gestured towards the couch as she moved to the armchair next to it, somehow managing to sit elegantly, despite the short dress. That seemed like a superpower in and of itself.

“The building?” I asked, taking a seat next to Sora.

“It has a power of its own. That’s how this place works the way that it does.” Villette leaned against one arm of the chair, her hand resting beneath her chin as she studied us. She had just the slightest southern drawl that peeked out at the edges, like it spent most of its time hiding. “Popular theory is that it either trapped a succubus when the realm split or stripped one of her power. It’s infused with a magic very similar to ours.” She tilted her head, and I noticed that her eyes seemed to almost swim with a hundred shades of blue—like an entire night sky existed in their depths. “The building—” she paused, considering, “amplifies lust. That lust functions as an entry point for energy transfer. As the building absorbs it, so do those of us who thrive on it.”

“We being succubi and incubi?” Sora leaned forward, her eyes wide as she held onto Villette’s every word, as if her next breath required it. “Lust demons, I mean?”

The woman nodded, her expression indulgent as she studied my friend—her gaze so steady and intimate it felt as if she were undressing her. And judging by the seductive smile in her eyes, it was clear that she liked whatever it was that she saw.

Sora crossed her legs, shifting slightly. Her cheeks heated with a pink flush as she met Villette’s stare and tried to hold it.

It was strange to see her rattled. Usually when Sora found someone attractive, she approached the situation with a confidence I’d never been able to master myself.

Not this time.

Honestly, I understood the attraction. Villette was hot—sultry and powerful and mysterious. I’d probably be into her too if I wasn’t so acutely aware of how fucking easy it would be for her to kill us.

“So,” I cleared my throat, “the building feeds from us, you mean. After making us horny?”

“Mars.” Sora shot me a look, uncharacteristically shy.

“What? It’s weird?” I shot back, my voice a barely contained whisper.

“Yes.” Villette only grinned, her gaze dancing between us, before lingering again on Sora. “And you’re right it is weird. But so are many things about this world now. The building and the lust demons connected to it will indeed feed from any energy you exert within these walls. Look,” she leaned forward, her focus shifting to me now, “there aren’t any secrets here. If you enter this club, you’ll make that choice of your own volition, giving your full consent—and only after you’ve agreed to our rules. We’ve put them into place for your safety, not ours. If you are uncomfortable with the form of payment we take, I can assure you that there are many other places to spend an evening in this city. Especially on a night like tonight. We don’t beg here—” she paused, the corner of her mouth curving into a wicked hook, “unless that’s negotiated first, of course.”

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