Page 37 of Scales and Seduction

“Ah, numpty’s on his way, is ‘e? ‘Bout time.” She rolls her eyes with a smirk, “’ere he comes, an’ with prince in tow.” She points a beautifully painted pink finger toward the door as it swings open.

The moment Gideon steps through the doors, it’s as if the world around me slows. The music fades into the background as the sound of my beating heart blares in my head. The low light catches the angles of his jaw, and for a second, I forget I just saw him minutes ago. When his eyes find mine, he flashes me the most dazzling smile. I’m helplessly lost in him.

When I came in, people looked my way, but the moment the prince enters the club, it’s as if everyone but the dancers turn their heads. Gideon remains full of confidence as he crosses the dark club to mine and Loran’s side of the bar, never once breaking eye contact with me. I can feel his energy almost simmering between us like a live wire. I can’t help it, but I want him again, even though my pussy is so sore, I can’t stand myself.

“Hi,” I whisper, craning my neck upwards to glance at him behind me. I want to kiss him; I want to tell him I’m glad he’s here, but I know I can’t pretend we’re that close to one another. Not when he’s about to be married.

Gideon’s hand settles on the small of my back. I feel the heat of his breath as he ghosts his lips over the shell of my ear. “We’re staying an hour tops, and then I’m taking you home to fuck you into my mattress.”

It doesn’t matter that the pheromones are washed from my body and have no effect anymore—his words do. His words wrap around me like silk. They linger, stirring a thrilling feeling, making my thoughts spin. “You wicked snake,” I whisper.

“Na-ga,” Gideon teases me playfully with a flick of his tongue against my ear. It sends a shooting throb to my pussy that makes me cross my legs.

“Enough flirting,” Silas says, but I’ve not even noticed where he is. “Opal, pour the three of us whiskey and whatever Miss Ruby wants. We’re taking it to my office.”

The door to Silas’s office creaks as it swings open. It’s dimly lit and seems barely used. The drink in my hand is a cocktail that Opal suggested I try. It’s apparently made with rose petals, the flowers she grows in her home, and some sort of lilac-flavored gin. It’s like licking a plant. I hate it, but after a day like today, I’ll gladly drink it.

Silas’s office is nothing like the bustling club outside. The walls are lined with dark mahogany shelves; some are empty while others are stacked with random papers. The desk is the same color as the walls and cluttered with papers, crushed cans of what I think is some kind of sparkling water, and a bag of brightly colored candies. On one end of the desk, though, there’s an ancient relic of a computer. It’s entirely metal and industrial-looking, but the screen is on as if it’s recently been used.

I wince as I take in everything. It’s nothing like his home. This feels like a tomb. There’s nothing in here that seems like him, and if anything, I’d say he despises being inside the office at all, given how dirty it appears.

“So, tell Loran what you told me on the way here.” Silas walks around the edge of the desk, though he doesn’t sit. Heopens one of the candy wrappers, popping it into his mouth with a shrug.

With all of us in this office, we’re packed in as tightly as sardines, but truly it’s because all of these monster men are massive. I’m barely taking up one corner, but they nearly touch elbows with the walls. Gideon leans against the desk, his gaze flickering over the room before setting his drink down on the top.

“We found an old history book in Atticus’s room. I believe he was digging into the curse,” Gideon begins to say in a low tone. “The book was damaged by some kind of fire, and inside it, Ruby and I found a clue. He wrote ‘Love started the curse, but what if love ends it? Strings of fate…’ and then it was smudged. Ruby has it with her. The book detailed information about history that, frankly, I’ve never heard of before.”

Loran makes a humming noise before he takes a swallow of his drink. “Let me guess, you left the book behind?”

Gideon’s face falls momentarily, but he points at me. “Yes, unfortunately, but we can return for it tomorrow. Ruby has a piece of parchment with his handwriting, which should be enough for you to mull over until I get the book.”

My face flushes as I realize I hid it in my cleavage. “Can you all turn your heads or something?”

“Why would we do that?” Silas asks incredulously. It’s only when I clear my throat and point to my chest that he catches my meaning. “Ah, I’ve seen tons of tits before.”

“Not hers!”

“Not mine!”

Gideon and I say at the same time. The way he jerks his head toward Silas and his voice drips with grumpy exasperation is too much. I can’t help myself—I burst into laughter, and not a cute laugh. It’s a full-on witch cackle.

Silas blinks a moment, in shock, before he’s laughing too, and the other two men join in. After the night we’ve had, it feels damn good to laugh again.

Suddenly, a sharp crack echoes through the club, followed by the sound of glass shattering. “Oh fuck, Opal, I hope she’s not throwing glasses at people again,” Silas says, pinching his nose with his fingers in annoyance. He steps to the door, throws it open, only to slam it shut immediately. “Looks like our dead friends decided to pop in to say hello.”

“They’re outnumbered here. What would they gain?” Loran closes his eyes briefly, pressing two of his fingers against his forehead.

I look to Gideon, a surge of fear rising in my chest as it pounds and aches. I can’t fight with magic like they can. I’m a sitting duck in a room full of vicious wolves. What can I even do?

Gideon’s golden eyes flare dangerously, and though I want to hear him give me reassuring words that might soothe my racing mind to that place of peace he often manages to take me, he doesn’t say a word to me.

“Silas opens the door when I say, and we will need to fight our way out of this room. They will corner us if we stay,” he commands before he points to Loran. “Loran, you protect us from the rear. Once we’ve subdued them, I’ll need you to pry into their minds.” And finally, his stern gaze falls on me. “Ruby, stay close. The moment you find cover, take it.”

The swirling magic in the room is suffocating as the three of them prepare for whatever lies just outside the door. It’s hot like a furnace ready to explode at any moment. The roar of terror from beyond this room makes it feel as if the very foundation of the club is trembling.

Gideon’s face turns solemn, and his hand goes up, slowly counting down. One finger goes down each second until there’snothing but his fist left. Silas jerks open the door, and the magic crackles in the air in an overwhelming force that makes my spine tingle.

A swarm of twisted, shadowed figures lies in wait in the hallway. From here I see their eerie glowing red eyes and their bodies twitch bizarrely in violent jitters. The night they attacked, I hardly saw them, but now up close, I see they’re nothing but skeletons with clumps of dissolving flesh barely hanging on to their bones.

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