Page 12 of Chaos Carnival

The need to feel him inside me was all-consuming. I dragged my lips across his chest, tasting the smooth, sculpted planes of his physique.

His hand pushed the fabric of my panties down to reveal my skin beneath. My breath caught as his fingers slid into my folds, his touch searing even through the haze of desire.

A key rattled in the lock.

I froze, my heart leaping to my throat.

The door swung open, and I yelped, shoving Maverick away and yanking the blanket up to my chin.

Zara and Cross strode in, and I wished the floor would swallow me whole.

“Hey guys.” Maverick's voice was infuriatingly casual as he pulled me into his lap. I clutched the blanket tighter, mortification burning through me.

“Sorry for the delay.” Zara shrugged off her jacket, seemingly oblivious to our compromising position. “Had to dodge a few patrols to get here.”

Chapter 8: Assembly of Shadows

Tess

MyfaceflamedasI burrowed deeper into the blankets, wishing I could disappear. Maverick's chest shook with silent laughter against my back, and I resisted the urge to elbow him in the ribs. The ritual required skin contact, but this was not how I'd planned to maintain it in public.

Stone and Lux emerged from the other bedrooms, yawning and stretching. I tried to ignore the ache between my legs, the blanket tucked firmly around my waist.

“Seems no one's made coffee yet,” Cross called out, stalking into the kitchen.

Maverick took advantage of the distraction, shifting me in his lap. I stifled a gasp as he maneuvered us so we were lined up,then pushed into me. I gripped his arms, my knuckles white, and tried to muffle my sharp intake of breath as he filled me, stretching my insides so perfectly.

“Maverick!” I hissed, my eyes widening as he began to move within me.

He leaned close, his lips brushing my ear. “Don't worry, monstre. No one knows.” His hips pumped gently, and I had to grasp at the blanket to keep myself from reacting. My walls clenched around him, desperate to keep him inside, despite how wrong it felt.

I could only nod, panting to try to keep from making any sound. He moved with slow, subtle thrusts, careful to keep the blanket in place as Zara and Cross chatted in the kitchen.

“Here, let me help.” Lux bustled over to the coffee maker, keeping his back to us. “I need a strong cup myself.”

Zara pulled a crumpled flyer from her pocket, smoothing it out on the nearest flat surface, the coffee table next to the mattress. I held my breath, hoping the movement wouldn't draw their attention to us. I was pretty sure my wide eyes and flushed cheeks would be a dead giveaway. With every movement, I felt myself getting wetter, the friction between us creating a euphoric moment.

Bold letters proclaimed 'Cirque des Cauchemars' above an image of circus tents bathed in red light. “Found this plastered all over downtown,” Zara said, her voice cutting through the haze of desire fogging my brain. “Ivan's not exactly hiding. To mortal eyes, it'll look like just every other horror attraction that pops up in October…“

My eyes flicked to the flyer, taking in the ominous image, but Maverick's subtle movements had my attention divided. He pressed his hips up into mine, eliciting a soft moan that I quickly stifled. The room was full of our friends trying to help us solve our problems, but I could only focus on him filling me in a waythat made me feel so alive. The room seemed to shrink around us as the anticipation built, the air crackling with tension.

“I must say,” Oscar chimed in, “rushing headlong into an obvious trap does seem rather ill-advised. It would make for excellent dramatic irony in a play, though. I have years of experience with tragic endings.”

Maverick's thumbs stroked the sensitive skin of my hips, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. I was lost in the maelstrom of sensation. His breath tickled my ear, sending a sense of foreboding coiling in my gut. I nodded as I tried to focus on the conversation., not on the pleasure Maverick was skillfully unraveling in me “We need a plan.”

“Don’t worry. This isn't going to be tragic,” said Zara. “The opening night is tonight. We'll get in, grab her and get out.”

My heart ached for Addie, but my traitorous body melted around Maverick's cock. The pleasure in me tightened like a coil, making it hard to think, hard to breathe, hard to do anything but feel.

“There's something else.” Cross's voice dropped low. His fingers drummed against the bedside table. “The hunters have been busy.”

My stomach clenched at his tone, and even Zara looked away, her usual confidence cracking. I was too lost in the moment to fully comprehend it.

“They've hit compounds worldwide.” Cross ran a hand through his hair, his usual composure cracking. “London's Twilight Market, burned to ash. The Prague Sanctum, every protection ward shattered, everyone inside either taken or...” He swallowed hard. “The Singapore Haven collapsed into shards. They're methodically destroying every supernatural sanctuary they can find.”

Maverick stilled.

His voice dropped lower. “The Midnight Menagerie in Berlin got hit last night. Most influential supernatural circus in Europe had protections that were centuries old. Half their performers are just... gone. The other half?” He shuddered. “They said the hunters didn't even break stride. Just walked right through every ward, every defense, like they were nothing.”

---