Page 7 of Cursed

With every flourish of his fingers, he summoned energy that crackled with a sinister allure as he laid a protective barrier around the estate. The red glow of his magic glimmered against the clouds and shone in the rain-wet leaves.

As he continued his dance among the shadows, I drew back from the window. But as I moved, the walls of my sanctuary closed in and suffocated me with the weight of inevitability.

I could see it now.

There was no escape; Withermarsh had claimed me, and Lucian’s shadow seemed to stretch across all of it.

The library’sheavy wooden door creaked as I pushed it open, but the sound was swallowed by the thick silence within.

My footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor— If she was in here, I wanted her to hear me coming.

The air was thick with the scent of old parchment and burning incense, a heady mix that clung to my skin like an unwanted memory. Lanterns flickered dimly from the stone walls, but the chandelier in the center of the room was dark.

I knew she was here—I could smell her.

My father had given her permission to leave the safety of her chambers.

A foolish oversight on someone’s part, but one I intended to exploit. My eyes swept through the aisles, searching for any sign of her, and the anticipation curled in my stomach like a serpent coiled and ready to strike.

The library, a labyrinth of tall bookshelves, held ancient volumes that Lucian had collected with an almost obsessive fervor. My eyes darted from one shadowy corner to another, my ears attuned to the smallest sounds.

The faint rustle of fabric reached me. I paused, my body rigid, and every muscle tensed as I detected her presence.

There she was, hidden between two towering shelves. Her pale hazel eyes were wide and filled with apprehension as they locked onto mine.

Her fear was what I craved. It enveloped me like a fragrant perfume, and each note was more thrilling than the last.

The sight of her stoked a predatory instinct within me.

She was mine to toy with, mine to frighten, and ultimately… mine to claim.

As I moved towards her, she darted back deeper into the labyrinth of books. Her flight only fueled my excitement further, but I didn’t rush after her; instead, I followed slowly and relished every whimper that escaped her plump lips.

When I finally cornered her once again, her hands curled into fists at her sides as she glared back at me. She was so tiny—the top of her head barely came up to my chest—but anger burned in her eyes along with the fear I found so delectable. Her defiance only made her more enticing.

The thought of breaking her continuing resistance was an exhilarating prospect.

“You have nowhere left to run,” I warned her softly.

Her anger flashed across her beautiful features then.

“I’m allowed to be here,” she hissed. “Lucian—”

“Oh, I’m aware,” I shot back.

I stepped closer and my shadow swallowed her whole as the dim light danced mockingly around us. A dusty tome slipped from the shelf and landed with a thud that echoed flatly in the library's silence. She flinched at the sound and I couldn’t help the lust that rose inside me.Would she still bend for me if I demanded it?

Her eyes were wide and shimmered with a cocktail of emotions—fear, anger, perhaps even a flicker of something deeper. It was thrilling to witness.

“Why areyouhere?” she spat. I relished in the way her body tightened, and that small act of rebellion only added to my amusement.

“Why, Avril,” I drawled, a smirk curving my lips, “have you forgotten that you’re only a guest here? My father might have given you permission to visit this library—but you’re notwelcomehere.” She shrank back.

“I—”

“Did you really think that you’d be safe behind those bookshelves?”

She didn’t answer, but I could feel the soft pulse of her magic as she gathered her strength to defend herself.

---