Page 217 of Owned

Another flicker in the entity’s control, stronger this time.

My right hand twitched and my fingers curled into a fist, before relaxing again.

Was the possession weakening?

Or was it allowing me glimpses of freedom to torment me further?

Ornate carvings covered the doors to Lucian’s suite; symbols writhed in the low light, patterns that pained the eyes to look at directly. The doorknobs were fashioned from some dark metal that seemed to absorb rather than reflect the light, and as Lucian reached for them, I swore I saw the metal shift beneath his touch as it responded to him like a living thing.

“These chambers have awaited you since the day you arrived at Withermarsh,” he said as he pushed the doors open to reveal a space beyond.

Why would he say that?

Why would he taunt me with that knowledge?

The entity hesitated at the threshold—the first sign of reluctance it had shown—and I felt a surge of fear so powerful it nearly broke through the possession’s hold.

“Something wrong?” Lucian asked. His tone was light, but his eyes were sharp with suspicion.

“Not at all,” the entity replied smoothly. “I’m simply... savoring the moment.”

“You disgust me,” I hissed from the shadows.

Lucian’s smile returned, the momentary doubt erased. “Then let us create many more moments to savor.”

He swept me into his arms with surprising strength and held me against his chest as he carried me into his bedchamber. My head lolled against his shoulder, the entity maintaining the pretense of an adoring bride while I raged silently in the prison of my mind.

The doors swung shut behind us, closing with a finality that vibrated through my bones.

We were alone now, truly alone.

His chambers were as oppressive as the man himself—all dark wood and heavy velvet draperies, with a massive four-poster bed dominating the center of the room.

Writhing figures had been carved into the bedposts; figures that appeared to move at the edge of my vision. The rich damask coverlets gleamed like oil in the dim light and the air was thick with the scent of something herbal and bitter, an incense that made my thoughts fuzzy and complicated.

“Whatever you have planned, you better not let him fuck me!” I screamed.

The voice was silent as Lucian set me on my feet.

The entity faltered for just a moment, but then regained its balance.

Lucian’s hands lingered on my waist and he stared into my eyes with a hunger that made me want to run and hide—to make matters worse, I could sense the press of his magic.

Testing. Probing for weaknesses.

Or something else…

But beneath that pressure was the wavelike current of power that wasn’t mine, wasn’t Lucian’s, but flowed through me nonetheless. The entity’s power, readying itself for... what?

As Lucian leaned in to claim a kiss, I felt the entity tense and gather itself like a snake preparing to strike.

Lucian’s lips descended on mine, cold and demanding, and though the entity allowed my body to respond with convincing fervor, my consciousness recoiled in disgust. I felt each sensation through a veil—the pressure of his mouth, his hands as they slid down my sides, the subtle shifting of fabric as he began to unfasten my wedding gown—all of it muted by my desperate attempts to distance myself from what was happening.

The entity yielded my body to his advances with calculated submission, a performance designed to disarm and deceive.

“You surprise me,” Lucian murmured against my neck and his breath raised goosebumps on my skin. “I expected tears. Pleading. Perhaps even a futile attempt at escape...” His teeth grazed my collarbone, and I felt my body arch into the touch. “But this... eager compliance... it’s unexpected.”

“Did you want me to resist?” the entity asked with my voice. The words were playful and teasing in a way I would never have been able to manage.

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