Page 15 of Sold to the Devil
I bow again, letting him know I will. His devilish smile stretches.
“Excellent. I want Dawson and O'Connor to suffer, to be weakened. I want them to fear us. You'll have to be subtle, though. Don't kill both your targets at once. I'll give you the Trace after your first kill.”
“Of course, Master. I will not disappoint you,” I speak softly but firmly.
He then turns to Mattheo, his red eyes shining with unhealthy pride.
“As for you, son, I want you to assist Mr. Leroi in his task. I'm afraid he'll need help breaking the barrier protecting the monastery from any intrusion. I'd also like you to be the one to finish off O'Connor when he's finally weak. You will also assist your future wife if necessary. As for your wedding, it will be celebrated during the Christmas holidays.”
“Yes, Father,” Mattheo bows respectfully, his voice strong and harsh. The Dark Mage hums thoughtfully, still stroking his snake mindlessly.
“Your brother has his own task, but I told him to ask you if he needed help.”
Mattheo nods, his jaw ticking almost imperceptibly, and the Dark Mage lets us go. We leave the room, and I follow Mattheo upstairs. The silence between us is heavy. We enter our bedroom, and he disappears into the dressing room, probably to pack for school. I sit on the bed with my legs crossed. I start picking at the skin of my nails again, staring out the window. The sun is beginning to set. I hesitate for a few seconds before clearing my throat.
“Mattheo?” I call in an uncertain voice.
He comes back into the room, one eyebrow raised in question but his face devoid of emotion.
“Yes?”
“I won't bother you with my task... I promise…,” I look away from him, feeling my cheeks flush. “You can just show me Dawson's friends. I don't want to bother you…”
He simply nods, his brows furrowed. I clear my throat again.
“Hm, do you need to use the bathroom?”
“No, you can use it.”
I mumble a small thank you and get up, practically running into the bathroom. I close the door and lock it, resting my forehead on its wood. I sigh, relieved that we've finally had a conversation without arguing.
I turn on the shower and undress. I left a tank top, shorts and my underwear in the bathroom earlier so as not to embarrass myself in front of Mattheo. I slip under the hot water and let it relax my body. I wash myself before getting out and dry my body with the towel. I put on my clothes, brush my hair and teeth and then leave the bathroom.
Mattheo is sitting on the bed with a book in his hands. He looks up in my direction before returning to his book. His head snaps up a few seconds later, his eyes wide. He looks me up and down, and I frown, looking down at my body.
That's when I realize my pajamas are quite revealing. I blush instantly and go to hide under the sheets, avoiding eye contact with him. He clears his throat and quickly disappears into the bathroom. I run a hand over my face, cursing myself for my choice of clothes. I know we're getting married in a few months, but that doesn't make the situation any less awkward.
CHAPTER 7
Aelys
I abruptly sit up in bed, breathing heavily. Sweat covers my skin, and I run a hand through my long brown hair, trying to calm myself. I glance toward the windows to see it's still dark outside. I check the clock, it’s 3:22 am.
I curse softly under my breath. What was that dream? I hear movement from the other side of the bed and I stiffen. My eyes fall on Mattheo who turns onto his side, facing me. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see he's still asleep. Flashbacks of my dream come back to me and I blush deeply before getting up and rushing to thebathroom.
I splash cold water on my face. What's wrong with me? How could I have dreamed about...this? I've never had dreams like this before. I'll never be able to look Mattheo in the eyes again.
For fuck's sake, I just had an erotic dream about him!
I groan, running my hand through my hair in frustration. I know I won't be able to go back to sleep after a dream like this. Especially since he's sleeping in the same bed. However, it's too early to get up. I can't leave the room. So I'm stuck here.
“Fuck,” I moan.
I return to the bedroom and am relieved to notice that Mattheo is still asleep. I grab my wand and go sit on the sofa in front of the bookcase. I murmur, “Lux”.
A small light appears at its tip and I open my book. At least I can finish it to banish this nasty dream from my mind.
The sun begins to rise and I whisper the counter-spell to extinguish my wand. I hear Mattheo moving under the sheets and my grip on the book tightens. I can't let him read my thoughts after what happened with Tom in my dream.
