Page 42 of Lust

Once again, as soon as we all start to disburse, Juliette is swamped by rabid autograph hunters.

“Have you noticed how Hades hasn’t made an appearance yet?” Rowena says as she pulls me to one side away from the masses of excited people and demons.

I hadn’t really thought about it until she’d pointed it out. “He must be here. Twila’s here and she said he came with her.”

“Is she here, though?” Rowena looks over the tops of everyone’s heads, then back to me. “Shewashere, but we’ve not seen her since… since the first day. You’d think she’d want to come and hang out with us a bit more than she has.”

I shrug my shoulders. “It does seem strange, but her and Hades have some weird kinky sex life. The pair of them are probably too busy having threesomes and foursomes with demons down in the lower level to think of us losers up here.” As I say it, I remember the unread messages I sent to Twila and a pang of uneasiness settles in my stomach, like a heavy weight that I hadn't fully acknowledged until now.

“I guess you could be right.” She flicks her eyes over to Juliette, who looks like the queen of everything surrounded by her adoring fans. “You know. I always thought Hades was more Juliette’s speed than Twila’s.”

“You’re forgetting that Twila was smitten with Satan before she even came down here,” I point out. “It’s not really surprising she ended up with a demon, even if it isn’t the main man himself.”

As I talk, my eyes catch the tip of Dade’s wings across the room. Just like Juliette, he’s surrounded by people, and as far as I can tell, they are all women. Unlike Juliette, he seems annoyed and is doing everything he can to push through them.

“Why is it that Dade is the bottom of the leader board and still has women fawning all over him?” I murmur aloud. “I mean, I’m his partner. Where are my fans?”

Rowena smirks. “Oh honey. He’s a man. They can do anything they please and still women love them. It doesn’t hurt that he looks the way he does.”

I pout. “Are you saying I’m not good looking enough to get fans?”

“I don’t have any fans either.” Rowena grins and touches my hair. “You’re gorgeous. Don’t let these idiots make you think otherwise. Look.” She nods toward Dade who’s finally broken free of his fan base. Anger and irritation line his features as he slams through the door that leads to the platform. “Having crazy fans isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Wanna get out of here and hang out in my room for a bit? I think Juliette might be down here for a while.”

I shake my head. “It looks like I’m going to be stuck doing the second trial with Dade, whether I like it or not. I think I need to go and clear the air with him.”

Rowena nods. “A word of advice. Don’t accuse him of murder again, and for all that is holy, don’t sleep with the guy. It caused enough mess last time.”

“I didn’t sleep with him… and I have no intention of sleeping with him.” My cheeks flame as I turn away from Rowena and follow Dade through to the Platform.

23

NOT A FUCKING CHANCE

FELIX

I'm itching to hit the bottle again, drown my thoughts in the burn of liquor. Though that move backfired spectacularly last night. Right now, I'm pulsing with a primal force, coursing with an electrifying surge that could power this entire circle for a month. I know it’s magic, but it’s fucking annoying to be turned on all the time. I could call Anthura and put her to work on my cock, but I can’t stand the sight of her right now. I pull on my running shoes and head out. If I can’t fuck this pent up energy out of my system, I’ll run it out. There’s a running track down on the entertainment level somewhere, but I’m way too keyed up to be bothered to find it. I don’t need it when I’ve got a hundred sets of stairs to climb, not to mention balconies to run round.

I take the first set of stairs, pounding each one hard before running to the opposite side of the balcony and racing up the next set. I manage to get to floor seventy eight before realizing that I’m in danger of being seen by Anthura if she happens to come out of her apartment and look over the balcony railing. I turn around and race back down, pushing myself as fast and as hard as I can go. I’m running faster than an athlete and I’m barely catching my breath. The running is amplifying my pent up energy rather than expelling it. By the time I get back to my apartment, I’m desperate for some other kind of release, one I won’t find in running shoes.

I head in to my room, slamming the door behind me. Anger is blazing a trail through my body, and my mind is clouding over.

“Not a fucking chance!” I shout out to the empty room, answering a question that no one asked me, then pull my running shoes from my feet and fling each one across the room so hard they leave a dent in the wall.

Barefoot, I storm over to my back door and heave it open. The glass demons fucking each other in every possible way push my anger up another notch.

Without thinking, I storm down six flights of stairs barefoot until I’m standing outside Rowena’s apartment. I slam my fist to the door frame, slowing it down to an almost stop before it connects.

I have no idea what I’m doing here. I want to scream at the bitch for locking me up in her room. Yeah, I shouldn’t have been there, but I was fucking drunk. I’m sober now. I raise my hand to knock, but this time think better of it. What the fuck am I doing?

I’m about to turn when the door opens. Rowena’s mouth drops open in surprise before her mouth curls down into a sneer. “Well, look what the cat dragged in.”

Anger pulses through my veins at her face, her hair and at the fucking awful dress she’s wearing. “You’re a fucking bitch!”

She rolls her eyes, which exacerbates me even more. “Am I having déjà vu? Haven’t we already done this? Is this some kind of freaky time loop?”

Damn, she’s maddening. Why the fuck doesn’t she look scared? I’m this close to putting a fist through her face and she’s actually grinning. Someone took me to her room before. They must have. There’s no way I would have voluntarily come to her. There’s not enough Dragonfire Whisky in Hell.

I stare at her, my eyes burning with hatred and fury. “I don’t know who brought me to your room before, but I didn’t choose to come.”

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