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I put the bra and underwear on. Then I put the dress on. Then I sat down on the bed and slipped the shoes on my feet.

I didn't put the hooded robe on, but I did lay it out on the bed. I dug around in the duffel and pulled out what Julian had handed me on the sly and I tucked it into one of the large pockets in the robe. Whatever happened, it was important I kept that robe with me tonight because I would need what was inside that pocket.

I did not put on any makeup or attempt to make myself look any better than what I did naturally. I left my hair down and hanging around me. No makeup. No primping. Just the stupid dress and me.

I sat down on the bed and waited.

Mind blank, eyes aimed straight forward, hands clasped and seated in my lap, I waited.

They did not come for me until midnight, just like Annabell had said they would.

Chapter Sixteen

Give Me Cooties

Their faces were painted black and white, like skeletons. They wore robes the same as the one that had been delivered to me, the same robe I had on now. The hoods were pulled up over their heads and there were so many of them I could not tell who was who.

And I wanted to fucking puke up my steak dinner.

I kept it down. Barely.

I was led by a small group of men that I hadn't been able to recognize out of my room, across the balcony, and down the stairs. I had been hustled into a room and there had been so many people packed into the space, wearing their black robes, that I had no idea even where I was. Everyone had been packed in like sardines in a tin can.

Claustrophobia reigned supreme and I found it hard to breathe. They gave me space enough to walk through them without touching me, but I still felt their heat closing in, threatening to suffocate me.

It was too much.

I wanted to run.

I did no such thing.

I forced my feet to move forward even though they felt like they'd been filled with lead. I stopped at the open circle just like the rest of them. Only my hood wasn't up like the theirs, my blonde head exposed to them all. Not to mention my non-painted face exposed to them all.

I would not be embarrassed or hide because of this.

I stepped forward, out of the ring of people, and into the open space.

Belatedly, I noticed the claw-footed bathtub in the middle of the room. It was empty, looked pristine, and in a circle around it sat an unlit ring of black candles on the floor. There was always white paint on the floor, a large pentagram had been drawn in it, big enough to hold the tub, the ring of candles, and me who was inside of it.

I did not catch good vibes from this.

Instead, I felt unease and terror slither through me. This did not matter. I stood strong.

Figures moved around, stepping into the circle, joining me. There were seven of them in total and they surrounded me. The shortest one with the protruding belly I knew instantly to be Adrian. I also, unfortunately, noticed for the first time that they were naked underneath those robes. Way too much information for me. Way, way too much.

The only cocks I ever needed to see belonged to my boyfriends, thank you very much. And I never wanted to see Adrian's stubby little pecker again.

I hoped for his sake it got a whole lot bigger when it was hard, otherwise that was just plain ole sad.

No wonder he was such an asshole.

I turned around in a circle, searching their faces, seeking out Marcus. He'd be here amongst these men closest to me, the men I figured belonged to the Council, the Council I was now joining. I spotted him behind me and to the left. His eyes were everywhere but on me, avoiding my gaze.

What the hell?

Adrian pulled back his hood and stepped up in front of me. Even his shiny, bald head had been painted black. He no longer looked like a genie come to life after his bottle had a little rub down.

Adrian raised his hands, and immediately the quiet murmuring around the room silenced. I knew without looking that all eyes were focused solely on the man in front of me with rapt attention.