Page 2
M y nerves thrum with heightened awareness as Briar pivots to stalk away, movements clipped with poorly concealed outrage. The sway of her wild waves and the fiery spark in her blue-bell irises trigger an illicit flare of interest low in my gut.
Feisty little wildcat, isn’t she? Wouldn’t mind getting a taste of those wicked claws up close.
Her full lips compress into a petulant pout as she whirls back to regard us with thinly veiled disdain. “Thanks for the warm welcome, lads, but I think I’ll find my way to the dorms solo.” Her middle finger jabs up in a crude gesture that drags my stare to the perfect cup of her tits straining against threadbare fabric. “Arius was doing a piss-poor job playing at tour guide, anyway.”
Hayes’ rich laughter joins mine as Briar marches off without awaiting a response. His warm gaze finds my own, amusement flickering in those sinful lashes.
“Christ, not exactly a wilting daisy, is she? Hansley said she would be a handful.” A wicked grin curves his lush lips before he glances at Rhys’ half-shadowed silhouette. “The fuck was that tantrum about, mate? Couldn’t resist hazing the new girl to assert dominance? Or were you trying to blow this whole thing before it can even begin?”
Rhys merely arches a brow before straightening with his typical disdain. Not bothering to spare a syllable, he prowls off without acknowledgment. Because that insufferable arse couldn’t exert the bare minimum effort towards niceties. Not when lording his intellect and barely-sheathed rage over the world provides his jaded soul sustenance.
Sighing, Arius glances my way with a brow arched in silent rebuke. “And you couldn’t resist goading instead of diverting?”
His tone drips with disapproval, yet lingers shy of condemnation. As if issuing a challenge to claim guilt or deny the accusation. Slanting him an unrepentant grin, I shrug. “C’mon, like Rhys wouldn’t have found another chance to piss in poor kitten’s cereal even without my innocent provocation?”
A snort gusts from Arius’ nostrils at the irreverent nickname, though he quickly schools his features. Something about his rigid formality begs to be needled relentlessly. Like poking a snake to see if it’ll finally strike.
“Speaking of unwanted provocations…” Hayes drawls, sidling up and trailing fingers along my nape. Those whisky eyes gleam with mischief as his mouth grazes my ear, teeth scraping sensitive flesh. “Planning to attend the revel tonight, or shall I entertain myself after being abandoned without my plaything?”
A delicious shiver dances down my spine as temptation curls low in my gut. Hayes wields his charms against mine and Arius’ ability to remain unaffected. Though resisting Arius’ domineering intensity is sometimes far more stimulating than Hayes’ indolent seductions.
“Is this fuckwit proposing dragging us to that pedestrian exhibition of bad booze and inflated egos? We do this shite every year,” Arius sneers, gaze flickering over Hayes’ mouth with blatant want he’ll never openly admit. “Think so little of occupying yourselves besides pandering to vapid debutantes you might fleece of virtue between shots?”
“Aww baby, you wound me.” I croon in an exaggerated Southern drawl certain to rankle his aristocratic repression. My lips brush Hayes’ stubbled jaw, his eyes fluttering. “Here I hoped to unearth luscious honeys for you to seduce, defile and leave cross-eyed on your bedsheets before dawn, Arius. We know how you love to have them hand delivered.”
Hayes throws his head back with a gale of laughter that crackles through my veins like the finest scotch. Pure, naked amusement thralls the senses. My cock stirs at the visceral display of his wild euphoria.
Not to mention the heated promise simmering in his heavy-lidded eyes as they pin me, saying he wouldn’t hesitate dragging me to the nearest alcove to re-enact one of our many debaucheries. That smoky rasp does nothing to dispel the raw longing sliding beneath my skin.
“Well luckily, unlike Arius, I don’t need new litters of brainless pussy to ensure my night of sin.” Hayes’ hand drifts lower, fingertips mapping the ridge of my cock straining against my trousers. “So… are you going to leave me hanging, zlatko?”
My throat goes dry, tongue darting to wet parched lips as lust lances through my veins. Hayes’ lashes drift to slits, his mouth curving in a moue that radiates sin. Leaning closer until I taste his warm breath, taunting me with proximity. The heady promise winds around my dick like a silken snare. His lips mere centimetres from mine, breath ghosting across sensitised flesh. The smouldering weight of his whisky irises holds me transfixed, caught in his thrall.
It would be so easy to surrender to the pull of his sinuous masculinity… to crush that wicked mouth beneath mine and delve past all those barriers.
Somehow, I locate tattered threads of composure and tug them into a semblance of control before fully succumbing. Clearing my throat, I lean back enough to break the spell without completely extricating myself from his fingertips tracing idle patterns along my slowly engorging length.
“As delightful as that sounds…” My voice emerges deeper and gravelly, thrumming with carnal undercurrents. “I fear Arius might neglect attending entirely if bombarded by such wicked temptations.”
Hayes and I swivel to pin Arius with matching expressions of exaggerated innocence. The muscle twitching along his jawline and the intensity blazing in his glare suggest anything but inclination to play indulgent observer. Not that it would deter me from needling that icy facade.
“Unless…” I drawl, lips pursing as I pretend to mull over scenarios most likely to rankle him. “You’re proposing a more intriguing diversion than frittering the evening on gauche rituals and attempts to ‘fleece hapless freshmen of virtue?’”
The arch of a brow speaks volumes, mingling condescension with reluctant intrigue—a coiled serpent scenting its quarry’s fear-musk. There’s something visceral about Arius’ mercurial persona… an edge of restrained brutality lurking behind quicksilver eyes that teases with the promise of savagery unchained.
“Oh I wouldn’t fret that pretty head over Arius abandoning us for tedium, hiena.” Hayes croons in a voice of indolent sin, the honeyed timbre sliding like warm caramel. Fresh arousal spikes in my groin as clever fingers caress my cock with insistence, rousing me to swollen hardness. “The only pressing diversion he has involves our new dura?ka and what depravities her eager body might withstand during assessments.”
A tremor of lust ripples through me at the carnal implications. Despite losing my virginity to childhood brutality, something inherently illicit lingers about defiling untried flesh and corrupting innocence. Judging by Briar’s ferocious response to Rhys’ provocations, I doubt she’ll wilt when exposed to our demanding evaluations.
No, something says the girl will provide endless fascination before succumbing to the riptide of darkness permeating these halls. There’s no fleeing the undertow once swept into Ashtiroch’s deadly embrace.
“As enticing as drenching in fresh blood sounds…” Every tendon in Arius goes rigid, the planes of his face chiselling into starker severity. “I regret tabling zealous indulgences until more… pressing matters are addressed. Besides, you should both be preparing for the Branding tonight, not getting wasted.”
Undeniable self-recrimination laces each syllable. Like a man who’s spent his existence marinating in cruelty’s darkest vats and resists the urge to wallow once more. Disquieting conflict twists his features before smoothing to impassive granite once more. But not before prickling the fine hairs along my nape with hushed foreboding, creeping along my skin like an insidious vine.
“Surely ‘pressing’ doesn’t mean tucking your wick in dear ‘Hoesley’s’ chalked snatch again?” I drawl with insolence, not caring if goading provokes his fury. In fact, I welcome Arius’ legendary rage. Witnessing the mask shatter as the restrained predator is unleashed upon an unfortunate victim? That visceral thrill stokes raging, unrepentant lust within my blackened veins.
Arius’ eyes dilate with each instance of flagrant disrespect. The muscle in his forearm flexes, menace prowling nearer to the surface as he draws a shallow breath through flaring nostrils.
“You’d be wise to leash that impudence, .” That rasp vibrates through my marrow, resonating with the promise of embraced savagery. “Unless you’d like to provide another demonstration of your cock-sucking stamina to ensure I won’t be missed tonight?”
The lasciviousness dripping from his delivery compels a violent shiver. My mouth goes dry as precum beads my engorged crown, betraying my depraved eagerness. Some distant part knows I should refrain from pushing much further. But stoking those volatile embers into an inferno of molten wrath has always been my talent. And it isn’t a secret that I enjoy bearing the brunt of his unbridled savagery until nothing remains save what shattered remnants he leaves intact.
Arius’ laughter echoes through my mind as he takes my silence as resignation and saunters towards the dorms, intent on whatever matters demand his focus. My lips twist in a sneer at the notion of him capitulating to Hansley’s whims again.
A chuckle rumbles beside me, drawing attention to where Hayes has moved to lounge against ivy-coiled brick. His mouth curves in a smirk as he reaches out for me, fingers brushing my jaw to draw me in closer to his orbit.
“Arius is right. Better stable that disrespectful tongue before it lands you in trouble, hiena.” The timbre purrs against my ear, triggering anticipatory shivers down my spine. “Though watching Arius succumb to your goading ‘til he snaps always provides a salacious display.”
Snorting, I shove hands in my pockets as Hayes straightens. Every sinuous movement calculated to provide a glimpse of corded strength rippling beneath form-fitting fabric. My cock stirs with interest while drinking in the sight greedily.
“Hard same, babe.” The endearment drips irreverent sarcasm as I tear my stare away before getting too ensnared. “Except my intent is disabusing our tyrannical cunt Headmistress of her belief that she can dictate Arius’ actions past Ascension. He won’t remain Hoesley’s attack mutt forever just ‘cause she crooks a wrinkled finger. We’re all due for our Rites and she fucking knows it.”
Hayes’ laughter gusts through crisp air as he saunters towards the stables and shadowed paths. My feet follow, falling into that easy gait while awaiting whatever rejoinder simmers behind his outward nonchalance.
“Romantic to contemplate slipping the frayed leash keeping his throat savagely restrained.” Hayes tosses a sly glance over a broad shoulder, whisky eyes gleaming with sin. “But truth is, once Arius serves his purpose, Hansley finds a fresh toy to dote on. Corruption tends to stagnate ‘til sparked by a new catalyst, not lofty ideals. A life of fucking and killing provides little reason to create waves.”
Rage snaps through my veins at the dismissal colouring Hayes’ indifference. As if severing our slimy tether to this blackhole of depravity isn’t worth contemplating. As if we’re mindless fuck-dolls fated to languish in sordid corners ‘til our strings are cut.
Shoving resentment down to simmer, I quicken pace to draw alongside Hayes meandering through ivy-choked outcroppings. My stare lasers ahead, lip caught between teeth while wrestling ugly emotions to submission.
I’ve never liked the Headmistress’ fixation on Arius, nor transparent attempts to keep us in reach by whatever means necessary. Regardless of acquiring some fresh pet once our use expires. A primal part bristles at implying indefinite ensnarement by her warped sensibilities and skewed power plays.
The overgrown path past the stables soon emerges, indistinguishable from encroaching woodland. Without confirming, my feet pivot as Hayes angles off entirely. Dense verdure swallows us, branches snagging fabric and flesh with grasping fingers.
Smirking, I shove sweeping tendrils aside while drinking in the sight of Hayes’ back forging ahead. His shirt clings, hinting at flexing strength undulating with each stride. Salt and clean musk tease my nostrils, stoking embers of visceral lust.
Inhaling breath laced with ripe vegetation and damp earth, I allow the wilds to settle my frantic pulse. Reason casts aside fleeting rebellion for another day. For now, the forest cocoon provides a haven from Ashtiroch’s labyrinth of vices.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2 (Reading here)
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
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