Page 26 of Contract Marked (Interdimensional Beings #1)

Chapter Twenty-Six

Cal

I didn’t bother to see if Erin followed. I knew she would, her light steps pattered several paces behind me. Staying close enough to follow while maintaining a healthy distance between us. Cautious and wary. Not that it mattered. She was in my dimension now, under my thumb, with no one to save her if I chose to chain her up and …

I frowned at the turn of my thoughts. At what I’d almost done to Erin when I had her pinned to my armoire, whimpering in pain. No, I refuse to be like Dezmandaro, succumbing to my baser emotions like a Lower Realms’ being.

So why couldn’t I get Erin Jay Williams out of my head?

I should’ve let Dez kill her. If I’d waited just a moment longer, maybe those claws would’ve fully choked the life from her. Dez would have woken from his false dream. His pretend play at a happily ever after with another Lower Realms’ being. With Erin’s blood on his hands, he would’ve remembered who he really was—a ruthless, selfish monster, just like me. We would’ve smoothed the situation over with the Council, and then he would’ve returned to my side, where he belonged.

So why the fuck did I save her?

We turned down an extended dark hallway. The air was colder here, and an eerie stillness hung within the paneled wood walls. I purposefully left the hanging brass light fixtures off as we delved further into the stretch of darkness, gleaning satisfaction in listening to Erin’s stumbling footsteps, forcing her closer to me than she was comfortable with.

I couldn’t deny that she had blown past all my expectations at Tatianna’s arena. She’d actually risked her life for someone she barely knew. She put Lucille Owens’s needs first over her own in the flashiest way possible while nearly dying in the process.

It was incredibly stupid.

It was incredibly hot.

Then again, when she found Dez’s weakness—all that remained of Angelica—and set fire to it. She didn’t even know how close she’d been to death then, that I had no intentions of saving her.

Until I did.

Maybe one day she’ll find out the truth. Maybe not. Maybe I’ll kill her myself before that even happens. But for now, I was far more interested in her being alive. What else would Erin Williams do to exceed my expectations? How far would she go for what she believed in?

And why did that scare the shit out of me?

The hallway ended at a set of stairs delving down into the depths of my dimension. One I didn’t often use unless out of necessity or by the Council’s orders. Erin would be the second Lower Realms’ being to willingly step foot there.

Even if Dezmandaro continues to be a thorn in my side, playing this game of tug of war with his favorite toy, I’ll do it. Even if it means pushing Dez further away from me, I’ll do it. It’s rare nowadays for something to pique my curiosity as much as she has. To stir something within me I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I won’t give that up so easily.

Erin continued to trail close behind me, missing the slow smile that spread across my face. The kind of smile that had my targets whimpering right before they met their demise. The kind of smile that would have Erin trembling in terror as she had in my kitchen not too long ago.

A part of me wanted to witness her fright again. Watch her writhe and squirm in her restraints, listen to her heart thrashing inside her chest, and smell the salty sweat slowly build along her spine. I wanted to see how far I could push her until she broke.

I wanted to drag her down into the dark with me and see if she’d be able to climb out.

Or if she’d stay down in its depths by my side forever.