Page 6 of Craved By You (Dark Desires Duet #1)

Astrid

I rushed inside my apartment the moment I pulled into my assigned parking space, hoping that the outfit I wanted to wear had been washed and was hanging in my closet so it wasn’t full of wrinkles.

Throwing open the closet door, I began to sift through the hangers desperately searching for the little black dress.

With luck not being on my side, I sat back on my bed trying to think of where and when I had last worn it.

“ It has to be here somewhere.” I stood back up and started searching everywhere in the apartment for it, getting sidetracked when I walked into my plant room and looked over to see that my pitcher plant needed a bit of love.

I pulled it down from the ceiling hook and took it over to the mini watering station I had set up, grabbing the gallon of distilled water and a syringe.

This carnivorous plant was one of my most prized possessions.

I had looked everywhere I could for one and it wasn’t until a few months ago when I was walking downtown I came across a shop that was filled with various unique plants.

This one that had to come home with me that day.

Not only did I have to water the main plant using distilled water, but each individual pitcher on the end of each leaf had to receive a few drops of water also.

It took lots of work, but was worth every minute.

Lost in the unexpected allure of my plants, I’d nearly forgotten my previous task and reminded myself that time was getting shorter.

Back in my bedroom, a glimpse of a black sleeve peeking out from under the bed caught my eye.

Assuming it was a stray shirt, though hoping it wasn’t, I reached under and pulled it out.

To my astonishment, it was the dress I’d been searching for.

I held it up to my nose and sniffed, hoping it had just fallen out of my laundry basket when I was folding clothes or that it was clean enough that it could pass if I just threw it in the dryer and let it run for a few minutes.

Regardless of which answer was correct, I opted to go the dryer route anyway. Just to be safe.

???

“ Holy fuck, you look hot!” Haileigh met me at the front of the bar. The marquee was bright and the words ‘One Night Only’ flashed across it advertising that Vore Ritual would be performing tonight. We both let out a squeal as my eyes washed over the crowd of concertgoers, desperate to find Colt.

“ God, I hate crowds,” I whined as I felt someone tap on my shoulder. I knew it was him based on the sly smirk that had formed on Haileigh’s face and the smell of his cologne that had begun to envelop me.

She gestured at me to turn around. “At least we’ll be backstage where you won’t have to deal with them for too long.”

I took a deep breath and turned to face the man who had stolen my phone earlier in the day, desperately hoping my expression conveyed more of an “I’m furious you stole my phone” vibe than any hint of… anything else.

“ There you are, sunshine.” His eyes seduced me and I could no longer pretend that I had ever been mad. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“ Well, you found me,” I tried to make a quippy comeback, but it didn’t work. “Did you bring my phone?”

“ Of course. You don’t actually believe I would have tried to meet up with you if I didn’t have it, do you?”

Yes I do.

My heart sank. I knew it was foolish to believe this man felt the same way.

All the signs I’d clung to – the lingering glances, the shared laughter – in such a short time were probably just figments of my imagination.

The kind I devoured in books, not real life.

Then I saw his grin, and my breath caught in my throat.

He handed my phone to me and I examined it closely, feeling him intently watching me as if he was hoping that there was something I wouldn’t find.

Great, now I’m being paranoid?

“ Looks like it’s back in one piece.” I shrugged.

“ Your lock screen image is cute.” Colt winked at me as I handed him his phone. “Oh, what’s this? There’s something different about my phone.”

I hesitated to respond. What could he mean?

“ I have your number now, sunshine.” He paused. “That means I can use it at my discretion.”

My face turned red, I could feel the heat radiating from my cheeks.

“ Uh yeah,” I stuttered out. “Feel free, I guess.”

“ I wasn’t asking you permission, I was telling you.” He placed his hand beneath my chin, his touch both gentle and commanding. My face was an open book, mirroring the sensations flooding through me, particularly the unfamiliar heat blooming between my thighs.

Why does he have such an effect on me?

“ Well, sunshine, I’ve got to get ready.” He smiled at me. “See you later, Hailstorm.” He nodded at Haileigh and then disappeared back into the crowd. The stranger next to us bumped into me; snapping me back to reality.

“ What did he mean, by that?” I asked Haileigh as if she would have an answer.

She shrugged. “Who knows, but they are letting people in. Let’s get in line.”

???

Backstage was a whirlwind of crew members bustling around getting ready for the show. I glanced around, hoping to get a glimpse of where the other VIPs were hanging out. One of the workers came up to us offering glasses of wine, so I took my opportunity. “Where are the others?” I inquired.

They sounded unsure. “What others?”

I asked again. “Where are the other VIPs?” Feeling slightly embarrassed that I had asked a stupid question.

“ Oh, Reaper doesn’t just pass out backstage passes like candy. You’re fine here.” The worker appeared to get a message in their headset and quickly rushed off before Haileigh or I could ask any follow-up questions.

“ Reaper?” I looked at my best friend with confusion before we both shrugged it off. “He must have given Colt the tickets.” I tried to convince myself, hoping that he wouldn’t mind that Colt wasn’t the one present.

Just then, Don’t Fear the Reaper started to play and that was the cue for Reaper, the lead singer, to make his grand entrance.

Reaper was tall and muscular. Tonight he was wearing a ripped hooded t-shirt that exposed his body covered with tattoos and his mask of choice was a skull that covered the lower half of his face.

Haileigh and I both swooned as he walked right past us.

Call me hopeful, but I could have sworn he was looking right at me when he winked.

It almost washed Colt out of my mind. Almost.

“ But you should fear me.” His words echoed across the bar as he spoke into the mic, a deep voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“ Colt .” I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, but when I glanced over to Haileigh I could tell that she had noticed too.

“ That has to be him!” She smiled excitedly. “We’ve spent too much time with that voice over the past couple of days, there’s no chance that it isn’t him.”

My heart sank, there was no way I had caught the eye of the lead singer of a band. Or had I?

If it was Colt, that would answer about a half-dozen questions that had been brewing in my mind, while there was still one question that remained unanswered.

Why me?

Haileigh and I, though distracted, enjoyed the first half of the concert, the music flowing through our veins with every beat. I was only slightly frustrated that Colt hadn’t disclosed sooner that he was Reaper, but why would he? I also still had zero proof that it was him.

The music stopped and the sound system squealed.

“Alright everyone, you’ve been amazing so far!

We are going to take a fifteen-minute intermission and then we’ll get back to rocking with you some more!

” Reaper announced and then began his exit from the main stage.

????“ I see you wore the skull fishnets,” he commented, solidifying our suspicions as he brushed past me.

He smelled of sandalwood and bourbon cologne and it drove me crazy. I quickly glanced over at Haileigh. She mouthed the word ‘go’ and then shooed me off to follow him.

I wondered where he went when suddenly the backstage exit closed. It led to the alley behind the bar. Taking a deep breath, I proceeded to follow, hoping that I wasn’t actually trailing some random person.

Once outside, I noticed him standing at the corner and I confidently walked up to him. ????“ That stuff could kill you,” I semi-lectured as I found Colt standing outside the backdoor of the club, near the alley.

He smiled as the vapor escaped from his mouth. “Would you miss me if I was gone, sunshine?”

I hesitated. “I don’t even know you.”

“ But you want to know me.” He paused, taking another hit from his vape. “Don’t you?”

Obviously .

His words penetrated my core and I bit my lip as I debated how to respond. Of course, I wanted to know him. So did every groupie who came within two feet of him. Besides, he could have anyone he wanted, why would he choose me?

“ I-”

His words came more as a warning. “Choose your words carefully.”

“ Y-yes.” I was able to squeak out. “Why me though? You could have anyone.”

“ I don’t want just anyone. You didn’t know who I was without the mask on, most people recognize me instantly.

” Colt glanced down at his phone and then back to me.

“We can continue this later. For now, the show must go on.” The wink came again as he sauntered past, his arm playfully grazed against mine, leaving me breathless.

I don’t know what it was about him, but something drew me in, while another part of me was hesitant to allow myself to get too close.