Page 43 of Hunted By Fear

I’d sat lost in my reflection until Bast snapped his fingers, and my towel was replaced with a beautiful black dress.

It touches the floor. The long, flowing black material is soft, yet still hugs me in all the right places. The plunging neckline did great things for my boobs, despite the fact that they weren’t huge, and whatever bra this is, I’m going to need him to snap at least three more into existence for me.

While most of my chest is on display, lace drapes my neck and shoulders, forming a type of collar around my throat. The shoulders are slightly puffy, while the rest of the sleeve hugs my arms.

It looks amazing, and the contrast to my hair is striking.

“You look like a queen,” Bast whispers in my ear. His lip brushes along the shell, making me shiver.

Judging by the smirk that curls his lips, he knows exactly what he’s doing.

Not to mention he can smell me… I hadn’t had the courage to ask him what exactly he meant by that earlier, but I’m pretty sure he meant my arousal.

How embarrassing.

“I love when your cheeks light up like that,” he says, and this time I glare at him in the mirror, almost certain he’s teasing me.

He holds his hands up in surrender, but doesn’t move away. I roll my eyes because he didn’t say he was joking, and the longer I look at him, the more I think he might actually mean it.

My stomach chose this moment to growl, and just like that, my face is red again.

“Let’s go get something to eat, my lady,” he says, bending at the waist in a dramatic bow despite the fact that he’s shirtless with only ripped-up black skinny jeans.

Damn it, that shouldn’t be as attractive as it is.

He offers me his hand, and I take it without hesitation.

I might not understand a lot of what's happening right now, and I might not trust my mind, but I know I’m in good hands with Bast.

I almost break my neck trying to see every inch of the castle we pass as Bast leads me down hall after hall before we finally reach the grandest staircase I’ve ever seen. I’m still barefoot. Bast’s outfit only included necessities, it would seem, but I’m grateful; had he put me in heels, I definitely would have.

Bast pulls me behind him with a chuckle, and one moment we're in the hall and the next the grand hall as my stomach rolls.

Damn, he’s fast.

Asta, Kai, Talian, and Lucifer are all present, their gazes snapping to me the moment we walk into the room.

“Wow.” Even with their focus on me, I can’t tear my eyes away from the marvel that is the room we now stand in.

If you can even call it that. Honestly, it’s too big to even call it that, but I’m at a loss for something more fitting.

There’s something so disorienting aboutknowingI’ve probably seen some of these rooms before, but being unable to recall them properly.

“It’s okay,” Bast says, his hand on the small of my back as he leads me further into the room. His touch is reassuring, andI take a moment to breathe past the panic that threatens to overwhelm me.

All four of them are on the far side of the room. Kai and Asta sit opposite one another with Talian on Asta’s right and two empty chairs to the left of Kai. Lucifer sits at the head of the table, but he pushes to stand as we get closer.

For a moment, I wonder if it’s some weird manners, but he moves away from the table toward a small cart. It looks like the ones rich old men often have for alcohol in movies, but instead of auburn liquid, this is darker.

Wait…is that blood?

He only pours a small amount before he slams it back like a shot, his back to us as Bast leads me to the two empty chairs. Thankfully, he isn’t going to put me next to Kai, but I get the feeling I’m the reason the devil is drinking.

What a life…

I annoy demons and devils while making angels do evil things to try to trap me with them for all eternity. I must have murdered puppies and shit in my last life because this is rough.

Swallowing down my nerves and pushing past my panic, I pull up my metaphorical big girl panties, because it didn’t slip my notice that Bast failed to give me any, and make my way over to Lucifer.