Page 26

Ivy rounded a corner, which caused Vice to lose sight of her.

As he rounded the corner he stopped, she was gone.

He stood silent, as he listened for her, but he didn’t hear anything.

The castle's tower loomed over him, his silhouette casted a haunting shadow across the landscape.

“I know you're out here, little mouse,” he called out to her. He crept along the cobblestone walkway. “It’s only a matter of time till I find you.”

She carefully tiptoed between the statues, staying just out of sight.

Each one seemed to be watching the chase with stony eyes.

She watched as he walked past her. Her heartbeat frantically, not just from the chase, but the thought of what he’d do to her when he caught her, it sent a wave of arousal through her.

The chase was intoxicating, a thrilling mix of fear and desire that made her feel more alive than she had in years. Ivy knew she couldn't keep this up much longer. She needed to end this, one way or another.

"You know you can't outrun me, Ivy," Vice called out into the night, his voice a low rumble that seemed to echo through the castle walls.

"That's what you think," Ivy shot back, as she ran out from behind one of the stone statues. She sprinted across the cobblestone courtyard, her heart racing with excitement. The castle's massive front door loomed ahead.

With a burst of speed, she reached the doors, slamming and locking them. The echo reverberated through the stillness, leaving a silence that was as palpable as the tension between them. She knew those locked doors wouldn’t hold him long.

Ivy took off almost colliding with a few of Vice's servants.

She swerved around them, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she laughed while apologizing.

Their eyes widened in shock at the sight of the girl that darted through the castle at this late hour, but they made no move to stop her.

They simply stared, frozen in place, as she continued her mad dash.

The sound of splintering wood brought her to a screeching halt.

She looked over her shoulder to see Vice had kicked the doors open, his eyes blazed with determination.

She felt a shiver run down her spine at the sheer power he exuded.

The doors swung back on their hinges, groaning in protest, as he stepped into the foyer.

"Is that all you've got.” Vice taunted, his voice a sultry whisper that seemed to dance in the air around them.

Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step backward, extending her hand with a crooked finger. "Careful, big bad wolf," she said with a wink and a smirk, "you might just get more than you bargained for." The servant's eyes darted back and forth between the two of them.

Vice's jaw tightened, his eyes smoldered with a mix of annoyance and a grudging admiration for her audacity. He took a step toward her.

"Oh, I know exactly what I'm getting into," he drawled, his smile turning feral. "And trust me, sweetheart, it's going to be one hell of a ride."

The room was suddenly alive with the crackle of energy.

The air grew thick with tension as they sized each other up, each waited for the other to make the first move.

Ivy's heart hammered in her chest, but she refused to let it show.

Instead, she took a deep breath. She heard the faint tick of a grandfather clock somewhere in the depths of the castle, each second echoed through the silence like a gunshot.

Vice leaped over a large, ornate table that stood in the center of the room, the candles on it flickering wildly as he passed.

The sudden movement startled Ivy, and she took off running again, her laugh turning into a full-fledged giggle of exhilaration.

She had never felt so free, even as she was being pursued by the man who had held her captive.

The servants they encountered along the way could only stare in shock and disbelief as their master, the ruthless and wisely feared Vice, chased after a girl with a wild look in his eyes. They had never seen him like this before; they exchanged nervous glances.

She didn't know these halls as well as he did, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve to lose him in the labyrinth of corridors.

A mischievous smile played on her lips as she slipped into another hidden passage she discovered weeks earlier that was a short cut to her room.

It was tight, barely big enough for her to squeeze through, but she managed, feeling the rough stones scrape against her skin as she went.

Her room was her sanctuary, the only other place besides the library that she could feel any sort of peace. The thought of retreating to it now filled her with a strange mix of comfort. She paused for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorknob, listening for any sign of pursuit.

There were no footsteps, no heavy breathing.

The silence was eerie, as if the castle itself was holding its breath.

She turned the knob and slipped inside, her heart racing.

The door clicked shut behind her, and she leaned against it, her chest heaving.

The room was exactly as she had left it—the bed neatly made, the fireplace cold, the candles unlit.

It was a stark contrast to the chaotic maelstrom of emotions that swirled inside her.

Suddenly, she heard the faint sound of stone scraping against stone.

Ivy's eyes darted to the bookshelf on the far side of the room.

With a silent gasp, she watched as the books parted to reveal a hidden passageway.

And there, framed by the shadows, stood Vice.

He stepped into the room, his eyes dark and unreadable.

"I must say, I underestimated you." His voice it was a smooth caress; a predatory smile played on his lips.

Vice stepped closer, his grin was wicked as he closed the distance between them.

The moonlight that came through the windows casted an eerie shadow across his masked face, which made him look like a creature of the night.

Ivy felt a shiver of arousal, her eyes never leaving his.

The game had become too addictive for not just him but her as well.

“Cornered, little mouse, I win." he whispered, his voice a low growl that sent a delicious shiver down her spine. She saw the power coiled tightly in his muscles as he stepped mere inches from her and the lust in his eyes.

Her eyes were pools of darkness that seem to swirl with a mysterious allure, hinting at the depth of the game she's been playing. The wind picked up, carrying the scent of her, a tantalizing mix of fear and desire that sends a thrill through him.

Her hand reaches out to cup his cheek, her touch feather-light, and yet it feels like a brand searing into his skin. "You're strong, Vice," she said, her voice a sweet, dangerous melody that wrapped around his mind, "clever, and powerful. But you forgot one thing."

Vice's eyes narrow, his confusion a palpable force that seems to thicken the air around them. "And what's that?" he asks, his voice a gruff growl that belies the tumult of his thoughts. He was lost in the storm of his desire for her; the thrill of the chase blurred his senses.

But Ivy was in control. She leaned in, her lips brushed against his as she whispered, "The hunted can also be the hunter.

" She leaned in and kissed him. It was a soft, tentative kiss, but it was enough to ignite a raging fire within him. He forgets that she’s his prisoner, the game and the deal.

He pulled her closer; his lips now hungry and demanding.

It's clear that the game is only just beginning.

But as his hands moved over her, as his kisses grew more urgent, she couldn't help but feel a spark of something within her, something that whispered of pleasure and need. It was a dangerous game she played, one that could so easily consume her if she weren't careful.

Vice's touch grew bolder, his kisses more demanding. He pulled her skirt down, exposing her lace panties to him. Ivy's breath hitched, but she didn't protest, instead letting her hands run over his chest, feeling the muscles tense under her fingers.

"Beg like a good girl.” he demanded, his fingers tracing the edge of her lacy panties. "Or I’ll leave you aching all night, dripping and untouched, thinking about what I could’ve done to you. Tell me how much you need it."

Ivy's eyes narrowed, her body responding despite her mind's resistance.

She leaned in, her breath hot against his ear, whispering the words that would both taunt and satisfy him.

"You want to hear me beg? Fine but I want to do it—with you're cock down my throat and tears in my eyes.

" she said, her voice thick with desire.

"Then I want to feel you so deep inside of me I can’t think.

Please Vice make me forget what breathing felt like without you inside me. "

Vice's eyes darkened at her words, his grip tightening on her hips.

He let out a low growl, his lips grazed her neck as he murmured, "You're going to get exactly what you want, my filthy little mouse.

" Vice pushed her onto the bed, sliding his other hand into her panties, finding her slick and ready.

His thumb circled her clit with an expert precision that made her legs tremble.

"Look at you," he said, his voice a gruff whisper.

"So wet, so eager for me. You have no idea what that does to me.” He pushed a finger inside her, her heat enveloping him as he stroked her gently.

Ivy couldn't hold back a moan; her body arched into his touch.

"You can't deny it, Ivy. You're as depraved as I am.

" He kissed her again, his tongue delving into her mouth, tasting her submission.

As he slid another finger in her. She tensed, letting out a sound that was part gasp and part moan against his mouth.