Page 49 of Tower of Ash and Darkness (Tower of Ash #1)

LAILAH

A s the sun begins to rise, I prepare myself for sleep, but restlessness lingers in the air.

I close the curtains tightly, blocking the first rays of sunlight as my room plunges into darkness.

Sometimes, I miss the sun, its warmth and life—its light.

But since entering the vampire court, everything has changed.

The sun feels foreign now, almost hostile, like it would burn me if I dared let it touch my skin. I know my pale complexion is no longer just a mark of my lineage, but a permanent reminder of what I’ve become—something that could walk among the undead.

As the room darkens further and I slip beneath the cool satin sheets, I feel the familiar pull of the shadows. Sleep beckons, but thoughts of him intrude like an echo in the dark.

His face, twisted in that haunting smile, the way he licked his fangs, blood still dripping from them, is etched into my mind like a stain I can’t wash away.

Warmth stirs within me despite myself, despite everything.

And as my mind slips further into the haze of sleep, my dreams take over, twisting into something darker. .. and I welcome it.

“Whatever you say, Princess,” Casper says, his voice dripping with amusement .

I spin around, frustration rising within me, but it’s not the kind I expect. It’s deeper—raw and electric. Passion.

“What did you just say?” My voice wavers, a betrayal of the steady composure I fight to maintain.

His smirk spreads slowly, that damned dimple creasing his cheek. But it’s his eyes that undo me—dark, predatory, brimming with hunger.

I blink.

The fire crackling in the hearth wasn’t lit when I went to sleep. The moonlight streaming through the windows feels too bright, too silver, casting everything in a glow that dances like mist.

He takes a step closer.

My heart stutters, torn between want and warning. This is my room, but not as it should be. This isn’t real.

But gods, how I want it to be.

“You aren’t real… You’re just a ghost in my dreams.”

My heart stutters as he steps closer, his eyes sweeping over my neck before locking onto mine. A knot forms in my stomach, twisting tighter as he closes in. I can’t move—I can only watch as his smirk deepens.

“Well, aren’t ghosts supposed to visit dreams?” he teases, his voice smooth, but there’s a dangerous edge beneath it.

“You mean haunt,” I counter, the word slipping from my lips like venom.

His eyes flicker, catching the faint tremor in my voice. Another step forward, and my back hits the corner of the doorframe. My hands scramble behind me for support, but there’s nothing to steady me as his presence presses closer.

Casper’s hand lifts, his knuckles brushing against my jaw before his fingers settle lightly around my throat. The touch is deceptively soft, but the power behind it is unmistakable. My pulse quickens beneath his grip, betraying me.

“Is that what you want, Princess?” His voice drops to a whisper, thick and rough. “To be haunted?”

The heat of his breath against my collarbone sends a shiver down my spine. He leans in, his lips brushing my ear, and I tilt my head instinctively, giving him access without realizing it. His thumb strokes the hollow of my throat, a silent test of control.

I swallow hard, my breath unsteady.

“I already am,” I whisper, the words slipping out before I can stop them. “By you.”

His hand tightens, just enough to send a jolt of awareness through me, and he steps closer—so close there’s no space left. His knee presses between my legs, forcing them apart, anchoring me to him.

“You don’t even know what that means yet,” he murmurs, his lips grazing my cheek, trailing down to my jawline. His voice is a mix of promise and threat, dark and intoxicating. “But you will.”

His free hand finds my shoulder, sliding down my arm until our fingers entwine. It’s an intimate gesture, at odds with the storm brewing between us. His touch is both an assertion and a question, demanding something I’m not sure I can give.

“Say it,” he breathes against my skin, his thumb brushing the edge of my collarbone. “Say my name.”

I bite my lip, struggling against the rising tide of need that threatens to drown me. My voice trembles as I meet his gaze.

“Casper,” I whisper, the sound barely audible.

A growl rumbles low in his chest, his fingers tightening around my neck as if the sound of his name on my tongue undoes him.

His lips crash into mine, stealing what little breath I have left.

It’s not a kiss; it’s a collision—hungry and unrelenting.

His hands move with purpose, cupping my waist as he lifts me effortlessly.

My legs wrap around his hips, and the solid press of him against my core sends a spark of heat through me.

His fangs graze my bottom lip, teasing, threatening.

“You’re mine,” he growls, the words vibrating against my skin. His lips trail down my neck, and I arch into him, my breath hitching as he bites gently, just enough to tease.

I claw at his shirt, desperate to feel more, to erase the space that still separates us. His hands grip my thighs, pulling me tighter against him as he moves us toward the wall. The cold stone presses against my back, a contrast to the heat radiating from him.

“Tell me what you want, Princess,” he demands, his voice low and commanding.

My head falls back against the wall, my body trembling as I gasp for air.

“You,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “Only you.”

A dark, satisfied smile curves his lips, and he leans in, his forehead resting against mine.

“Good.”

Casper’s lips crash into mine again, this time deeper, hungrier—like he’s claiming every part of me.

My hands find his shoulders, gripping tightly as I press into him, feeling the hardness of his body against mine.

Every nerve in me is alive, burning, as if his touch ignites something I’ve kept buried for far too long.

His fingers dig into my thighs, lifting me higher as he pins me against the wall. I can feel the strength in him, the controlled force he exerts to keep me right where he wants me—where I want to be.

Casper’s lips trail down my neck, his tongue flicking over the sensitive skin where his fangs had teased before. When his teeth scrape against my pulse, a shudder wracks through me. My breath comes in short, shallow gasps, each one pulling me deeper into the haze.

“You taste like sin,” he murmurs against my skin, his voice rough, almost feral.

His hands roam lower, gripping the fabric of my dress before tearing it apart with a forceful rip. The sound echoes in the silence, leaving me exposed beneath his gaze. His eyes sweep over me, dark and intense, devouring me as though he’s memorizing every inch.

“Casper…” I whisper, my voice trembling, unsure if it’s a plea or a warning.

He looks up, meeting my gaze with a fierce possessiveness that steals the air from my lungs.

“Say it again,” he growls, his hands sliding up my bare thighs.

“Casper,” I repeat, this time louder, more certain .

He groans deeply as his lips return to mine. His hands grip my hips, pulling me forward until I can feel the full hardness of him against me.

“You drive me fucking insane,” he mutters, his teeth grazing my jaw as his fingers find the silk of my undergarments. He hooks a finger under it, teasing, testing, as his lips move to my ear. “Do you feel that?”

I nod, unable to speak, as his free hand moves to cup the back of my neck. The other slides lower, pulling the fabric aside until his fingers find my slick heat. The first touch sends a jolt through me, and I gasp, my hands flying to his shoulders to steady myself.

“You’re so ready for me,” he growls, his breath hot against my ear as his fingers slide through my wetness. “I knew you would be.”

My nails dig into his skin as he begins to move, slow and deliberate, each stroke drawing a moan from my lips. The tension coils tighter and tighter inside me, and I cling to him, unable to think of anything but the way he feels, the way he moves, the way he owns every part of me.

“Tell me what you want, Princess,” he commands, his voice low and rough.

I bite my lip, shaking my head, the words caught in my throat. But he doesn’t let up, his fingers curling inside me, hitting a spot that makes my back arch and my breath hitch.

“Say it,” he demands again, his voice like gravel, as his other hand tightens in my hair, pulling my head back so I have no choice but to meet his gaze. “Tell me, or I’ll stop.”

“No!”

The word bursts out of me, desperate and breathless. My hands clutch at him, my nails raking down his back as I press closer.

“Don’t stop.”

His lips curve into a wicked smile, and his fingers move faster, pushing me closer and closer to the edge.

“Then say it,” he whispers, his voice soft but unrelenting. “Say you want me.”

“I want you,” I gasp, the words spilling out like a confession. “Only you. ”

Casper growls in satisfaction, and his lips crash into mine again, his kiss fierce and consuming. His hand withdraws, leaving me trembling and wanting, and I let out a small whimper at the loss.

But before I can protest, he’s undoing the buttons of his pants. He steps closer, pressing me harder against the wall as he frees himself. My heart races as I feel his heat against me, the solid weight that promises everything I’ve been craving.

“Are you ready for me, Princess?” he asks, his voice a low rumble.

I nod, my breath catching as I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer.

“Please,” I whimper, my voice trembling with need.

With one smooth, powerful motion, he enters me, and the world tilts on its axis. A cry escapes my lips as he fills me completely, stretching me in a way that’s both overwhelming and perfect.

“Fuck,” he groans, his voice thick with restraint.