Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Wynter rolled her eyes. “Sit, perve.”
As they all claimed their designated seats—placing Wynter between Cain and Xavier—she looked up at the Ancient. His tension was visible in the hard line of his jaw. There was little chance of him being fully relaxed. After all, so many of his current plans rode on whether he was able to punch a hole through his cage tonight. She was a little on edge herself.
She suspected that some of the stiffness in his muscles was also due to the anger he hadn’t yet fully shaken off after “the fey incident”, as her coven referred to it. Not even torturing their pals in public earlier had eased his rage.
No doubt sensing she was watching him, Cain met her eyes. He splayed his hand on her thigh and gave it a little squeeze. “You okay?”
She nodded. “But you made me a promise before we left, and I’ve noticed you’re not sticking to it,” she teased. The promise? That he’d be a lot less tense if she sucked him off.
His lips curved. “I returned a . . . certain favor, though, didn’t I?”
He had indeed eaten her out, making her come with his mouth alone. The orgasm had nonetheless been just as powerful as when he used every sexual weapon in his arsenal. Well, the dude had had a millennia to perfect his skills. They were nothing short of top-notch. “You did. And it was very much appreciated.”
Delilah took a slice of the complimentary pumpkin bread from the basket in the center of the table. “I hope it’s not long before the feast begins. Feeling kind of hangry over here.” She bit into the bread and groaned. “Damn, this is good.”
Hattie snatched a slice for herself and took a bite. “Mm, very good. Not as good as butlers in the buff would have been, but I suppose I’ll have to take what I can get.”
Wynter sighed. “Why do you always expect to see them at every celebration we attend?”
The old woman shrugged. “It only makes sense that they’d be included.”
“It makes sense that guys would be wandering around naked as the day they were born?”
“It was what the Lord intended when he created us.” Hattie grabbed the pitcher of apple cider and poured some into each of their glasses. “I was a nudist at one time, you know. Me and my Derek, God rest his soul, gave it a whirl. It was his idea. He wasn’t able to keep it up for long, though.”
“Why not?” asked Anabel.
“Well, he died,” replied Hattie. “I had him buried naked, he would have wanted that. It meant we couldn’t have an open casket, of course, but people understood.” Sighing sadly, she slid her gaze to Cain. “I’ve lost a few husbands in my time. It was tragic that they only lived relatively short lives, but that was evidently God’s plan for them.”
“Or yours,” said Delilah with a snort.
Hattie notched up her chin. “A divine power of some sort could have intervened on their behalf. None ever did. The only force that came for them was death itself.”
“Did you feel its breath?” Anabel asked the old woman.
Her hand tightening on her glass, Delilah leaned toward the blonde. “No one feels it.”
Anabel tossed her a teacher-to-student look. “Just because you haven’t personally experienced something doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
“But you didn’t experience it.” Delilah tapped her temple. “It’s all in your head.”
Hattie turned to the blonde. “Very dismissive at times, isn’t she? And so disapproving. As if it’s her right to sit in judgment over the choices and actions of others.”
“It is not only my right, it is my calling,” insisted Delilah.
“Because a one-eyed, child-eating, human-sacrificing, bogey-witch said so?” Anabel let out a derisive snort. “Excuse me if we place no weight in her words.”
As the two females continued to bicker, Wynter exchanged an amused look with Cain. It was as she began to turn away that she caught sight of some witches eyeing him warily. To be fair, quite a few guests were sliding nervous glances his way. It was no doubt thanks to the public punishment he’d earlier administered. Well, it had been pretty brutal. A statement that any who even heard of plans to harm her would be dealt with harshly if they didn’t report it.
A message that had been very clearly received.
Not wanting to think on negative stuff right now, Wynter turned her attention back to the ball. The overall celebration had begun at dusk with a parade that featured lots of lavish floats and scary costumes. Not all magick-users had attended. Some preferred to hold private feasts or even threw by-invitation-only house parties. To each their own.
A loud groan erupted out of Xavier, who glared at Anabel and Delilah. “For the love of all that’s fabulously unholy, can we please be done with the arguing? It’s Samhain. We’re supposed to be celebrating. You’re shitting all over it.”