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It is not a choice to be stupid, though I gave my best efforts to be sympathetic.
Personal pleasures were like drying flowers, best kept away from the light to preserve their vibrance.
I wish I could say that I made that man suffer—that I put his hands in jars and severed the tongue from his mouth. Instead, I did something far worse. I did nothing.
Will you have just as delicious an expression when I catch you?
There was no need to change out of funeral attire, as men die every day—a cause for celebration.
Isn’t she just delectable?
Alina Lis, the savory arrangement spread out before me.
Memorizing her routine, her life, her scent. It was like she was mine already. The poor thing was just painfully unaware.
She was what we would call a Mellifluous Host—a rare delicacy.
I ached for her physically.
“I look forward to us, little shadow,” I whispered against her ear, tucking a bit of hair behind it before I allowed her one last
night of rest. One more night before our games began.
“I’ll let you decide, one last illusion of autonomy before I devour you.”
Believe me when I say this woman gave me butterflies in my stomach. Though that might just be internal bleeding. Either way, she had charmed me.
I wanted to shove her off the bridge, but she might be more upset about the book getting wet rather than the sight of me.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but I will make sure to liquify your insides the next time you lay a hand on me.”
“Sounds like a date.” “What?”
“You heard me perfectly fine.” He winked, sliding me a calling card. “I try to kill you, and you take it as flirtation?” I raised my brow, rotating the paper and glaring at the typeface.
Men, they were all the same. This one just happened to have an appetite for these things. It shall be no different than the rest. They all gave in and withered at my will, one way or another.
“Were you trying to ruin my fun by offing yourself before we began?” he asked, crouching beside the tub. “That’s not very sportsmanlike of you.”
“Don’t waste too much energy. The chase is only fun if you are actually trying, dear.” “You creature,” I seethed. “Well, well, that would be closer than your previous guesses!” A wild smirk, paired with a crazed look in his eyes, flashed before me. I would say he was enamored, but it was most likely the itch to kill me.
“Now, let’s get started, shall we? Let’s go over some ground rules,”
“Is that how you will shake when I catch you? Or will it excite you to be under me in all the ways I plan to have you?”
“I was wondering when my little snake would strike.”
I wanted to devour her until there was nothing left, until she was just a shaking, pathetic mess in my arms.
As I let go of her hair, she slumped backward. If my arm had not been around her waist, she would have fallen off my lap. She fell asleep. How irritating.
I wanted to control whatever might move her. Every inflection, tension, or release. Every push and pull. Every drop of blood or tears. No exceptions. It would all belong to me.
She was my meal. I’d earned it.
“Alina Katarzyna Lis! What is that?”
“Behave,” he breathed into my neck. “I am trying to be nice. Let me cheer you up.”
“Remember how my tongue felt on your fingers that night?” he asked against my neck, placing another mark on my neck above one of the nearly healed bruises.
“No!” I snapped, but he reached up and gripped my thighs, my legs resting on his shoulders. He pulled my body closer to the edge of the table.
A long tongue danced playfully between my legs before prodding gently to ask for entrance.
He shifted by standing up, my legs over his shoulders, so that he was in full view, but so was I. He glanced down at me while he lapped between my thighs, using one of his hands to play with my clit.
“Oh, if this isn’t the most beautiful view”—he flattened his tongue against the wetness coming from me—“then I don’t know what is.”
“Unhand me!” she shouted. “I’ll scream!” “This isn’t your town house. The only one you’ll be screaming for is me.”
“Oh, my dearest Alina…I want to do such terrible, sickening things to you. I hope you know that.”
“I wonder what you will taste like after marinating in fear. How much longer will you make me wait, you cruel thing?”
The deceased were the only ones who would understand my troubles.
With careful pursuit, I let the axe slide off my shoulder. Thwap! The blade smacked into the wood of the wall next to his head as I turned the corner. His eyes were wide. I might have actually caught the elusive Creature off guard. He glanced at the axe and then back at my face. Genuine surprise. “Marry me,” he breathed. “Get out!” I yelled, yanking the blade out of the wall and sending splinters scattering across the floor.
“Not when you flirt with me like that.” He backed away a few feet before stopping, a taunting instigation.
“Oh, you’re really teasing me now.” He grabbed the handle between us, headbutting me in the face.
I would be seeing those eyes every day that week, hoping the last time I saw them would be on a silver platter.
“Now this is making a bit more sense. Why didn’t you tell me it was your strawberry week?”
“Finish what you started,”
“If that is what the princess wants.”
“Blood is blood.” He smirked. “I will take anything you give me—anything.”
You want to know what I want? I want you, Alina. All of you. Every hair
on your head, every tear, laugh, and scream that rips from your delicate vocal cords will all become mine.”
“I want to taste every venomous word performed by your lips until you have to invent new ones just for me.”
