Phantasma (Wicked Games, #1)

by Kaylie Smith

“Go home,” the stranger advised. “A house of Devils is no place for an angel like you.”

“A heart and a key would set me free,” it said. “But you should hope we do not meet again, angel.”

“I apologize if I gave you the impression that I do what I’m told.” His tone was anything but apologetic.

“Incredible, even Demons have whores⁠—”

“Incredible,” Blackwell echoed. “The audacity of men worth less than dirt.”

“Did you only bring me here so you could get a drink?” she accused. “Of course not,” he had told her right before knocking back an entire glass of amber liquid in two gulps. “I brought you here for the romantic ambiance.”

“Is the thought of kissing me that horrible?” he murmured. No. “Yes,” she answered. “Did you know that every time you lie, your left eye twitches a little?” She crossed her arms. “It does not.”

All her energy deflated as she realized. “Blackwell?” One of his brows shot up. “Obviously. You summoned me.” She shifted on her feet. “I didn’t do it intentionally. I forgot, actually.” He tilted his head. “You didn’t say my name three times?” She squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment. “I did.”

“Do you want to know what the goal of this trial is?” “Considering the ridiculous smile on your face, I have a feeling that I absolutely do not,” she grumbled. “The trial presents you with a choice to pick a type of lust. From all the blood on the floor, I’m going to assume you chose bloodlust,” he commented as he looked around at the undisturbed bloody orgy still happening around them. Not a soul seemed to have noticed her confrontation with the imposter or Blackwell. “Unknowingly,” she reasoned.

“It was to lure me into trusting them,” she realized. Then muttered, “To think I thought this trial would lead to something a lot sexier than fighting an imposter version of you and drinking blood.” “Don’t tell me you’re disappointed you didn’t get to live out a wild illusion of another nature?” He started to scoff, before pausing thoughtfully and saying, “Actually, do tell. I’m desperate to know what sort of wicked fantasies live in your head.”

She buried her face into the crook of his throat. “You came.” “You called,” he answered.

After a long moment, she took a deep breath and unwound her arms from his neck. He narrowed his eyes. “What happened?” he asked. “Don’t tell me absence really does make the heart grow fonder?”

“Is that Cade’s blood?” She gaped. She knew he was more than capable of changing his clothes, which meant he’d left these in their current state intentionally. “What did you do?” “Nothing permanent.” He shrugged. “Not physically at least.” “Well, it isn’t like he didn’t deserve it,” she muttered. “We’re on the same page, then,” he agreed before waving at her to follow after him.

He lifted a brow. “I think it’s a bit too late for modesty, don’t you?” “Says the one who isn’t almost naked!” she threw back.

“Then he was useless and a waste of your time,” Blackwell told her as he tightened his arms around her waist and lifted them both from the ground. He slowly lowered her to her feet—as if he had pleasured her so intensely, he was worried she wouldn’t be able to stand on her own now. She huffed and stepped away.

“There will be no living with you after this,” she muttered. “That… That can’t happen again.” He lifted a brow. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself of that, angel?”

“I will never beg you for anything,” she said. He grinned. “Famous last words.”

“God,” she whispered as she flattened her hands against the six distinct muscles of his abdomen, tracing a fingertip over the perfectly cut “V” of his hip bones. “You’re so beautiful. It’s quite irritating.” “I know,” he said wryly.

“You can do anything you want, angel,” he inserted, voice gruff. “I’d let you drag me to the depths of Hell right now if that would please you.”

“You learn to tolerate it,” he said. “Sort of like your personality?” she quipped.

“I say this sincerely,” Ophelia spoke, curling a lip in disgust at Cade. “You need an exorcism.”

Ophelia made a show of pressing a hand to her heart in mock surprise, staggering back a step as she exclaimed, “Truly shocking!”

He tilted her chin up to look her in the eyes. “Let me stay with you tonight. Please.” She sniffed. “I always knew you’d be the one to beg first.”

“In all the darkness, in all the loneliness, you have been my one source of light,”

Genevieve pushed her way inside the door just as Blackwell clothed himself and Ophelia. One look at their compromising position and Genevieve huffed. “You would follow me here and then end up having a more fun time than me.”

“I’ve got to say, he’s creepy, but in a deliciously hot sort of way, you know?” Genevieve said.