Isabel sighed loudly. “Am I going to have to climb up and down all those stairs every time I need something?” she asked, her head cocked to the side.
“You’re going to have everyone— including me— to serve you,” Aden said. Finally, he stopped at a gold-plated door framed with velvet, and he unlocked it, letting Isabel into her room. She couldn’t help but shiver. The room was beyond what she had expected. The furniture was all gold-plated, and she could’ve sworn she caught a glimpse of some rhinestones glittering somewhere on the walls. Aden turned to her, motioning for her to step inside. “Come on in,” he said.
Although Isabel was utterly blown away by the setup, she still couldn’t take her eyes off Aden. Her stomach was growling, and the hunger was taking over her, in all its forms. “Thanks,” she said, pretending to fumble with her luggage. “You can go now, I need to change.”
“Since when do succubi need to worry about that?” he asked, taking a step closer to Isabel. Slowly, he wrapped both arms around her waist. “Honey, with us, there’s no such thing as overexposure.” Suddenly, Isabel bounced back.
“No, I don’t think I can do this,” she said, despite the heat that was building up inside of her. It was like she had been programmed, made to believe that she belonged to no one else but her creators, and in a way, she was okay with that. “You’re free to go now.”
“Excellent,” she heard a voice say. Isabel jumped when she saw Oz appear from behind Aden, a wide grin on his face. “You’ve passed the first test,” he said, raising an eyebrow at Isabel. She shook her head in confusion, and then Analise appeared at the doorway, a cheesy smile patched to her face.
“I’d like to congratulate you, Isabel,” she said. “I think you’re probably stronger than you thought you were.”
Isabel’s eyes jumped from person to person, watching them as they watched her. “What was the point of this?” she asked, averting her gaze to Oz. He was pretty much the only person she trusted out of everyone.
“It’s all a part of your training,” he said. “I don’t want you to worry.”
Isabel nodded. But deep down, the hunger was still tugging at her. “Can I have something to eat?” she asked, almost robotically.
“Of course,” Aden said, making a beeline for the bar they had set up for her. He stared at it for a second then started fumbling with the liquor bottles, picking up a small piece of crimson red satin cloth and polishing them clean. “Would you like a drink, Isabel?”
She shook her head. She didn’t know what it was about alcohol that repulsed her. She never used to be like that, but maybe, Isabel figured, it was because alcohol had always been her number one go-to for when she wanted to charm someone. And now she didn’t need to do that anymore. It took some getting used to, she admitted, but at the end of the day, she was living a whole new life, and with that, came a whole lot of changes. “I just really need to eat,” she said in a low voice. But deep down, she knew it wasn’t food she was craving. Isabel didn’t need food to survive.
“Don’t be ashamed, Isabel,” Aden said, kneeling down and pushing aside a small, velvet drape. He grabbed the handle to a mini fridge, hidden away under the bar, and he pulled out an oversized bowl of fruit. “This is for you,” he said with a smile. “We’ll be bringing you your dinner in a little while. Pork chops, paella rice, string beans…”
“That sounds great,” she said, turning to Oz.
“Alright, well, until then, do you want to leave the two of us alone?” he asked Aden, his voice firm.
Aden nodded, turned around and disappeared into the hallway. “Well, I guess I should be going, too,” Analise said, flipping her hair back.
“No, can you wait, actually?” Oz asked, following her out the door. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something…”
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Well, this is going to be weird,” she said to herself, turning around and making her way for the bar. The fruit looked nothing but ravishing, but Isabel didn’t care to touch them. She knew that filling herself up with food would do nothing for the kind of hunger that was clawing its way up inside her. Suddenly she caught a whiff of Oz lingering in the air of her room. Instantly, she felt a current rush through her. “Oh, come back, already!” she yelled, stomping her feet.
“What was that?” Oz asked, popping his head in through the inched open door.
“Nothing,” Isabel said, turning away.
Oz crept inside and closed the door quietly behind him. “You know you want me,” he hissed, stepping in closer and closer to her. Isabel could feel the heat boiling up inside of her.
“I’ve been waiting on you all day,” she said. “Why did you leave me hanging like that?”
“Didn’t I tell you?” he asked, his head cocked to the side. “It’s all a part of your training.” And then he paused, clearing his throat. “And besides, Gavin will be here, soon.”
Isabel raised her eyes to Oz. His stare was boring into her, penetrating her utmost, deepest desires. She knew what he had in mind, and, even though she was ashamed to admit it, Isabel felt the exact same way. She wanted them both so bad, and she wanted them both at the same time. “I can’t wait,” she said, smiling against his lips.
CHAPTER 3
Isabel woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside. She opened her eyes and blinked repeatedly, the room swimming in and out of focus. The light bounced off the gold-plated furniture, the rhinestones and the mirrored walls, illuminating the entire room. Isabel stretched out and rolled over, her eyes roaming over Oz’s naked body as it shimmered in the light. His skin was so pale it looked like porcelain. She pulled the covers up to her chin, the chill in the weather making her entire body shiver. “Hey,” she said, stroking Oz’s cheek with the back of her hand.
“Hey,” he said, opening his eyes. “Oh, it’s too bright in here, could you maybe draw the curtains, Isabel?”
“Alright,” she said, throwing her feet off the side of the bed. “I had fun last night.”
“Oh, we’re just getting started,” he said throwing the covers off and clasping his hands behind his head. “We’re going to go out into the city tonight,” he said, eyeing Isabel as she skipped back in his direction.
“Oh, I’m excited,” she said, her lips coming to a smile. “What are we gonna do?”
“You don’t have to worry about that right now,” Oz said. “All I want you to do is to kick back…” He leaned in close to her and pressed his lips to hers. “And relax.”
The hunger was gnawing at Isabel, even more than before. “I’m looking forward to that,” she breathed against his lips.
“But you gotta know something,” Oz said, suddenly serious. “Whoever you choose to mingle with, you don’t get to feed on them, ever.”
Isabel nodded. “I know, and I’m okay with that,” she said. “Is your back feeling better now?”
“It’s a bit better, look, my wings are already growing back,” he said, rolling over on his stomach.
Isabel squinted at the feathery trails running down Oz’s back. “Are they supposed to be this black at the roots?” she asked.
“Yeah, it’s just some clotted blood,” he said. “When they grow out, they turn gold again.”
“Do they still hurt?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowed.
“Like hell,” he said with a smirk.
***
Isabel heard a knock at her door. “Who is it?” she asked. But there was no answer. She walked over to the door. Please, God, let it not be Aden. “Oh my God,” she gasped. “Gavin!”
“Hey, Izzy,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “I see you’ve coped with being naked 24/7,” he teased, spanking her lightly.
“Oh, don’t do that,” she said, turning around and walking to the bar. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Thanks,” he said. “I just dropped by to check up on you. I heard Oz took really good care of you last night.”
“As always,” Isabel smiled. “I’m still trying to get us
ed to the whole exile thing, though.”
“Exile?” Gavin asked, almost offended. “Isabel, you’re here because you deserve to live a good life; you’re here because you’re special.”
“And I believe you,” she said, undoing her braid so her thick curls were left unbound to tumble down to her waist. “You sure you don’t want anything?”
“I do want one thing,” he said, his eyes fixated on hers. He placed one hand on her hip and the other behind her back, and then he smoothed his way up the length of her spine. “You’ve got goose bumps, that’s a good sign,” he smiled.
“I’m always hungry for you,” Isabel whispered. She could feel that jolt of arousal course through her again, so she tilted her head sideways and worked her way down Gavin’s neck.
“Nuh-uh-uh,” he said, cocking his head away from her. Isabel just stared at him, confused.
“We’re going to have to wait until Oz is here,” he said, a smug look on his face. Isabel rolled her eyes.
“Did you just bring me here to torture me?” she asked, her face drooping into a scowl.
“Don’t say that,” Gavin said, brushing a hand through her hair. “Your hunger is a good sign, it means your transformation is basically complete.”
“Well, what if I don’t want to wait until Oz is here?” she asked, grazing at the base of Gavin’s scalp with her nails.
“You’re practicing your abilities on me… not the smartest choice, Isabel,” he said. “You’ll never be able to control me, although you can try.”
Isabel let out a sigh of frustration. She turned around and crawled under the sheets again. “I want to be alone right now,” she said. A part of her was starting to wonder if she’ll ever be free again. It was true that both Oz and Gavin were giving her what she wanted— her life depended on it— but what she didn’t understand was why Gavin was holding back. She had been fantasizing about him ever since she got here, and having him pull away from her like that was torturous, even humiliating.
“Don’t be like that,” Gavin said, sitting down next to her. “Tonight, we’re taking you out. You’re going to see all the sights of Paris, all the clubs, all the nightlife. You’re never going to want to go back home again.” Isabel rolled over to her side and buried her face in her pillow. As soon as she caught Oz’s scent in the satin pillowcases, she held back, getting up and making her way for the door.
“I know, I believe you,” she said. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to take a shower now.”
“Alright,” Gavin smirked. “I understand your frustration, but it’s only necessary. There has to be a balance,” he said. “I’ll see you soon, Isabel.”
She nodded at him and then slammed the door shut. Why’s he doing this to me? And what’s wrong with me? I’ve become a monster! The truth was, she couldn’t control herself anymore. It was like she was starving. Isabel was starting to think this was all one big game, a game of control. Her head was pounding, and she could feel a trickling sensation between her legs. She clutched her stomach with her hands, and then she worked her way down, her fingers dancing around her pelvis. “This is torture,” she said out loud. Suddenly, there was another knock at her door. Oz?
She rushed over and found Aden standing in the doorway, a tray in his hands. “I brought you some coffee,” he said.
“Come here,” Isabel said, snatching the tray from him and setting it aside. “Shut the door behind you.”
“Okay,” he said, eyeing her as she undid her robe and let it drop at her feet. He stepped closer to her, his lips curving to a smile. Isabel couldn’t wait any longer. She brushed a hand through his hair and pressed her lips to his. He wrapped both arms around her waist, pressing her up against him. Suddenly, the door swung open, and Isabel bounced back, instinctively picking her robe off the floor and throwing it back on.
“Isabel!” Analise exclaimed. “Aden, mind if I had a word with her?” she asked, nodding towards the door.
“No, not at all,” he said, a smile plastered on his face. “I’ll be back with your breakfast shortly.” He pursed his lips and then turned to leave, and Isabel was left standing there, humiliated.
“Isabel, what did Gavin and Oz tell you about feeding on other people at the mansion?” she asked, her head cocked to the side. A kind of Cheshire cat grin was tugging at the corners of her mouth, and she spoke to Isabel in a way that could only be described as patronizing. “Isabel,” she said again. “I won’t tell Gavin any of this, only if you promise it will never happen again.”
“They’re letting me starve,” she said. “I’m in pain.”
“It’s a test for you,” she said. “It’ll all pay off eventually.”
Isabel nodded, but deep down, she wasn’t convinced. “I can’t wait for tonight,” she said, falling back onto her bed.
“Oh, it’s going to be quite interesting, for all of us.”
***
Isabel was told to be ready by nine. She had a walk-in closet now, one that Oz had filled up with all the clothes he had bought her. Isabel had spent a good two hours trying to decide what to wear before finally settling on a shimmery champagne colored mini dress and a pair of matte crimson red pumps. “I look like a definite slut,” she said to herself, twirling around in front of the mirror. “An elegant slut, that is.” Isabel was starting to get used to looking at her own reflection and not being dumbfounded. And the truth was, it felt great. She had been waiting to go out for the past couple of days, and right now, all she wanted was for either Gavin or Oz to show up at her doorstep and take her away. She opened up her drawer and took out a bottle of foundation, squirting out a little bit of the latte colored lotion onto the back of her hand. “Gotta look a bit tanned tonight,” she smiled to herself, spreading it all over her face and neck. She took out her blender and smoothed it over her face, adding just a little bit of highlighter to bring out her contoured cheekbones. “And just a little bit of perfume,” she muttered, sprayed a little bit from the Chanel no. 5 bottle Oz had bought her. “Alright, I’m ready to go.”
Isabel made her way back into her room, sitting down over the edge of the bed and smoothing out the sheets with her hand. The door creaked open and she turned around, only to find Oz standing there, a smile on his face. “You look stunning,” he said. “Have you had anything to eat this morning?”
Isabel nodded. “I’m starving though,” she said, rather shamelessly.
Oz looked at her knowingly. “Just hold on a little longer,” he said. “Tonight, everything falls into place.”
“Alright,” Isabel said. “Where will you take me?”
“We’ll start off at the Eiffel tower, and then Gavin and I will take you to the underground scene.”
Underground? “And by that, you mean?”
“Just some clubs, where you can meet new people,” Oz said, nodding towards the door. “Now, let’s go, the car’s waiting for us outside.”
Isabel nodded, throwing a black fur coat on and following Oz down the stairs that seemed to spiral forever. As excited as she was to “meet new people”, as vague as that sounded, she was mostly looking forward to what Gavin and Oz had in store for her. Her mind kept going back to how hungry she was, but she decided she wasn’t going to beg anymore. She trusted them, after all, despite their inexplicable behavior. “Oops, sorry,” Isabel said, stumbling a few feet backwards. She had bumped into someone or something on her way down, and when she raised her eyes to look at who it was, she saw a black-haired girl with ashen porcelain skin, staring back at her.
“That’s okay,” the girl said. “Have I seen you around before?” A sudden wave of silence broke over the three of them. Isabel opened her mouth to speak, but when she realized the brunette wasn’t paying attention to her anymore, she let her words slip back into her throat. ” Never mind,” the black-haired succubus said, shifting in her place for a bit before she squeezed past them, her head ducked down and her eyes fixated on the floorboards. Isabel was stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the back of
her head as she floated down the stairs.
“What’s wrong with her?” Isabel asked, hoping Oz could answer her. She couldn’t see his face but she could tell he was smiling.
“She’s just a troubled young girl,” he said, almost to himself. Isabel shrugged, following Oz out into the courtyard.
That girl sure did look terrified. It was like Oz’s presence threw her off balance, and she just ran off. Isabel ducked her head down and slid into the limo, only to find Analise sitting there, grinning.
“Good evening, Isabel,” she said, patting the cushion next to her. “Come, have a seat. You’re in for a wild ride.”
***
As always, Isabel didn’t get IDed when she walked into the club. In a way, she felt like she was in her element again. So many people dancing everywhere, flashing fluorescent lights, music blasting from the speakers. Gavin and Oz walked by her side, almost like bodyguards. “So, what are we doing here again?” she asked, turning to Oz.
Kissed by The Dragon: (The Dragon Lords - Book 2) Page 62
