Gypsy Moon (All The Pretty Monsters #4)(60)

“All these cells,” I say distractedly, my heart still hurting from the death window I accidentally opened.

“Bars were put up on Simpleton doors. They couldn’t break through them at one time, and it was necessary. They panicked easily when there was a storm at this altitude,” Vance tells me as he gingerly rubs circles on my back, his hand slipping inside my coat, fingers lightly grazing my skin before his hand settles on my hip.

His skin is so warm that I certainly don’t complain. My heart is still beating too fast, and him touching me really is comforting.

“It found me in Caroline’s room, so maybe it’s protective of that spot,” I suggest.

Arion’s eyes narrow on me, and Vance stiffens just behind me.

“What?” I ask in confusion.

“How would you know which room is Caroline’s?” Damien asks as he turns the corner, just as much suspicion in his eyes.

Their eyes dip to my open coat, as Vance releases me and slowly steps away.

“That really is nice underwear,” Vance states, just as much suspicion lacing his tone as what’s glinting from Damien and Arion’s gaze.

Ah, so this is what life is like with Idun on the surface. Just peachy.

“So her strongest tool is casting webs of paranoia and doubt when you’re with someone else,” I say like it’s all adding up.

“Little odd you screamed my name when falling, love. After all, you’re falling much harder for the Van Helsing, and everyone knows he’s the hero of the bedtime stories,” Arion adds, piling on by this point.

“Is there a quick way for you three to know for certain it’s me standing here and not Idun? Let’s skip to that,” I say, glancing between their very confused gazes now.

“Quickest way is to give Arion a sampling,” Damien says, head canted like he’s studying me really hard.

“I’m curious,” I say as I absently lift my hand to my throat, deciding that’s a terrible idea, “who dressed me in this suspicious underwear I’m wearing right now.”

“Emit dressed you,” they all three say at once.

“While we were outside,” Damien adds, eyes still narrowed.

“And he’s conveniently missing at current,” Vance adds tightly.

Instead of thinking about it too hard, I walk over to Arion, whose gaze narrows more and more the quicker I approach. The second I’m right in front of him, I expose my neck to him and screw my eyes shut.

“Make it quicker than last time. In case you haven’t noticed, I’m really not a fan of pain,” I state on a tired breath.

Arion roughly tugs me flush against him and starts to lean over, when Damien cuts in. “From the wrist, Arion. Not the neck.”

Arion blows out a frustrated breath that trickles down the side of my neck, before I feel his fingers closing around my wrist and lifting it. I keep my eyes shut, dreading the impending pain, as he barely presses a kiss to my pulse.

“Idun would never let him sample her so easily,” Vance says as he steps up behind me.

“Just taste me so you’ll know it’s me, and come up with a better system in the future, please,” I state a little angrily.

Maybe Idun will be a little bit of my damn problem if this is going to be the new normal.

Sharp points pierce my skin, but it’s not anywhere close to as painful as last time. Just a small prick, and then soft, gentle, almost erotic suckling follows. My knees surprisingly wobble, and there’s a very inconvenient throbbing starting between my thighs.

What fresh hell is this?

Arion groans against my wrist as he sucks a little harder, and his hand tightens on my ass as he draws me closer.

“I don’t know if we can trust him. Not with anything pertaining to Idun,” Damien says, as Arion grows more insistent, pressing me completely to him as he continues to drink.

How long does a sampling take? Why doesn’t it hurt like it’s supposed to? Why is it freaking turning me on?

The front of Arion’s jeans begins to draw my attention, because he presses the hard ridge there against me. My breath gets shaky as a warmth buds through my core, and in the next instant, a barrage of scandalous images flood my mind—images of Damien and I surrounded by mirrors as he had his way with me that first time.

My gaze drifts to him, seeing the heat in his eyes as he studies me, while Arion shoves my coat open and drags one of my legs up on his hips, still drinking from my wrist, as he works down my underwear.

My body is so on fire that I can’t think or act or even care what’s going on. I want them all right now.

Arion’s mouth quickly detaches from my wrist, and his mouth moves to my neck so fast that no one registers it, until a sharp prick is quickly smoothed by a gentle mouth.

My breath hitches, and I lazily reach out an arm for Damien, as those images continue to assault my mind, making me crave more touch.

Damien is suddenly in front of me, and his lips crash against mine, as I moan into his mouth.

Arion’s hand slides up my bare thigh, but it stops just in front of where I want it—where I want to be touched more than anywhere else.

His lips break from my neck, as his breathing grows labored, and Damien continues to kiss me stupid.

“Definitely not Idun,” Arion groans. “Why the fucking hell did you mess with her head, you bloody prat. I could’ve had her if you didn’t do that. Now it’d get me in trouble while she’s not of sound mind. Right? It would get me in trouble?”