Dark Love

Part 35

The chuckle that rang out behind her was darkly appreciative and it was echoed by the man looming over in front of her. Saera's breath stilled and her heart thumped double beat at the delicious sensations raking through her thin but voluptuous frame. A frame that drew the eyes and then roving hands of the man... thing, behind her. She shivered.

"How can a scrawny thing like you pack such a rack?" His rumble of approval, vibrating through her thin frame.

"My thin as reed frame was never a choice, the rest I'm just blessed with, " she managed a cocky response, but was unable to do more to stem the sultry edge to her husky tone. A wet tongue flicked out, tasting the crook of her neck and it was all she could do not to simply allow her eyes to roll back and melt into his hard frame. "Darr." Her voice just then became as embarrassingly thin as her frame.

His chuckles deepened and Saera stiffened her spine. She wasn't here to have her way with the two splendid examples of men surrounding her. She was here to get answers.

Then she could sample the wares once more... just to be sure her senses hadn't been terribly misled the night before. She flicked a her own tongue over her lips in anticipation and was rewarded with a muffled groan from Svennett.

"So...," Saera cleared her throat and tried again. "So you orchestrated this whole shit. What about the hole to hell? The escapee demons? The fire and brimstone about the flood the land because of it?"

At that both men tensed up, Darr even went so far as to rise up and get off the bed entirely. What the fuck? She shivered from the sudden chill invading her limbs and from the irritation of him working her up only to leave her hanging. Perhaps she should have asked the question after the fact. After she'd pounced on his unsuspecting soul and had her way with him. Perhaps she still could. Her calculating gaze took on a cunning look as she eyes Darr's aggressive pacing before the bed.

"It's all true."

That unexpected confirmation drew her eyes to Svennett. But his eyes were fixed on Darr. Feeling her gaze on him, he turned them now to pin them on her.

"Do you know what happens when a tainted soul performance self-sacrifices?"

She didn't but she could guess. "More twisted magic?"

"Exactly." Prince Svennett, withdrew to stand restlessly beside her bed as he looked down at Saera with an inscrutable look in his eyes.

"So how much more twisted could it get? If pallids becomes vampires, what do darklings become? Demons?" Saera asked sarcastically.

"Exactly."

She shook her head. She should have known better than to question the crazies that was power. "So what happened exactly?"

"We're not sure, but we have our suspicions. But suffice to know that it takes a demon to open hell's gate. That portal was made by a darkling turned demon and he or she did it on school grounds." Svennett narrowed his gaze, his dark eyes an abyss, deep with his displeasure.

"I thought that was just a joke going around campus. You know darklings dabbling in dark arts, destroying Ebon Academy and opening a pathway to hell. It was all too cliche to be true. Right?" Saera channelled her wide eyed gaze questioningly, first at Svennett and then at Darr. But they both merely stared right back with blank expressions. That in itself told her they weren't funning her.

"We...," said Darr, "merely took advantage of the situation, molding it to suit our own needs. The call back to the Academy told us we had to act fast, that coupled with your coming into age, at just the right time, told us, we were fated to be. Svennett approached your aunt and the rest, you were witness to how it all unfolded."

Saera allowed her incredulous gaze to roam over first one Prince and then the next before allowing it to drift away from them all together, processing. She took in the lavish decor of Svennett's room, her gaze absently settling from one framed artwork to another before resting on an ornate wall clock. The hour was way past noon, twilight would greet them when they returned to the Academy. Then there was the stood ball. Saera came to with a jolt realising she was still absently shaking her head. She pushed off the plush bed and rose to her feet, narrowing her own gaze with some determination, before making for the door.

"Where are you going?" Svennett's soft voice held a hint of warning behind it. "You are a shunned, " he reminded her. " You can't just go roaming about the palace."

Saera shrugged. "Did you catch the time?" She glanced pointedly at the wall clock. " I have a ball to get ready for." Her hand closed over the door knob.

"I will take you back through the portal."  Svennett reached a hand out for hers.

"Give me a moment," she said, turning to twist the door knob open. "I need to fetch myself a suitable frock for the ball first.  There's got to someone here with a dress I could use." Peeking out, Saera took a survey of her surroundings. The passage outside the Prince's door was endlessly long and led to many rooms on either side of the corridor. One of them was bound to belong to a female with a dress. She shut the door stealthily behind her and strutted off to flick herself a dress for the ball.

The two princes stared at the closed door after her, incredulous that she would dare to steal from the palace. From a prince. From them.

"Once a thief...," murmured Svennett, trailing off, unfinished.

"Always a thief." Darr concurred, narrowing his gaze.