Author: admin

To Tem’s surprise, Leo frowned. “You always have a choice, Tem.” She snorted at that. “Do you really think I’d stop you from leaving?” he asked. “No. But I want to stay.” The words were out before she could stop them. Tem didn’t even know why she’d said them. Leo’s eyebrows shot upward at her…

It was the truth. Up until an hour ago, she’d thought there was nothing redeemable about Leo. But he’d revealed his true self when he’d talked about his father. There was a person under his insufferable exterior. And that person had a chance with her. They were stopped on the path. Leo leaned in, his…

“Where?” “My room.” Tem rolled her eyes. “No, thank you.” “Shame,” Leo sighed dramatically. “It’s been a while since anyone’s stayed overnight. Perhaps my seduction method needs tweaking.” “Seduction method?” The words slipped out before she could stop them. Leo’s eyes flicked to hers. He seemed to sense he had an opening because he stepped…

Or maybe that wasn’t what she needed at all. Maybe what she needed was one person in particular. The only person who she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, wanted to fuck her. It took all of thirty seconds to locate Leo. He was leaning against a column, watching the party, his head cocked…

Without thinking, Tem’s hand went to his neck. Caspen’s eyes widened at the motion. Then they narrowed, and she heard his voice in her mind: Squeeze, little viper. Tem squeezed. She felt the cords of his throat contract beneath her palm, the hard line of his esophagus compressing between her fingers. What would happen if…

“Of what?” She shrugged, refusing to say anything else. How could she explain it to him? He was a basilisk, the Serpent King-he wasn’t afraid of anything. Sex meant next to nothing to Caspen. But it meant everything to Tem. He had no idea what it was like to be her-to be fragile and human…

His teeth grazed her jaw. “No.” “Even if it means I’ll be unprepared tomorrow?” He lifted his head. “Even then.” From the look on his face, it was clear he was done with this conversation. But Tem wasn’t. “You can’t have it both ways, Caspen.” His eyes narrowed. “And which ways are those?” “You can’t…

“Am I to take that as a compliment?” she asked. “Certainly not. That dress looks beautiful on you. That’s a compliment.” “I hardly consider it one.” Leo’s mouth twisted in a condescending smile. “What could possibly be wrong with it?” “You complimented the dress. Not me.” Tem didn’t know where her courage came from. She…

She couldn’t be eliminated. The crowd was moving, forming a semicircle around one end of the ballroom, where something was being assembled. Tem squinted to see what looked like podiums of various sizes, arranged in ascending order of height. She counted eleven of them. Tem frowned. If two girls were to be eliminated, there should…

“Wait,” Tem whispered. “Please.” Caspen raised an eyebrow. “Wait for what, Tem?” “I don’t know. I’m just not ready.” To her surprise, Caspen laughed softly. “Of course you are not ready. It is impossible to be ready for something you have never done before.” Tem swallowed. He wasn’t making her feel any better. Caspen seemed…