AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Good girl," he praised, and I hated how much I loved hearing those words from him. "Now, come for me again."
It was a command, not a request, and my traitorous body obeyed, spiraling into another climax that ripped through me with ruthless force. My vision blurred, my senses narrowed down to nothing but Nash—the feel of him, the scent of him, the overwhelming presence of him.
Then, as if sensing my surrender, he gave one final, punishing thrust and spilled himself inside me with a groan that sounded suspiciously like victory. My inner walls clenched around him, milking every last drop as he collapsed over me, both of us spent and gasping for air.
"Celeste," he murmured into my hair, his breath coming in ragged bursts. "You'll be the death of me."
Chapter 30
Celeste
The hot water cascaded down my back, each droplet a miniature echo of Nash's touch. I scrubbed my skin, trying to wash away the sin and the satisfaction that came with it. Letting Nash unlock those desires... it was like playing with fire, and damn, did I love the burn. But there was no denying the twist of guilt weaving through the pleasure.
"Fuck," I muttered under the rush of water. "What the hell am I doing?" It wasn't just the sex; it was the dark cravings he stirred in me, cravings I had only dared to whisper about on the anonymous corners of my blog.
I leaned my forehead against the cool tile, the steam fogging up my senses. If Aria could see me now—she'd either slap me or cheer me on. Probably both. God, I missed her. She was the sprinkle of sweetness in my shitty Chicago life, the one person who made betrayal seem like a distant nightmare.
"Share your fucked-up fairy tale, Celeste," I imagined her saying, her voice laced with that irrepressible laughter of hers.
And then, amidst the hiss of water and the turmoil in my head, I heard it—a noise that wasn't just the echoes of my conscience. It sounded like... singing? No, more like a hum, soft and hauntingly familiar.
I pressed my hand against the wall for support. That hum morphed into something chillingly recognizable; it had the lilt of Aria's voice, a ghostly whisper that had no right to exist outside my memories.
Fuck this. I sure as hell wasn't in the mood for a haunted shower session. I shut off the water and reached for my towel.
I tore out of the shower, the cool air of the bathroom making goosebumps rise on my skin. With a quick yank, I wrapped a towel around myself, clutching it like it could save me from whatever the hell was going on. My eyes darted across the foggy room.
Great, now you're seeing things. But there it was again—a flicker in the mirror, a silhouette that was too familiar to be dismissed. Aria? That couldn't be right. She was gone, and yet...
"Dammit, Aria," I said to the empty air, "if this is some kind of screwed-up sign, I'm not amused."
My curiosity zapped any sense of caution. Bare feet slapped against the cold tiles as I slipped out of the bathroom, following the elusive wisp of hair that danced just at the edge of my vision.
The mansion's halls were a maze of shadows and whispers. The portrait-lined walls felt like they were closing in, each step I took echoed by the erratic pounding in my chest. I rounded corners with reckless speed, driven by an urge to confirm the impossible.
"Shit, Aria, slow down," I called out between ragged breaths, but the apparition—if it even was her—seemed oblivious to my pleas.
She led me on a wild chase until the corridor abruptly ended, leaving me face-to-face with ornate wallpaper and the crushing weight of disappointment. My heart sank, and I leaned against the wall, feeling every bit the fool.
Okay, get it together. Hallucinations don't just pop up for a chat. I scanned the dead end, searching for some clue that I hadn't completely lost it. But there was nothing—just me and the silent testimony of the grand, uncaring house.
"Fuck," I exhaled, the word a white plume in the chilly hall. Whether it was grief or the remnants of tonight's passion twisting my mind, I couldn't tell. But one thing was clear—I wasn't alone in this place, and I'd be damned if I didn't find out why.
I was about ready to call it quits, the cold was seeping into my bones and the damp towel clung unhelpfully to my skin. But then, my gaze caught a sliver of something off. A line in the wall that didn’t quite match up with its oh-so-perfect decor.
"Hello, what's this?" I muttered, pressing against the anomaly. A click sounded, more satisfying than any symphony. The wall shivered and whispered open, revealing a darkened stairwell yawning like the mouth of Hades himself.
Because this is totally normal. I scoffed, stepping through the threshold. The air shifted as the door closed behind me, plunging me into darkness thick enough to taste.
"Great, just great," I chided myself while fumbling down the steps, my fingers tracing the cold, damp stone walls. "Let's follow the creepy ghost girl into a secret freaking dungeon."
At the bottom, my eyes adjusted to reveal a mystical room, an Aladdin’s cave of weird shit. Relics littered every surface, their shadows dancing in the dim light like they were alive. And damn, if it wasn't the coolest thing I'd seen since... well, ever.
Talk about a treasure trove. I breathed, awe tempering my sarcasm for once.
Drawn like a magpie to shiny things, I reached for a relic that seemed to throb with power—a wicked-looking dagger with a hilt encrusted with jewels that sparkled in the dim light. Its blade promised secrets and danger all wrapped up in one.
Definitely not cursed. I joked, even as my hand trembled. The moment my skin brushed the cool metal, a jolt shot through me, fierce and wild, like lightning coursing through my veins.
