Made in Malice (Corrupt Credence Book 1)

NOVA

I can’t explain why I’m still sitting here, watching a horror movie about a group of people who create haunted house attractions and happened upon a location that seems to come with its own resident ghost. If I weren’t steaming mad, I might admit that it’s kind of creepy and I’ve actually jumped a few times.

I look toward the door for the fifth time. I need to pee, and I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to ask where the bathroom is.

“What’s wrong?” Nox asks, tipping his head to the side.

“Where’s the bathroom?” I ask softly, not wanting to draw Lucian’s attention. He’s been quiet since the movie started.

“I’ll take you. I need to piss.” The grump stands up and stretches. I look at Nox for help, but he just smiles at me encouragingly.

Reluctantly, I trail behind Lucian as he exits the room and heads down the hall. When he enters a doorway I would swear is his bedroom, I slow my steps, then peek into the darkened room.

I don’t spot Lucian, so I assume he’s already gone ahead to the bathroom. Glancing down, I look at my sock-clad toe teasing the threshold. I shouldn’t go in. Actually, I shouldn’t even be here at all, but I am. With a deep breath, I slide my foot over the wood and enter the room.

I’m tempted to turn on a light, but he would probably accuse me of snooping—which I am—or say that I was scared from the movie.

My eyes slowly adjust to the gloom, allowing me to see the outline of the drape-covered windows and the shadow of the four-poster bed. Awareness tingles down my spine, but I still jump when Lucian’s voice sounds over my shoulder. “Are you following me?” His whisper almost sounds playful, but I know not to fall for it.

“I thought you were showing me to the bathroom.” I work to keep my voice even since my heart is beating way too fast.

“How badly do you need it?”

He has a knack for making everything sound dirty, but the problem is, now that I’m up and moving around, I need to pee pretty badly. “I could always go all over your floor,” I warn, even though I would never do that.

“Go ahead, watching you explain that to Gertrude might be worth it.” I feel his fingers brush over my back, and my breath catches.

“Is there one down the hall? I’m sure I can find it.” My voice is too airy, too affected, but my nerves and an embarrassing bit of excitement has me feeling a little light-headed. I start to turn to get away from him and out of the dark room, but his hand trails over my hip, holding me in place with a light touch.

“Too late,” he says while standing so close to me, I can feel him pressed against my back. I’m so still, I’m almost afraid to breathe. “I’ll need to collect payment first.”

“Payment for using the bathroom?”

“We can pretend that’s what it’s for, then you can keep pretending you don’t want me.”

“I don’t—”

“Don’t bother, lamb,” Lucian interrupts my denial as he eases my hair to the side so he can lean in and brush his warm lips against my skin. Before my mind can fully process what’s happening, he sinks his teeth into my shoulder. My body reacts on instinct, and I try to jerk to get away from the slight pain, but his hands are already locked around my hips, holding me still.

I open my mouth to protest, but he releases the bite and his hold on me before backing away. I spin on him, my hand already going to the spot where he sunk his teeth in. “What is wrong with you?” I’m breathing hard.

“I’d say quite a lot,” he admits without shame.

“You bit me.” I think I’m still in shock. It doesn’t even really hurt, but it feels as if his teeth are still in my skin.

“I know, it was foolish.”

I’m taken aback by his response, and my rebuke dies on my tongue.

“I underestimated how much I would like it and your reaction.”

“My reaction? I reacted to the pain,” I protest.

“Is that why you stopped breathing and tipped your ass back?” he questions smugly.

“I was trying to get away.”

“Sure, you keep telling yourself that, lamb. Now run along to the bathroom before I lay you on the bed and leave my marks all over your pretty, soft thighs.”

“You’re delusional,” I reply, but there’s no lying to myself about the way my stomach dipped at his promise. Why the heck would that excite me? Maybe I’m as senseless as he is.

“You’ll come around.” Lucian isn’t at all bothered by my outrage. “Bathroom is right behind you, or there’s always option two.” He makes a point of looking over at his bed.

I back away from him, only peeking over my shoulder to make sure I don’t trip on anything so I can keep my eyes on him. Once the bathroom is just a step away, I pivot and push through the door, then I flip the lock and back away from the wood separating us. There’s a part of me that’s afraid to pee because I’m worried he’s going to wait until I have my pants down and come barging in here to humiliate me somehow.

“Stop overthinking.” I hear him clearly through the door.

“Stop talking and being weird,” I retort. There’s a thud against the door, but the handle never jiggles. I flip on the tap to mask the sound, then do my business as fast as possible before washing my one good hand so I don’t get the wrap wet. It’s not until I’m looking in the mirror, seeing my flushed face, that I realize how easy I am to read. I don’t look pissed or even scared. I look like I just got off a carnival ride and I want to go again.

LUCIAN

There’s something definitely wrong with me. I have to fight not to go find the key to the door or break the lock. She’s only steps away, but it feels like she’s too far.

The water turns on, and I force myself to get away from the fucking door because it’s a bit much, even for me. I don’t care if she knows I’m not right, but she doesn’t need to know just how much she’s affecting me. Giving her that much power would be a death sentence for both of us.

“What’s taking so long?” Nox leans against the doorframe.

“I think she’s hiding in the bathroom because she’s scared.” I say it loud enough so she can hear me over the running water.

“Scared of you turning cannibal on me,” she says as she exits.

“Harmless nibbles,” I counter.

“I bet you wouldn’t say that if you were the one being bitten.”

“Whoa, you bit her?” Nox’s eyes flash with something. Maybe jealousy.

“I’m waiting,” I offer, my arms spread wide, but I know my lamb. She lets her mouth get her in trouble, but there’s no way she’s ready to take that step yet. My cock is hard just from thinking about it though.

“That’s probably a trap. You’d offer to let me bite you, then find a way to punish me for it.” She snorts.

“I’m liking where this is going.”

“And that’s my cue to leave. I just need my keys.” She actually puts out her hand like I might just shuffle over and put them in her upturned palm. Why am I smiling at that?

“No can do, lamb.”

“What? Why?” She rolls that same wrist and plants it on her curvy hip. Yup, I’m going to enjoy marking her all over.

“I’m having the car swept for bugs and trackers. It’ll only take a day or two, then you can park it, because I already told you that you’ll be riding with us.”

Her chin lowers, and those fiery eyes blaze at me. The anticipation of what she might say or do is eating at me like I’m an addict waiting for the next hit.

“Fine, just give me your keys then.”

“I can’t, it’s past curfew,” I whisper.

“You are such a liar.” The way she enunciates the last word has her tongue poking out and touching her top lip.

Maybe I should have kissed her instead of biting her, but once she put that thought in my head, I hadn’t been able to get it out. I shrug, not denying her accusation.

“I’ll just walk.” She spins to leave the room, but Nox steps in front of her.

“It’s late, Nova. Plus, we know you’re safe here with us.”

“I’m safe at the Umbras’,” she argues.

“Do you really believe that?” I dig my claws into her deeper, making her doubt the family that never took care of her, that left her to die until they had a use for her.

“Yeah,” she says softly, but I can hear the hesitation in her voice.

“Are you sure that’s not just what they want you to believe?”

I shift so I can see her nibble on her bottom lip. I can tell she’s thinking about what I said, so I push her a little more. Manipulation is the least I’m willing to do. “There’s something that made you question your safety. You’re thinking about it right now. What happened?”

She looks over her shoulder at me. “Nothing compared to what you’ve done.” She almost sounds sad, and it actually bothers me, but I don’t show that. Instead, I give her the truth.

“I’m not the one who lulled you with pretty promises and lies. I let you see exactly how I felt about you.”

“Oh, you made it perfectly clear that you think I’m a gutter slut,” she scoffs bitterly.

“I wanted you to leave on your own, so I didn’t need to make you. Was I kind? No. I never claimed to be.”

She rolls her eyes and laughs without any joy. “You don’t even accept responsibility for yourself or your behavior and how it could affect other people.”

“I just did. I was real with you, and believe me, it could have been much worse.”

“I don’t doubt that, but does it really make it better that you held back a little and didn’t attack me or have someone else do it for you?”

“If you knew me better, you wouldn’t even ask that question. I don’t hold back. For anyone.” I’m probably giving her too much, but I’ll need to earn her trust at some point. My only other option is stripping her bare and taking it, and I’m not convinced she wouldn’t break in the process.

“So I should be grateful?” She shifts so she’s facing me fully. There’s a challenge in her gaze that reaffirms how much I want her.

“No, but you should see reason. I wanted you gone, now I don’t. You’re smart and tough, and you can see the truth in that, even if you want to pretend you don’t.”

“We want to help you, Nova,” Nox reminds her.

“Why should I believe you?” Her eyes are locked on mine, so I know the question is meant for me.

“In reality, it doesn’t matter if you do or not, lamb. We’ve decided you’re with us, and there’s no going back.” I hold up my hand when she opens her mouth to argue, and she smacks her pouty lips closed to glare at me. “But…I’m willing to compromise. What will make you believe us?”

Her eyebrows furrow. I caught her off guard with that one. After a long pause, she confesses, “I don’t know. I shouldn’t trust you.”

“See? Smart,” I praise.

“You even admit I shouldn’t trust you.” She throws her hands up in exasperation.

“Not true. I admitted to you being smart. Trust shouldn’t be free or easy, but we’re trusting you too. I told you no one else has ever been here.”

“In your room? Yeah right.” She crosses her arms over her chest.

“In his room or in the house.” Nox lends credence to my words. “We only allowed people in the beach house.”

“But I brought you here and let you see where and how we live.” In truth, it never crossed my mind to take her to the beach house. I knew from the moment I planned on bringing her here that it would be to the house.

“Why? It’s not that creepy.” She looks around my room with a keen eye.

“I don’t give a fuck what people think, lamb. You should know that much.”

“I do know that, but why did you bring me here?” She’s searching for a reason, something that will validate why she should stay, and I know I’ve already won.

I fight my smug grin but feel the corners of my mouth pull up when I say, “Because I knew I was keeping you.”

She rolls her eyes and spins away from me. “Are we going to finish the movie or what?”

My eyes are glued to her ass as she saunters out of the room. I’m going to have my name tattooed on her cheek. I bet I’ll have to hold her down for that one. Now my smile is full blown. Good thing she doesn’t look back, because she might see just how disturbed I really am.