He raised brow. “Forgive me, but you’re the one who wants me in cat form. If I act like an animal, you have no one to blame but yourself.”
“Fine! Jeez. Would it help if I got you some cat toys or something?”
He sniffed. “Don’t insult me.”
“I was trying to be nice. But if you want to sit here and sulk, be my guest.”
I left before he had a chance to get in the last word. The door was just closing behind me when his voice carried down the hall. “Don’t forget the catnip!”
15
I’m surprised to see you back so soon. Is your new living situation satisfactory?” Clovis reached for my hand and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles. My skin tingled where he’d touched me. I pulled the hand back when he seemed to linger over it.
“Yes, Vinca is very nice,” I said. “May I?”
He gestured to the chair opposite his. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I’ll admit I’m intrigued to learn the reason for your visit.”
I settled into the seat as I gathered my thoughts. I didn’t want to seem too eager.
“I’ve given it some thought and I’ve decided that joining you is the wisest course of action.”
His smile was immediate. “That’s excellent news. However, I’m curious about your sudden change of heart.”
“You can thank Vinca for that,” I said. “She’s convinced me that I can trust you.”
He steepled his fingers and regarded me closely. “So it has nothing to do with needing shelter from the Dominae?”
I shrugged. “I’ll admit that factored into my decision. But I would never take your offer if I didn’t believe your cause was worth joining.”
He nodded. “I can’t say I’m not pleased with your decision. If you’re amenable, we can take care of the initiation tonight.”
He said it casually, as if he referred to filling out forms. I knew better than to relax. As powerful as Clovis was, he wouldn’t take my word. I’d have to prove myself. And from what Vinca told me, I wouldn’t enjoy it.
“That would be fine.” My tone was businesslike. But inside, my impatience and anxiety took the form of nausea.
“Let me summon Frank and we will begin shortly.” He stood to call his assistant, but I stopped him.
“What exactly do these rites entail?” I couldn’t help myself. I needed something to go on to prepare myself for what was to come. Surprises weren’t something I dealt with well.
“Patience, my dear,” he said with a smile. “You’ll know soon enough.”
Soon enough turned out to be an hour later. As I waited in his office, I fidgeted. I’d tried to sit still for as long as possible, but ended up moving around the room looking for something to occupy my hands. According to his bookcases, Clovis seemed to have a fascination with the Spanish Inquisition, which did nothing to calm my nerves. He also had quite a collection of spell books, many with cracking leather spines. To distract myself from my nerves, I thumbed through a few, looking for a reversal spell that might help me with the Giguhl situation. The problem was most of the spells were written in something that looked like Sumerian. I decided to “borrow” a few anyway.
The door opened a few moments after I hid the books in my bag. Frank, looking solemn, asked me to follow him. He led me down a labyrinth of corridors. We passed a guard here and there but no other people or beings crossed our path. As we approached a set of doors, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. This place smelled different from the common areas I’d seen so far. It’d been a while since I’d had any, but it was hard to mistake the scent of sex—musky and sweet. Instinctively, I knew we were about to enter Clovis’ private rooms.
Frank paused just outside the doors. Watching the wooden panels, I saw him produce a blindfold from his back pocket.
“Turn around,” he said quietly. I stared at him for a moment. What was it with this guy and blindfolds? It’s not like I couldn’t find my way back to this room. His face betrayed no emotion as I considered my options. I didn’t have any. I nodded slightly and turned with my head held high, not wanting to seem subservient. If I was going to do this, I was going to do it for real. No cowering or fear about what was to come. Grandmother would have been proud.
The wall disappeared behind the veil of the black cloth covering my eyes. Frank tied it on tight, but not painfully so. I rolled my eyes around, adjusting to the darkness. Not a sliver of light passed through the cloth.
I felt Frank’s hand on my shoulder as the doors in front of me creaked open. A slight breeze escaped the room. The air was even more saturated with the carnal scent.
Even with the blindfold, I could tell the room was large by the echoes created by our footsteps. Refusing to appear dependent on Frank, I walked forward confidently—no careful shuffling. The clicks of my heels told me the floors were concrete, which might also account for the cooler air in this room. I’d taken several steps before a slight pressure from Frank’s hand indicated I should stop.
“Don’t move,” Frank whispered in my ear. His footsteps echoed as he walked away. When I heard the doors close behind me, I assumed he’d left me standing there alone. I tried to remain calm, yet prepared for anything. Unfamiliar vulnerability hung around my throat like a noose. Remembering my hands weren’t bound, I ignored Frank’s last instructions and I lifted one toward the edge of the blindfold.
“Do I need to bind your hands, as well?”
My body jerked at the unanticipated sound of Clovis’ voice. He was standing uncomfortably close. As I dropped my hand slowly, I cursed myself for not having sensed his presence. The fact he’d caught me off guard put me even more on edge. Doubts started creeping in, but I pushed them aside.
“Sabina.” He breathed in. A warm palm cupped my cheek. I jerked from the unanticipated contact. Silently, I cursed my inability to control my own body. I took a deep breath. That’s when I realized the scent I’d detected earlier—the sex—was actually coming from him. It was as if his body was throwing off narcotic pheromones.
“Please forgive the blindfold. I’m afraid it’s a necessity.” His voice was different—deeper with a husky timber. Jesus, he even sounded like sex.
I nodded to acknowledge his statement, not trusting my voice.
“Are you frightened, Sabina?” Instead of concern, I heard amusement in his tone. I gritted my teeth, trying to regain control.