Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,189

partial monsters to keep the empaths from being daunted by Idun’s likely overpowering, chaotic emotions.

Partial monsters who can also report to Violet immediately, in the event of a jailbreak.

As of now, there’s no known way to take away that advantage from Violet, because the salt illusions can’t be destroyed, captured, or killed.

“Stop thinking about how perfectly she’s designed to be a predator, and don’t even think of corrupting her,” Vance tells me without looking at me.

My grin falls.

I’m not nearly as mysterious as I think I am if he can see through me so easily.

“Violet has a fun side, Vance. Just a little—”

“Try to corrupt her, and your face will bleed worse and worse with each new attempt,” he carries on, still not looking at me.

“I’ll help hold you back while he wails on you,” Emit states in agreement.

Bloody socks in the sand, this lot. They were once so rowdy that I had to be the voice of reason.

“I’ll help you corrupt her in the bedroom,” Damien states to me, which has my smile returning.

The triplets appear so suddenly that I startle, and they give me a small wave, while grinning at me. Really, though, I’d rather the sex-kitten Anna be the one who stalks me, now that I know what’s going on.

They giggle and disappear, their voices lingering a moment longer.

“One. Two. Hyde’s got you,” their voices sing. “Three. Four. We’ll be back for more.”

I think Idun’s torso and legs pale. I know the color drains from Clyde’s face.

Vance sets up the camera, and I leave them to it.

Leaving the hidden room, I make my way through the eerily silent home, up the stairs, and straight into Violet’s room. I hear the shower running, and I smile, as I begin stripping out of my clothes.

The room is already fogged when I step in, but I can still see the delicate outline of Violet’s tempting body through the shower doors.

With as much stealth as I can muster, I step inside the shower, and…watch.

Chapter 53

VIOLET

A shower has never felt so good.

My stomach is still twisted in uneasy knots, worrying what happens next. Now my snowball has stopped, but it’s teetering on a steep ledge. It’s up to them if it gets knocked off or finally gets a rest.

My eyes open, and…I screech, jump, and damn near crash into the shower doors when I spot a person in the shower with me. In a blur of motion, arms come around me.

I’m spun against the wall, feeling the chill lick across my skin in the absence of the shower’s hot spray. Arion grins down at me, as the water pelts his back.

His dark eyes drink me in, and his lips are twisted in a wry grin.

“It’s a good thing you’re powerful, if you can’t even sense an alpha vampire so close to you anymore,” he says, hand running up my cheek, while his other drags my waist closer to him.

He’s still turned on.

That becomes entirely too obvious—and inconveniently distracting—when he presses me solidly up against his naked body.

My breath snakes out, as I manage to ask, “W-what are you doing? I thought I asked for a little time to myself?”

He shrugs a shoulder, eyes dipping to my chest, as his very naked, very hard, very tempting-in-all-the-best-ways body only presses closer to mine.

“You claimed Vance. Which is good. Vance does most of the legwork and deserves to go first on occasion, especially since he has no permanent bonds to offer anyone,” Arion tells me, as though he’s talking aloud to let me know he’s made peace with that. “Emit put his mark on you, which takes up a large portion of your back. Damien marked both your wrists, and as far as we know, it can never be undone. I’m okay with going last—on occasion. I’ve proven this. But please don’t leave me out, sweet monster.”

I’m so tired.

I’m emotionally drained.

I’m irritably exhausted.

I forget all that when he leans down, kissing the side of my neck, while I arch into him almost reflexively.

His skin is cool against mine, but my blood stirs in response.

I become hyper aware of every spot our wet bodies are touching, and he drags me that much closer, as he teases the skin of my throat with the tiniest hint of fang.

When my breathing gets heavier, and my nails dig into his shoulders, I feel him smile.

“I love the way you react to my touch. I’ve never had that before,” he murmurs, sliding a hand lower, until he’s squeezing a good