The cherry stem was tied neatly around one of his fangs.
CHAPTER 40
Bella was staring, and it had to stop. Except she couldn't help herself. Zsadist was the only thing she could see.
Not that he was really involved in the party. Except for when that episode with Rhage had happened, Zsadist stayed away from them all. He talked to no one. Drank nothing. Ate nothing. He was a statue over by one of the long windows, and the stillness in him was fascinating. He didn't even seem to be breathing. Only his eyes moved.
And always to get away from hers.
Bella gave them both a break by heading over for some more wine. The billiard room was a dark, luxurious space, covered in forest-green silk wallpaper and festooned with black-and-gold satin drapes. Over in the corner where the bar was set up, the shadows were even thicker, and she took shelter in them.
Maybe she could be more discreet if she watched him from here.
Over the past few days she'd asked around and heard every Zsadist story there was. The rumors were downright gruesome, especially the ones about him and females. People said he killed her sex for sport, but it was hard not to wonder how much of that was lore. A male who looked as dangerous as he did, people were bound to talk. Her brother was the same way. She'd heard whispers about Rehvenge for years, and God knew, all of them were false.
There was just no way all the chatter about Zsadist was accurate. For heaven's sake, folks maintained he lived off the blood of human prostitutes. That wasn't even physiologically possible, not unless he drank every other night. And even then, how could he be as strong as he was with that weak sustenance?
Bella turned from the bar and scanned the room. Zsadist was gone.
She glanced out into the foyer. She hadn't even seen him leave. Perhaps he'd dematerialized—
'Looking for me?'
She jumped and twisted her head around. Zsadist was right behind her, rubbing a Granny Smith apple on his shirt. As he lifted it to his mouth, he eyed her throat.
'Zsadist…'
'You know, for a female of the aristocracy, you're pretty damn rude.' He bared his fangs and bit through the bright green flesh with a crack. 'Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not polite to stare?'
She watched him chew, his jaw working in circles. God, just looking at his lips made her breathless. 'I don't mean to offend you.'
'Well, you are. And I think you're upsetting my dear twin while you're at it.'
'What?'
Zsadist's eyes lingered on her face, then drifted over her hair. He took another hunk out of the apple. 'Phury likes you. I think he might even be attracted to you, which is a first, at least since I've known him. He doesn't get distracted by females.'
Funny, she hadn't gotten that vibe at all. Then again, she'd been focused on Zsadist.
'I don't think Phury's—'
'He keeps watching you. While you're looking at me, he's staring at you. And it's not because he's worried about you. His eyes are on your body, female.' Zsadist tilted his head to the side. 'You know, maybe I was wrong. Maybe you are the one who'll shake him out of his celibacy. Shit, you're beautiful enough, and he ain't dead.'
She flushed. 'Zsadist, you should know that I, ah, I find you—'
'Revolting, right? Kind of like a good car accident.' He bit off some more apple. 'I can understand the fascination, but you need to be taking those eyes elsewhere. Look at Phury from now on, we clear?'
'I want to look at you. I like to look at you.'
His eyes narrowed. 'No, you don't.'
'Yes. I do.'
'No one likes to look at me. Not even I do.'
'You're not ugly, Zsadist.'
He laughed, deliberately running a fingertip down his scar. 'Now, there's a ringing endorsement. As well as a blatant fucking lie.'
'I find you mesmerizing. I can't get you out of my mind. I want to be with you.'
Zsadist frowned, falling still. 'Be with me exactly how?'
'You know. Be with you.' She blushed a brilliant red, but figured she had nothing to lose. 'I want to… lay with you.'
Zsadist backed up so fast he hit the bar. And as the liquor bottles rattled, she knew for certain the stories about him were false. This was no female-killer. If anything, he seemed petrified by the thought that she was sexually attracted to him.
She opened her mouth, but he cut her off.
'You stay away from me, female,' he said, pitching the half-eaten apple into the trash. 'If you don't, there's no telling what I might do to defend myself.'
'From what? I'm no threat to you.'
'No, but I can goddamn guarantee I'm hazardous to your health. There's a very good reason why people stay away from me.'
He walked out of the room.
Bella looked at the all the people around the pool table. Everyone was focused on the game. Which was perfect. She didn't want any of them to talk her out of what she was about to do.
She put her glass of wine down and slipped from the billiard room. As she came into the lobby, Zsadist was going upstairs. After giving him some time to get ahead of her, she took the steps quickly, moving silently up to the second floor. When she got to the top, she caught sight of the heel of his shitkicker disappearing around a corner. She jogged swiftly over the carpet, keeping a distance as he headed down a corridor that led away from the balcony and the foyer below.
Zsadist paused. She ducked behind a marble sculpture.
When she leaned out, he was gone. She walked to where she'd seen him and found a door slightly ajar. She stuck her head in. The room was pitch-dark, the light from the hall making little headway into the blackness. And it was freezing cold, as if the heat wasn't just off for the night, but hadn't been turned on since summer's warmth had faded.
Her eyes adjusted. There was a broad, sumptuous bed, dripping with heavy crimson velvet. The other furniture was equally lavish, although there was something odd in the corner on the floor. A pallet of blankets. And a skull.
Bella was yanked inside by the arm.
The door slammed shut and the room plunged into total darkness. Quick as a gasp, she was spun around and pushed face-first into the wall. Candles flared.
'What
She tried to catch her breath, but with Zsadist's forearm pressed into the middle of her back, she couldn't squeeze much air into her lungs.
'I, ah, I… thought we could talk.'
'Really. Is that what you want to do up here? Talk.'
'Yes, I thought—'
His hand clamped on the back of her neck. 'I don't talk with females who are dumb enough to come after me. But I'll show you what I am willing to do to them.'
His put a thick arm around her stomach, popped her hips out from the wall, and pushed her head down. Off balance, she braced herself by holding on to a piece of molding.
His arousal came against her core. Breath exploded out of her lungs.
As heat licked between her legs, his chest brushed her back. He pulled her blouse out from her skirt and
