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I packed a bag when Mason was in the shower that evening and Von was still in his cell. Von had since been declared safe, so when night fell, I still wasn’t any closer to escaping or finding myself a decent guide. I’d managed to stuff my backpack behind the couch in the living room, but that’s about as far along as I was on the master plan – which is to say, not far at all.
As I’d suspected, Mason and Von scarcely let me out of their sight. I finally gave up when night fell, vowing to try to escape tomorrow. My cheeks turned rosy when I changed into a nightgown that fell to my knees. The flowy material was held up by thin straps, and the whole cream-colored thing was lined with lace. It was beautiful, and if this would be my last night with Von, I wanted to feel beautiful.
I knew very well that marching headfirst into the lion’s den meant I might not come out alive. In fact, if I was being honest with myself, I was gambling on the rules of a world I didn’t always understand. No one else had a plan, though, and I knew I couldn’t live in fear anymore.
Fear didn’t suit me; it never had.
Von swore when he came out of the shower in pajama pants, his eyes getting a good glimpse of me in all my virginal glory. In reality, other than the fact that the nightgown had spaghetti straps, it wasn’t all that racy. It was a tribute to how modestly I usually dressed that Von gave me the glad eye over what was basically a white lacy mid-thigh sundress. But you know, call it a nightgown, and things get PG-13 real quick. Von rubbed his hand over his bare stomach. “You look... You look like you wouldn’t be wearing that little scrap for long if it was just the two of us in this mansion. Pack it for the honeymoon?”
“Sure.”
He pulled a cinnamon stick from the case on the nightstand and chewed on it, so I knew he was itching for more blood. My cheek had been disinfected and cleaned up from Mariang’s assault, but the skin was still broken in two striped diagonal lines down my left cheek. Von took in a ragged breath. “You look amazing and smell delicious. It’s quite the effect you have going there.”
I frowned. “Oh, you want me to sleep downstairs?”
“Not dressed like that. I want you in my bed post-haste.”
I quirked my eyebrow at the man I adored. “Post-haste, eh? You’ve got to stop using those sexy words around me. But seriously, I don’t want you to lose it. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“No, no. I’m fine. Glutted myself on blood earlier.” His smile was forced, and I could tell he was tipping on the edge of self-loathing. He’d wanted so very much to not have to drink blood at all anymore. “How’s that for sexy talk?”
“The very sexiest. Mason already asleep in one of the other rooms?”
“No, he’s downstairs talking to Ezra. He’ll be up soon, probably in one of the guest bedrooms down the hall.” Von made his way to me and kissed my lips, making me swoon for him in ways that made me sure I was doing the right thing. I couldn’t live in fear of Philip. He had to go down. I wouldn’t be able to have a life with Von if Philip was still trying to get at me. And I had a kind of far out there idea for how to wake Allie, but was afraid Philip would only try and torment her if I did. No, Philip had to die if Allie and I were to live.
Von and I wasted no more time with words. After a few kisses that kept building into our usual hurricane of passion, we were tumbling around on the floor of the bedroom as we shed our clothes in our minds in the imagined park that was precious to us both. The gold and blue swirled and sparkled around us, knocking purple and green leaves off the trees as nature danced to cheer us on. “When we get married, I’ll take you away from here,” Von promised, though we both knew it was wishful thinking.
“Where? Where will you take me?”
“Anywhere and everywhere,” he murmured between breathless kisses. “I love you.”
I slowed our kiss so I could have a quiet moment with him on the colorful grass. “You know I’d do anything for you, right? I’d give anything to keep you safe.”
“I know, baby. Me too.” Von tasted my lips with a low moan that made my whole body fall in love with him.
“I don’t like that Philip got to you, taking your hair and controlling you like that. I don’t like that he found a way to tear us apart.”
Von stopped the kiss, our magical world fading around us and bringing us back to the light beige carpet of our bedroom in the mansion. “His name is Sama, not Philip. Philip is fake. Sama is very much real. Call him by his proper name.”
It was rare Von bossed me. Instead of responding verbally, I tilted my head to the side, my legs still wrapped around him.
Von deflated in my arms. “Sorry. That was harsher than I meant it to come out, yeah? I just don’t want you to confuse him with the monster he truly is.”
“Trust me, I know he’s a monster.”
Mason knocked on the door, giving us a courtesy heads-up so we could untangle ourselves before he opened it. “I’m sorry, guys. Ezra’s requested I stay in here with you both tonight. Eventful day, plus she’s got an open cut still.” He held onto the doorjamb in his brown plaid pajama pants and white undershirt, almost as if he was nervous to let himself inside.
“That’s more than fine. We were just about to turn in.” I smiled up at Mason, though I knew Von was cringing that our time alone was being infiltrated.
“Come on, mate. All wolves are welcome in here.” Von pulled back the covers and flopped onto his side of the king-sized bed.
I crawled into the middle, not realizing until Mason slid in on my other side that he hadn’t planned on turning into a wolf that night. I was nervous, and very aware that I was engaged and sleeping in a bed with two men the same day I’d kissed another. I was pretty sure Mrs. Brady never had these problems. I was aware of every movement, and immediately wished I was wearing sweatpants and a frumpy shirt.
Von took the lead, feeling my nerves. “Night, darling.” He kissed my lips just once, and then rolled me on my side so he could spoon me. He palmed my stomach, his thumb moving up and down over my navel in a slow tease that made it hard for me to relax. “Did you want a snog as well, Mase old boy? My lips are puckered and ready for you.”
“Pass.” Being spooned by Von put me face to face with Mason, who brought the covers up over all three of us. He reached out and held my hand, bringing my other arm to loop under his neck so I couldn’t scratch myself in my sleep without hugging him awake. Then he snuck his knee between mine, so I could use his leg like a body pillow. “Goodnight, hani.” Then Mason nuzzled his nose to mine and pecked my lips three times before closing his eyes, content now that we were together.
They loved me, which made it impossible for me to escape.