I grin, taking another large step back with a shrug. “Awful confident for someone suffering from sleep deprivation.”
“Pet. Your legs are this big,” he says demonstrating between his thumb and index finger. He twists his fingers and my back meets an invisible wall.
“No magic! That’s cheating.”
His eyes roll but the wall behind me disappears, causing me to stagger back a few steps. “You already know I don’t need magic for you. Plus you’re drunk.”
“Only a little.” I continue pacing back, waiting for him to lunge. “Letting me get quite a head start here. I thought you were on the verge of collapsing.”
He snorts again before ushering me onward with a hand. “Go on, then. Do your best. If you can make it to the end of the hallway, I’ll let you free.”
My brows shoot up. “Really?”
“Yep, freedom, all yours. All you have to do is make it to those stairs,” he says, pointing. “But if you don’t make it…I’m afraid you’re mine, pet, forever.”
I’m nearly halfway down the hallway when I finally turn on my heel and book it, heart thundering in anticipation. I don’t even hear him on my heels until he’s directly behind me. I squeal as his hands bind around my middle. He peels me off the floor, flips me, the air puffing out of my chest as he slaps me over his shoulder. He turns and casually strolls back the way we came, cool hands binding around my bare legs.
“Your hands are cold,” I gasp. He only tightens his hold. “God,” I choke out, still trying to catch my breath. “How are you so fast?”
He chuckles. He doesn’t even sound winded. I struggle halfheartedly. His arms lock around my legs like steel. That grip is grounding. Is this what I’d been after? An excuse for him to touch me? Subconsciously, I think it was, and that pushes a dull pulse of panic through me. What am I doing? “Alright, you can put me down now.”
“No, no, no. You’re mine now, pet. That was the deal.”
“Sitri! Put me down!” I tear at his shirt, fully intending to dig my nails into his back and get sidetracked by the symbols glimmering there.
“What are you doing?” he asks, an air of panic in his laugh.
“What do these mean?” I ask, drawing a finger over the lines.
“They mean many things. Cut that out.”
“Are you ticklish?” I dig my fingers into his ribs. He makes a choked sound before my hands lock and drop limp. “Hey, no fair, that’s cheating!” I complain.
“You already lost, pet.”
He unlocks the chamber door and slaps me down on the couch in a way that’s…less than gentle and leaves me a little breathless. Something vehement passes between us as our gazes lock, but then he’s quickly retreating to the other side of the room. “Hmm.”
I turn onto my side and prop my head on an elbow. “What?”
“You’re different when you’re drunk.”
“I’ve been really bored. Are you going to change the lock to the door?”
“Yes.”
My face falls. “I’m never going to get to hang out with Vera again, am I?”
He scrubs at his face. “Can we talk about this later?”
“Right, I’m sorry you need to sleep. Here, let me get my things out of there,” I say, pulling myself upright.
“I got it.” He forms a sign, and all of my books clap down on the coffee table.
I slump on the couch. Now I’m going to be alone again. “Thanks.”
“Goodnight, pet.”
“Night," I mutter, waving a hand without meeting his gaze.
