Burn Me Right

Chapter 35

The sun shone brightly on the city, chasing the dark shadows away. The sun's rays filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors on the walls and floor. The intricate carvings on the high ceiling, the heavy drapes of the canopy bed, and the antique furnishings added to the old-world charm of the room. Two figures lay entwined on the bed, lost in the embrace of slumber.

Autumn slowly began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, taking a moment to adjust to the brightness. She felt the weight of someone's arm draped across her waist and a heavy warmth on her chest.

A sudden jolt of fear ran through her body as she realized she wasn't alone. Memories of the previous night flooded back, and she tried to recall how she ended up here. The bloodstains, his pride, were all fresh in her head. She looked down to see the culprit, who was heavily asleep yet alert on her chest.

He huffed like a Spanish bull, his breath touching her nipples. His exhalation filled the air with a heady aroma that was both scary and intoxicating. She tried to move, but even in that sleep, he didn't fail to pull her toward him involuntarily. She diverted her attention to the clock. It read 6 am.

The sound of busy footsteps and muffled voices of the maids and housemates made her feel guilty for lounging around while they worked tirelessly to keep the mansion running. But how could she get up when a beast of a man lay on top of her?

Her gaze shifted from the commotion outside to Zyler's chest. The rise and fall of his breaths were like the pounding of a sledgehammer. She couldn't help but wonder if he ever felt that smooth mass of muscle beat fast or if there was even a heart in that dark, twisted form of his. Was it just a facade? A hollow cavity where a heart should be? She wondered how hard that organ must work to keep up with his wickedness.

Her beautiful pupils moved down to his chest. A hellish creature, a Fury, was etched in deep, dark ink on his right chest. Its twisted, snarling figure seemed to come alive as the sun shed light on him. Like a sinister sentinel guarding his heart. As the shadows danced around him, Fury's wicked wings and piercing eyes whispered of hidden darkness, a mysterious tale of torment and passion entwined-a perfect annotation for a man like Zyler.

As she studied the tattoo, she couldn't help but reach out a tentative hand, tracing the rough edges and smooth curves with her fingertips. The texture was almost alive as if the creature was deep beneath Zyler's skin. The eyes of the beast were a haunting temptation, luring her into the depths of their abyss. They glimmered with dark, magical energy that threatened to trap her soul, a siren's call that she couldn't resist even if she wanted to.

"Staring at someone is a bad habit," his morning voice told her, bringing her out of the fury's spell. She immediately diverted her eyes to the window. She didn't want to look at him. "Stubborn, I see," he chuckled. Again, she did not answer. "It looks like last night's treatment wasn't enough for you," he faked as if he was thinking of more ways to punish her.

He pulled her back to his chest. He brought his hand to her chest and rested it there, holding it above, feeling her heartbeat. He felt the vibrations underneath his palm. He moved his mouth to her ear, "Don't worry, though I am in the mood to punish you, I will not. We have work to do today," he let her go and got up from the bed. Pulling his sheets off her and his body, he rose to full height and cracked his bones. His muscles danced around his tattoos, flexing and folding them as he stretched. If anything, it was a sight to behold, but it made her blood boil with anger.

"Get ready. I expect you to be down with me in 30, not a minute more or less," he walked out his door, not caring if his staff would see him coming out the door. Sighing, the girl got up and entered her bathroom. She undressed and turned around to face the mirror. Her breath hitched as she saw a red handprint on her ass cheeks. After only a few nights with him, her body bore his marks. What will he do in the coming days? She didn't even want to think.