Midnight Playground

Chapter 9

Nerve-wracking as it was, Cassie very soon found herself in the entranceway of the house, peering her head around to look inside. She had never stayed out all night like this. She never would have even dreamed of it and as expected, a few of the other clients did stop to gawk at her as they rather hastily made a bee-line for the kitchen. She frowned a little. She knew that she was disliked by them -probably due to her unsociable nature but did they really have to gossip about her so loudly like that? Of course the demons would hear them, if they hadn't already. The question remained, who would she meet first? Would it be Luther, who had caught on to the fact that he had been tricked by her and Emmery? Maybe Jace, sharp and quick to the point, he would likely punish her on sight. Kayne was someone she didn't particularly want to meet any time soon. He was two-faced and cold. If the demons were cruel, she wanted them to be at least honest about it. And then there was her contractor Cole. He'd been patient enough with her already. It wasn't like he couldn't have known that she was sneaking out of the house every night, or at every chance that she got. And all eyes had definitely turned on her when they had forbidden them to go outside anymore. This time, she really was in trouble.  

She sighed heavily, leaning her head light against the doorframe. Why had she gone back? What was it about the house that made her come back to it time after time again? It was a mystery. She closed her eyes for a moment, losing herself to the thought. If for some miraculous reason that the contract with Cole suddenly came to an end (And she lived to speak of it) would she still come back here? Where else could she go?  

"I really must look a picture, right now." She half-laughed to herself. She felt exhausted, like she could fall asleep at any moment. It was a frightening feeling in a house full of blood thirsty demons that were just waiting for the opportunity to strike. She had probably just stayed up talking with Alec for too long. Or maybe everything had finally started taking its toile on her.  

"I should say so." His voice, brisk like an abrupt flash of chill that threaded through her fingertips like the sensation of a fresh new page inside a book, eager for the warmth of the readers touch. It was like electricity that both thrilled her and frightened her. She jumped upright and lashed around to see Jace standing just behind her. He was still in the position he had been in when he had leant down to whisper softly in her ear, his voice whipped against her ears. Upon seeing him, she jerked backwards, jumping to the defence. It compelled a sudden smile from him and her heart quickly began to pulsate painfully in her chest as she locked eyes with him. She choked back a surge of panic.  

"Something wrong?" He asked, now stood upright and stepping towards her. And this, Cassie automatically took a very uneasy step backwards. Something was wrong. He wasn't looking at her in the way that she expected him to. Far from it because right now, he was smiling at her! And the closer that she looked at him, it was actually pretty clear that she smile on his face was not faked. For some strange reason, he was happy about this.  

"Why would something be wrong?" She bit back at him, repeatedly urging herself to remain calm. He continued to advance, slowly, knowing well that she couldn't escape. Before she knew it, she was up against the wall, his body baring down over hers. She sucked in a quick breath, just as he softly placed his hand down on the wall next to her ear. 

"Really? You look worried about something?" He was practically purring out his words, although she couldn't detect any hints of touchiness in his voice. The same couldn't have been said for her own. 

"I'm not worried about anything." She countered, never taking her eyes off of him. "I'm annoyed, move your arm." She didn't divert her stare from his, even when she saw the cunning smirk crawl up the corner of her lips. Her heart beat quickened. Despite her attitude, Jace brought his face in closer, his hot breath rubbing against skin. The tips of his hair tickled her like the fur of a cat, stroking repeatedly across her neck. She stiffed at once, unconsciously holding her breath. Her anger was a fleeting feeling and had been replaced easily by a feeling far stronger than fear.