Chapter 365: I’m Not A Coward

Melisande gave him a restrained smile. "What? Is that a brow of suspicion, Legend Summoner? Of course we have contacts in the black market. A family in our position must keep track of people who steal from us as carefully as those who purchase honestly."

Lancet agreed with that sentiment, and so did Spectra who did a small shrug.

Opaline remained silent while her parents promised records, names and contacts. She knew enough about the family’s shadow accounts to understand that they were revealing more than they usually would.

Lancet was a pretty important guy, it seemed. Her parents only acted this way for someone if they intended to use them. She looked at Lancet, her eyes tracing the features of his chiseled face as he thanked them sincerely and promised that whatever they provided would remain between those seated at the table.

Dinner ended not long afterward. Lancet closed the false Sacramenta inside its case, and Spectra rose beside him while Corven directed servants to clear the table.

Lancet started to thank the Asrephaths for their hospitality but Melisande looked toward the dark windows and refused to let them leave.

"It is far too late for you to search for lodgings now," she said. "This house has more guest rooms than we use in an entire year. You will stay here tonight."

Lancet tried to object, explaining that they could easily find a hotel or return elsewhere, but Vaelric joined his wife before he could finish.

Hosting them had already become another part of the opportunity neither parent intended to waste, and they insisted that allowing such important guests to wander Rosenblum at night would be a disgrace to the Asrephath name.

Spectra adored the idea immediately. Sleeping in a large house like this was something she had always wanted to experience. "How generous. We would be delighted."

Lancet looked at her, but she had already accepted for both of them. After another failed attempt to push back, he gave in and thanked the couple again.

Opaline went rigid beside her chair. ’He’s sleeping over in my house? Oh my! Is this like my first sleepover?’ she thought it over. ’It is right?!’

Her face warmed so quickly that she lowered her head before anyone could ask what was wrong. Corven noticed, of course. Corven noticed everything, though the butler showed enough mercy not to look amused.

He led Lancet and Spectra from the dining hall toward the guest wing. Opaline remained below with her parents, but she and Lancet locked eyes once before he disappeared around the corner.

She gave him a small, nervous smile, and he returned it before following Corven up the broad staircase.

The moment they climbed the stairs, Lancet heard muffled voices behind them coming from the dining room. As expected, Vaelric had begun scolding Opaline for almost carelessly spilling out her powers and revealing family secrets in front of guests.

Melisande’s voice was audible too. Lancet could hear her reprimanding Opaline about years of training and yet she couldn’t control her own words. Opaline’s words (most likely apologies) came too softly for Lancet to hear, followed by another reprimand from her father.

Lancet tightened his lips and looked over at the butler. "Do they always yell at her like that?"

Corven didn’t say anything. He just continued walking, refusing to gossip about family issues with a stranger.

He stopped beside two doors facing each other. "You will be staying here for the night, Mr. Leogardt. Lady Hexerra’s room is opposite yours. Both have the house phones beside the bed and will reach the servants if either of you requires anything."

Lancet thanked him. Corven bowed to Spectra as well, then left them alone in the quiet corridor with the sounds of Opaline’s parents now too distant to understand.

Lancet opened his door and looked into the large guest room before turning toward Spectra. "Wouldn’t it be better if I sent you back to the Summon Space? I can save Grace that way."

Spectra placed one hand over her chest as though he had wounded her. "How mean."

He understood how she felt and it stung him too but... "There’s no point keeping you anchored for six or seven hours while you’re asleep," Lancet said. "That’s just wasting Grace."

Her offended expression melted into a slow smile. "Who said I’ll be asleep?"

Before Lancet could answer, Spectra pushed his door wide open and stepped past him into the room. Lancet followed her inside, looking from her to the empty corridor before closing the door enough to keep passing servants from seeing them.

"What are you doing?" he asked her. "They gave us separate rooms."

Spectra turned near the foot of the bed, her white hair settling over the shoulders of her black-and-red gown. "You don’t intend on me sleeping in mine anyway. So what? Do I have to earn your Grace? If being asleep is just wasting Grace, then perhaps we should do something else, something that’ll be definitely worth that small well of Grace that you have."

She moved closer as she spoke, catwalking towards him. Her hips swayed seductively, one leg over the other, again and again, till the space in between them was barely a foot.

Lancet felt his face warming and he stepped back a bit. "I don’t think this is a good idea. We’re in someone else’s home."

Spectra shook her head with quiet disappointment. "You really are a coward, Lancet Leogardt," she sighed.

Lancet grimaced. "I’m not a coward."

"Oh, you are." She stepped backward and stretched both arms away from her body, opening herself to his gaze with a seductive smile. "Go ahead then. Send me back to the dark void in your chest."

Lancet’s gaze locked on her, irritation warring with the raw, unwilling heat she kept pulling from him.

With her arms spread wide, the gown was stretched so taut across the heavy swell of her full breasts, the fabric moulding to every soft, inviting curve before dipping sharply inward to skim the smooth plane of her stomach... then flaring again to cradle the lush, generous swell of her hips.

The dark skirt split high, putting her long legs and those fat, meaty thighs on full display, the kind you want to dig fingers into and spread.

Truthfully, Spectra’s body looked designed to tempt and destroy.

Lancet had been wise enough to ignore it all this while, but she’d constantly been pushing his buttons.

That unflinching confidence in her crimson eyes made it clear she knew exactly what she was offering, and that she was enjoying every second of him staring.

Lancet scowled at her.

Suddenly, he killed the distance between them with two steps, caught her around the waist and pressed his lips hard against hers.

Her dark red lips were soft and warm, yielding under the press of his mouth like silk. It tasted a little sweet and sinful, parting easily as the kiss got wetter and hungrier. Spectra pulled him tighter and let the heat of it drag on.

The kiss lasted until Lancet finally broke away, both of them breathing harder in the quiet room.

He looked directly into her eyes. "I’m not a coward."

Spectra’s smile returned, slower and far more satisfied than before. She leaned forward until her lips brushed his ear and whispered, "Prove it..."