"You're a demon!" I cried. Turning to run. But as I rounded to bolt out the door, a wild wind rose to push against my middle. Shoving me aside like a hand on my stomach. My heels skid without me taking a single step.

The door blew closed.

I spun to see Bodin and found him less than a foot before me.

"Too late, Belle. You've taken too long. And you've now glimpsed my other form."

"Other form?" I echoed fearfully. Taking an awkward step back.

What is he?

What'd I just see. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears, I was certain he must hear it.

"There are some things you weren't supposed to see yet." He grated through his teeth. "Were it not for Vix's damn meddling..."

"Then what, Bodin?" I scrambled for conversation as I tried to come up with a way to get past him and to the door and back out the hall. My former indecisiveness gone as I was now certain I was too afraid of what was happening in Charters House to risk surrendering to this strange, dominating man.

But is it too late to get away now?

***

I turned and prepared to bolt for the door, but he met me and palmed my shoulder. Spinning me sideways and flattening me against the wall.

In an almost spiderlike movement, he turned sideways and slammed a palm between my thighs and against the wall. Pinning my nightdress there.

I gasped and stiffened. Trying to stand tall enough that his forearm wasn't nearly brushing my lower lips. Lips which were already aching for his touch. Damp from the dream I'd had of him touching me, fondling my body and stroking within me. A dream he claimed was caused by his pheromones.

How could that even be possible? I'd never heard of such a thing before.

***

I froze where I was. Nearly afraid to move. As I squinted at him in the dark now, the strange play of silver lights which had looked like antlers were gone now.

There was only Bodin's amber eyes staring at me like some intriguing thing he'd never seen before.

He's acting nothing like the boy I'd thought I knew so well.

He's clearly not like that! He's right. I really didn't know anything about him.

It seems like everything I thought was just clever manipulations on his part. To get closer to me. That thought made me more determined to not surrender to him. Despite that my fingers were already aching to run into his hair. That I wanted to drop my crease down on the edge of his hand and rub myself against him to assuage the tension already building there. Simply from his nearness.

"Wh-what are-are y-y-you doing, Din?" I managed to stutter out.

He gave an animalistic growl. "Claiming what I want."

He slowly began dragging his hand up the fabric of my nightdress. Following the lines of my inner thighs, which automatically parted to make way for the trek of his hand. I could already feel the heat from his flesh caressing against my most intimate places in warm waves.

I held my breath. Trying not to show my vulnerability. Why do I want him so bad?

I roved his face. The shining gold-brown eyes, wondering what was possessing me. I'd never thought of Bodin like this before he'd done what he had in my room.

Now I seem to think of little else. Like a wanton. I chided myself for my wicked desires.

"Do you want me, Belle?" He whispered near my collarbone as he began straightening. His hot breath seeping through the flimsy fabric of my nightdress to caress the sensitive skin.

"No. No, I don't." I lied through my teeth. Certain that once I had some space between him and this intoxicating feeling, I'd be able to gather my sense.

And stop acting the hoyden. What am I even doing in his chamber?

I should've listened to Vix!

"You should never listen to Vix." Bodin whispered against my cheek as he continued his arc upward. His hand finally making contact with the crux of my legs.

He turned his hand and curled a finger to stroke it along the thin fabric over my crease. Instantly dampening the cloth.

I hissed through my teeth and flattened my hand against the wall. Standing on my toes to try and escape that touch which was quickly turning me to putty.

He chuckled low and deep and disregarded the entire fact that the fabric was even there. Slipping his finger into my wetness. Fabric and all. Slicking it over his finger.

I tipped my head up. My throat straining and my hand clawing at the wall behind me as I clammered to gather control of my wayward body. My nipples hardened and my breasts suddenly felt incredibly heavy, yearning for him to touch them. My legs shuddered as if wanting him to slowly drag that touch up them.

Every inch of me was yearning for him as he pressed that finger deeper into the cushion of my body.

"Bodin!" I cried out in a half-hearted objection for him to stop. But desperate for him not to.

He twirled that finger in me, pressing toward the back and making me writhe against his touch as he touched something that made a squawk erupt from my throat as I rubbed myself on his finger. Forcing him in and out along that spot that had me going wild.

His mouth was against my temple as he pressed his body more firmly to me. Making that touch inescapable and allowing me to thrust down on his digit more forcefully as I eagerly took the pleasure he was offering.

"I'm hardly doing anything, Belle. You're riding my hand." He murmured into the side of my face.

Shit. I didn't want to admit the truth of it, but I certainly had no capability of stopping. I arched forward to press my breasts against his chest in offering. Perilously close to begging him to get inside me. To thunder into me and take us both to that violent level of ecstasy.

"Cum for me, Belle. Heat my finger like I know you want to do on my cock."

"Please! Please." I cried out. My fingernails digging into the wall behind me to keep from touching him as I lost all control of my body.

"Please what, Belle?" He worked his finger more roughly into me. "Let you go, or fuck you where you stand?"