07-27-2023, 10:08 PM
Cruz reacted poorly. His fear burned like a bright beacon, thrilling the hum of her pulse. There was blood on his knees where he’d fallen, a hole gaping like a grinning mouth in his undoubtedly expensive jeans. Roza still buzzed around them at the exit, indomitably energetic, but Esper was lethargic in the Veil’s wake. Her own fear mingled from the illusions within, but it only tasted like ecstasy. Rena’s infatuation touched like butterfly wings in comparison. Or maybe more like a moth to Sámiel’s flame. She glanced at him, but it was only curiosity.
She corralled Roza into stillness by wrapping her arms around the other girl’s waist and resting her chin over her shoulder. Esper’s chest took measured breaths like she could curl up and sleep. The satiety would pass. But she was quiet and indolent a moment while Roza teased and Sámiel charmed. When her heavy-lidded gaze opened, a little low laughter spilled, and she straightened and let go.
“Hmm,” she said. She looked Cruz up and down as she stepped closer, and grasped his chin. Whatever hallucinogen Roza had used still flared his pupils. Tears still streaked his cheeks. She could almost feel his pulse, but her sense spoke a truer picture. He liked the thrill of that fear. The rush that came after. But P would send him over the edge, and she did not think Zeke wanted him dead in a gutter. The hook was already in. Esper drove it a little deeper, pushing the fear onto him as her eyes locked on his. A small smile flickered the corner of her lips. She did like an audience, even if it was only of one. “Are you ready, Cruz?”
She corralled Roza into stillness by wrapping her arms around the other girl’s waist and resting her chin over her shoulder. Esper’s chest took measured breaths like she could curl up and sleep. The satiety would pass. But she was quiet and indolent a moment while Roza teased and Sámiel charmed. When her heavy-lidded gaze opened, a little low laughter spilled, and she straightened and let go.
“Hmm,” she said. She looked Cruz up and down as she stepped closer, and grasped his chin. Whatever hallucinogen Roza had used still flared his pupils. Tears still streaked his cheeks. She could almost feel his pulse, but her sense spoke a truer picture. He liked the thrill of that fear. The rush that came after. But P would send him over the edge, and she did not think Zeke wanted him dead in a gutter. The hook was already in. Esper drove it a little deeper, pushing the fear onto him as her eyes locked on his. A small smile flickered the corner of her lips. She did like an audience, even if it was only of one. “Are you ready, Cruz?”