Chole

Chapter 2: Shadows of Desire (Chloe’s POV)

The foyer felt colder without Riley, the air prickling my skin as Mia and I stood there, blinking like we’d just woken up from a weird dream. One second, Riley was mouthing off to that sexy vampire guy—Lord Viktor—and the next, she was gone. Poof. Like some magician’s trick. Mia was freaking out, her sweater practically swallowing her as she hugged herself, muttering about how this place wasn’t right. I just giggled, bouncing on my toes, because honestly? This was the coolest haunted house ever. Fog machines, disappearing acts—total Halloween vibes!

“Where’d she go?” Mia whispered, her glasses fogging up as she peered into the shadows. “Chloe, this isn’t funny anymore.”

“Relax, Mia!” I chirped, twirling my ponytail around my finger. “It’s part of the show. She’s probably getting a private scare from Hot Vampire Guy. Lucky her!” I fanned myself, picturing Viktor’s smoldery eyes and that velvet cape. I mean, yum, right? I was half-hoping he’d pick me next.

But then the air shifted—like, literally shifted. It got heavy, warm, like someone cranked the heat and added a dash of something spicy. A sound drifted down the hallway, low and throaty, kinda like a moan but sexier. Mia froze, her eyes going wide, but I grabbed her hand and tugged her forward. “Come on, let’s find her! This is getting good!”

“Chloe, no—” Mia squeaked, but I was already skipping ahead, my sneakers squeaking on the warped floorboards. The hallway stretched weirdly, like it was playing tricks on my eyes, but I didn’t care. That sound—Riley’s voice, I was sure of it—pulled me like a magnet. It was rough, needy, not like her usual snarky tone. My tummy did a little flip. What was going on?

We rounded a corner, and the world tilted. There was a room ahead, the door cracked open, spilling candlelight and shadows onto the floor. I peeked inside, and—oh my God. My jaw dropped, my heart doing a cartwheel in my chest.

Riley was there, pressed against a velvet chaise, her leather jacket half-off, dangling from one arm like she couldn’t be bothered to finish stripping. Her head was thrown back, dark hair spilling over the cushion, and her lips were parted, letting out these soft, breathy moans that made my cheeks burn. Viktor loomed over her, his cape pooling around them like liquid night, his pale hands roaming her body with this slow, hungry precision. He’d yanked her shirt up, exposing the curve of her ribs and the swell of her breasts, barely contained by her bra. His mouth was on her neck—no, not just on it, in it, fangs buried deep where a fresh bite mark glistened, red and raw.

Riley wasn’t fighting him. Oh no. Her hands were all over him, clawing at his shoulders, tugging at his shirt like she wanted it gone yesterday. Her hips rolled up to meet his, and I could see the bulge in his tight pants pressing against her, grinding in this slow, filthy rhythm that made my thighs clench. “Viktor,” she groaned, her voice all husky and ****, “don’t stop—fuck, please—” And then he growled, low and primal, shoving her jeans down just enough to slide a hand between her legs. She arched, a cry ripping out of her, and I swear I felt it in my bones.

I couldn’t look away. It was hot—way hotter than anything I’d ever seen in movies or those steamy books Mia pretended not to read. My breath hitched, my crop top suddenly too tight across my chest, my nipples perking up like they had a mind of their own. I bit my lip, a little whimper slipping out, and Mia gasped beside me, her hand flying to her mouth.

“Chloe, what—what are they doing?” she squeaked, her voice trembling. But I couldn’t answer, because Viktor’s head snapped up, his amber eyes locking onto us. Blood stained his lips—Riley’s blood—and he licked it off, slow and deliberate, like he was savoring it. Riley’s eyes fluttered open too, dark and wild, and she smirked at us, all lazy and smug, like she’d just won something.

“Get in here,” she purred, her voice dripping with this new, sultry edge. “He’s… so good.” She shifted, spreading her legs wider as Viktor’s hand moved faster, and I saw the wet sheen on her thighs, the way her body trembled with every touch. My mouth went dry, my pulse pounding in places I didn’t expect.

Viktor stood, towering over her, his cape falling back to reveal the hard lines of his body—broad shoulders, narrow waist, and that obvious, straining bulge. He crooked a finger at us, his smile wicked. “Come, little ones,” he said, his voice sliding over me like warm honey, tugging at something deep inside. “Join us. She’s already mine—soon, you will be too.”

Mia stumbled back, shaking her head, but I—I couldn’t move. My feet felt glued to the floor, my body buzzing with this weird, electric heat. Riley sat up, her jeans still tangled around her knees, and reached for Viktor again, pulling him down until he was on top of her, their bodies crashing together. He thrust against her, clothes still half-on, and she moaned so loud it echoed, her nails raking down his back.

I should’ve run. I should’ve grabbed Mia and bolted. But all I could think was how Riley looked—wild, free, alive—and how Viktor’s eyes promised I could feel that too. My hands twitched, itching to touch something—someone—and I took a shaky step forward, my breath catching as the room pulsed with their heat.