TAKE ME: A Phoenix Novel by Stacey Kennedy

Author:Stacey Kennedy [Kennedy, Stacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub

8

For Ollie. For herself…

Nothing could still Nessa’s nerves in the following days. But it was as if they had suddenly ballooned in size. Down in the stone walled tunnels of Phoenix, she trailed behind Lottie and Hunt, and she couldn’t help but admire the striking figures they presented.

Lottie looked majestic in a white gown, adorned with gold jewelry and her dark hair pulled back in a braid, with an intricate silver mask covering half her face. Hunt was dressed in a white toga with a tied one shoulder, a ruched asymmetrical skirt, carrying a gold shield, and wearing a golden mask. She now understood what had initially attracted Lottie to him. There was no denying Hunt made for an impressive warrior.

When Lottie reached a doorway that led into the room for the show tonight, she stood still in front of the door, looking back at Nessa. “Are you ready for this?” she asked.

Without hesitation, Nessa replied firmly. “I’m ready.” Lies. All lies.

Hunt offered her a reassuring smile. “Turn off your mind,” he said quietly, tapping her forehead lightly. “Remember why you’re doing this. Remember that it’s Ronan waiting in there for you. Remember that all the power tonight remains with you.”

Nessa listened to every word he said and echoed those words in her mind—for Ollie, for herself and… Ronan—and that was all it took for her strength to push past any reservations.

She nodded once more. “I’m ready.”

Hunt returned a firm nod before he opened the door.

Lottie gave Nessa’s hand an encouraging squeeze before following Hunt into the room.

Nessa had already seen what awaited her inside when she arrived tonight. Columns of gold surrounded a bed draped in white sheets and deep red velvet curtains. The headboard was made of gold and carved with naked men and women embracing each other.

The show tonight was a play on Greek mythology —Ares smuggling in Aphrodite to share a night of passion. Hunt and Lottie were the guards entrusted with her safety. On her—Aphrodite’s—head, a gold crown shone, complementing the masquerade mask that covered her face. Her identity wasn’t exactly hidden completely, but it was enough for tonight’s roleplaying that Nessa doubted anyone would recognize her on the street… or in the emergency room. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, while long beachy waves cascaded down her back.

She wore a hand-spun cotton dress secured by a rope belt around her waist, two bright gold bands around both arms and one around her thigh and a thick, beautiful necklace around her neck.

Immediately, she became aware of the forty or more people in the room. Everyone wore masks, some covered their entire face, some half. She swore she could taste the wealth coming off everyone in this space.

While nerves rattled through her, and embarrassment matched it, she shoved it all aside. She did not know these people. And every one of them stared upon her like she was the most beautiful woman in the room.

Besides, the second she caught sight of Ronan standing near the bed, everything else, and everyone else, around her disappeared.

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