Chapter 274: At The Secret House

Words : 1024 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

Evaline:The car slowed to a halt, tires crunching against the thick blanket of snow until we stopped completely. My eyes flickered toward the windshield, and my heart gave a squeeze when I realized where we were. The cliff. Even though the world was painted white with snow and the familiar terrain looked completely transformed, I knew exactly where I was. The sharp jagged rock face, the slope leading down into the dense trees, and the faint trail that snaked upward - it all told me we had reached Draven’s secret house. I had been here only twice before today, yet somehow, the place had carved itself into my memory. Maybe because of who it belonged to. Maybe because every time I stepped into this house, I felt the weight of what it meant - being pulled deeper into Draven’s world. My pulse was racing so fast it was a miracle Oscar couldn’t hear it. No matter how much I tried to steady myself, my palms were slick with sweat even though the air outside the car was freezing. And of course, Oscar noticed. He always noticed. "Eva," his voice came low and calm, like he was trying to cut through my racing thoughts. I turned toward him slowly, my eyes betraying just how much my nerves were getting to me. He reached over without hesitation, capturing my hands in his warm ones. The simple contact made my chest loosen a little, though it didn’t erase the anxious butterflies tearing through me. "You are trembling," he whispered, his eyes soft but steady, pulling me into their safety. I pressed my lips together, not trusting my voice. He gently turned me more toward him, and then his hand came up to cup my face. His thumb brushed against my cheek, grounding me. "Listen to me, little mate," he said, his tone firm but carrying a strange tenderness. "You don’t have to be afraid. Draven and I... we’ll never do anything you don’t want. Ever. That’s not what this is. You just have to trust us." Trust. That was the thing - I did trust them. Completely. It wasn’t fear that made my stomach tighten... it was the unknown. I had an idea of what Draven meant when he promised to punish me, but I couldn’t predict how he would carry it out. And that mystery was enough to have me on edge. Still, Oscar was right. No matter what happened, they wouldn’t push me past what I could handle. That thought anchored me, and I let out a long breath before giving him a small, certain nod. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips, and before I even realized what I was doing, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against his in a quick, daring kiss. The effect on him was immediate. His eyes widened just a fraction, and then narrowed with something far more dangerous. For a moment, he looked like he couldn’t believe I had done it. "Eva..." he warned, his voice hoarse, strained with control. "Don’t test me. I might not stop this time." I held his gaze, feeling the boldness inside me flare to life, chasing away some of my nerves. "Who said I want you to stop?" I whispered back. The air between us ignited in an instant. His emerald eyes darkened, burning with an intensity that had me pinned in place. I could see it in him - the struggle to keep himself restrained, the way his hands twitched as if wanting to pull me closer, to claim me right here and now. My own breath came shorter, faster, because part of me wanted that too. But before anything else could happen, a firm knock on my side window shattered the spell. I jolted, whipping my head toward the sound. And there he was. Draven. The snowy dusk framed him like a figure cut out of shadows and steel. His eyes swept over us, lingering long enough for me to realize he had seen exactly what state Oscar and I had been in. There was no missing the look in his gaze - a mixture of knowing and dangerous amusement. He opened my door without a word and held out his hand. My heart skipped, but I placed mine in his without hesitation. His grip was strong, steady, and he pulled me out of the car with ease. The moment my boots hit the snow, I felt the shift in the atmosphere. "Park the car in the garage," Draven said over his shoulder to Oscar. Oscar gave a small nod, still watching me as though reluctant to let go even though it was just for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Draven tugged me gently along, his hand warm around mine as he led me toward the house. The snowfall had thickened, the flakes were coming faster, stinging lightly against my cheeks as the wind picked up. Twilight had already begun to descend, and with it, the world seemed quieter, lonelier. But then we were at the door of his safeky hidden house. The moment we stepped inside, warmth enveloped me, chasing away the chill that had clung to my skin. The scent of an aromatic candle and faint spices was filling the air, familiar and comforting. Draven carefully slipped my coat off my shoulders, followed by my scarf, and hung them on the rack near the door. His fingers brushed against my skin in the process, a fleeting touch that still sent shivers down my spine. "Sit," he instructed softly, guiding me toward the couch closest to the heater. I found myself getting wrapped in a cocoon of heat as I sank onto the cushions. Draven stood for a moment, his eyes fixed on me in a way that made my stomach flip. He was calm... too calm. And that calmness was its own kind of tension. Because I knew beneath it, he was planning, deciding exactly how this night was going to unfold. And for the first time since we left the Academy, my nerves didn’t feel like a weight. They were feeling like anticipation.

Chapter 274: At The Secret House

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