Carnal (Her Dark Desires #1) by Lola Taylor Read Free Book Online

sure you’ll
learn lots at Elysian, but are you sure you don’t want to join us? We could
teach you a thing or two.”
    I
smiled, crossing my arms. “Um, thanks, but I’m good.”
    “Aw!”
Raoul pouted. “Not even on your last night?” They’d been inviting me to join
them for a while now, but I was always too chicken. A part of me was curious to
how a threesome worked, but hell, I couldn’t even get a onesome right.
    “I
promise it will be educational,” Monique added in her smokiest tone.
    “Make
that fucking transcendent,” Raoul murmured, who’d taken to kissing her neck.
    “Um,
thanks, but I’m okay. Really.”
    Monique
shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
    “Hey,”
Raoul said as they started to walk toward Monique’s bedroom. “You up for board
games later?”
    I
smiled. Board games were a tradition with us. It was one of our favorite past
times, especially if liquor was involved. Raoul had a knack for turning
practically any game, no matter how innocent, into a drinking game. “Sure!”
    “Kay,
baby doll. Give us thirty minutes?”
    “Okay.
I’ll shower and finish packing.”
    That
last part deflated my spirit. It was so hard admitting I’d have to say goodbye
tomorrow.
    Raoul
and Monique must have noticed too, because the atmosphere mellowed for a bit.
    Not
wanting to be a Debbie Downer, I slapped on a smile and said, “Well, you two
have fun experimenting. I’m gonna get busy.”
    With
a little wave, I turned and headed toward my room.
    Pausing
in the doorway, I stood there and stared at the room that would no longer be
mine after this evening with an aching heart. Finally forcing myself to get
cracking, I grabbed my hot pink suitcase and hauled it onto my bed, where I began
shoving items into it. It quickly started filling up as I tucked away clothing,
books, shoes, and anything else I thought I’d need. Okay, so maybe half of it
was junk I really wouldn’t need but wanted to take with me because I wanted a
piece of home to carry away. Space be damned, I was taking my pictures with me.
And my autographed Hector calendar. I’d managed to snag it from my cubicle
yesterday, not caring if Elias saw it as petty theft.
    I
hovered over my suitcase, running my thumb along the smooth, wooden frames of
my pictures. I stared at them, a feeling of nostalgia mixed with sadness coming
over me. All of them were of Monique, Raoul, and me, usually together but in
different combinations. I didn’t have any other close friends.
    One
picture I carried with me wherever I moved. A woman who looked like an older
version of myself lay in a hospital bed, smiling at the camera despite the pain
I knew the cancer treatments were putting her through.
    I
smiled back. Miss you, Mom.
    Wiping
away tears, I quickly wrapped the frames in handkerchiefs so they wouldn’t
break, then grabbed my robe and my pajamas before padding away to the bathroom
for a much welcome hot shower.
    Sad
to say, I almost didn’t take a bath because I didn’t want to wash away Hector’s
cinnamon cologne smell. But my desire to be clean and smell good won over, and
I jumped in the shower. As the hot water ran over me, I kept replaying in my
head over and over how securely he’d held me in his arms, as if he hadn’t
wanted to let go either.
    I
closed my eyes and sighed. Maybe he was just being nice. Maybe I was reading
too much into his actions.
    Killing
the water, I climbed out feeling much more relaxed, and toweled off. I pulled
on my robe and walked to my room, patting my hair down as I went. My mind was
still focused on all things Hector, which was why I didn’t notice the electric
tingle of a paranormal presence until I was standing in my doorway.
    I
froze. Hadn’t I left the light on?
    “Monique?”
I said. “Raoul? You in here?”
    No
response.
    Something
shifted, and an icy draft made the hairs on my skin rise. “Saaaaaalllllyyyyy,”
something hissed.
    My
heart rate shot up. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I made out