#Chapter 3: Temple-tations.

After being beat up by that Kavros guy, I dart from the gym and try and find a place to shelter. I wind up in the dining hall eating something lavish called “ceviche.” It tastes like vinegar and feels like raw chicken. I’ve managed to down a few bites of it when my phone goes off. A message from Kaelar blinks on my screen.

Kaelar (1:45 PM) : Meet me at 450 E Peak Hwy @ 2:00 PM. Don’t b l8.

It’s ominous as ever but it’s also very Kaelar. He’s always been short with me. It may be his disdain towards my mother and I for ruining his daddy’s perfect marriage or maybe it’s just because that’s who he is. Despite how vague and odd the message is, I keep Alaric's promise in the back of my mind. He told me that Kaelar would watch after me at Lunisriver. Make sure I fit in and all that. So far, I’ve done anything but fit in. Then again, Kaelar and I parted ways the moment I stepped in this Gods-forsaken place. Maybe he genuinely would watch after me.

Or maybe this was a trap.

Regardless, I dump my ceviche and start across campus. My phone tells me it’s a ten minute walk meaning I’ll show up right on time if I don’t get lost.

The campus is gorgeous, I’ll give it that. The greenery is in full bloom at this point of year. Large willows arch and hug the pathways that weave through the buildings. The halls and dorms look like gothic castles, dark stone with looming black gargoyles hanging over the eaves of the roofs.

My phone directs me to a smaller building. It’s slightly off campus and looks nicer and newer than the other buildings. The black marble is much like that of the Valkar pyramid but seems to look more like a church than a misplaced Egyptian pyramid. I look around and seem to find that everyone has abandoned this part of campus.

I slowly edge toward the door. I try calling out for Kaelar but hear nothing. I step inside and call his name again.

“Kaelar? Hello?”

The door slams behind me. I hear a series of clicking and I immediately panic. I go to try and wrench the door open but it’s locked. Great. I continue to slowly walk through the church. It’s so dark inside that I can barely see where I’m walking. I hear muffled noises around a corner and tentatively poke my head around to see if it’s Kaelar.

A young couple is entangled against a wall. Her head is tossed back in ecstasy. Her long brown hair is cascading down her shoulders and draped over her chest. Her shirt is hike high up and bunched under her chin. The man’s hand is working at her tits with fervor, all while he sucks on her exposed next. His own shirt is tossed on the floor and his back muscles are rippling in the low candle light.

I am immediately embarrassed and pinned to my place, watching as his hand moves against her skin. He slides it lower and her full chest is bared to the wind. I feel heat flush my cheeks. His hand moves in between her legs and the girl lets out a wanton moan. I slap my hand over my mouth and stare at them, frozen. The man spins the girl around so his back is against the wall, all while keeping their lips locked together. She leans into him as his hand continues to work under her skirt. The leg closest to me wraps around his hip. He moves from her mouth to suckle on her neck again and that’s when we make eye contact.

“What the fuck?” he hisses.

“Keep going,” the girl whines as she gyrates her hips against his hand. “Please, baby.”

“Who are you?” the man snaps. “This is a private building!”

The girl finally turns to face me. She yelps and immediately flies from the boy. She yanks her shirt down and darts out the other side of the room. The man, still shirtless, starts towards me.

I scrambled backwards. “I’m sorry – my – I – my brother—”

“I’m not asking again,” he snaps. “Who. The fuck. Are you?”

The man looks eerily familiar. He has honey gold eyes and wavy brown hair. It hits me like a bullet train that he looks exactly like Kavros. I step back again, raising my hands in defense.

“I’m so sorry – I didn’t – “

“You must be new,” the man snaps. “This property is Valkar property. Exclusive to the Valkar brothers and Valkar brothers only.”

“Fuck,” I breathe. “I was told to come here. The door was open and—”

“By a brother?” he rakes his eyes over me and scoffs. “Don’t know which of my brothers would ever mess with someone as disgusting as you.”

“No, no!” I shout.

I immediately realize I’m utterly screwed. This man is a Valkar brother, an alpha king in training. And I have just barged in on his secret space and ruined his tryst with some girl. He seethes at me and I back up again. My back hits the wall and I’m cornered.

“Kaelar!” I yell. “My step brother Kaelar told me to come here!”

The man stops. He furrows his brow. “Kaelar? Kaelar Thorne?”

“Y-yes!” I stutter. “He’s my step brother. I’m Vespera Thorne!”

The man turns over his shoulder. “Thorne!” he barks. My step-brother emerges from the shadows. He looks confused by my presence.

“Vespera?”

“Kaelar!” I shout. “Tell them you told me to come here. I didn’t – I didn’t mean to intrude!”

“What are you talking about?” Kaelar says slowly. He looks at the other man. “This is the Valkar Sanctum. I’d never tell you to come here.”

I feel my stomach sink to my toes. It was a trick. I knew it.

“Zavros, I’m so sorry,” Kaelar says and shakes his head. He looks back at me incredulously. “She’s not used to this sort of luxury. She must’ve come in here because it looked nice. I apologize.”

“Classic gold-digger, huh?” The Valkar brother, Zavros, remarks with a chuckle. “Putting yourself in places you don’t belong.”

“Just like her mother, really,” Kaelar says still shaking his head. He pauses and looks back at me. I want to tear his eyes out. “I told my father it was a bad idea to send her here. She’d just make trouble.”

I whip my head to see Zavros walking towards me. I’m utterly speechless as he takes my chin is his hands. His touch is gentle, despite the malice in which he spoke to me with. He turns my face towards the dim candlelight then turns it back to look him in the eyes. They’re the same honey-drenched fire as Kavros's. I swallow thickly.

“Now, now,” he tuts. “I love me a little trouble. Usually tastes the sweetest.”

His tongue darts out and wets his bottoms lip. Despite myself, I whimper. Zavros's mouth curls up like the Chesiree cat. I look over his shoulder at Kaelar, who’s lips are stretched into a smirk. My blood boils but I’m still frozen in place. Zavros runs his thumb over my lips and my eyes jerk back to him.

“Boys,” he yells. “Come see the little rabbit I’ve caught us to play with.”

Three other figures emerge in the doorway.