Her mind left her body as she forced herself to think of something—anything—pleasant. She pictured a delicate, female touch. Her mind wandered to the scent of juniper and wet, winter days. She envisioned the face she loved so deeply in place of the one touching her neck, her arms, her inner thighs, the very center of her. Nox had spent so much time resisting her fantasies, but in this moment, there was only one person she wanted to share the bed with. Her first true kiss, her first sensual touch—they’d been reserved for someone special. At least in the escapism of her mind, they could stay that way.

No, she had never let herself think of Amaris in this way. Nox loved her deeply, but she hadn’t permitted herself such daydreams. She wouldn’t let herself want these things unless she knew that Amaris might want them too. But for now. Just for tonight. Just for this experience, behind the dark void of her floating emptiness, she needed to believe they were together.

When he entered her, she held on to the single, tender thought of the one she loved, hoping she was safe, hoping she was happy. Nox meditated on that love, holding it close to her heart, letting it fill her.

Her reverie was shattered in an instant as a thundering weight came down on her and pinned her to the bed.

She gasped, jolted from her reverie. She yelped. She nearly suffocated on the flesh of some part of his body that had pressed against her mouth involuntarily. Her eyes flashed open in surprise, shattering her quiet escape. Theo had fully collapsed. She was pinned beneath the unsupported weight of his limp, naked body.

“Theo!” Nox gasped angrily once more, trying to shove him off her. “Theo, get off! Get up!”

Her panic rose as she realized both that he was unresponsive and that she was still trapped with him inside of her. The sheer compression of his weight continued to force the air out of her lungs. She screamed and scrambled to get out from underneath the collapsed man, thrashing and twisting until she managed to remove herself from the crushing position. It was an effort that required more strength than she’d thought she possessed, as the dead weight of a lifeless body had smothered her. She cried again, jerking and shoving.

Nox could only imagine what it must sound like, but she was scarcely able to free herself and didn’t care how many grunts of effort it took to writhe free from beneath a corpse.

A sound cut through the panic.

“Nox?” Millicent’s voice was painted as professionalism, thinly veiling whatever underlying emotion she felt as she rushed to the girl’s door. Nox’s screams must have been heard throughout the Selkie if the Madame had come running. Nox clambered off the bed and opened the door, heaving for breath, tears spilling with abandon.