Free The Devil's Playthings by Melissa Silvey

She still had no clock in her room, and other than the idea that her movements were mainly dictated by Rosa, she could think of no reason not to have one.
     
    When she finished her shower Rosa waited for her in her room to inform her that Master would not be joining her for dinner, and she could have dinner in her room or in the dining room. “Can I have dinner by the pool?” She wondered aloud.
     
    “I don’t see why not,” Rosa nodded and smiled, and Emma dressed and carried her copy of Dante’s Inferno downstairs. She sat by the pool, eating a hearty beef stew with cornbread, a perfect winter weather meal.
     
    Soft music played over the speakers, and her mind was on her book, so she had no explanation as to why she looked up at that moment. Other than the fact that he stood there staring at her, and he looked like another man. And the other man scared her more than the red eyes did earlier.
     
    He was nearly as good l ooking as Luc, with shorter jet black ha ir and light b lue eyes. His skin was pale white, which made the black hair and blue eyes stand out even more. He was flawless in a way human beings shouldn’t be. Then she realized, he wasn’t human, the face was just another mask used by Luc to seduce humans.
     
    I t was a face she had seen on the news many times. It was the face of one of the most prominent political lobbyists in the world, Joshua Price.
     
    He pushed every anti-religious cause from gay marriage to abortion to evolution in schools. And he pushed his ideals on any news channel that would have him. He pressured the government with lawsuits against everything from religious schools to crosses being worn by government workers.
     
    She guessed if the devil needed a voice, 24 hour news networks and courtrooms were the best place for it. She just didn’t realize how much she hated the man until she saw him right in front of her.
     
    And she remembered why. One of his pet causes was child pornography and how it should be protected under freedom of speech. She remembered one time in particular her grandfather watching him on TV , then turning to her and giving her a lecherous look.
     
    She couldn’t react to him . She didn’t want her shock to hurt his feelings. She knew she did not want to do anything to effect his reactions toward her. The last thing in the world she wanted was to be back on the streets, alone.
     
    He turned to walk toward the elevator. Before he got on the elevator, though, he made a call on his cell phone. At first the call was quiet, then became animated. Finally, he hung up. And then he turned to look at her again through the glass wall .
     
    She returned his gaze, but there was no twinkle in her eyes, no blush on her cheeks. Her mouth was a tiny open O of shock. There was no shy glance down at her plate. There was only an empty hollow stare.
     
    His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He placed the cell phone in the pocket of his perfectly tailored tuxedo, and walked through the glass doors into the pool room.
     
    He sat down at the table across from her, silently gauging her re action. The stunned look on her face didn’t tell him anything, and at that moment her quiet nature was worse than any of the pathetic screaming tantrums and crying sobs of all of the other women he’d met put together.
     
    And he nearly begged, “Say something.” She could only shake her head in response, but her mouth closed and bit her lip .
     
    He was afraid though that she bit her lip so hard she would draw blood. “Dante’s Inferno?” He asked as he glanced at her book. “It’s delightful rubbish.” He reached out to touch her hand.
     
    She fought hard with herself not to pull it away. And when he touched her, he was hot. “Emma,” he whispered. “Emma, please.”
     
    She closed her eyes, hoping that when she opened them again she would see her Luc. He gave her what she wanted. But it didn’t stop the tears running down her cheek.
     
    He stood and walked toward