Page 33 of Deranged Demons

The Drozac assassin’s gaze remains hard. I can only make out his stubbled chin, straight nose, and gray eyes, but it’s enough that I recognize him—the cloaked giant I glimpsed in the ballroom.

“I only plan to take one life today, and it’s not that of the bird,” he speaks for the first time, his rough voice making my stomach twist. Relief nearly crushes me. Shade’s not dead. Nate and Callan, they’re all fine.Thank Lady Fate, they’re alive.I only give myself seconds to let the news sink in, and then I’m back to glaring at the Drozac assassin. “You should have known better than to attack me like this,” I say, wishing I could see more of his face. “Now the Drozacwill lose yet another brother.” I vaguely wonder why the assassin didn’t kill me while I was sleeping, but he lunges for me, raw hatred burning in his eyes.

Before he reaches me, I kick out, knocking his blade from his hand, and spinning before sweeping his feet out from under him. He falls onto his back, and before he can flip back up, I’m on him, straddling him with my blade pressed to his throat. The skin of his neck bulges just above his Adam’s apple, turning white at the pressure.

I lean in close, forcing all of my weight onto him, and almost stop breathing when his scent crashes into me.Holy Fuck. The distinct sweet bitterness of chocolate invades my senses, mixing with the scent of cool, crisp mint. My inner muscles clench, my body lighting on fire as everything in me tells me that he’s mine.No. It can’t be.I want to deny it, but he smells too good, and my stomach growls at the thought of tasting him and touching him. Desire rolls through my body making my every nerve come alive.

The hood of his cloak falls back, and my lips part in surprise as I finally stare at his face. The male is sexy as fuck with a chiseled jawline, deep-set gray eyes under dark brows, and defined cheekbones. His thick brown hair is tied behind his head, and he looks just as stunned as I feel.

“Get off me, Enchantress,” he breathes, his voice low and gruff, and I hate the way it makes my stomach squeeze as I become all too aware of him between my legs. He tries to push up, but I plant my palm on hischest, pressing him back down as I keep my blade to his throat.

No, this can’t be right.I know Lady Fate sometimes makes questionable match-making decisions but to choose a member of the Drozac as one of my mates is simply ridiculous. I lean closer to him, hoping that somehow, I’m wrong. I sniff him again, and another wave of desire makes me bite my lip.Nope. Not wrong. Well, fuck.

“What are you doing?” he growls, but I press my blade harder against his throat, silencing him.

“Hoping that my sanity will return any moment now,” I retort. “Now shut up while I try to figure this out.” I can’t kill him. Not if he’s my mate. But?—

With more strength than I’m expecting, he throws me off him, and I fly back into the wall, right into the painting of the forest. The stone cracks at the impact, along with my back, and I sag as I breathe through the pain. My body tingles, already healing in the seconds that follow, but then he’s there, his hot breath puffing on my face as he presses his tattooed forearm under my chin, squeezing my neck. I glimpse the silver cuffs around his wrists. I’d been so distracted with the fact that he’s my mate, that I’d forgotten he might use his power on me. Only the Drozac can harness the strength of their giant form while still remaining in their smaller size.

I should be angry, but even now while he’s choking me, his scent swirls in the air making my head light. The image of his hands wrapped around my neckwhile he pounds into me pops into my head, and I whimper. That’s right. I fuckingwhimper.

Heat flushes his cheeks, and he leans into me, his knee pressing hard between my thighs. I struggle to keep back a moan, and his nostrils flare. Blood trails from the corner of my mouth, and I lick at it, smiling at him.

“Great temptress,” he curses under his breath, his chest heaving.

His arm loosens under my neck, and I see my moment. I swing him around, slamming his back against the wall as I pin him there. My demon strength can’t match that of his giant form, but he only glares at me as he remains in my hold. The heat in his eyes vanishes, and he glowers at me like I’m everything he hates. I think about the Drozac assassin who had been captured in Seral years ago. The king hadn’t been merciful, and his death had been a warning to the other Drozac never to venture into our land.

But we aren’t in Seral anymore.

The assassin growls as he pushes me off, tossing me onto the table which cracks at the impact, the legs giving way. And then he’s above me, his thick thighs closing me in. His eyes flash with anger, and his face scrunches as if he’s in pain as he pins me there. I’m sure he must know I’m his mate, but maybe that doesn’t matter to a member of the Drozac?

“You can’t kill me,” I tell him, just in case he’s not smart enough to have figured it out by now. “Just like Ican’t kill you.”

His face reddens like he’s struggling to control himself, and I actually feel sorry for him. His grip on my wrists loosens, and the look of pain in his expression intensifies. Seconds pass, and I’m almost certain he’s about to bust a blood vessel in his left eye, but he suddenly moves off me, staggering back to the bottom of the stairs.

“Look, I get that you hate demons,” I say slowly, “but we’re going to have to figure this out. You must know I’m your mate.”

His scowl only deepens, his jaw clenching. “Watch your back, Enchantress,” he warns, and then he legs it up the stairs.

I sigh.Great. This mate is another dud.

Chapter

Fifteen

~ Princess Blake ~

Enchantress?I’m not sure what the assassin is on about, but I don’t try to stop him when he retreats. Mostly, because I’m not sure what to do about him yet. Instead, I rush to Shade’s side, sitting on the lounge and cupping her in my hands. She feels so fragile, her feathers ruffled and body limp, but it’s not long before she stirs.

“Blake?”she asks groggily, her black eyes blinking up at me.

I curse Lady Fate for making the Drozac assassin my mate. I should have killed him.

“You’re okay,”I say soothingly.“It looks like he hit you with asleeping drug.”

“He?”

“Sorry, while you were napping, I met another one of my mates. He’s a member of the Drozac,”I cringe as I explain.

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