Page 46 of Let Me Win You

Yet his expression remained serious.

“Don’t say that. Losing a body is often painful. I don’t want you to suffer. Also…” He gently stroked the side of my face then traced my collarbone with the tip of his finger. “I like this body too much not to mourn its loss greatly. I’m hoping to touch it again in ways that make you whimper and moan in pleasure.”

I got hold of his finger, since his hand was too large for me to hold.

“You have to stop being so charming, Invi, or I’ll beg you to do unspeakable things to this body right here and now, and then where would we be?”

Finally, his features relaxed a little, his lips stretching into a dreamy smile.

“With you naked and in my arms, my dearest Nicole, even this dreadful place would feel better than heaven.”

13

Invi

Ihad to stop thinking about the sensation of her supple flesh under my palms and about the needy little noises she made with my rattle inside her and my tongue on her breasts. Fucking Nic with my rattle and my fingers had been the most exquisite experience of my entire existence. It had everything to do with her soul, of course. But right now, all I could think about was her body.

A faint rumbling sound reached my ears, and I strained my hearing, trying to figure out what it was.

“Sorry,” Nicole mumbled, placing a hand on her belly. “It must be around lunchtime by now, and my stomach doesn’t know we’re a long way from the teahouse and its kitchen.”

While I was daydreaming about all the ways I’d use her body for our mutual pleasure, I completely forgot that her body needed regular sustenance to function. I felt like slapping myself for that oversight.

“We might be able to find some drinkable water,” I said. “But I strongly advise against eating anything in the maze, even if it appears edible.”

Nicole wrinkled her nose. “Honestly, I have no appetite at all right now. It stinks so bad here.”

I drew in a deep breath and instantly regretted it. The filth of the minotaur’s remains still clung to us mixed with the rotten stench of sulfur in the air.

“It’s the smell of the sinners, Nic.” I scanned the slime-covered walls around us. “They’re the ones who make hell the vile place that it is.”

“It’s disgusting. But you don’t smell like that. In fact, your scent is exceptionally nice.” She leaned a little closer to me, gripping my finger tighter. “Why do sinners stink, but not the sin?”

“There is a big difference between a sin and a sinner,” I said. “My brothers and I are the embodiment of the feelings that you often can’t help having. Your kind can hardly go through a lifetime without feeling angry or envious or aroused, which is natural, just like feeling tired or hungry. It’s how each person handles those feelings that ultimately may make them a sinner.”

I let her ponder my words while I focused my attention on the walls and the slimy black shadows clinging to them. We had no choice but to keep moving this way. There was no need to alarm Nicole yet. She’d been scared enough already. I was happy to distract her with the conversation while I remained vigilant for both of us.

“For example,” I said, making an effort to keep my concerns out of my voice. “Have you ever felt envious of someone?”

“Of course I have.” She took no time to reply. “Ever since Jessica and I hit puberty, I saw how differently our bodies were changing. Hers turned into that of a beauty queen. And mine…well, let’s just say I never danced in a string bikini at a pool party and never will.” She shrugged.

The importance that humans placed on the appearance of their bodies never made any logical sense to me. With time, Isimply learned to accept it as one of the many peculiar quirks their souls had when inhabiting the mortal world. I could only compare it to the pleasure my brother Sup derived from every article of clothing he had or the satisfaction my brother Avar felt from owning literally anything.

“But what did you do when you felt envious of your friend?” I asked, carefully steering her away from a bulging shadow on the wall as we passed by. “Did you say anything to make her feel inadequate? Did you derive pleasure in eroding her confidence? Did you try to harm her in order to feel better about your own perceived inadequacies?”

“What? Of course not,” she bristled, indignantly. “In fact, ifanyonetried to do those things to Jess, I’d punch them in the throat.”

I chuckled at the vigor of my feisty avenger.

“And that’s why you’ll never stink like the sinners in here, my darling. You’d be disgusted to learn what some of them have done to other human beings out of envy. From the moment I met you, I knew your soul must be one of the most fragrant ever.”

“Because I would punch people in the throat?” she teased.

“Because you laugh freely, as a soul unburdened by the vile parts of sins.”

She glanced up at me. “I believe I’ve grown to enjoy some parts of one particular sin a little too much lately.”

Warmth pulsed in my chest at those words and that glance. The joy I felt in her company was incomparable to anything else. I had to have her, even if it took an eternity to win her heart.

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