Page 9 of The Fire Dragon's Mate
He shrugged one shoulder like the insolent wretch he was. “Because they’re mine. They belong to me, and I am devoted to them. Everything we do is done in love, but they give me their bodies, and I give them health and protection.”
I didn’t want to remember, but there it was anyway, the memory of this winged creature pretending to be a man andrutting against another who moaned for more. I’d watched them share that sinful pleasure and known in my soul that they’d both enjoyed what they did together. When the man receiving him had come, he’d done so with a smile.
“And someday,” Cighyss said, “I’ll do the same with you.”
I gasped, outraged. “Never!”
He laughed. The devil-spawnlaughed.
“You’ll beg for my cock, sweet prince.”
“I will not! I willneverallow you to defile me!”
“Your brother does. Once a month he submits to me so beautifully.”
I lunged for him, but he danced away, and I found myself falling off the damn cot. I moaned there on the hard ground, the world spinning and my head threatening to explode. Bile rose, but I gulped it back.
When hands were on me, lifting, turning, I wanted to shove him away and curse his name, but I never would’ve been able to get back on the cot without his help. “Damn you,” I said anyway.
“Yes, yes. I am all things evil in this world.” He patted my hair. “Poor dear.”
I flung an arm up to smack him, but he danced away and left the room.
His wings framed his ass and there were a pair of dimples above his cheeks. I didn’t want to know that and yet I could picture it with perfect clarity when I closed my eyes.
More time passed in misery and despair. Zelig tried to help me eat a simple broth, but I couldn’t keep it down. I told him I would eat when I was well. He told me that it could be weeks before I was well. I knew then that I would die from starvation.
I was trying to accept my fate, figure out a way to make amends with Phineas, and prepare myself for death. I’d done it on the ship here because, though I’d had hope, I’d wanted to berealistic as well. Now I was sure of my imminent demise, and yet I couldn’t accept that this would be my sad and pathetic end.
“I swear to the old gods,” Zelig suddenly said, “justgive it to himalready.”
He was talking to Cighyss, who stood in the doorway with a simple metal cup in his hand.
“He has to ask for it. To accept.”
“He’sdying.”
A tear came to my eye at Zelig’s passionate response. He cared.
But also, if that cup contained my cure, the one Cighyss had come in originally to offer me, I could no longer see a reason to refuse it. Was he telling Zelig that it wouldn’t even work if I didn’t consent and accept? By the gods, I didn’t care what any of that meant.
I didn’t want todie.
“I accept.”
Both of them went silent and turned to stare at me.
“I consent. I accept. I approve. Whatever you need me to say, I’ll say it.”
“Do you mean it?”
“Yes.”
“Declan…”
“Yes, damn you!” I hollered even though I had to hold my head to keep it from cracking apart. “Give me that fucking cure right fucking now!”
They stepped closer, but neither moved to hand it over or help me sit up.
