Page 45 of Demon Queen
“Such as…”
“Your fireplace. It was distinctly pleasant with the flames wrapped around me.” Pleasant wasn’t the right word, not when the crackling flames had soothed my soul while every sensation was beyond exquisite.
He stepped towards me and then we turned in a circle, staring at each other while the rest of the world drifted away. I was feeling like that again, contentment, peace, happiness, all those other lies that I’d swallowed so eagerly. Would I again? Probably. He was so handsome as a human, so regal. He looked like a king with or without the spikes coming out of his head.
“I thought that it would take serious convincing for you to ever touch my flames, but you climbed right into them,” he murmured against my ear before he spun away.
“Only because I was running away to freedom on the other side. I woke up, and everything kind of…” I swallowed hard and turned my back to him, pointing my foot and then doing delicate little kicks before turning back to face him.
He put his hand on my waist and pulled me close, which would have been beyond the pale of propriety if this had been anactual reenactment, but this was just a light candy store display. “There is a great deal to be in shock about. I understand that. I was also in shock, from the moment you came walking into my fight club to now, hearing you talk about my flames. Going into my flames is a lot more sacred than a human marriage ceremony.”
I stared up at him. “No. That wasn’t a marriage ceremony. You weren’t even there!” I pushed away, but he wasn’t budging.
“Candy, that was my soul. I am always with you, and I always will be. My life is yours, wrapped in your delicate hand to do with as you will.”
“Is this the part where you call yourself my slave? And then ignore me when I ask you to clear my shop from all the entirely unnecessary and freaky demons?”
His eyes flickered again before he smiled slightly and released me. “If only it was unnecessary, but you’ve taught me to err on the side of caution. You are my soul’s heart, born of my flames. I would destroy worlds for you, but I won’t neglect your safety.”
I rolled my eyes and went to the counter where I’d stay and help with customers instead of gliding around like some jobless duchess.
At six, the last customers were ushered out, the place was swept and organized in record time thanks to the demons, and then a big black car pulled up once everyone had filed out, including Roberta/Regis who gave me a satisfied smile when he saw Dorian helping me into the back seat. He wanted me to be the queen to his king.
“Ridiculous number of staff for a Tuesday,” Callerie said, glancing at my entourage and then my costume out on the sidewalk. The number of staff wasn’t the only absurd thing about this.
I waved at her. “Sorry about the parking. I’ll see you later. I need to get something business casual in your shop.”
She raised a perfectly tweezed brow. “Sure.” She glanced at Dorian and I knew that look far too well. Callerie was younger than me, prettier, and incredibly competent and capable to boot. She dated successful men while I stayed shut in my candy store like a lunatic. She was thinking how weird it was for Dorian to go with me instead of her. At some point, she’d strip for him and try to convince him that he could do much better than me.
I slid into the black sedan, more than slightly stressed out. The only perk was that Wilkie was in Dorian’s club.
“Candy, are you all right?” Dorian was staring at me while I was glaring at him unconsciously.
I swallowed and looked out the window instead while my stomach churned with nausea. “Sure. Everything’s grand. You and your court are my slaves, just waiting to do my bidding.”
“Your safety is my only concern.”
“And that’s why you were wearing that pointlessly attractive glamour in my shop and out on the street. With those completely inappropriate pants.”
He touched my hand, the barest contact, but it send a shot of awareness through me. “I’m trying to be attractive for you. Is that a problem?”
I took a breath that made my chest ache so much. “It just brings back memories.”
“Ah. Hurt, jealously, possessiveness, those memories?”
“Those are feelings. Memories of times when beautiful women threw themselves at you and I had to watch and act like I didn’t care.”
“Ah. So the memories bother you, not the feelings?”
I shrugged and wrapped my arms around myself. He wasn’t human; he wouldn’t get it. Although if the White Rabbit was right, neither was I. Whoever heard of a depressed demon?The White Rabbit hadn’t seemed too happy, either. “I need a therapist.”
“Ah. To help you process with your sudden emergence into a dangerous world when you’ve worked so hard to keep out everything that might hurt you, might stir up feelings or memories.”
I turned to scowl at him, but he was so impossibly handsome. Yes, it hurt. It hurt to want him because that was also part of the whole emotional wounds and scars package. I looked out the window instead with a sigh. “Where are we going?” I asked when I realized we were headed south instead of east.
“Dinner. I hope you don’t mind. I made reservations.” He took my hand and pulled me close, gazing into my eyes while his other hand smoothed down my back to my hip.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
