Page 77 of The Demon's Fire
Skyler sank into the pond up to her chin, the odor of rotten eggs strong. But she had to admit, the warm, muddy water soothed her burning rash and open sores. She sighed, instant relief easing her tense muscles.
Kole poked a finger into a sore. When she flinched from the pain, he drew back and submerged. She felt him probe a spot on the inside of her thigh. The rash must have traveled to her legs.
“Ouch. That hurts.”
He moved his examination to her hips. Then on to her abdomen. Skyler clasped his head between her hands and pulled it out of the water. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Gray mud dripped from his chin and nose. He swiped a hand across his eyes, flicking goop off his fingers.
Skyler couldn’t help herself. She laughed.
When she finally took a breath, Kole’s lips spread into a wide grin. “You think I’m funny.” He cupped his hands to scoop up muddy water, dumping it on Skyler’s head. “Hold your nose.” He dunked her underneath.
She surfaced, sputtering, gurgling. “Are you finished?”
“Almost. Turn over.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Turn over.” When she argued with him, he simply flipped her. To keep her nostrils above the surface, she clutched a stone on the side of the pond.
Kole straddled her while he traced fingers over the back of her head and neck. Despite a sharp, occasional bite, all she could think about was his thick, rigid erection poking her butt. She was hot, and it wasn’t the fever or the Healing Pond. He was too much. Skyler managed to spin around. But the position was worse. Now his arousal brushed the top of her thigh.
“I’m checking your wounds. This isn’t easy for me either.”
“Don’t be insane. It’s just because you’re hurting me.”
“Sure. I can smell lust. Demons are sensitive to pheromones. But I refuse to let you have your wicked way with me.”
“What? I do not smell like lust.”
“Yes, you do.” He moved to sit beside her again. “Now soak for a while and stop trying to fuck with me.”
“I … I” She was at a loss for words. After some time, the silence got the better of Skyler. Since a naked Kole definitely aroused her, she needed a distraction. Talk would provide it. “You have a beast inside you?”
“Yes.”
“What’s yours look like?”
He flashed his irritating, sexy lopsided grin. “You’re getting quite personal, Chief Maxwell. I don’t think we’re that close yet.”
“Oh, blather. Do you ever lose control of it? Like some of the demons at the Genesis Rite.”
“Not since I came through puberty.”
Skyler hesitated, recalling the blog and what Kole had said about demons needing orgasms to sustain themselves. “How have you been feeding?”
Laughter erupted from deep in Kole’s chest. When it finally stopped, he cleared his throat. “Are you offering your services, Frisca?”
She was certain she blushed, but with all the mud on her face, surely Kole couldn’t see it. “Don’t be ridiculous. I … I … was merely curious?”
“I’m a warrior, not a prepubescent demon who can’t keep his junk in his pants. I’ve learned to overcome my needs when required. Besides, I take care of myself. After a while, though, I get a trifle crabby. Then I need an assist.”
“Hence your moods.” She smirked. “Why don’t you have as many tattoos as your uncle or others of your breed?”
Kole frowned. “Those tats are ancestral runes. To me, my family began with my parents. My relatives were traitors. I burned off the lineage.”
She cast her gaze toward the muddy water, wondering why she was so curious about Kole. “Do animus demons release electrical impulses as well as fire?”
