Page 14 of Demon Hunger
“Yeah.” Sage hooked a finger over his shoulder. “There’s a juicy hamburger waiting for me.” He left quickly, abandoning me.
Drevan also started to leave, but I grabbed his arm and forced him to face me. “What the hell are you doing?”
He blinked, trying to appear surprised.
“Don’t get cute with me. I know you did that intentionally.”
“Do you?” he asked, the veneer dropping to be replaced with an intense expression that made my knees tremble.
His words resonated in my ear that night he claimed me.You are mine, and you know it. Go ahead, deny it.
“You have no right,” I said firmly.
“No right to what?” He stepped closer, leaving only bare inches between us.
I refused to explain what he already knew well. Instead, I shrugged and, acting nonchalantly, walked around him.
“Excuse me, but I don’t have to deal with anyone pretending to be dense. I’ll see you later today. Tootles.” I even added a two-finger wave and allowed my hips to sway from side to side as I went, resisting the urge to glance back.
The problem was: He wasn’t the only one putting on an act. My heart was hammering, an unwelcome side effect of his closeness. What was wrong with me? Why did he affect me like this despite the awful truth he had hidden from me?
If only I could find a way to harden my will against him.
6
Themeetingwasata penthouse of The Plaza, one of Drevan’s favorite places.
We arrived at 7 PM to find a fancy dinner table set up for six. Khargon was there, reclining against a wall. She had a tumbler in her hand, filled with amber liquid, and was looking out the window, her dark gaze distant. As usual, she wore an all-leather outfit that consisted of a tight miniskirt and an even tighter halter top with straps that crisscrossed her chest and were strategically located to display her perky boobs.
She would be an intimidating presence to any woman, but anyone with Truesight could see they had nothing to worry about. Her gargoyle-like features might be a selling point in Hell, but down here, she could scare the fleas off a dog.
I winced at my own thoughts. It was my insecurity causing me to be mean. Despite her cool demeanor and her accomplished death glares, I had gotten used to the demon. She was blunt, which I appreciated, and she had been instrumental in redeeming Solar Hudson. After Jophiel shot me, she even carried me in her arms back to the league.
“Nice spread,” Sage said, getting a shrimp drenched in cocktail sauce and popping it in his mouth. “Where’s Drevan?”
We all glanced around, searching for him.
“He’ll be here any minute,” Khargon responded. “Sit and enjoy the feast while we wait.”
None of us had eaten dinner. We’d discussed ordering pizza after the meeting, but this was much better. I grabbed a silver-rimmed plate and walked around the table, filling it with shrimp, asparagus, and potatoes au gratin. I was spearing thin slices of perfectly cooked roast beef when I heard thethud, thudof wings outside the window.
Khargon pushed away from the wall and slid the glass door open. Gracefully, Drevan alighted on the balcony. I caught a quick glimpse of his black wings before he tucked them in. Like earlier, my heart started racing at the mere sight of him. As it had become my habit, I activated my Truesight to get yet another refresher of reality, which I seemed bent on forgetting.
As he stepped in, I saw his true shape. He was so tall he had to bend his head to walk through the threshold, his curved horns barely missing the top. The massive, leathery wings twisted to maneuver their way inside. Strangely, his pointed chin and too-high cheekbones seemed to soften in the light, and I realized for the first time that there was a certain similarity between his monstrous face and the human semblance he preferred.
I blinked, taken aback. Why hadn’t I noticed that before?
Pretending to reach for a drink, I turned away and took a deep breath.
Heisa monster. Heisa monster. Heisa monster.
It was a chant that I seemed to perform even in my sleep.
“Hello, everyone,” he greeted. “I’m glad you are all here.”
“We’re ready for some action,Professor,” Jenna said, followed by a giggle.
Drevan chuckled, then approached me.
