Page 28 of My Demon Desire
Her breath hitches. "What happened to you?"
"Nothing." I reach for the pitcher of ale, but Reis waves a hand and it slides across the table away from me.
"Fuck you." I kick my chair back, standing up at the same time. "Ready for another round?" This time, it'll be a swing for swing. I've got anger boiling under the surface I need to release and since they took away my liquor... I crack my neck, fists raised and ready.
"Guess you didn't get enough before." Thorne marches toward me, but Reis steps between us.
"We can't fight amongst ourselves or the queen wins." Reis holds his hand out to Annalise who after a hesitating breath, takes it and she meets my eyes.
What the fuck is going on? "We can't keep her." I curl my hands into fists. "The queen will kill us all if we're lucky."
Reis gives me a warning look, but I balk.
"What? You haven't told her about our queen and how she enjoys torture?" I shake my head. "Stay here and we're all dead."
"I can't leave without my father." Her face is pale and worry pinches at the corner of her eyes. "And why would the queen care shit about me? I'm not here for anything or anyone except to get him back."
"Don't matter to her, luv." I wink.
Thorne glares at me, then looks over at Annalise. "We are fairly certain that by now, she thinks you’re related to Reyshiik. If you've got even a drop of royal fae blood, she'll want you dead. And it won’t matter if you’re royal or not, she’ll remove the potential threat just to be sure because that is the kind of ruler she is." His voice is gentle and then his words register with me.
"Wait, Annalise is related to Reyshiik? How is that possible?" I gasp, as more guilt hits me over leaving her in the forest. "She can't be here!" Reyshiik left for a reason, she wouldn't want her daughter here to be killed.
"Yeah, she is. You fucker, and you sent her out into the forest!" Thorne rushes to me, shoving a fist into my gut. But I'm expecting his attack and leap back, slamming my elbow into his nose. Blood squirts out and he roars, coming at me, but I duck away from his strike.
"I can get you out of here. Tell these two to fuck off and I'll escort you back to the human world. Personally," I add.
Her back stiffens, and her chin juts out. "What about my father? I can't leave him here to die." Her fists are clenched so tight her knuckles are white.
"Sorry, sweetheart," I say the human term of endearment that sounds strange on my tongue, not meaning it a bit. "If he's still alive, he'll wish he was dead. No one can stand against the queen."
She pales, crossing her arms over her stomach, her gray eyes piercing into my soul. The scent of her fear rolls off her and I inhale the spiky sweetness. "That's not good enough. I came here with my father and I'm not leaving without him."
"Let me take you back." I swallow, my throat dry, and I tell myself that this is for the best. That my earlier guilt is only because I sent her to her death. "It's the only way. Your father can find his own way."
"Shut the fuck up, Kaden," Thorne growls, grabbing the pitcher and polishing off my ale.
"How about you make me, asshole." I throw a jab at his face, but magic holds my hand in place, not reaching him.
"Stop it. All of you." She lowers her arms. "I'll do the blood ritual thingy, but then we're finding my father."
Reis smirks at me and I kick him in the balls, pleased when he crumples to the floor, holding himself.
He growls. "We need to perform the blood vow ritual and protect Annalise before the queen discovers she's here."
"Are you fucking kidding me? And then what?" I laugh, a burning pain striking my side from a few cracked ribs. "Wait for us all to be slaughtered for the queen's amusement? No thanks." I push a hand through my hair, catching on my horn, and I can't believe she's standing here listening to the three of us as though we aren't monsters from her nightmares.
"Please, Kaden."
The way she says my name is like a caress. It strokes over my skin and settles in my bones. It feels like coming home, like melting into someone else's embrace after years of being alone.
"Help me find my father. Though I'd rather have a weapon to protect myself with, if this ritual will keep your murderous queen away from me, then lets' do it."
A parting thought hits me of showing her my human form. The one that charmed the ladies and made their panties wet for me. Well, before I was imprisoned.
But as much as I'd love to taste her, I want her afraid. I want her to tremble and scream and beg for mercy.
"I'm out," I snarl. "Come to me, Annalise when you want to go back home. These two fuckers will lead you astray and you'll end up with nothing but your throat torn out."
