Page 44 of My Demon Desire
"I really like you in this position. Naked and exposed for me."
"Can you shift back into your monster— fae form?" I grab my ripped dress, holding it over me.
"Am I that hideous as a human?" He frowns.
"Not at all." I clear my throat, my sex aching from the loss of him inside me. "I'm just used to how you looked before." And as sexy as he is now, I prefer the fae with horns and everything.
"Really?" he says in a teasing tone.
I nod. In his human form, he looks like a golden Adonis. Chiseled, square jaw with a light smattering of stubble and bright blue eyes that seem to pierce right to my core. He's strong and powerful and I can't deny the want and desire that this human form ensnares me with. But there's something about his fae form that feels more real and compels me in a way that I can't explain.
Kaden grins, and suddenly his features warp, horns sprout from his head, fur covers parts of his body and his skin color darkens to the gray I'm used to seeing.
In his fae form, he has a force about him, an animalistic power that's both alluring and terrifying.
Sunlight from the window glints off his black horns.
"Good, 'cause I'd hate to think that you don't like my human form, but I’m ecstatic that you prefer my fae form," he says and holds his hand out to help me stand. "Let's get you some clothes before you catch a chill."
* * *
Twenty minutes later, I'm sitting in the kitchen, dressed in trousers I borrowed from Kaden with a rope tied through the loops to keep them up on my hips and a long tunic-style shirt that I've knotted on the side.
I nibble on flatbread and drink a goblet of ale as I keep staring out the window every two minutes, hoping for a sign of Reis and Thorne. I can't ignore the growing feeling that something is wrong.
Even Kaden senses something isn't good as he's gulped down a pitcher of ale and digs his claws into the edge of the kitchen table.
"Should we go look for them?" I suggest, my stomach churning despite the food.
"No. We'll give them a bit more time." He shakes his head, but his gaze darts to the back door. "The queen's spies can be slippery fuckers. I'm sure they're fine and taking their time returning."
Chills dance across my skin and I force down another swallow of ale, wishing it would dull my nerves a fraction at least. I feel like I'm fixing to touch a live wire and the electricity is a breath from electrocuting me.
Even my hair feels like its standing on end.
A burning pain laces through my arm so hard I yelp.
"What is it?" Kaden jumps up, his fists clenched.
"It's..." I gasp, trying to force words past the pain. "My arm..."
"Annalise," a familiar male's voice calls. But there's something wrong with it, like it's pinched or forced.
"Dad?" My heart does cartwheels in my throat and I stand, running to the door.
"No, Annalise," Kaden roars. He leaps the distance between us and grabs my arm so hard I flinch. "That's not your father, it's the queen. She's using him as a puppet to get to us, I'm sure of it."
He moves closer to me and pulls me in.
"You have to trust me," he says.
Swallowing hard, I nod. The room seems to spin around me.
My dad raps on the window and I stumble toward it, my mind barely comprehending what's going on. There's something wrong though I don't understand why I feel this way except for Kaden's insistence.
The urge to take a step forward is like an invisible tug in my chest, trying to pull me to the window and a desire to open it. Fear knots my insides, yet I remain firm by Kaden's side, taking in his strength.
When I look again, it's a creature, made of dark leather and empty eyes, wearing my father’s face.
