Page 4 of My Demon Desire
Reis
"What do you want to do with the body?" Thorne huffs. "Didn't know humans were so easily broken."
"You should have known better," I snap, shoving him back and out of my way so I can examine the female. I bend down, brushing my fingers across her throat and her pulse jumps against my fingertips. Surprise fills me that she's alive since Thorne is brutal often and doesn’t know his own strength.
"We could just leave her here for the wolves to take care of," Kaden says with a sneer, baring his sharp teeth. "Then no one will know we killed her. They'll think she just stumbled onto our land on accident."
"She's a human," Thorne growls. "And suffered for trespassing on our land and a warning to any else who tries the same."
I clench my fists at my sides, watching my fellow Unseelie argue.
"We could give her to the queen as a peace offering," Kaden says, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "Gain favor with her to get our old positions back."
The tension and anger radiates off of them in waves. Yet, I don't blame them. Humans aren't known to cross the barrier very often. Or she could be a spy for the queen. Wouldn't be the first time her royal highness has done something as repugnant as to use a mere mortal. Whomever this woman is and how she got here, I will discover no matter what secrets she holds. "No. She will be spared."
Thorne growls. "Are you saying she's not dead?"
I nod and his eyes widen. "Guess she's stronger than you thought." Which makes me wonder again why she is here in the first place.
Bending down, I brush her dark hair off her forehead. Her skin is pale and not the dark-gray to the black of me and my kind.
She wears a white blouse with buttons and black slacks. Inhaling, I detect a scent I can't place. A slightly acrid air or aged wood and the first tendrils of smoke mixed with roasted nuts, but not quite. Underneath it all is her aroma of lavender and a hint of old magic purrs.
I draw back, my heart beating against my ribcage.
"What is it?" Kaden asks, scratching his broken horn on the side of his head.
With a frown, I stand up, looking down at the woman. She's slender with full breasts and a pleasing-looking mouth. Nowhere can I detect any signs of a witch on her, but then again, her arms and legs are fully covered. And the old magic could be a protection spell. Something that would hide her true nature.
One way to break it and find out the truth is a blood oath. But she has to be awake and give consent for it to work. If she refuses, then we know she's a witch.
Everything in me screams to protect her, but there's no reason. She's a human and possibly tangled up with a witch. Neither of which I want to get involved with.
And yet, there are burning questions in my mind as to who she is and how she got here.
"Pick her up," I order Thorne. "We're taking her back to our place."
"A human?" Thorne balks. "Are you serious? If the queen catches us, we'll wish all she did was kick us out of the castle."
"Thorne's right," Kaden snarls, spitting at the ground between us. "I think we should leave her here. Let the wolves have a feast."
I leap at Kaden, grabbing his throat and smacking him into the ground. "No,” I growl, my teeth an inch from the vein in his neck where I could drain him dry. The blood pounds in my skull. "We do this my way."
Thorne clears his throat. "Why?"
All of me wants to rip both of their throats out for questioning me. I shove harder against Kaden's throat, cutting off his air. His claws swipe at me and I just push harder. When his dark skin turns a blueish color, I let go. He takes gasping breaths, choking on air.
I stand up, daring Thorne to challenge me too, but he shrugs a shoulder, looking away as though bored.
"There's something about her—" I crack my neck, willing the tension to ease out of my upper back. "—Until we have answers, we need to proceed with caution."
Thorne grunts and scoops her up as if she weighs nothing. Her limbs dangle as he carries her to our hideaway. Kaden follows behind, muttering about how stupid this whole thing is, but I ignore him.
On either side of us, the trees sway and whisper to each other in the wind. A soft breeze tussles through her hair and I swear I hear her sigh in her sleep.
My heart kicks in my chest with the hope that she could be the missing princess. But I thrust it away, focusing on getting back to our camp without anyone seeing us. We don't need any more trouble.
I lead the way, my senses heightening as I scan the area for any signs of the queen's soldiers or witches. Nothing.
