Page 57 of My Demon Desire
"Okay, that's more experience than I have." I tap my finger to my chin. "And I want to get that book back."
"What I can't figure out," Thorne sets down his goblet and leans against the kitchen counter. "Is how the fuck Kaden didn't completely turn into ash from the iron dagger. We all know it burns like hell to touch it, but he was stabbed."
I meet Kaden's stare, still getting used to him looking human, and wait.
"It's because it's not only a glamour." He sighs. "I'm one-eighth human on my mom's side. That's why the queen broke off my horn. Because she couldn't stand that a guard who supported the queen was tainted by human blood."
"But she was half human herself," I argue.
"True." My father wipes a hand down his face, looking haggard. "She felt like all humans, regardless of degree, should be exiled. And that she, being of royal blood, was the only one who could see that happen so that no more fae blood would be infected. Your mother opposed her, but Morrigan got enough people to believe her lies, that they'd be better off without the humans, that she was able to overthrow the crown."
"And Mom didn't fight back with her magic because she was pregnant with me." A tear slid down my cheek.
"No, Annalise." My father grabs my hand gently. "She chose to flee with me and have you away from all the politics and hatred. She said the years with you and me in our world were the best she'd ever lived."
I give him a watery smile, my heart overflowing with love and grief.
"But she felt guilty," he continues. "Guilty that she should have done something to protect her people here. So she concentrated her energy into you, imbuing you with her magic so you'd be able to come back here and redeem the crown."
He gives me a sad smile. "And here you are, ready to take on the world."
I swallow hard, not sure what to say. All I know is that I need to get this book back so I can find a way to save my people and restore the crown.
"Well, team," Reis claps his hands together and grins, "it looks like we have a mission."
Thorne bangs his fist on the table. "We can take back this kingdom and restore your mother's legacy."
He stares at me intently, and I nod in agreement.
My father smiles, proudly. "Then let's make a plan."
"First, we get Mom's book back." I’d dropped it somewhere in the forest when I first landed here. “Then I want to go back to the human side and say goodbye to my friends.” And also make sure Mom’s body gets buried how she wanted to be. Tears stung the back of my eyes, but the grief of her death didn’t sting as deeply as it had before.
"We're going with you,” Reis says, finishing his meal.
"Not like that you're not." I point to his horns. "People would think I brought home monsters."
"How is this?" He waves a hand down his body, which shifts into a tall, golden-haired, muscular man with bright, green eyes dressed in khaki pants and a crisp, white shirt. He looked like a cross between a demi-god and a GQ magazine cover model.
"All three of you can shift into human forms? Why didn't you do this before?" And god, I probably would've jumped them all the first night here.
"We couldn't." Kaden shrugs. "Morrigan, hating humans so much, she bound that part of our magic."
"And the spell was broken when we took the blood vow and—"
"Sex magic," my dad finishes and my face heats to about a thousand degrees. "I saw that in your mom's book and we might have practiced it too."
"Gross, Dad." I make a face. "No one wants to hear that and leave my sex life off the table too."
Kaden and Thorne exchange a glance before laughing, and I take a sip of my ale.
"Well, at least we now can pass as humans when we need to." Thorne nods, his eyes are full of determination.
"That is definitely a plus." I pout.
"Oh, let's talk about sex magic and how it can help restore the crown." Reis grins wide.
My face can't heat anymore and I groan. "Let's not. Rather, let's get some rest and strategize in the morning." I stand, forcing my feet to stay still. "And plan our mission to get back Mom's book and take care of the human side of my life."
