Page 24 of Soul of a Witch
“So sweet. A truly intoxicating scent, isn’t it?” I didn’t know if he was asking me or simply musing, so I said nothing. He lifted his head and his lips drew back, revealing rows of teeth…no, not teeth.
Thorns. Thick, sharp, white thorns filled his mouth.
Before I realized what was happening, he put my finger into his mouth. There was a sharp pain as he bit down, and I tried to pull away but his hold was inescapable. Callum growled beside me as something like a tongue swirled over my finger, stroking my skin. The pain was already forgotten as Darragh’s mouth suckled around me.
My face was reddening again, but this was more than just a blush. Heat poured through my veins, settling in my abdomen as Darragh met my eyes, slowly withdrawing my finger from his mouth.
“What was that?” I said softly, clutching my hand close the moment he let me go. There was a tiny wound on my fingertip, like a puncture from a thick needle, and blood leaked out.
“I needed a little taste,” he said, humming as he swallowed. The tree shuddered, from its branches to its roots, and Darragh gasped. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment before he opened them again, blinking rapidly.
“Oh, thatisgood. Well, well, Everly Laverne. You are who you say. You may enter. And please, don’t hesitate to come to me if you need any further assistance.” He smiled again, and I could see where my blood had stained one of his thorny teeth. He leaned back as the tree rippled, roots slithering like snakes as the entire structure moved to the side, opening our way into the greenhouse.
“Thank you, Darragh,” I said, nodding my head to him as I passed. Callum was right behind me, but instead of following me through the doorway, his hand snapped out and gripped the Woodsprie’s throat.
The tree’s roots tightened, writhing on the ground. The bushes rustled, even the grass and the flowers shuddered. From deep within the greenhouse came a groan, like a beam of wood about to split as Callum’s claws dug into Darragh’s wooden throat.
“Touch her like that again, and I’ll rip your roots off your body and burn you alive.” Callum’s voice was a snarl that reverberated around the courtyard, vibrating in the stones beneath my feet. My head pounded, atmospheric pressure rapidly changing and making my ears pop.
Darragh hissed, but his voice was simpering as he said, “I could drink your blood too, demon, if you so desire. No need for jealousy.”
Callum narrowed his eyes.
“Consider yourself lucky she enjoyed it,” he said, releasing the Woodsprie with a scoff before stalking ahead of me into the greenhouse. Darragh kept smiling with all those sharp teeth as he melted back into the trunk of his tree, then disappeared.
9
Everly
The greenhouse was stunning, like stepping into another world. Brightly colored finches twittered as they flit through the air, fluttering from branch to branch. There were massive plants, flowers of every variety, and the stone path was covered with moss that was soft and spongy beneath my feet. Vines dangled from above, and the air was thick and humid.
“This is incredible.” I said.
“What is even more incredible is your lack of caution.”
Callum had stopped ahead of me, frowning as he looked at me. I’d been nothing if not cautious since I got here, so where the hell was this irritation coming from?
“Lack of caution? What do you —”
“The next time a strange being asks for your hand, perhaps hesitate before you give it,” he snapped. “Woodspries are fae creatures, they’re incredibly dangerous. Yet you let this one savor you without a second thought.”
I snapped, “Well, I’ve never heard of a Woodsprie before. And he wouldn’t have let us pass if I hadn’t. Besides, I think I can decide for myself who I should give my hand to. After all, I gave it to you first, didn’t I?”
In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between us. I gasped in shock as he snatched my wrist, holding it tightly in his clawed hands.
“You think you know what you want?” he growled. “A little pain makes the pleasure sweeter, doesn’t it?” His grip tightened, claws pricking my skin. The sting was ignition for the fire in my veins, but then he brought my hand even closer, toward his mouth.
He opened his mouth and extended his tongue.
His long, red,forkedtongue.
He twined it around my finger, licking up the blood. I was utterly frozen as he took the digit into his mouth and sucked. The sensation of his lips and tongue contracting around me made my brain short-circuit. All I could think about was heat-suction-pressure, and how desperately I wanted to feel that sensationeverywhere.
He was so close, so unbearably close, pressing me against the glass wall. His presence was heavy, as if his body was crushed against me even though he was only holding my wrist.
He popped my finger from his mouth. My vision went a little fuzzy at the edges, my tongue incapable of forming words. Inwardly, I was screaming. Not in pain, not in horror, but in unbridled desire. The primal part of my brain was slobbering like a beast, hip-thrusting like a dog in heat.
Holy shit.