Page 122 of The Demon Prince

Nikolai turned toward the stairs, only to have the door at the top open. And there, standing in the light that spread in rays around her as though it wouldn’t dare mar her lovely skin, stood Katherine.

His Katherine. The one who shouldn’t be here, but who he was no more surprised to see than he would have been surprised to see the moon rise on the horizon.

Nikolai staggered toward her, only freezing when she stepped deliberately into his way.

Her gaze hardened, and she looked the stranger up and down. “You’re covered in blood.”

He nodded.

“Strangers have no place meddling in the minds of the innocent.” She shifted to the side. “Go. But don’t think this is a mercy. I’m not sure you’ll make it out of this kingdom alive without a kelpie chewing on your flesh.”

Nikolai jerked past her, not even noticing that Katherine grabbed the keys from the back of his pocket. He was a dead man walking, and even that poor soul knew it.

And oh, Gluttony had never loved this woman more. He’d never wanted to kiss her more, but the moment Nikolai left the cellar, he could feel all the pain that sizzled through every inch of his body.

Apparently, there was a limit to how much his spirit was willing to heal.

One step to the side, and he was suddenly down on his knees. Staring up at her like the goddess she was. Like the gift she had become.

“Katherine,” he said quietly, and his voice was different. Changed from what it had been before.

Right, his mouth. The cut open lips and ghastly smile he was probably subjecting her to. Not to mention the amount of blood that coated him from head to toe and the bright red marks that would eventually become bruises.

But his beautiful, compassionate bride didn’t care about that at all. She walked down the steps quietly, and a falcon landed in front of the door. Guarding them. He recognized Envy’s magic and, for once, wanted to thank his brother for at least having the thought to do that. Katherine had not returned on her own.

“What did that monster do to you?” she whispered, stopping in front of him. She cupped his cheek gently, and he could see the smudge of blood on her palm as she wiped at the liquid on his cheeks. “My love. You didn’t deserve this.”

As he stared up at her, he wondered what she saw in him that no one else did. Did she see a brave man? A king who wished he was better than he actually was? He hoped that was what she saw. He wanted her to see that.

Carefully, he leaned forward and pressed his cheek to her stomach. He would have lifted his tired arms and wrapped her in them, but he was still tied up. So he knelt at her feet with his hands behind him.

“Just a moment,” he whispered against her soft flesh. “Just a few moments, and then I will face them.”

“You have no one to face,” she said. “They are the ones who must face you. But my love, you cannot see them like this. You cannot let them think they have defeated you.”

He should heal. She was right. They would only think him weak, and right now, he had to be strong. Strong enough to prove that he was worthy of being their king.

But he was so tired. He just wanted to rest for a few moments and then maybe he could convince his powers to heal him one last time.

“A few moments,” he whispered against her belly. “Just let me rest.”

“We need to get you free.” Katherine drew away from him, and he felt like he’d lost something. Some marvelous creature who had always been the only thing that mattered.

And without her, he felt... empty.

His arms fell forward, and the metal clanked onto the ground with a rough thud. And then she was there again. Kneeling in front of him, her arms coming around him first, then encouraging his own arms to wrap around her.

“Come here,” she whispered, turning her head to the side and baring that swan-like neck for him. “Feed, my love. And then we will remind them that you are their king for a reason.”

Perhaps he was still a bit of a monster, because he scraped his fangs against her neck and then sank them in deep.

ChapterForty-Five

Her poor monster.

Gluttony had been used, abused, tossed aside, and beaten. The cuts on his cheeks... They had sliced a permanent smile into him and it made her stomach turn to even think about it again.

He should never have been exposed to that level of punishment. Every ounce of him was lovely and wonderful and kind. How could they not see it?

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