Page 135 of Lust

“You should eat,” he said. Then he smirked as if he’d made a joke. “Obviously, you don’t feel like it now, but when the drug has left your system.” Up close, his blue eyes radiated a gross parody of sincerity. “The food and water is not drugged. The air, however, we will have to give you a little something every now and again to keep you under control.” He straightened. “It makes working with Nephilim so much easier.”

Working? If she were in one of those damned spy movies now, she would demand to know what they planned to do with her. But as her tongue felt ten times larger and glued to the top of her mouth, she didn’t bother. “Fuck off.”

“Yes.” Ashe folded his arms across his broad chest. “That seems to be the most common next response as well.”

“Fuck off,” she muttered. The water bottle seemed a long way away, and it was taking a huge effort to try to persuade her arm to reach for it.

Ashe snatched the bottle off the floor and opened the cap. Handing it to her, he said, “It isn’t drugged.” Then he took a sip as if to prove it to her.

Eddie eyed the distance to the open door and the dark corridor beyond. Given that she hadn’t been able to locate the water bottle, she didn’t rate her chances.

“Here.” Ashe held the bottle to her mouth. “Your mouth must feel like you’ve been licking a desert.”

Given her situation, Eddie judged this as not a hill she wanted to die on and obediently took a sip.

“You’ll want to pay attention to this next bit,” Ashe said. “I’m about to do my evil genius monologue.”

Only half of those words made sense to her, and Eddie blinked at him. Evil genius aside, he was stupidly good looking. Even with those horns curling around the sides of his head. “You’re a demon.”

“Yes.” Ashe cocked his head at her. “And you’re Nephilim.”

Not too long ago, she’d been plain Edme Ward, stage managing the Paradise Theatre for the community theatre company in Clayton, Ontario, and very definitely human. Or so she’d thought.

“Which is why you’re here.” Ashe gave her another sip of water. “You have power, Edme, and we need that power.”

She took another sip and waited for the promised monologue. Her brain and mouth weren’t connecting enough for her to frame a question in any case.

“It’s why I was able to defeat Shade and Wrath.” He put the cap on the water bottle and put it back beside her cot. “Nephilim power is an amazing thing. It’s like a shot of super-charged adrenalin to our demon powers.”

Leaning close to her ear, Ashe lowered his voice. “It’s why everyone is so frightened of you,” he whispered. “They’re scared they won’t be able to control you. And Edme”—his gaze met hers again—“they’re right to be frightened. You can do what we can’t. As the daughter of a hell prince and a human, you can draw your power from both the earth and the hell realms.”

None of this made sense to her, and she focused on the tray. A sandwich and an apple sat side by side, both of them wrapped. They’d even given her a cookie, and that struck her as so absurd that she wanted to laugh.

“Ashe.” Another voice dragged her attention to the door.

Another demon entered her cell. Her fuzzy brain recognized him. Long, equine features made his face more animal than human, and he had four horse-like legs.

She couldn’t remember his name. Ashe had called him something.

“Calix.” Ashe drew himself up.

His chest swelled, and he grew larger. Or was that her drugged up brain making shit up?

The apple was bright green and shiny.

“They say to get on with it.” The horse demon held out a shiny object to Ashe. A large, bulbous crystal dangled at the end of a heavy chain.

Ashe clicked his tongue and looked at her. “Calix has horrible manners. He’s a lower order demon, and they’re not known for their small talk.”

“Do it.” Calix grunted and slapped the shiny thing against Ashe’s chest.

Eddie winced at the sound of a fist thumping into flesh, but Ashe didn’t even flinch.

“I really am sorry, Edme.” Ashe even looked like he might mean it. “But this is going to hurt like fuck.”

After dropping the chain around her neck, he stepped back.

Eddie blinked down at the stone against her breastbone.

---