Page 94 of The Demon King's Destiny

Chapter 24

Marrok slid under the covers next to Evelyn, lying so they were facing one another. He pulled her hands up to rest on his chest then wrapped one of his arms around her waist.

He was completely nude, as was she. His erection, thick and heavy, rested against her hip. Evelyn battled the urge to reach for it.

“I thought you wanted to pull on mymemories,” she tried to joke.

“I do. Skin-to-skin allows me the clearest picture.”

“Can demons lie?”

Marrok chuckled. “Yes, but other demons always know.”

“I’m not a demon.”

“I know,” he said with a glint in his eye. “I like it, makes things more interesting. Now, as much as I’d rather roll you over and have my way with you, I need you to concentrate on the dreams.”

Feeling suddenly very serious, Evelyn swallowed. “These memories were different, Marrok. I think—I think they might hurt you.”

His face softened and he kissed the corner of her mouth. “The past is the past, Evelyn. I promise not to react as I did. Once I can glean anything important from the memories, I’ll bury them, leaving them where they belong.”

Trusting him, she closed her eyes and concentrated. She tried to remember things in the order they’d come to her. If they occurred chronologically, she didn’t know. Marrok would have to be the one to figure out if the order mattered.

Marrok rested his forehead against his mate’s, giving her a few seconds to push the memories into the forefront of her mind. The first few came fast, snippets of Melena moving her mouth without sound. With him. With Favin. Even with her father.

Finally, the vision settled, just outside of the small chamber adjacent to the throne room. He was looking down, smoothing out the silken fabric of a bright blue dress. He could tell from the bracelet adorning his wrist he was seeing from Melena’s viewpoint.

Voices carried from inside the chamber. Brennen often met here with small groups of demons, so it wasn’t surprising. Melena waiting to meet him, however, was.

As far as Marrok knew, she’d never worked directly for the king. She’d told him her familyhad offered up her services and Brennen swiftly gifted her to Marrok.

The door opened and she looked up into the face of her cousin, Caleb. “Come,” the male commanded.

Melena entered and the heavy wood slammed shut behind her. Her head jerked and Caleb stepped in front of the door, as if he meant to block her exit.

What have you gotten us into, Cousin?she silently wondered.

Two other males were seated at the worn table. One had black hair and beady dark eyes with black covering the places where she should have seen amber. Something about him was not quite right.

He was dressed in fine silk as opposed to the leathers most of the Sundari wore. His fingers were covered in jeweled rings, the sizes of the gems were ridiculous. He was soft, like a female.

The King, her mind sneered a second before her eyes swung to the other male. Messy tufts of sable stood out in all directions from his scalp. His clothing was old and tatty, the brown leather faded to light tan in places.

The juxtaposition of the pauper next to the sovereign was stark. Melena’s expression blanked as the Prajna’s bemused emerald green irises looked her up and down obscenely. She was used to being ogledby demon males. She was not used to the probing attention of a vampire.

“My liege, may I introduce my cousin, Melena. The Seer I was telling you about.”

Almost forgetting herself, Melena swiftly bent into a low curtsy. Brennen stood and she tracked the movement of his feet. They stopped in front of her and she waited for him to allow her to rise.

“By the Goddess, Caleb. Your description wasn’t hyperbole. She’s exquisite.”

“Yes, she is, Sire. Still, I believe it is her visions you will be most attracted to. Knowledge is power, after all. You know our purpose. You know we seek to—”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you,” the vampireharshlyreprimanded. “We don’t speak of such things where others may overhear, demon.”

“Of course, D—”

“You fool!,” the vampire interrupted again. “I told you not to use my name! Learn to hold your tongue or I’ll be promoting this beauty to your position immediately,” he seethed.

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