Kiss of a Demon King

'And how would you know that?'

'By the way you've been eye-fucking my body in this attire and tenting your sheet. Do you know what I think? I think that deep down, you've always wanted a wicked girl. Fate knew it, and that's why I was given to you. I think you've been taking virtuous women-

self-sacrificing, boring, virtuous women-only because that's what you were taught to do.'

'You have no idea what you're talking about.'

'I know everything about you, Rydstrom. I've studied you for years, devouring unauthorized biographies of the very old kind. And over the last two days, I've reviewed all the texts on your family's history, on your history. I've been working to reconcile what was written with what I know about you personally.'

Sweat beaded on his brow. How much could she have learned?

'For instance, I'd read that you attempted your first female on your thirteenth birthday and your second the day after. I believe this to be true.'

It was. For a demon prince, attempting females was critical. He'd bedded one after another, trying to find his consort. Rydstrom had taken more females in the first century of his life than he had during the fourteen that followed.

She continued, 'They were all older than you and they were 'ladies,' which is code for 'sexually ignorant.' Did they simper? Did they call that your penis instead of your cock?' she asked, pointing a claw -tipped finger at it. 'And were they too gentle with it?'

Yes to all those questions. He hated gentle. He wanted to take a woman over a long night and feel it the next day. When he'd been a young male, he'd had a friend who would show off the claw marks down his back from his latest abandoned conquest. Rydstrom had envied him bitterly.

'How awkward that must have been, taking one stranger after another. You had so many. And you were so very young to be handling that kind of pressure. The repeated disappointment.'

His bed partners had always been nervous, each one inwardly hoping to break the seal, to become his con­ sort. Sex had begun to be an ordeal, one embarrassing mating after another. 'I am sorry that I pulled thy hair'; 'Tis fine for you to do so, my liege.'

He grated, 'I did what was necessary for the king­dom.' His older brother Nylson and their father had found their females in neighboring kingdoms. 'We had every reason to expect that I could find my female-'

'In a virtuous demoness who would be as selfless as you,' she finished in a disgusted tone. 'And instead you found your queen fifteen centuries later in me-a deceitful, thieving, gratuitously violent sorceress.'

'That remains to be seen.'

She gave him an amused expression, a victorious one. 'You took so many to your bed. Did you please them all?'

Not even close. He answered honestly, 'I haven't had any complaints.' Because they wouldn't dare. And that was a problem. For all his life, women had treated him like a king in bed. And though it might sound good, it left him cold.

'But then you've never been with a Sorceri female before.' She sat beside him. 'We tend to be more exact' ing than your average demoness.'

'You think I've only slept with my kind?' He had, figuring the queen of the rage demons would at least be

of the demon breed. He'd never imagined he would be matched with a sorceress. No, it isn't certain. Not until he was inside her could he be sure.

Deny it all I want. . .

She ran those metal tips over his stomach, and his muscles dipped and tightened. 'You're a dominant, virile male, and a king as well. Perhaps you'd be tempted if I were wicked-and submissive.'

Never. He wanted a greedy female, aggressive, one bordering on selfish. He'd had enough selfless females to last even an immortal lifetime.

She drew back the sheet, then ran a claw along his shaft, lightly but enough to sting. His eyes rolled back in his head.

'A shame, because you're not going to get submis­sive. Not with me.'

Good. My queen. I can't deny it . . . Then protect her. From himself.

'Sabine, if I turn, I will lose all control. Instinct will take over, and if you're the focus of everything the demon in me wants and needs, then gods help you. Is that what you want?'

'It's what I'm counting on.'

'It won't be gentle . . . you can count on that as well.'

'Maybe I wouldn't want gentle, demon. Maybe we fit together more than you can imagine.' She tapped a claw to her chin. 'So let me get this straight. You crave hard sex with wicked girls, but you don't want a submissive?'

'Stop putting words into my mouth.' He could never explain it to her, didn't really understand it himself.

Even as he wanted to master her, he hated the idea of her as acquiescent. He needed her to struggle against him, to give as good as she got. He craved power plays between them, mental games.

But ultimately he did want to dominate her. At the end of a night with her, he would know he'd won when she pleaded with soft words in his ear to let her come-or, gods willing, when she clawed his back as she begged.

When his shaft pulsed, her eyes widened. 'What are you musing about that has you reacting like this?' She raised her opened palms to him. 'Let me into your mind. Let me see your fantasies.'

'Why in the hell would I ever do that?'

'We could see your most secret desires, could watch them together. You know I can make all your wildest dreams come true if you let me into your mind.'

She took his shaft in her gauntleted hand, making him hiss in a breath. 'Still not convinced? Then ask me for a boon-within reason-and I'll grant it if you do this. There must be something you want from me ... ?'

11

'A boon?' He narrowed his gaze, the black irises intermittently flashing with that piercing green.

'Yes.' He really does have the most divine eyes I've ever seen. 'Just ask me.' How painful it must be for such a mighty king to have to bargain for things he wanted.

'This can only help your agenda.'

When she released the thick flesh pulsing in her palm, he seemed to bite back a groan. 'It's true that I could become clearer on how to satisfy you and tempt you even more.' And you could become clearer, too. Because I don't think even you know what you want. 'So make two requests.'

'There's nothing you'll actually grant me worth the disadvantage. You could see more than my fantasies.'

'Rydstrom, if I wanted whatever's in your mind, I could easily drug you with a truth serum. Besides, this isn't mind reading. Consider it more of a mind expedi­tion: And I'm going to display everything I find.'

'If I was considering this, I'd want a night with you, where I was unchained. And I'd want to be free within the cell when you're not here. And clothed.'

'What if you tried to release some steam when you were alone and unchained?'

Again that lock of hair fell over his forehead. 'I'd vow not to.'

'And you never break your vows?'

'No, Sabine. I don't.'

'Very well, demon.' She raised her palms to him.