Kiss of a Demon King

them caught the moonlight, reflecting in patterns of emerald shimmers.

Yes, I can be seductive. The demon wouldn't know what hit him when she turned on the charm.. . .

Once he'd eaten his catch-with exaggerated relish- and cleaned up the food, she waited a bit, commenting on the night and weather, then said, 'My arms ache, Rydstrom.' She flexed her fists for effect. 'They've been asleep for so long.'

When he gave her an appraising glance, she probed to read his mind, but he had those blocks firmly in place-

'I have a deal for you,' he said. 'If you answer any questions I ask, I'll free your arms for an hour.'

She just stopped her lips from curling. Well, that was easier than I'd figured. 'You have a deal, demon.'

28

'This wasn't part of the deal!' the sorceress screeched when Rydstrom waded into the pool. 'You didn't say anything about water!'

Though he cupped her ass, holding her up, she'd locked her legs tightly around his waist. Gods, she fit into his palms like she'd been made for him to hold her like this.

He was headed to a rock island he'd spied from aloft. Situated in the middle of the pool, it had a shallow bar circling it and was surrounded by deep water. 'I won't untie you anywhere else. This way you won't use your illusions to escape me-unless you want to swim back by yourself.'

'Swim! I've told you I can't swim! I don't like deep water!'

'Exactly.' Earlier, when he'd told her his intention, she'd tried to fight him, tussling against him as he'd stripped her. But to no avail. He had an agenda and wouldn't be moved from it.

This morning, he'd realized that to win some kind of affection from the sorceress, he would have to change his tactics with her.

When he'd gone hunting, he'd recalled that dream of his yet again. And he'd mused that if Bowen had used his head to win his witch, Rydstrom would do no less for Sabine. He would figure out how to make it work between them.

But first he had to understand her to determine the right way to garner her affection. To do that, he needed to earn her trust.

The puzzle of her . . . the challenge of them . . . Ryd­strom was up for it-and he was committed.

Once he'd waded in up to his chest, she cried, 'Go back, go back! What if you slip?' She was quaking.

'I won't slip, sweet. Look, we're here.' The pool grew shallow again. At the island, he set her to her feet in knee-high water.

Her gaze darted all around her. 'You can't understand how horrific I find this.'

Probably as horrific as I'd found my court.

'Sit there.' He pointed to a long, low rock. When she reluctantly did, he sat behind her, untying only the line that went between her rope cuffs. He set it beside him, keeping it within easy reach.

At once, she stretched her arms above her head, turning them this way and that. 'What about these?' she asked, scratching at the rope still on her wrists.

'They stay.'

'What? They itch like crazy!'

'They-stay.'

She seemed to bite her tongue against a sharp reply, instead saying, 'As you wish.'

To reward her cooperation, he began massaging her shoulders. She moaned, and her head dropped forward, her long hair parting over her neck. When her pale nape was left uncovered, he was helpless not to kiss it.

Her breath hitched in, and she shivered.

He kneaded her upper arms all the way down to her fingertips, then continuing back up. 'Better?'

'Hmm? Oh, yes, better.'

'Then it's time for questions.'

'Ask me, then.'

'How many times have you died?'

She tensed beneath his palms, but answered, 'Over a dozen.'

'What's it. .. like?'

'The most terrifying, wretched feeling you can imagine.'

'Tell me about one time.'

'A Vrekener had flown me high above a village, then dropped me. I was lying on a cobblestone street with my skull cracked open.' Her tone grew distant. 'You can feel your blood seeping out. Without the blood, the body gets so cold, but then, if it pools around you, it's like a warm blanket, for a few moments at least.'

He couldn't be hearing this ... that she'd been thank­ful for a pool of blood.

'Rydstrom,' she murmured. His hands were squeez­ing her too hard.

He let up the pressure. 'Why would they hurt you like that?'

'Because I killed their leader. The Vrekeners were responsible for many of my deaths. Including one of the drownings.'

'One of the . . . ?' He shook himself. 'When we get off-plane I will seek them out and inform them that you and your sister are under my protection. Any move against either of you will be considered an act of war against my kind.'

She turned to kneel before him, laying her delicate hands on his knees. 'You'd do rhat?'

'You're my female-I will never let anyone hurt you.' He brushed her face, and she scarcely flinched. 'Since your sister helped keep you alive, I'm indebted to her as well. Is she the black haired female who was in the cell after my injury?'

'Yes, her name's Melanthe. She's got to be so worried about me.'

'If there's an avian messenger among the refugees, we'll send word to her that you are unharmed.'

Sabine looked confused by him, then she smiled-a genuine, heart-wrenching smile.

It made his chest tight with feeling. 'You couldn't be more beautiful.'

She sighed, 'I know,' making his lips quirk. Then she added, 'You're not too shabby yourself. In fact, I think you're the most handsome male I've ever seen.'

He exhaled. 'Why do you always have to lie?'

'All right, you're not the most handsome. But you're in the top ten. Mayhe even in the top three.'

'As long as I made the podium.'

'I do love your body. You're an exceedingly well-made male.' She began touching him as if she was see-ing him for the first time, sweeping her soft palms over his chest, shoulders, and neck.

When she brushed kisses along the scar on his face, she said, 'How did you get this?'

'From a sword fight. When I was young, I was a brawler. That's how I broke my horn, too.'

'You weren't always so calm and steady?' When he shook his head, she asked, 'And the tattoo?'

'It was part of my rite of passage, to be marked with the image of a beast.'

'And the scars down . . . here?' She grazed the backs of her fingers along his shaft.

Her touches were setting his blood on fire, but he strove to keep control. He had an agenda, and he was playing to win everything from this woman.

His voice was hoarse when he said, 'Another part of the ritual. All demon males who reached a certain age had to complete it. Until I denounced it.'

'Why did you?'