“Fuck, I don’t even know why I did that. I can’t even eat this anyway.” She lifted the bottle back up with her thumb and forefinger, then stuck her unstained middle finger in her mouth as if licking it clean. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Oliver flash his teeth in excitement.
The bait was set. Now it was time to reel him in. From everything she had read, demons were supposed to love games, and this one seemed particularly enamored with her. “You see, I get the impression that you don’t want me to leave here. However, I do not wish to stay. So there must be something I can offer you in return for your cooperation.”
“You mean other than amusement?” Oliver set down his wine glass and pulled off his gloves. The palms of his hand were red, and his fingernails were black and glossy. He traced a line down Beth’s chin, across her neck, and then along her bare shoulder, toying with the strap of her nightgown. “Hmm. Give me a minute to think about your proposition.”
She shivered in response. “While you think, may I look around your garden?”
“Please.” Oliver smiled, his horns glistening. Beth stood and wandered out into the small maze of hedges. She lightly touched the foliage, greeting the statues again as she passed.
Once she was away from the demon, she wiped her fingers clean on her gown. Oliver was clearly interested in her sexually, and if her plan had worked, figured she was already stuck here. There would be no harm in telling her how to get home, but he would toy with her first, maybe even take advantage of her.
Good. She kept the smile off her face. Beth had had a monster fetish since she was a teen and a collection of weird dildos currently at home to prove that it had never faded. Freaky monster dick got her off, and though the demon himself sent chills down her spine, he also lit a fire in her groin. She wondered if he had a tail and if his horns were sensitive. Something about his skin made her want to taste him, to explore every inch of his body, find out what he liked. His attitude wasn’t unpleasant, and she was sure he was bored out of his mind waiting for something to do.
Or somebody. She really hoped that he couldn’t read her mind because she was banking on the idea that he would think she would be unwilling to play his game. A large hippo statue waved at her enthusiastically from the other side of a small hedge, so she waved back. The garden was charming, but she was fully aware of the danger it hid.
God, the thought of it was making her wet.
“I have decided.” Oliver appeared before her, the air reeking suddenly of matches and coal. “We shall play a game. Winning the game means that I will tell you how to leave. Losing the game means that you remain here with me, forever.” His hands were on her, a fresh prize in his sights. She felt the power of his touch, the heat of his flesh through her nightgown. “What do you say to the terms?”
“How can I trust that you will keep your word?” Beth asked, putting a delicate tremble in her voice. She needed him off guard, to see her as a victim. Oliver most likely thought he had already won, but what if he could read her mind? What if he was already two moves ahead of her and knew about her deception?
“Demons cannot tell a lie when directly asked. We can twist the truth, or deceive, but the nature of any indentured servant such as myself is the inability to lie.” Oliver shrugged. “It is quite the inconvenience, but it makes me very good at what I do.”
“Winning means that you allow me to leave unhindered. You nor anything here will attempt to stop me.” Beth winked. “I also accept your terms on the grounds that the process for leaving is actually possible for a woman of my abilities. I would hate to discover that leaving requires the use of magic or transforming into a bird and flying away.”
Oliver’s grin faltered. “What are you, some kind of attorney?”
Beth moved close enough that she could smell the wine on his hot breath. His confusion was genuine, and his eyes had flashed earlier when she’d asked him a question. It would seem he only knew something if he was asked about it. Perfect. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
Oliver laughed, his eyes crinkling in delight. “Oh, I am going to have so much fun with you!” He waved his hand, and they were back in the gazebo. Curtains hung from the windows, transforming the gazebo into a room. The food was gone, replaced by a series of soft, leather chairs.
“We have a deal?” Beth asked.
“Absolutely.” Oliver bowed, indicating with his hands that she should sit on the couch nearest to him. She did his bidding, crossing her legs slowly. “Now, the rules for this game are simple. You are allowed to ask me any three questions, which I will answer truthfully. However, I will ask you to perform a task for me before I answer any of your questions. You will use these three questions to figure out how to escape from this place. The game ends when you either refuse to complete a task or you figure out how to leave. Do these rules make sense to you?”
“I think so,” Beth told him. “However, prior to the game itself actually starting, I want to clarify a few
