Page 157 of Devil's Deal

“What are you?” I ask, taking a step back.

The woman laughs, the sound clear and beautiful. “You’re perceptive, aren’t you, sweetest? Come and bathe with us. We’re good company.”

I shake my head slowly. “You’re rusalkas, aren’t you? But I heard you seduce only men.”

She shrugs, those beautiful breasts bouncing above water and back under the surface. “We’re not picky, especially in these parts. Mortals don’t come here often. What brings you? Why don’t you come in and tell us your story?”

I realize I’m standing right at the edge of the pond. I don’t know why I came closer when I should be running in the other direction, but the rusalka’s voice is so melodic and compelling, I can’t resist obeying her.

“Take off your dress,” she says, her voice gaining a songlike quality as she watches me hungrily. “And come here. We’ll have a wonderful time together. You will feel so good with us.”

I do as she says, throwing my dress aside, when one of the other rusalkas stirs, her eyes widening when she takes me in.

“Wisla,” she growls, her voice completely unlike the other’s. I freeze, the spell breaking. “Look at her chin.”

The first rusalka’s eyes narrow and then widen. She stands, taking a step back from me.

“I’m so sorry!” she screeches, no longer melodic and charming. “I didn’t know you were his! Please, don’t tell him we tried to drown you!”

I blink, shaking off the remnants of her spell. Then I touch my chin. Finally, an upside to this cursed mark. “Drown me?” I repeat. “You said nothing about drowning. You told me I’d have a wonderful time!”

I’m a bit miffed, mightily scared, and on the verge of bursting into laughter when I see how terrified they are. The third one, who hasn’t said anything yet, sobs quietly into Wisla’s hair.

Their glamours disappear, and now I see them as they truly are, covered with shimmering green, blue, and pinkish scales, their faces alien and yet beautifully proportional, their hair wild and flowing as if submerged under water.

Their bodies are luscious with feminine curves, bedecked in scales that gleam like jewels.

“I’m sorry!” Wisla screeches again, panicking. “It’s just, we can’t tell people we will drown them, can we? Would you have come in if I said that? But I didn’t lie! You would have had a wonderful time with us. We make sure everyone has that. The best hours of your life!”

I laugh then. They all gasp with fear when I step into the pond. I realize it’s not of natural origin, because its sides are made of smooth, even stones, and so is the floor. The water is gloriously warm. I sit, and it reaches almost to my chin. All three stare at the brand on my face with fear in their eyes.

I’d pity them, but then, they were planning to kill me.

“Fine. You can give me a wonderful time, just don’t drown me after.”

They seem even more scared than before, if that’s possible. The two other rusalkas cower behind Wisla, shaking, while she watches me with those uncanny blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, but we cannot touch what’s his,” she finally says. Her lower lip trembles.

Now I’m confused. “Touch what’s his? What exactly do you do to people before you drown them?”

“We pleasure them, of course,” she answers, slightly incredulous that I have to ask. “With our mouths and fingers. We can breathe underwater, don’t you know? Women love when we eat their pussies in the pond. And I’d love to, I really would, because you’re gorgeous for a mortal, but you surely understand. He would kill me if I touched his woman.”

I take a deep breath and don’t make a sound, giving myself time to digest this. A blush creeps up my cheeks at the compliment, and I try not to think what would have happened if I didn’t bear Woland’s mark. They blink at me, still wary but no longer afraid, and when I don’t do anything threatening, they slowly come closer.

“And why do you do that?” I ask. “Pleasure people and then drown them?”

They exchange quick looks before Wisla answers.

“Because that’s how we feed our magic and stay alive. We feed off mortal lifeforce. There’s some in orgasms, so we milk people first, and then when they drown, their lifeforce suffuses our water.”

I tense, looking around the pond. “Do you mean to say…”

“Oh, it’s all used up,” she says, waving her hand carelessly. “Not that it would do you any good. Mortals can’t feed off each other’s lifeforce. But you don’t need that, do you? He is so powerful, he’ll probably keep you young and beautiful forever.”

She sighs wistfully, curling a lock of hair around her scaly finger. I think she’s jealous, gods only know why.

I snort. “Or until he gets bored with me.”

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