Page 139 of Devil's Deal

“I will tell you, just not now. You didn’t specify when I had to do it.”

White hot flames of fury choke me from within. “And what’s your excuse for this one?” I hiss viciously, my fingers curling with the urge to stick them in his eyes.

“I wanted you to suck my cock since you’re the only person I enjoy right now,” he says with a lopsided shrug. He still holds me tightly. “You should know better than to make deals with the devil, poppy girl.”

I struggle viciously, trying to get out of his grip, but he has the audacity to hug me tight. He doesn’t even grunt with effort as I push and scratch, using my elbows, trying to get an angle to bite him. That fury winds around my spine and bursts into my head, turning my thoughts into an angry buzzing.

And still, he holds me. “I’ll make it up to you,” I think I hear. “Jaga, just stop for a fucking moment and…”

Stop? I’ve barely started. My zmora stirs in my chest, and I shove her out, opening the doors wide for all my fury and hate. She bursts into life, a magnificent creature with vicious claws and flaming red hair.

“What…” That’s as much as Woland says before she’s on him, her claws shearing down his face.

“Yes,” I gasp, feeling everything she feels, the skin of his cheek splitting open under her claws, hot blood rushing out. “Do his eye.”

But she never gets another chance to maul him. Woland stands with a roar, and I slide off his lap. He pounces on my zmora, pinning her to the ground. She struggles, spitting and hissing, but he holds down her legs with his, his hands restraining her wrists.

“What do we have here?” he asks, the skin on his cheek knitting itself together.

She tries to get free, but I feel her helplessness. He is so much stronger. So much more powerful. A sudden panic bursts to life in my chest, sickening and painful. If he kills her now… If he does anything to her…

I never should have let her out, but of course, I couldn’t control myself. If we get through this, she and I, I’ll have to train myself not to throw tantrums. But if I lose her, everything will be lost. She is what keeps me going.

“Woland, please,” I say, and he looks at me, his eyes shining.

“Come here, Jaga.”

There is no space to argue or disobey, so I follow his command at once, falling to my knees by his side. I look at my zmora, my heart filling with more pain and terror than I’ve ever felt at once. I don’t even think I was that scared when I was dying, because then, the sun and my injuries made me numb.

“I’m sorry,” I choke out, looking into her eyes filled with helpless rage.

“No need to be sorry,” Woland says with a low laugh, pinning her down harder when she struggles again. “She’s beautiful. So very you.”

He shoots me a wicked grin. Next thing I know, his mouth is on my zmora’s, and he kisses her, even when she bites him with a snarl. I feel it all, her fury, hate, and lust so powerful, it sweeps through me like a gale. I gasp, tearing at the grass to brace myself as Woland kisses down my zmora’s neck, and she whines long and loud, the taste of his blood in her mouth making her soar.

And of course it does. She is me.

Woland straightens and grabs her throat, releasing her wrists. With his free hand, he pulls me closer and kisses me, his blood and hers mingling in my mouth. And I hate him, so I rip into his lip, too, just like she did, and he laughs.

“You wild thing,” he says, pulling back, his eyes glittering with pleasure.

My zmora doesn’t even struggle now, just lies there, looking as dazed as I am. Woland leans in to give her one more kiss and stands up, motioning me toward her. I grip her hand and help her to her feet. We hug, melting back into one.

I clench my fists and turn to Woland. “You deserved it,” I grit out, glowering at him.

He only grins, coming closer until he buries his hand in my loose hair. “Few mortals can call on their zmoras while awake. I had no idea you had it in you,” he says with something that looks a lot like pride. “I thought your magic was too weak. Well done. Now I want you even more.”

I clamp my mouth shut so as not to reveal anything, because apparently, he doesn’t know the truth: that my magic isn’t weak but sealed away. At least, I hope it’s not weak. All I have to go on is Wiosna’s assessment from when I was a child.

This is another reminder Woland lies to me regularly. Not long ago, he let me think he knew everything that happened while he was away, but that’s evidently not the truth. He didn’t hear my conversation with Wiosna and he didn’t see my zmora.

It’s good to know I have some secrets to hold over him, even though I just revealed one in my anger.

“Well, I don’t want you at all, and I hate you. Go away,” I say, gritting my teeth.

He grows serious, gold eyes boring into mine. They hypnotize me, and I desperately want to fall in, but that’s not an option.

“Maybe another trade?” he asks softly, his thumb tracing my cheek. “An orgasm for an orgasm. I can make you come right now, and we’ll be even.”

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