Page 51 of A Study of Blood and Ichor

“Sure,” I muttered as I rolled my eyes.

“This is not a game, Ava. Walking into a nest full of demons with you will be like waving meat in front of a starved harpy. You will be nothing but prey to them.”

“Is that how you see me?” I asked, feeling bold. “As prey?”

Vain didn’t answer, just stroked his thumb across the pad of my palm.

“You must act as if I’ve glamoured you. The minute we walk through those doors, you are my plaything. You will bend your will to me, and me alone, do you understand? Anything I say, whatever I tell you to do, you will obey. And you must remain by my side at all times.” Vain’s voice was smooth as silk, domineering and urgent, but also edged with caution.

Obedient. Submissive. That’s how he expected me to play my part. Vain’s glamoured whore.

“Must you treat me like a dog?”

Vain’s eyes flared. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal,” I seethed at him as I gritted my teeth and dared myself not to meet his gaze. While I was pleased I’d forced Vain to bend to my will by bringing me along with him, his belittling demands left me simmering with contempt. He snatched my chin between his fingers and forced me to look up into his face.

“Say it again. But this time, make me believe it.” Vain’s voice turned thick with lust. “Convince me that I’ve glamoured you.”

I forced my eyes to glaze over, as if I were truly under his wicked spell, pliant to his every will. “I promise to obey you, Vain. Only you.”

“Very good, pet.” The gleam in the demon’s eyes turned wicked as he took a step closer. “You almost look eager enough to be fucked like my good little toy. Wouldn’t you like that?”

His words shot a throbbing ache through me, and I attempted to mask it with a flippant eye roll, hating myself for wondering what he might feel like. “You’re a vile, pathetic—”

Vain clicked his tongue. “Ah, ah. Try again. Show me how much you want me. Convince me.”

There was no glamour behind his words, but the jolt they sent through my body affected me all the same. Keeping my eyes trained on his, I brought my hands to his abdomen and slowly inched them up his chest, my fingers skating over the warm silky fabric of his dress shirt and feeling the taut muscles underneath.

“Please,” I whispered, the sound heady with desire, “fuck me.”

Dropping my chin, Vain moved to cup my face in his palm, and I shivered. The smile he gave me in return was sinful, and I was painfully aware of the way my thighs slicked together when I shifted uncomfortably from one heel to the other.

“Such a good mortal,” Vain said as his thumb swept over my cheek. “Now, let’s go put on a show.”

My skin prickled at the warm touch of his right hand as it settled against my lower back, guiding me up the steps of the townhouse and through the front door.

“Deep breaths, mellilla.”

His words were useless because my lungs felt like they had turned to ice, with each breath shallower than the one before the moment I stepped a foot inside. I kept my head down as we entered into the crowded foyer, avoiding unnecessary eye contact with the demons mingling amongst one another. The energy and power crackling through the air set every hair on my body bristling with dread.

Every one of them seemed to be alerted to the presence of fresh, mortal blood at the same time. Dozens of heads swiveled in my direction as we passed, eyeing me hungrily, as if they craved my fragile mortality in one way or another; either to feed off of it, or to crush it helplessly between their claws. They roamed free of any wards or iron cages, laughing and howling amongst one another, and I was filled with a curious mix of both awe and terror.

Vain wrapped a possessive hand around my upper arm and led us through the crowded space. Whenever I got too close to another demon, he deftly maneuvered me so none ever came close to touching me.

Most of the ones I snuck glances at appeared to be higher demons, mostly humanoid in form but many bearing a common assortment of infernal attributes. One demoness with bright golden eyes and bronze skin moved gracefully between the other guests, carrying a thin champagne flute while keeping her leathery wings tucked tightly against her back, the hem of her red gown nipping at her heels and a thin spiked tail swishing lazily behind her.

I nearly avoided crushing it with my heels before almost bumping into a demon with a bulking figure and a wolfish snout. His dark blue fur bristled and he chuffed as we passed him and the bone-thin human man he kept on a short chain leash. The collar sagged around the man’s neck as if it had grown loose over time, and his eyes held an emptiness I couldn’t describe, heavy lids fluttering as he swayed in a trancelike state—glamoured.

Vain directed me behind the beast with a sharp tug at my waist. He seemed to be familiar with the layout as we worked our way through the crowd and up a flight of stairs. I made a detailed mental floor plan as we went, noting every possible exit since I worried whatever plan Vain had might go horribly south.

A very human scream tore from somewhere amidst the rolls of laughter and howling jeers, and it took everything in me not to flinch at the sound.

Lowering his head, Vain spoke softly into my ear when we reached the third floor. “You’re calmer than I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

Vain shrugged. “Most humans, even witches, startle easily around demons. Especially when there are this many in one place.”

---