Page 17 of The Demon's Tongue

The dark elf's hot, rough hands fumble with the straps of my dress, his fingers brushing against my skin and making me shudder with revulsion. I squeeze the crystal so hard it bites into my palm, the sharp edges drawing blood. The pain grounds me, reminds me that I'm still fighting. I won't give up, not while I still have breath in my body.

And then, suddenly, the dark elf makes a strange noise. It's a gargling sound, like he's choking on something. His grip on me loosens, and the weight pushing itself on my body disappears.

"What the—" he sputters, stumbling back.

I open my eyes to see him clutching at his throat, eyes wide with panic. A faint, silvery mist seems to be seeping from his mouth, nose, and eyes.

"Holy shit," I breathe, watching in horrified fascination as the mist streams towards the crystal in my hand.

The dark elf collapses to his knees, still making that awful choking sound. His skin turns ashen, his eyes rolling back in his head.

"What's happening?" I ask, but there's no one to answer.

The dark elf's body crumples to the ground with a sickening thud, his eyes wide and empty. I stare at the lifeless form, my heart pounding hard in my ears. The crystal in my hand pulses with an eerie warmth, and I swear I can hear a faint whisper coming from within.

"Holy fuck. Shit," I breathe, my voice barely audible. "Did I just... kill him?"

I stumble back, my legs hitting the edge of the bed. I sit down hard, unable to tear my eyes away from the body. The reality of what just happened crashes over me suddenly.

There should be some remorse in taking someone's soul. But right now, I feel… relieved. Amazed, even. Thrilled that I have this sort of power.

And now, that sick bastard's soul thrums gently in my palm. Within the crystal Calix gave me.

Maybe stealing souls isn't too bad of a task after all.

9

CALIX

Iobserve with amusement as Geneva successfully traps the soul of the drunken dark elf into the crystal. I'm quite impressed with my dear human.

Look at how far she's come. From a scared little thing, desperately begging me to help her, to a young woman swindling a dark elf's soul and depositing it into my crystal. A sickening satisfaction fills me. In a way, she feels like my protege.

Once the dark elf's body crumples to the floor, I casually materialize in the room, lounging on the lavish bed as if I belong there. She sits on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily, her eyes never leaving the limp body.

"Look who's embracing her darker side," I drawl, a smirk playing on my lips.

Geneva whirls around, her green eyes wide. Her chest heaves with rapid breaths, the revealing garments accentuating her figure in a way that's hard to ignore. I don't try to hide the way my eyes trail down her curves.

"You!" she hisses, clutching the crystal tightly. "Where were you? I could've—he almost?—"

I wave a dismissive hand. "But he didn't. And now you've got your first soul. Congratulations."

She glares at me, those green eyes of hers practically sparking with fury. "You were watching the whole time, weren't you?"

"Guilty as charged," I admit, not bothering to hide my amusement with the situation. "I had to see if you had it in you. And I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised."

Geneva's jaw clenches. "You're a bastard."

"Demon, actually," I correct her, sitting up on the bed. "But I'll take the compliment."

I watch as Geneva's eyes narrow, her chest heaving with each angry breath. The fury radiating off of her is palpable, and I can't help but find it deliciously entertaining.

"I can't… I can't fucking believe you!" she hisses, her fist clenching the bedsheets underneath us. "You didn't lift a finger to help me! I called out for your help!"

I raise an eyebrow, my smirk never faltering. "Oh? I thought you wanted to prove yourself. Isn't that why you summoned me in the first place?"

Her knuckles turn white. "Prove myself? I could have been—" She chokes on the words, her eyes darting to the lifeless body on the floor.

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