Page 20 of The Female

Gray stiffens but remains quiet as the man begins to laugh.

“Is Daddy punishing you?” he continues, mocking Gray in a way that has me on edge.

I was under the impression Gray was powerful, and, as frightening as that may be, I was hoping it meant he would keep me to himself. What happens when others of his kind demand to use me? He’ll be in no position to saynoif he’s weak.

And what does he mean by “Aziel’s female”? I thought it was Gray who purchased me. He said I’m to serve him, not Aziel or Silas, so I don’t understand why he’d say I belong to the other man.

Am I some gift? A present from one demon to another? I want to vomit.

Gray tightens his hold on the back of my shirt, his fist closing around the fabric and forcing it to stretch against my front.

“That’s a good question! Would you like me to bring Daddy here for you to ask yourself? I’m sure the king of Wrath would love to meet the man who denied his female entrance into his kingdom.”

Silence follows Gray’s words, and a second later, he’s nudging me forward.

I’m too horrified to notice. The king of Wrath? There’s no way.

No.

Gray taps my back again, a quiet order to walk slipping from his lips when I don’t immediately move. I stumble, my mind running a thousand miles a minute as Gray leads me into the building and toward the giant portal sitting in the center of the room. It looks inconspicuous, like a large doorway leading into a darkened room, but I know it’s anything but.

“I’m assuming you’ve never gone through a portal before?” Gray asks.

I shake my head.

“Well, I’m not going to lie and say it’ll be a great experience. It’s better than me teleporting you, though. You’ll probably feel a bit sick, definitely dizzy, but I’ll be here to keep you on your feet.” He strokes my back again.

I hate how comforting the action is, and I find solace in knowing it’s his scent making me feel that way. I’m not going crazy. His lust would do that to anybody, and once there’s distance between us, I’ll feel normal again.

Gray doesn’t rush me as I stare at the portal, his movements slow as he lets me take the lead. I approach but pause before stepping through. Turning, I peer out the front doors of the building, desperate for one last look at the world I consider home.

6

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CHARLOTTE

MY STOMACH ISin my throat the moment my body materializes in the demon realm. I gag and slap my hands over my lips as I stumble forward. The ground hardens beneath my feet, the feeling of it only worsening my discombobulation as I bend over and heave.

Gray’s grabbing my torso a second later, his hold preventing me from toppling headfirst into the cement. I flail in my panic, and he wraps his arms around me as I struggle to regain my balance and find spatial awareness.

This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. And that’s saying something.

I go limp after emptying the contents of my stomach, the side of my head smacking against Gray’s ribcage as I hold on to him for dear life. He doesn’t say anything as I fail to collect myself, and he holds me silently as I squeeze my eyes shut and pant.

After a couple of seconds, I find the strength to open my eyes, forcing myself to unclench despite still feeling like the world is spinning around me. The moment my eyes are opened, though, I wish for them to be closed again.

I’m met with the sight of Gray’s ruined shoes, my sick having landed all over them and his pants.

Shit.

“It’s fine. One pair of shoes is hardly going to upset me,” he assures me, probably feeling my body tense as I stare at what I’ve done.

He tightens his hold as I try to twist out of his arms, my hands releasing his biceps before pushing him away. Gray lets me go before he seems to change his mind and grabs me once more.

“We might as well rip the bandage off. I’m going to teleport you now. It shouldn’t be too bad,” he says just as everything begins to spin again.

The pressure in my skull reaches an all-time high as I lose control of my neck muscles and my head lolls forward. I can feel my vision tunneling as the ground disappears from underneath me again, my consciousness fading as Gray teleports me.

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