Page 38 of Daughter of the Darkened City

“We should keep going while we have daylight,” Avenay said, striding forward, past Enid.

But she wasn’t focusing,and her foot caught on a root, making her stumble forward.

Before anything could happen, though, Enid caught her around the waist, holding her upright. Avenay’s hands rested against Enid’s stomach, her face close to the demon’s neck, the midnight scent of herfilling the air, heady and sensual. Enid’s fingers dug into her hip, gripping her tightly.

“Are you okay?” she asked, her breath fluttering along Avenay’s cheek.

Avenay nodded, her brain a buzz of useless thoughts. She looked up, their noses brushing as she did.

“Good,” Enid said, her eyes darkening.

Avenay didn’t know how long they stood like that, bodies pressed tightly to one another, Enid’s fingers digging deeper and deeper into Avenay’s hips, a desperation there that made Avenay want her fingers digging harder and deeper still.

But then Enid released her, stepping back, her chest rising and falling heavily. “We should keep going while we have light.”

“Yes, as I’ve been saying,” Avenay replied, breathless, standing still, unable to think or move.

Enid smirked. “Try not to fall again. Or maybe I should carry you?”

Avenay rolled her eyes. “I think I’m far too big to be carried like a child.”

“Not for me,” Enid said. “I’m strong enough.”

Warmth rolled from her chest, over her stomach, between her legs again, and Avenay took another step back.

“I’ll be fine. Lead the way,” Avenay said, waving her hand.

Enid nodded, stepping back onto the path. Avenay groaned internally, trying to get a handle on her thoughts and racing heart. This thrall would be the death of her.

Chapter 15: Enid

Avenay was going to make Enid crazy. She was thankful for the distraction from her dark thoughts, but she’d scented her arousal, sudden and fierce, and it had almost toppled her to her knees, ready to beg for a taste.

She’d never felt like this before. Horny? Absolutely. But so wildly out of control? Like Avenay could give a command and Enid would scramble to fulfill it? Never.

“Enid,” Avenay chirped, her breathy voice making Enid’s traitorous mind wander to thoughts of how she’d sound if Enid werethe one to make her breathless. “I want to ask you a scientific question.”

“I’m not a scientist,” Enid replied, trying to wrangle her mind back to a proper place.

“Well, it’s more that I’m curious about a demonic phenomenon.”

“Okay…”

“The demonic thrall—how does that work?”

Enid stopped in her tracks. She knew some accepted the demonic thrall as real, but mostly by mystics. Many were skeptics at best. Did Avenay think it was real?

“Demonic thrall?”

“Yes, the one you use to seduce others so easily. Is it something you can control, or is it involuntary?”

Enid turned, grinning. Avenay was looking down and only stopped when she came almost face to face with Enid, startling, then looking up.

“You don’t believe the thrall is real, do you?” she asked.

Avenay frowned. “I know it’s real.”

“Oh? What proof do you have?”

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