Page 46 of The Demon's Discovery
Placed neatly on the square coffee table were things from all over the market. The emerald scarf made by the special worms. A box full to overflowing with several of the treats I’d sampled. Another book I’d regretted leaving behind but had wanted slightly less than the two I’d chosen. A new hairbrush with bristles spaced far apart that wouldn’t pull so badly through my curls. Some delicious varieties of fruit I’d never seen before. A braided bread I remembered having during the solstice holidays as a child but hadn’t seen in years. A dozen little things I’d lingered over for barely a moment, or maybe briefly touched.
I spun, finding Vassago still standing in the hall right where he had been.
“What have you done? And how? When?” I asked, though the questions came out on a laugh. Shock warred with pure elation at the novel experience of receiving gifts. He’d been a wonderful companion the whole day, following along patiently, explaining something here, holding something there. But he’d done so much more.
He’d paid attention. To me. To everything. The whole time.
“These are just some trinkets, Little Dragonfly. Take them as mementoes of your first visit to the city. Inconsequential, frivolous perhaps. But they brought you joy.” His brow furrowed. “I worry that you’ve had far too little of that in your life. The coin I spent today means nothing in the grand scheme. I would spend a hundred times that to see you smile like you did while we walked around the market. I would take you back tomorrow, and the day after, stopping only when you’ve had your fill. You need only ask.”
My throat clogged with emotion, rendering me speechless. Instead, I stepped right up against him, and threw my arms around his waist. He pulled me in close, both of his hands splayed wide along my spine. He breathed deeply, his mouth lingering in the curve of my neck.
I pulled back only enough to put my hands on his face and kiss him. He grunted in surprise, his grip on me tightened as he tasted me slowly right there in the quiet hall.
The way his lips moved against mine was intoxicating, and time was of no consequence as we mapped one another’s mouths. One of his hands slid to grip my ass as he pressed me against him, his sharp fangs pricking my bottom lip. He followed the sting with a swipe of his tongue before diving back in again, his other hand cradling the back of my head as he took everything he needed from our embrace. It was like he was drawing out my very essence, drinking from my lips as he rumbled a soft groan and caused every nerve in my body to stand at attention.
When we finally broke apart, he ran gentle fingertips down my cheek as I remembered how to breathe, eyes bright red and canines vicious. “Get some rest, Greta.”
He kissed my knuckles as I moved away, still able only to nod.
I wondered if I would survive this man or if that was even necessary as long as he was going to keep kissing me like that.
Chapter 20
Vassago
“What bug has crawled up your backside, demon?” Magnus growled at me over breakfast.
“What do you mean?” I grumbled, setting my cup down harder than I’d meant to, coffee sloshing over the rim. I’d spent a restless night pacing my apartment. My curse was riding my nerves hard day in and day out, no matter how much tincture I took.
I needed to tell Greta about my ability to see into memories as well, and I worried about putting yet another burden on her shoulders. We’d crossed several lines we couldn’t uncross, and it was only fair to her to be honest about what happened when I consumed as little as a single drop of her blood. I just wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, nor prepared for the potential negative reaction she might have to it. My gifts were a never-ending source of frustration for me, despite the incredible outcomes they had the potential to provide when used properly.
Not to mention the man responsible for putting that forsaken ring on Greta’s finger was a ghost. Nobody knew anything abouthim other than he was wealthy and rarely came to the city. I’d done plenty of asking around while we were in town, and nothing had come of any of my leads. It was odd. More than, in fact. Add to that the glimpse I’d gotten of someone who was the very image of the man I’d long searched for… and I was out of sorts.
Nobody else had that specific auburn hair; the look on his face showed all too clearly he’d been up to no good. It had been decades, but I’d never forget him. He was responsible for Lilith’s book disappearing from my possession the last time around, not to mention my hateful curse. If he was in Revalia, I would find him and end the decades-long feud we found ourselves in by ending him. Besides all that, I still hadn’t located the actual necklace I’d been hired by Henrik to find.
Between the three, I was beyond agitated. I hated not being able to locate something I was searching for, despised the feeling that I’d failed. All of these things added to that had made me want to climb out of my own skin with anxious rage.
“That,” he said, pointing at the mess I was cleaning up with a napkin. “You’ve been stalking around here all morning like someone stole your favorite toy.”
Greta was in the kitchen with Grace, which I was thankful for. He wasn’t wrong, but nobody liked to have their bad mood pointed out to them. “I didn’t sleep well,” I said, hoping that would be enough explanation.
“My sympathies.” He sipped at his tankard of coffee, head tilted to the side. “What’s happening there? Your hand.”
I dropped my hand to my lap, annoyed that he’d noticed I’d been pressing the heel of it into the space over my heart. “My chest hurts.”
Magnus stilled. One eyebrow went up slowly. He glanced at the closed door of the kitchen, making sure we were alone. “What do you mean your chest hurts? Did you fall out of the skyor something? Have a wound left from the day we battled the demons?”
I blew out a breath and sat back in my chair, annoyed with myself that I’d not only let the discomfort get to me, but also that I’d let it show to others. “Just what I said, stone man. Something under my ribs is burning. Not from an injury, either. It simply won’t leave me, no matter what I do. It’s nothing.”
“I see.” Magnus gave me a solemn stare, compassion in his expression. That quickly melted away though, and his booming laugh rang out throughout the dining room.
I sighed, regretting having said anything at all. “Dare I ask? What exactly are you laughing about?”
“You. Well, you and your brother. In complete denial, the both of you.”
“Denial? About what?” I barked the question more testily than I’d meant to, which only made him laugh harder. One of his meaty fists thumped the tabletop, making our plates jump.
“Oh, I wish he were here!” He wiped the tears in his eyes the laughter had brought forth.
