Page 12 of The Princesses of Ruin
“Conqueror,” she says, gesturing to the man crumpled on the ground between us. “You’ve conquered another monster.”
She steps over him and pushes onto her toes as she stretches her arms toward my face. Her hands are cold and soft against my scales, their touch sending presently unwanted feelings buzzing through my veins. My discipline relents for a single, fleeting moment, and I lean into her touch.
“We need to return him to the Nest for questioning,” I say, enjoying the way her fingers caress the ridges of my demon’s armor.
“All work and no play.” She sighs, her hands slipping from my face.
I snatch her wrists and pull her close, leaning down so I can smell the rose scent of her skin and hair. “There will be time to play soon. Be a good girl for me, and I’ll make it worth your while.”
Her chest heaves. “And if I misbehave?”
I lean down, my lips brushing along her jaw as I reach her ear. She shivers again and the primal beast in me wants to misbehave, too. But there’s a war to be won, and a dark goddess to kill.
“Not a single orgasm for you,” I whisper, then nip her earlobe.
She smirks when I pull back. “As if you could stop yourself. You want them just as much as I do.”
It’s true. I live to hear her scream my name in ecstasy. But if it means keeping her safe, I will deny her. “Test me and you’ll find out, princess.”
“Oh, bossy Alastair,” she croons. “My favorite.”
If I had just a hair less restraint, it would be over for her. She seems to see the war in my eyes and smiles playfully.
“Come on, let’s get this dickwad back to the Nest,” she says, shoving the toe of her boot into the man’s ribs. I grab him under the arms and haul him against my side, then reach for Lily. She shakes her head. “We’ll be too heavy.”
“We’ll walk then,” I say, knowing just what’s on her mind.
She whines, pouting. “Please, Alastair. I swear I won’t do anything dangerous this time.”
“Did I not tell you to behave?” I ask, turning away with the unconscious man.
“I swear I will,” she says, walking backwards beside me so she can continue to have her disarming pout in full view. “Nothing fancy. Straight to the Nest. I promise.”
She clasps her hands under her chin and bats her eyes. It’s my undoing.
“Nothing fancy,” I say, pointing a talon at her.
She jumps and claps with a squeal of delight, then pulls off her shirt. I suck in a gasp at the sight, trying not to let that last hair of restraint snap.
She’s wearing a tight, backless bralette—one of Cecillia’s designs, no doubt. She turns around and exposes her neck to me. I trace my thumb over the runes etched down her spine and they come alive with my magic.
Bones shift under her skin, cracking and groaning to accommodate the modification we made together, one that I locked with my magic until she’s proficient. Slits open beside her shoulder blades and white bones spear out. Lily yelps, bending forward at the waist as she breathes heavily for an entirely different reason than moments ago.
The arching wings flex as thin, rubbery humerus bones grow out. Strings of green magic thread between the points like a web and then, with a burst of light, solidify into pale skin.
“Whoo!” she shouts gleefully as she stretches her back and rolls her shoulders.
“That never gets any less painful,” she says as she turns, knocking me with the tip of her wing. She grabs at it with a murmured “oops” and smooths over the spot.
“You’re sure you can do this?” I ask.
She nods. “Positive. I’ve added new muscle tissue just for them and practiced my balance every day this week.”
“If you fall, I can’t catch you,” I warn, gesturing to the man under my arm. It’s a lie, of course. I would drop this fool in an instant to catch her.
She turns her head up and fluffs her wings. “I’ll just fly lower to the ground.”
Even in war, when we’re tasked with hunting thieves and fighting the queen’s puppets, she finds ways to be happy. She is brightness in these dark times, my sun and stars.
