Page 2 of Knotted
“Mmmm, isn’t this better?” The growl vibrated through me. My pulse raced through every cell of my body. I fought to keep my breathing even as it nuzzled against me. “You smell even sweeter than I imagined. All softness and fear. I could eat you up.”
A warm, wet tongue licked up the back of my neck. I shuddered in revulsion. Oh gods, this was going to be how I died. I was going to be eaten by a giant hellhound. Maybe this was how Lucifer was claiming my soul.
“You can’t eat me. I still have two months left.” It was an asinine thing to say. Of course, this giant beast could eat me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. A point made very clear when the claws pressed into my stomach. Not enough to cut into my skin, but enough to feel the sharp points against my flesh.
The beast laughed, the loud booming sound shook through me. It practically howled with it. After what felt like a century, the beast settled down and snuggled his snout into the crook of my neck.
“Oh, love, you are a delight.” The claws on my stomach ran down over the curve of my belly and up again, draggingmy shirt with it. The claws left red marks on my skin. I watched as the beast scratched me and willed myself to not react.
It didn’t seem interested in killing me, but it was toying with me. I wouldn’t give it a reason to change its mind. At least, not until I was free of its grasp.
“You’re going to be a good girl, now, right? If I let you go, you’re not going to run.”
I shook my head, unable to speak. My eyes locked on the claws gently flexing against my soft, rounded stomach. It would take so little pressure for it to rip into me. I was prepared to agree to anything if it meant freeing myself from the cage of its body.
Slowly, the beast released me. I scrambled off the bed and back against the wall. There was nowhere to go. The door was on the other side of the bed.a And I doubted I would be able to make it there before the beast stopped me.
The beast sat up, swinging oddly canine legs over the side of the bed. It rubbed its claws through its hair in what could have been an endearing gesture from a man, but was mostly unsettling coming from the hulking giant.
It was a classic wolfman. Both humanoid and canine in appearance, its whole body covered in thick, wavy black fur. Its eyes were black, the whites standing out starkly against all of the darkness. I suddenly desperately wondered if it had a tail.
That final thought broke me, and I burst out laughing. I couldn’t help it. This whole situation was so ridiculous. Laughter wheezed out of me and I doubled over with my butt against the wall and laughed.
“Oh, lovely,” the beast growled. “The human is mad.”
I drew myself up to my full height, a very not impressive or intimidating five-two, and wiped tears frommy eyes. I wasn’t mad. My life was insane. I was having a perfectly logical reaction to a literal werewolf in my bed. I told him so.
“You chose the form, love. I’m here to fulfill your fantasy.” It looked down at itself and huffed. “You humans, so little imagination.”
“I chose…” The words hit me and I looked around for the werewolf doll Clover had made me. It was still there, on the floor, peeking out from the end of the bed. “But you’re not in the toy.”
The beast stood and shook itself, a hint of tail peeked around his leg and I mentally applauded myself for not breaking into hysterics again. It drew itself up, up, up. The tips of its ears inches from the ceiling.
“What do you take me for? I am no mere demon.” It stepped forward, caging me in between it and the wall. “I am not limited by the same rules as those who came before me.”
A clawed paw landed on the wall above my shoulder. The beast loomed over me and grinned a terrifying, toothy grin. I took a shuddering breath and searched for a way out. But the beast filled my entire eyeline.
The only way out was through. I could do this.
“Okay, so you’re like a super-demon? Epic demon? Oh shit, are you Lucifer?”
The demon huffed. I couldn’t tell if the sound was amused, or annoyed. But its paw didn’t move, and I allowed myself to relax an inch.
“I am the demon lord Asmodeus. I am the commander of legions.” Its other paw landed on the wall, caging me in. The beast leaned down and settled its muzzle next to my face. “And, Violet, I’ve come for you.”
There was a small part of me thrilled over the dark,gravelly voice stating he came for me. It was a very small part. The tiny part that still wanted to believe in fairy tales and happy endings and dreams come true.
That part was incredibly stupid. As was the part that immediately had its hackles rise and act as though I would with anyone who tried to lay claim to me. I reached my hands up and shoved him back, using my arms to slam his hands down from the wall and giving me a moment to slide out from between him and the wall and into the open room.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I snapped at him.
He roared and spun, reaching out for me.
I sidestepped back and away. I wasn’t running. He’d done nothing to harm me and I had a sick feeling I knew what this was. I wasn’t in much danger. But I was pissed.
“Seriously, you come into my house, climb into my bed, while I am sleeping and what, think we’re going to ride off into the sunset together? Are you fucking delusional?”
“I could have just taken you. Claimed what is already mine.”
