Page 3 of Knotted
“My soul may be yours, in two months, but you’ll never have my mind or my body. You don’t get to claim those.”
A hand came out to grab a long section of hair. The move was gentle and yet somehow threatening. Sharp claws brushed through the strands, and he watched it fall through his hand. “We shall see, love.” With that oh-so-comforting statement, he released me and ambled out of my room. “What do you have to eat around here? I’m starving.”
I stared after him, completely incredulous. I had begun to believe whatever demon was sent my way might be my soulmate, but there was no way in Hell I was ever going to fall in love with that beast.
Chapter
Three
Iwas hiding in my bedroom from a demon and I didn’t know what to do about it. I’d already changed into a comfy blue sundress, secured my pink hair back into a braid, changed the bedding, sorted through the chair of clothing, either putting them back in the dresser or putting them in the dirty laundry as needed.
My phone was plugged in down in the kitchen, and my ereader was in my work bag. I didn’t have a TV in my room. I was sitting on my bed fidgeting with the skirt of my dress, trying to decide the best way to handle this situation.
“Come on, Vi, you’re better than this.” I told myself, trying to get the gumption to get up and leave my bedroom. Not that I thought the closed door would keep the beast out if he decided he wanted in. It hadn’t stopped him last night when he’d made his way into my bed.
I was still so angry about it. About him invading my space and stealing my sense of safety. The smell of him, a smoky amber, had seeped into my bedding and had me ripping the sheets off. They were in a tangled heap on the floor next to my laundry basket. I would haveto take the comforter to the laundromat, but there was no way I could sleep with his scent surrounding me.
“Okay, Vi. You can’t hide here forever.” I toyed with the end of my braid and then took a deep breath. I would not be a prisoner in my room, in my own home. I would go get a cup of coffee and a bowl of cereal and then go do my normal Saturday chores. Surely, I could come up with an answer to the demon problem while I was gone.
My plan went sideways when I made it to the dining room to find a full breakfast spread set out on my table. There were eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, toast, orange juice, a carafe of coffee sat steaming on a heat pad. How the hell had he done this? I knew for a fact I didn’t have any of it available in my house. My fridge was pathetically empty when I went to bed last night.
“About time you stopped hiding. I thought I was going to have to come get you.” I whirled around to see the beast come out of the kitchen carrying two plates with mugs and glasses balanced on top with silverware sticking out of the cups. A part of me wondered how he managed to carry it with the awkward gait his half-canine legs caused without dumping anything.
“I wasn’t hiding.” I snapped. A clear lie. “I was cleaning.”
“You keep telling yourself that.” He passed by me and walked to the table. “Are you going to sit?”
No. I did not want to sit down.
My stomach grumbled audibly. The beast sent an indisputable smirk in my direction. I could have ignored it, but my stomach was empty and the food looked damn good. It would be a damn shame to waste it.
“How?” I asked, gesturing to the table as I waited forhim to sit before picking the chair farthest away. Another smirk.
“Being a demon lord comes with some privileges.” The look he shot me had me flashing hot. Fire was banked in those black eyes. And I hated myself just a little for being affected by it.
I looked away and took a plate, loading it up with food before smothering all of it in maple syrup. Real maple syrup. Not the imitation stuff I usually bought because it was cheaper.
I forked up a giant bite of pancake and froze. I knew better than to accept food from the fae, but I had never heard any lore about food from a demon lord. It was probably a bad idea.
“It’s not poisoned.” Asmodeus said, scooping up a forkful of eggs and shoving it into his mouth.
“What’s not poison for a demon might be fatal for a human. You could be trying to kill me.” I set the fork down and was about to push away from the table when he grabbed my wrist. Claws wrapping carefully around the delicate skin. It was a firm hold, but not painful.
“You will come to no harm by my hands.” His voice was low and serious and caused tension to curl in my belly.
“What about one of your minions? If they made it and delivered it, then it wouldn’t be your hands.” It was a little convoluted, but I could trust nothing.
“Your life is safe from me and mine.” He stared me down. I couldn’t escape from his gaze. “I’ve waited so long for you, my love. I would hardly let you come to harm now I’ve found you.”
I didn’t know what to make of it. This hulking beastly demon knew nothing about me. I didn’t care if he’d been watching me since we’d done the spell, it was hardlyenough to know me. The last ten months had been wasted on pointless dates and futile searches for information on how to escape the deal we’d unwittingly made. It was hardly a true representation of who I was as a person.
“You don’t know me.” I said, pulling my arm free from his grasp. “You don’t know anything about me. Whoever you think you’ve been waiting for, it isn’t me. And I’m not your anything.”
I pushed away from the table and the feast there and left the room. A large part of me had expected the demon to follow me and stop me. And if a small part of me was disappointed he didn’t, well, we wouldn’t think about that small, stupid part.
Chapter
Four
