Page 81 of Prince of Demons
Slowly, finger by finger, he relaxed his grip on her hip, then leaned back against his throne in utter dismissal, allowing her to get up.
Good riddance.
Georgia got to her feet, lifted her chin, and surveyed the forty-nine men there to court her.
Even blind to their true nature as she was with the mark Kesh had given her, it was impossible to pretend they weren’t something other. The low hum of power in the room itched against her skin, and the way they watched her with singular, unified focus was as preternatural as it was unsettling.
But they were also her future.
Her choice.
“Well? Are you going to court me, or what?”
41
Georgia
Another moment’s complete silence. Then, the black-haired lord with the scar rumbled a low laugh. “You’re a spicy little thing, aren’t you? Very well. Let’s get you courted, Breeder.” He stepped forward and bowed elegantly before the dais. “Please allow me the honor of a dance.”
“There’s no music.”
His lips curved up in a wry smile. Music taken straight out of a Regency movie began playing in the hall, summoned from thin air. He held out a hand toward her, palm up.
“Well, that’s certainly a more pleasant use for your magic than what I’ve seen so far.” Georgia took the first step down the dais, studying his features. He was handsome in his human disguise, and the way he looked at her as if she were a surprising puzzle wasn’t entirely unpleasant. If he had been human, no doubt he’d be several miles out of her league.
And yet, a knot of reluctance tightened her stomach at his outstretched hand.
Without meaning to, she glanced over her shoulder at Kesh.
He didn’t even look at her. He was staring straight ahead at the gathered lords, chin propped up on one hand, looking regal and bored.
Georgia drew in a deep breath and turned her focus back to the waiting lord. Carefully, she placed her palm in his.
He closed his warm fingers around her wrist, carefully, and gently drew her down the final step and closer to his body. “Do you know the steps? Modern women dance to different music, I know.”
She shook her head, and he smiled indulgently. “Don’t worry, little Breeder. I’ll show you.”
“My name is Georgia.” The tartness of her voice made him shoot her a chastised grin.
“My apologies, Georgia. Breeder is a title of honor, but I will use your lovely name if you prefer. Is it a shortening of Georgina?”
“Yeah. My mom was reading a book with a main character called Georgina at the time she found out she was pregnant with me.” There was an odd twinge in her chest at the thought of her mother being pregnant with her. She remembered her excitement when she was carrying Larry, but somehow the idea that she might have felt similar joy with Georgia was… alien.
She pushed it down, with the rest of the tense emotions she didn’t have the capacity to deal with. “And what can I call you?”
“I am called Arduk.” He slipped his hand to her waist and pulled her in close. A snarl rose up from several of the other lords. One of them took a step toward them, his nostrils hiking up in a silent snarl that made Georgia’s heart give an involuntary spasm of fear.
Arduk looked up over her head to the prince. “Your Highness—if we are to court lovely Georgina without… incident, may I request your tempering rule to avoid any interferences? I would so hate to rip the horns off Lord Haru and traumatize the sweet girl in my arms, but if he takes another step in my direction, I’m afraid blood will be shed in your hall.”
“You are monopolizing the girl!” the male who’d stepped toward them—presumably Lord Haru—snarled. Growls of agreement from the others rumbled through the throne room.
“You are the most powerful beings on this continent. You are what stands between us and destruction at the hands of our enemies, demons and gods alike. Yet this is how you behave? One whiff of a Breeder, and you need to be reminded what I will be duty bound to do to you if you put the girl in any whisper of danger? Form a fucking queue! You get five minutes each. I am not losing some of our most valuable allies over a cunt.” Kesh’s voice cracked like a whip, boredom giving way to irritation. Though his words weren’t aimed at her, they still cut to the bone.
She sucked in a slow, deep breath and, projecting her voice with her whole chest, snapped, “And just so we’re clear, anyone who would ever so much as consider referring to me as a ‘cunt’ doesn’t need to bother with their five minutes. I will not be considering your courting.”
“Noted,” Arduk said, a playful smirk pulling at the corner of his lips as he led her a few steps away from the dais. “You wish to be treated with respect. It’s a fair request.”
“It’s not a request,” she growled as he began leading her in a few simple steps to follow the old-fashioned music. “It’s a bare minimum.”
