Page 8 of Of Spindles and Nightfall
He looked at her in surprise, his nose wrinkling. “Why do you care about humans? Aren’t they nothing more than livestock to your kind?”
“Do we have a deal?”
His eyes narrowed, dimming their glowing brightness. “There is no changing your mind once the bargain is struck. If I agree to make you my kalator, you must see it through to the end or your life will be forfeit.”
“You don’t need to explain to me the rules. I know what will happen if I break a deal with you.”
He drew closer, like a predator toying with its prey. “Fine. Then here are the terms. You, Aryana, princess of the vampires, agree to act as my kalator, helping me, Zarathos, win the Demon Trials, whichincludes making your best effort at retrieving the vampire portion of the demon scepter and turning it over to me. In return, I will expend a reasonable effort to ensure you remain alive until I can free you from King Salen, by spinning straw into gold and…” He held out a hand, motioning for Aryana to continue.
She took a deep breath. “You agree to set the rules that I will give you among all demons, including vampires, if we unite the scepter, to ensure that innocent humans will be protected from being slaughtered.”
He gave a slow nod. “And I, Zarathos, shall set the rules that Aryana will give me among all demons that are under my authority. These rules will ensure that innocent humans will be protected from being slaughtered. Agreed?”
She let out her breath. “Agreed.”
“Shall we seal the deal with a kiss?”
She froze, her jaw dropping as she stared at him in horror.
He adjusted his cloak, a dark smile crawling across his face. “Well, I’m sure you don’t want to exchange blood. That tends not to go smoothly between demons, especially you being a vampire and all.”
Damn it, he was right. She scoured her mind for what she’d learned about demon bargains and couldn’t recall much other than her father’s warnings about entering one. Vampires distrusted most binding arrangements and refused to engage in them. “Is there any other way to seal the deal?”
“I’m afraid not. Don’t feel too flattered.” His caustic gaze flowed over her. “You aren’t the first demon I’ve made deals with.”
Her lip curled. “Fine then.”
He approached, his dark, musky scent rolling over her. She tilted her face up and looked at him, at his fiery eyes that sparked like the initial moment a star blinked into life in the darkness. His gaze dropped to her lips, and he pressed even closer, till their bodies touched. His clawed fingers came around her back. “One kiss and the bargain is sealed.”
“Then kiss me,” she said, a peculiar mix of heat and anger coursing through her.
“As you wish.” His lips descended to hers.
It would last only an instant. She stood rigid, holding still, waiting for it to be over. The touch of his hot, claiming mouth sent an unexpected searing shooting through her body. His sharp claws curled against her back, his cloak brushing against skin, surrounding her, suffocating her. An instinctual tremor shot down her spine. She fought to resist, but then his darkness encompassed her, like the gentle yet overpowering feel of nightfall’s first caress—intensifying, impossible to ignore. His hard, unforgiving mouth against hers deepened, coaxing her to respond. And she bent into him, returning his kiss, feeling his demanding seductiveness. The taste of him on her lips. She pressed harder, wanting more.
He pulled back, releasing her, and a small amount of disappointment gathered on her tongue. For the briefest of moments, the great demon arch king appeared caught off guard. He took a slow, steadying breath before that cocky smirk returned to his face.
“The bargain is sealed. I now claim you under my power. See you tonight, Vampress.”
Chapter 4
Zarathos
Zarathos appeared from the shadows about a mile outside his castle at the top of a cliff’s edge. The trees were sparse here but peppered the ground enough to still be called a forest. The first phase of his plan was complete. He had the vampire princess under his control.
And soon he’d have the scepter to make him unstoppable in the trials.
He frowned when he recalled the way her lips felt against his. Soft yet unyielding. There had been a fire behind it that Zarathos liked, which had stopped him from pulling back immediately. But that was neither here nor there. He’d have to be carefulnot to get too involved with the vampress. She was a fierce killer. The right hand of her uncle.
He’d learned that a few years ago when his spy had reported to him of how she’d butchered the demon ambassadors he’d sent to her uncle’s court. Demons hadn’t known what went on in the vampire court after their kingdoms separated, but Zarathos had managed to get at least one spy inside.
The deaths had happened quickly, quietly. And the vampire king had immediately taken credit for it. The only reason his spy discovered she had done the deed was because he had deduced it after several months of careful observation at the risk of almost getting caught.
Aryana certainly didn’t qualify as innocent. Of course, hardly any demon ever did.
That was how the game worked, and Zarathos took pride in how well he’d played his part in getting exactly what he wanted from the vampress. Now, he’d have to step back into character as he prepared to face the trial council.
Summoning his wings, he launched off the edge of the cliff. Evening’s final light faded, and he admired how the sun colored the sky with oranges and reds. It was too bad that the vampire princess couldn’t ever enjoy this time of day. He shut his eyes, appreciating the breeze in his shoulder length hair. He’d tucked his cloak into the satchel that was tied securely to his side for flight.
