Page 57 of Ringmaster
Azrael smiles—a wicked, mischievous thing. Before I can catch my breath, his finger curls inside me, stroking a spot so sensitive it sends pleasure rushing through me. His mouth finds mine again as I grind into him, chasing more friction. His tongue mirrors the rhythm of his fingers. Then he adds a second. I stretch around him, the fullness proving to be exactly what I needed. In just a few strokes, I’m coming completely undone, coating his fingers in my slick release.
Drenched in sweat and breathless, I sigh, only to whimper when he slides his fingers from me. I watch, helpless and desperate, as he brings his fingers to his mouth—sucking them clean. It’s too much. In an instant, he’s gone from beneath me. My mattress replaces his warmth. He stands on the other side of the room, eyes dark and fists clenched.
Did I do something wrong?
As if reading my thoughts, he whispers, “I have to go. Not now. Not like this. I want our first time to be special.”
He takes a step toward me but stops. “One kiss from you is enough to last a lifetime. I shouldn’t have let it go this far. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t do this. Don’t ruin tonight, “ I beg.
“I won’t.” There’s restraint in his voice. He’s fighting it. Fighting me. Shadows blur in my room, curling around me in a protective embrace. He steps close again, cups my face, and kisses my forehead. Then my lips—soft, lingering.
“Good night, angel,” he rasps.
“Good night,” I whisper back.
He cups my face one more time. Pain flickers in those icy blue eyes. “I want you too badly to take you gently. When I come for you, it won’t be soft. It’ll be forever.” And then he vanishes into the night. Nothing more than shadow and night.
It feels like a dream, the way he disappeared like mist. But the wetness between my thighs says otherwise. I wrap the blanket tighter, reach up to lock my window, close my eyes—slipping into a dream where he stays to finish what he started.
Chapter 32
Azrael
Darkness surrounds me as layer after layer of shadow conceals every step I take along the empty streets. The closer I get to the Oceanside Market and trading docks, the louder the sound of crashing waves lapping gently at the sand grows. I peer ahead into the darkness, scanning for any sign of life. My hand lightly grips the hilt of my sword—magic snapping and crackling between the metal and my skin. I’m ready to unsheathe it at the first hint of danger.
Under the glow of the moon, I bask in the quiet of the night, knowing full well if this Leyak is half as dangerous as the last one I vanquished, it’s already stalking me, or worse, has the hunter doing its handiwork and is avoiding getting too close. If it’s smart, it won’t risk meeting me face to face unless it believes it has an advantage. I’ve never lost a battle. My reputation is solid in the courts. Shadow Prince. Demon slayer. Soul sucker. Most know they are no match for me.
To catch the Hunter and the Leyak, all I need to do is lure them into the trap I set earlier. I plan to eliminate the Hunter first. He’s the easier of the two escaped demons to eliminate. Afterwards, I’ll summon the Leyak from the shadows. And if I’m lucky, I’ll expose the hoard and send the snatchers back to Hell as well. I’ll show Lucifer I have no problem following through with my tasks.
The moon glows overhead, making it easier to move through the dark. I know the Leyak is hiding in one of the shanties in the smaller villages along the other side of the market—where lawlessness thrives and no one asks questions when someone vanishes. Loved ones carve the names of the missing into the stone at the center of the town. It’s the only memory of those lost to the snatchers—or far worse creatures—who make their way into the town.
Moving stealthily, I step into the deserted marketplace. Thoughts of Mercy fill my head as I think about all the times I’ve watched over her from the shadows, while she visited with her cousin, or retrieved food from her uncle. How could I have been so reckless tonight? I can’t believe I allowed things to go that far. It was nearly impossible to leave after I licked her pleasure from my fingers. I wanted more. I wanted to wrap my mouth around her, to savor the taste. It took all my self-control to walk away. And now… now I’m just as bloodthirsty as I was earlier.
Only this time, I need to capture my prey before it captures me. A low breeze blows, and I can just barely make out the sound of footsteps dragging against the dirt. Shadows stretch unnaturally along the cobblestones. A smell—salt and something spoiled—taints the air. I’m no longer alone. It’s just me and whatever’sfollowing me. I assume the Hunter’s relaying my location to the Leyak, coordinating an ambush. If I take him out first, it’ll make annihilating the Leyak much easier. Magic tingles deep within my veins, warning me of the nearby danger. The runes on the sword glow, swirling over the metal.
I continue along my path, hugging the shadows and leading the stalking hunter to his demise. The air is growing heavier with the scent of rotting souls. He’s inching closer but still too afraid to strike.
Music plays faintly from the large ships docked in the bay. Smoke curls, twisting through the night like clouds, but the Hunter’s stench is strong enough to overpower the emberleaf in the air.
Once I cross to the other side of the boat, I’ll have passed the invisible border separating the two villages. I close my eyes, imagining myself turning to a black, smoky mist as I take my next step. Instead of my boot landing against the worn wood planks of the dock, I’m floating in the air, scanning the docks below. Searching for the stinking, rotting body of the Hunter.
After a few minutes, I spot him trudging across the dock, dragging one leg behind him as if it’s not quite functioning, as if the joint’s hollowed out, the host body already decomposing. He looks like he’s in poor shape and in need of an upgrade. Perhaps that’s what the Leyak promised in exchange for his services. My body. Should he succeed. The fool thinks he can kill me and wear my skin like a prize.
I watch from above until I know for certain our paths will cross. Then I descend, nothing more than a shadow resting against the bow of the ship, waiting for the Hunter to get close enough for me to strike. Second by second, time stretches on. Finally, the Hunter is standing inches from me. The putrid smell of rotting flesh is nauseating. Upon closer inspection, it’s clear the host body is barely holding together.
Magic thrums as my shadows attack, swallowing the Hunter in their clutches—trapping him long enough for me to take my demon form. I slam the blade of my sword through his chest, pinning him to the dock.
“Well, well, well. Look what we have here,” I sneer, running my tongue over the dagger-sharp teeth filling my mouth. I flex my wings in a show of brute domination.
Souls are leaking from his wound. It’s a fatal blow, tethering him back to Hell. The runes on Soul Slayer blaze with ancient power.
“Prince of Shadows,” the Hunter yelps, surprised by his capture.
I growl, low and guttural, snapping my teeth at his neck. “Where’s the Leyak?”
“I’m not telling you,” the Hunter taunts.
