Page 22 of Demon Queen
He raised a brow. “Weren’t we talking about pleasure? For your safety, I will touch you. For your pleasure, I will not. Unless you request it. I am ever your slave.” He bowed low, with a graceful flourish of his hand.
My slave? Just…My slave? He’s keeping me here against my will and he’s my slave? He was so annoying that I almost stabbed him, but somehow I restrained myself.
“Drigo, we have three Nasatch who want to make an…”
I whirled around and there was Straldi on the steps frozen in the process of eating a yogurt while he stared at us. He flashed a sudden mouthful of sharp teeth. “Beg your pardon. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“You’re not interrupting anything,” I said with a sweet smile. “It’s so nice to see you again, Straldi. I’ve missed you so.”
Dorian growled and moved close enough to my back that I could feel his heat while the fire raged. He murmured into my ear a low rumble. “Your slave will kill anyone he thinks is a threat to your safety. If Straldi becomes affectionate with you, his poisoned blood will be a very real danger. Your choice, Candy Queen. You decide who lives or dies. Other than you. You live.”
I shivered and turned to glare up at him. “If you kill someone else I’m affectionate with, I’ll be sure to stab myself the first chance I get.”
Dorian frowned, lips pursed as he studied me. “Fair enough. You are free to be affectionate to anyone who interests you, even though we are sworn to each other in the holy bonds of marriage. But I will be with you at all times to make certain of your safety during such encounters.”
I sputtered while my cheeks burned and my breath ratcheted. Paper rings exchanged by friends so they could go to a tea tasting was absolutely not a holy marriage. Even if it had felt like it at the time.
Straldi cleared his throat. “Drigo, I’m not going to let her hurt herself or seduce me. She’s not my type, and I’m definitely not hers. You go take care of the Nasatch while I guard your Queen.”
“Queen,” I muttered, glaring at Straldi then Dorian. “I am not his Queen. Does he look like candy to you?”
Dorian stared at me while the flames in his eyes flickered hotter in time with the fireplace. He straightened and then bowed low enough that I could have sawed off some spikes if he didn’t move for a few hours. He straightened and said, “Iwill take care of business. You should eat more.” He turned and strode towards the stairs, moving quickly, but not like he was in a hurry. I watched him until I realized I was watching him and then I turned my attention back to my pocket knife. I closed the blade and flung myself back on the couch feeling like a rebellious teenager without anyone to rebel against. No, I definitely had someone to rebel against.
Straldi perched on the arm of the sturdiest couch in the world. “A bit of advice? Candy Queen, you definitely don’t want to threaten your own safety in front of Drigo. Did you somehow miss his king spikes?”
I glared at Straldi. “His king spikes have nothing to do with me.”
He gave me a broad smile and took another bite of yogurt. “Right? It’s not like you showed up in the middle of some of the least stable monsters in this world and he reacted by sprouting spikes. Everyone in the club saw it.”
“It had nothing to do with me. If the unstable monsters triggered his spikes, how is that my problem?”
“You came back to him after he paid for your new life far away from him. Do you honestly want him to reject you again?”
I stared at him. “He can’t reject me because we aren’t together. I’m here to pay him back, not rekindle anything. What’s with the fire? Is it his soul or something?”
He glanced at the fireplace then back at me. “Something. If you actually want to maintain any kind of independence, you’ll have to prove that you’re safe. After the demons go through the trials, after he destroys all of them, he’ll allow you more freedom.”
“Allow me?” I flipped my knife open and glared at him.
He laughed and stepped away from me with his hands in the air. “You really are the cutest thing. Please don’t hurt me. Drigo would be jealous. You’re dealing with a demon. At their root,they’re creatures of instinct. If his instincts tell him to protect you, is that so bad? I can think of much worse things for you and your world. I guess if you run away really far and really fast, you might have a few days before he catches you again. Spoiler alert, you’d only get one chance to run. Right now, this, him being upstairs while you’re down here with me, that’s him giving you space. Trust me when I tell you that it could be much, much worse.”
“Really? What kind of demon is he? What’s worse?”
“Inks, Naro, Oni, Nasatch…”
“So he’s the best kind of demon I could have gotten stuck with?”
“He wants to protect you, and he can protect you. These aren’t small things. He’ll also make sure that you’re very comfortable. He’s even letting you keep hours in your shop even though it’s a security risk and a distraction.”
“Oh, wow. He’s letting me.” I glowered at him while he considered me. See? Everyone could clearly see who was the slave here. Spoiler alert, it was not Dorian.
“Do you want to run? Now’s your chance.”
I’d already run away once, but I’d ended up right back with Dorian. Like fate. I crossed my arms. “I’m paying Dorian back every cent plus interest. I’m not running away when I’ve worked so hard to build a life here. It’s my life, not Dorian’s, and not anyone else’s.”
He studied me for a long time. “You’re stubborn, and creative, not to mention your sound business sense. You’re also dealing with monsters incredibly well.”
“Other than fainting.”
