Page 42 of Kiss of a Hellish Prince

“YES! Tori, that was amazing!” Kylie was being my personal bad-ass cheerleader when her phone rang again. She took the call, listened, and hung up almost immediately. She told Murmur to take a break and ice his ribs. “Tori, are you up for a little more today?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good.” She called over to Sif, who was on the treadmill against the wall.

She must have come in when I was sparring. I hadn’t noticed her.

“Tori, I believe you have already met my daughter. Sif, I want you and Tori to train. Go easy on her. She is new. I have things I need to do. Tori, you are going to be a force to reckon with when you are in the field. Have fun, girls.”

Murmur pouted. “What about me? Don’t I get to have fun?”

“No, you have far too much fun as it is. Watch them spar. Give them both notes,” Kylie said as she walked out the door.

I admit I was a little nervous about sparring with Sif, and that was before I knew Kylie was her mother. Before I thought she may have been all bark, but now I was a little more worried about her bite.

After this morning, I didn’t know where we stood. Whatever had happened this morning seemed to have more to do with her not liking humans in the compound, or maybe it had more to do with her and Rune. Since I was going to be sticking around, I wanted to try to start fresh.

“I appreciate the help,” I said, offering a smile and a hand.

Her lip curled in disgust. She adjusted her hot-pink, skin-tight leggings and matching strappy sports bra.

Okay, then.

I took my starting position. Sif did the same. I wasn’t sure what happened after that.

She came at me so suddenly I could barely see where she was moving. Her hits came fast and hard. She was not pulling them for training purposes at all.

I struggled to block a few hits. I managed to deflect one, then her foot landed in the center of my chest, just below my breasts, and it sent me flying. I landed on my back hard, gasping.

“Sif, what thefuck?” Murmur’s outrage made me feel a little better.

Sif stood over me, her lip curled in disgust again.

“You don’t belong here. Not in my gym or with my people. I don’t care that your mother is some human whore that was fucked by a demon and your father was one of us.Youare not. I don’t care that Rune wants you in his bed. He will tire of you soon enough. A little half-breed cunt that doesn’t know the first thing about Hell will never be good enough to serve as our queen. You are a placeholder that he will discard. Why not make it easier on yourself and just leave before you get hurt?” She spat on the floor next to me before walking out of the gym.

“Shit, Tori, are you okay?” Murmur was next to me in a second, checking me over for injuries.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had the wind knocked out of me.” I sat up. “What is her problem?”

“Uh.” Murmur rubbed the back of his neck and looked around. He clearly did not want to tell me about Sif.

“Murmur, what is the deal with her and Rune? I am assuming her problem with me stems from his interest in me.”

“You’re right. There is a story there, but it isn’t mine to tell.” He finally made eye contact with me. “You need to ask Rune about it.”

“I was afraid of that. He told me a little earlier, but I think there is a lot he didn’t say.” I stood up and stretched out my aching arms.

“You aren’t going to let her scare you off?”

“I am not scared of Demon Bitch Barbie,” I said. “Besides, I have to go get ready for a date. And you know what? I’m going to pull out all the stops. Rune won’t know what hit him.” I smirked, hoping my bravado was enough to cover my nerves and my doubt.

There was still that small voice in the back of my head telling me that I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t as beautiful as Sif, or as powerful. She was a full-blooded warrior queen of a demon; I was just a pathetic little halfling. What could I have to offer Rune?

11

Date Night with a Prince of Hell

While walking out of the gym with sore ribs and covered in sweat, I couldn’t help but wonder if Sif was right. The little voice in my head was getting louder by the second. Rune wasn’t just any man…err demon. He was a prince. Who the fuck was I to date a prince of anything? I wasn’t even good enough to date the Burger King’s son.

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