Page 4 of The Demon Court

“Indeed it was. Can’t help it when the Lord of Lust rides by.” He let out a little curse and then snapped the reins. “You’re wishing you’d kissed me now, I reckon.”

She didn’t wish that at all. She wished she’d never left home.

ChapterTwo

Greenbank was ugly at the best of times. But even uglier during the Love Festival.

Lust never understood why he had to make the rounds every year, other than to be an excuse for their celebrations. They always wanted the king to be present during the festival season, which was why each town had a different day to celebrate. They all enjoyed being around him, and it was the only time of the year that they saw him.

But he’d already been to sixteen different towns before reaching this one. And had three more to seek out after he was done here.

Lust, although he’d never admit it, was tired. Tired of people, tired of their foolish antics, and frankly tired of the show that never changed year over year.

Why was it that every town thought they had something new for him? Some new woman or man that would make his heart race in his chest or make his eyes light up with wonder. As if he hadn’t lived long enough to think every human was, frankly, the same.

He’d fucked every type of woman, man, and everything in between. He’d done it in every position, used every orifice, seen all the toys and the extras that could be brought into the bedroom. Did they think a thousand year old being could ever be surprised these days?

It made it rather difficult to be hard, if he was being honest. And he was the embodiment of lust! The king who ruled these lands and who could spread lust like pollen through the air, so he had to get himself together before he reached the fucking town or... or...

They rode past a young man and his wife. Dirt covered the wagon, and he thought there was perhaps a rather large amount of hay in it. He didn’t know what was considered a large amount these days. He could taste the young man’s lust immediately, the flavor bursting on his tongue. Acidic, earthy, like he’d put a handful of dirt in his mouth and then tried to chew.

But from the woman with him, cloaked in darkness, he felt... nothing.

Not a single spark of lust, or anything else, for that matter. Nothing.

Lust lifted his hand to rap it against the roof, letting his driver know to stop, but... no. He was wrong. There was too much to do today and not a chance in any of the seven kingdoms that she hadn’t felt lust as he drove by. It wasn’t possible. No one stayed in his kingdom unless they felt that emotion, or at least something. No one was so cold that their minds felt like dust.

He must have gotten the taste of her lust mixed up with her husband’s, that was all. He’d made a mistake, as he could do, because he was tired.

Blowing out another long breath, he tried to prepare himself for what waited for him in Greenbank. And in those preparations, he put aside the thoughts of dark eyes following the carriage, locking with his own as he rode by.

The town loomed around him before long. And he knew it wasn’t fair to call it looming. The buildings were well made, each a specific color designating the family that lived inside with intricate wooden patterns along the outsides. They stood on top of an emerald green hill that rolled like waves all the way down to the river beside it. Four houses had water wheels attached to them that lazily moved as the river passed by. He thought he remembered they were used for the paper mill here, as it was one of the few towns in his kingdom known for binding books.

Sitting up at that memory, he wondered if maybe today wouldn’t be such a waste. They weren’t the backwoods town he’d come from, even though the houses in Foxbridge had been just as fine.

His carriages halted in the center of town, which they had done up in their best fineries. Ribbons in all shades of purple hung from the rooftops and stretched to light poles above his head. They’d laid out an impressive swath of violet fabric that led up to the podium, where the mayor already waited for him.

Everyone had worn their best outfits. The men in their suits that were ill fitting but still of fine quality. Women in dresses with circle skirts that would whirl around them as they danced. He already knew their purpose. To reveal shapely thighs and secret shadows between them to the men that might chase them down later tonight.

He had business to attend to first. They all did. He’d listen to their mayor tell him all about their paper yields this year and how much money they had made. How they would send a certain amount to the castle, while keeping a certain amount for themselves. Of course, most of the gold would return home with Lust. There was a reason he brought so many carriages with him.

Sighing, he opened the door to his own carriage. No need to wait for the footman who stared up at him in shock.

He just wanted to get this over with and get home.

“My lord!” the mayor called out, stretching his arms wide as though an old friend had arrived. “We’ve been waiting for your return since last year with all the hopes of a good harvest. We are pleased to inform you this year has been our best yet!”

It was the same as every town. They all said it was their best yet until he started looking at their financial records and pointing out all the inconsistencies. Every year. It never changed.

Still, there were expectations, and he was loath to disappoint. “You know, Greenbank has always been my favorite to visit. The honor is mine.”

Cheers surged around him, as though he’d given them the best compliment they could have asked for and not that he said the same words to every town he went to.

How he had managed to keep up this farce as long as he had, he’d never know. His brothers didn’t pretend to enjoy their own kingdoms. But Lust had set a precedent, and he continued doing so year after damned year.

As the crowd continued to cheer, some of them already wearing the gleam of lust on their faces, he leaned close to the mayor. “We’ll see just how successful your town has been.”

“I would never lie to you, my lord. This has been a good year.” The mayor’s face had turned waxy and pale, though.

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