Page 44 of The Demon Court

Her neck was so thin. Delicate. Easy to wrap his hands around if he wanted to, and he did. Lust could already see the red marks he’d leave on that pale skin, the purplish bruising of his mouth where he would latch onto her as she screamed out his name.

Damn it.

She lifted a brow as she set her glass back on the table. “Is something bothering you?”

She knew. Of course, the sorceress knew that she’d already woven him into her web. He hated it, but had no idea how to struggle his way out of this one.

“You mentioned trust,” he said, reaching across her for his own goblet of wine. Pouring the red liquid, he steadied himself by watching the light dance off the wine. “Is this not a way to build trust?”

“Did you read that spending time with each other over food might inspire trust to develop?” she asked.

He had, but he wouldn’t admit it. “I just wanted to spend time with you. No book is required for that.”

“I don’t understand why you would want to spend time with me. We clearly don’t like each other.” Selene’s eyes saw too much. They narrowed at him, as though she were trying to peer into his mind. “But that’s what you expected me to say, isn’t it?”

“You are very perceptive for one so young.” He drained his glass of wine in a single gulp before pouring another. “I’ve taken an interest in you, little moon.”

“Why is that?”

“For the reasons you already know.”

“Yes, because I somehow can’t feel your power.” She shrugged. “That’s not a reason for you to be so interested. There are others like me, you said. Others less plain.”

“Perhaps it is because your mother sent you to me like a sacrifice. Minerva made it very clear what her plan was for you. Come to the castle. Seduce me. Get me under your thumb so I fall head over heels for you, place you beside me on the throne, and then you will bring the sorceresses here. Together, they will all either overwhelm me with magic or I will follow along like a puppet while she threatens me with your death.” He lifted his wine goblet to her. “And yet now that you are here, I find you to be stubborn, obstinate, and very much avoidant of even being around me. I find that curious.”

Her eyes had widened with every word he said. Lust felt better, knowing he controlled the conversation. He’d startled her, and Selene didn’t seem to battle as well when she was jarred off her pedestal.

“I...” She hesitated before swallowing a mouthful of wine. “I am not my mother’s puppet, as you claim me to be.”

“So you were listening in on the conversation before you surprisingly showed up.” He grinned. “Listening from the eaves is rather devious, don’t you think?”

“I have no interest in serving anyone but myself.” She seemed uncomfortable even saying the words. “My mother has taught me since I was a child to serve her, and that my purpose would be to tempt you. You are correct in that.”

“And?” He waited for her to respond before gesturing with a hand. “You were trained for this. Why are you so bad at it?”

Her eyes flared with anger. “They weren’t even upset that I was leaving. They saw my enslavement to a man who they proclaimed to be a demon as something good for themselves. I miss them. I miss my home every day. I think about them when I walk through the halls of this place and wonder if they are thinking of me. But I know the answer to that question. They do not. And if they are thinking about me, then they are only wondering if I have succeeded and if they should pack their things so that they can make a new life in this castle. I fear the moment they come here, they will forget about me again. Set me aside like a little doll who they can pull out when they want me to make a show of it. Is that enough for you? Is that enough of a reason for why I have been struggling here to understand first what you want with me and second why I was even sent here or if I wanted to be?”

She took a large breath after that purging of her fears, before her eyes widened. Perhaps she hadn’t expected to be quite so honest with him.

It was more than he’d expected as well.

Lust licked his lips, taking his time as he started on his second cup of wine. He watched her chest heave with her emotions, her eyes flashing with a challenge for him to catch her in a lie. But she wasn’t lying. She was just as confused as he was, for different reasons.

“So what do you want?” he asked. “Deny the Tower. Throw away what you were trained to be or do. Who are you then?”

Her eyes widened before she met his gaze with nothing short of horror in her own. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want to know?”

“I... I’m not sure.”

“Then, as I see it, you have two options.” He set down his wine and started filling a plate for her while he talked. “You can continue down the same path you’ve been walking. You can do what Minerva and your sisters want you to do. It is familiar. I don’t think anyone would blame you for choosing the comfortable option. Or you can deviate from that path and carve out something new. Try whatever you want here. That is the basis of what lust is.” He handed her the plate full of food, keeping his hand on it even as she grabbed it. He made her look him in the eye. “Lust is about indulging yourself. Whatever gives you pleasure, do it. Take it. If it does not serve you or please you any longer, let it go.”

She picked at the food on the plate, obviously giving his words a thought. He’d rather she agree than to ignore him. After all, she was in his castle.

The idea of tempting her with whatever she wanted? Seven kingdoms. It did something to him that he hadn’t felt since he first took a physical form. He wanted to see that newness through her. He wanted to watch her experience the world and all its decadence while he feasted on her emotions.

Lust would give anything to feel that newness again. He was ancient. He’d forgotten what it even felt like. This was as close as he’d get.

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