Page 45 of The Demon Court

She rolled a strawberry in honey, not looking at him as she popped the red berry into her mouth. “I don’t know what I want. No one has ever asked me that before, and yet you seem to think that I will be able to ask for something that I do not know exists.”

He almost groaned. But somehow, he held himself together, leaned forward, and forced her to look at him with a gentle hand under her chin. “Then let me. Let me offer you the world on a platter, Selene. If you do not like what I offer, we will throw it away. Trust me to know what you need.”

Her lips parted with a soft inhalation and he almost kissed her. Almost tasted her bitter anger on his tongue, and he knew her lips would burn him. He wanted that, he realized. He wanted her to scorch him, destroy him, tear everything he knew from his flesh until he was remade in her pleasure.

But Selene was not a simple woman. She licked her lips and then replied, “I’ll think about it.”

Disappointment flooded through him. Damn it, he thought he’d had her. But Lust was not one to be beaten that easily.

He inclined his head and replied, “That is all I can ask.”

Then he reached for her hand, her fingers still coated in honey, and licked the sweetness from her skin. He took his time. Swirling his tongue around every single digit, knowing she should be flooded with an answering warmth. He seduced her as only a demon could, then let out a pulse of his own power to encourage lust to grow within her.

Nothing. Not even a tiny hint that she’d felt a single thing from his touch.

Sighing, he dropped her hand and slumped back in his chair. “Absolutely ridiculous. Are you a block of ice, woman?”

She laughed.

Shocked, he watched as she tilted her head back and burst into laughter. Her long throat worked, her eyes squeezed shut in mirth, and her dark hair tangled down her back. Loose. Unbound as he had wanted it to be the first time he’d seen her.

The sound was better than any he’d heard in his life. Lust had never been fond of laughter. Usually that was insulting in the bedroom, but now he wondered what it would sound like in the dead of night. Selene would try to keep herself quiet because she wouldn’t want to wake everyone, and he would keep teasing her until she burst out like this. Laughing too loud for a lady, but she wouldn’t care if someone heard her.

This was Selene, he realized. These were the moments when he got to see the real her. Not the Selene who had been cultivated by the sorceresses or told how to act. No one had ever tried to change her laugh or told her how to find humor in moments like this.

He found an answering smile on his own lips as he sipped at his drink. “What is so funny?”

She shook her head, wiping tears from her eyes. “You really are very unlikeable, do you know that?”

“No one has ever said that to me before.”

“I wish you were less charming. It might make it easier for others to see what I do.” She shook her head again, still chuckling. “You’ve never had to work for this, have you?”

“Work for what?” Lust leaned forward, curious about what this strange human would say.

“To make someone like you. Getting them to trust you just to spend time with them. You’ve always had relationships handed to you because someone wanted what you could give them.” Selene hadn’t stopped smiling, so her words had a little less bite. “Perhaps we are good for each other, demon king.”

“Perhaps.” He set his wine down on the table and placed his hands on his thighs. “Are you really not attracted to me? Not even a little?”

She looked down at the alcohol before responding. “It’s probably the wine talking, but yes. I am attracted to you. I told you before, I feel attraction. And you were clearly made to be attractive to any and everyone.”

Lust preened. “I knew you had to feel something.”

“But I need more than physical attraction to be interested in someone. I stand by what I said. Trust is very important to me, and not because I want to trust someone before I get close to them. I don’t think I ever trusted anyone worthwhile in my entire life. The longer I’m here, the more I realize how sad that is. And I don’t want to be sad anymore.”

The words were sobering. He could feel his expression softening even as he stood. Lust gave her a small bow before reaching for her hand again.

This time, he noticed she didn’t tense up when he pressed a kiss to the backs of her fingers. “I will do everything in my power to make you happy here, little moon. All I hope is that you trust me to offer you what you want. Or perhaps what you need.”

“I haven’t given you my answer on that yet.”

“Then think about it while you finish dinner. I will leave you to enjoy the banquet on your own, as you have made very clear.” He didn’t tell her that he had plans to make.

Plans to seduce a woman who could not be seduced.

ChapterFifteen

He gave her much to think about. More than Selene really wanted, if she were being honest.

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