Page 131 of The Demon Court

The pale haired woman shrugged. “That plan failed. She had many plans, but this is the one I wanted to avoid.”

“Why?” He was wasting time talking to them, but this felt important. He knew he had to listen to them now more than ever.

“Because she wants you to go outside. She wants you to see what she has hidden.”

Every muscle in his body locked as he looked at the soothsayer beside the other. Both women nodded, but it was the one who had seen the future that he wanted to confirm.

“Good,” he said. “She wanted me to go outside. Then I will climb instead.”

He turned his attention to the top and let loose all the power he’d consumed from Selene.

All he had to do was walk this time. He strode up the stairs and sneered at the women on their knees or backs, their hands tunneled in between their thighs as they gasped at the sight of him. They had forgotten that he was a spirit of lust and he would use every ounce of his power to get her back. If that meant debasing them, or breaking his rule to never affect those who did not want it? Then he didn’t care. They would all be on their knees before him, whether they wanted to be or not.

His stomach rolled as he passed the few women who felt violated by his actions. He’d deal with that guilt later, but first, he would save his woman.

This was better than their death, he told himself. Even as he made it to the top of the Tower.

He threw the door open and froze when he saw no one other than Minerva facing him. The High Sorceress stood with locked knees, battling against his magic as she stood over Selene’s unmoving body.

“So,” Minerva said. “We meet again.”

“Let her go and I will let you live.”

“You keep saying that as though life is better than death,” Minerva spat. “You know what I want.”

“And you know I will not give it to you.”

“Then I will share with you a secret.” Minerva twitched forward, as though her lust for something to fill her affected her more than she wanted him to see. “I realized I don’t have to have a weapon to kill you.”

“Is that so?” His eyes strayed to Selene, willing her to move. Even just a finger. “How do you think you’re going to kill me without a weapon?”

Minerva hissed out a long breath. “You’re the fool who fell in love with her. What a shame to find out you can feel something other than lust after all.”

“I’m not in love with her.” Just saying the words hurt. He wished he could. He wished he wasn’t lust, that he was another spirit who...

“Then all I have to do is kill her, and you’ll follow.”

His heart seized in his chest and he lunged forward.

Not fast enough. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t fast enough.

Minerva planted her foot on Selene’s side and shoved her off the side of the Tower.

ChapterForty-Four

The cool rain had turned to ice in her veins. She couldn’t open her eyes. She had to focus on breathing or she would stop inhaling. Selene was alive, she was certain of that. And she was alone.

Nothing filtered through her mind as she felt the world passing her by. It was easy to think that no one wondered where she was. After all, she’d been here for centuries. Or maybe it was only a few moments.

She’d heard the screams. It was hard to avoid them as they ricocheted through the Tower and up to the highest peak. She heard them die, and she didn’t feel an ounce of sadness for them.

They’d left her here. Her sisters, those women who were supposed to love her more than anyone else, had left her here to die, with only the wind and the rain to keep her company.

Her lips parted, and the rainwater gathered on her tongue. Soon she couldn’t move in fear that she’d drown. It bubbled up around her lips, sliding down her cheeks and mingling with her tears. A cold, frozen way to die all on her own. Perhaps it was the right way to do it.

She’d been cold and frozen her entire life. Until him.

Selene thought she heard movement and then swore she could feel him. Lust’s magic brushed against her like a warm embrace. A bubble of air escaped through the water in her mouth and she choked.

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