Page 48 of The Demon Court

Lust? Certainly. But affection took time and energy.

She could have stayed there all night, remembering only the good in her life. In her mind’s eye, she could see all the memories hovering around them like glittering orbs. Before she’d met the spirit in her lap, she always imagined the orbs as windows. Glass balls where she could see through them. Now, every orb she’d pulled out had the faintest hint of yellow in it.

Maybe that was influenced by the coloring of little Affection, but... the magic in her whispered it was much more than that. Affection was yellow. The color was right, and she didn’t have to understand why.

The closet door opened up and a spear of torchlight flooded into the room where they hid. Selene locked her memories back underneath the magic inside her body so swiftly she heard Affection groan in pain before it slunk out of her lap.

A woman stared at her with wide eyes. Her face was familiar, although the outfit wasn’t helpful. This time, the woman in front of her wore a gauzy fabric dress that was tied at her neck. The same outfit that most of the maids wore, but not the same fabric.

The woman had been laying at Lust’s feet during the orgy, she realized. This woman was one of Lust’s favored ladies, or whatever it was the maids called them.

“Oh,” she said, standing and shaking out her heavy skirts. “I didn’t realize anyone used this closet.”

The woman’s eyes flicked between her and the spirit. “What were you doing in here?”

Selene couldn’t tell her that she’d been talking to a magic bird that blew to bits in her hands. “Visiting?”

“With Affection?” The woman looked down at the spirit with a frown. “He’ll be angry about this, you know.”

The spirit huffed out a breath. “He knows we visit.”

“You aren’t supposed to talk to her.”

Why would this woman know anything about what Lust wanted? Ah. Right. Because she was most likely spending a decent amount of time in his bed, and from what she’d heard, bedtime talks were how most secrets were passed around.

Selene suddenly felt awkward. She was not the fair haired beauty that stood in front of her. Nor did she have the natural curves that drew men to her side like this woman did. She was stunning, whereas Selene was... dark and sullen.

“I’ll get out of your way,” Selene said, skirting around the woman. “I didn’t catch your name before. I’m sorry.”

“Lara.” The woman eyed her with no small amount of disdain before rolling her eyes up to the ceiling. “Be careful with him, would you?”

“Affection?” She tried to find the spirit, but it had already slunk away. “I don’t think it could hurt me if it tried.”

“Not Affection. It’s harmless.” Lara met her gaze this time with a hardness that marred her pretty face. “With Lust. He might be an ancient, but you’re doing something to him that cannot be changed. He’s alive too, you know. Lust has lived this way for a thousand years, and you think you have a right to change that? I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

Then she grabbed a broom out of the closet, a handful of towels, and stomped away from Selene.

What in the world?

She didn’t have the time or the energy to think about that interaction. Selene felt all the energy seep out of her until she was nearly a puddle on the floor that Lara would have to mop up. This evening had been too much, and she was so damned cold again. Like always.

Selene weaved through the halls back to Lust’s room, ready to sink into that bed and forget anything had ever happened tonight. Maybe her dreams would be better.

But as she closed the door behind herself, she heard a faint sound from the bed. The shifting of skin against silk, a longer, leaner body than her own, making the sound. A match struck, glowing bright in the darkness until Lust was revealed holding a lit candelabra. He placed it on the nightstand, the long muscles of his form flexing with each movement.

He sat at the foot of the bed, shirtless, with a mound of blankets and silk pillows surrounding him. He’d placed a pile of pillows on the floor between his legs, and he pointed to them with a slow, sensual grin.

“Come, sorceress. I thought of something you might find pleasurable.”

ChapterSixteen

Lust knew better than to tempt fate like this. Neither of them had to rush any quicker than they already were. She was just beginning to trust him, and he had proven that he would take his time. Even become friends with the woman regardless of how blinded she made him to everyone else.

But he’d had a very long day. They were preparing for his brother’s arrival. Tomorrow. Greed would show up with a hundred of his own people, all of them likely armed to the teeth. They needed to figure out where he was staying in the castle. How much food they needed to bring in. Dignitaries from the royalty had to meet with the others.

He had prepped everyone on what to expect. Lara was planning a party unlike any the castle had seen in a hundred years. He’d personally spoken with the cooks because there was no one else to do all this in the absence of a queen.

And it had made him think. He’d realized that perhaps there was some use to a queen after all. A partner to help him in moments like this. Lust had to shake those thoughts away, because he also recognized them for the folly they were.

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