Page 96 of The Demon Court

What was she supposed to do now? She had to put space between them.

She had to do what her mother wanted, though. Space would only slow down what she had been sent here to do. And the longer she took, the more likely the others in the Tower would get involved. Them getting involved would complicate things even further.

But if she stayed true to what she was supposed to do, then she would lose her heart and mind in this castle that made her want things she’d never wanted in her life.

Oh, if her thoughts kept going round and round like this, then she was going to vomit. She might anyway, just to see his expression when she puked all over his expensive sheets.

“Selene?” he asked, a half smile on his lips. “What do you want? Not your mother, not me, not even that voice in your head. What do you want?”

She had to pull herself back together. He was controlling this situation and she couldn’t let him. No. She was better than this. She was a sorceress of the Tower and she’d trained her entire life to manipulate and control this exact situation.

Selene drew herself up and shoved all her emotions away. Strangely, it was the first time that she’d ever felt remiss without them. Why did her entire body feel hollow?

She smoothed any emotion from her face and folded her hands at her waist. “I would like my own room again. I think I have sufficiently proven that I’m not going anywhere and that your brother has no great interest in me other than curiosity. I’ve earned my space.”

He frowned. “You will stay here with me. I believe we both enjoy each other’s company enough to remain as we are. Even if you are suddenly uncomfortable with the circumstances for some unknown reason.”

“And I believe it is better to have space. We do not know each other well enough—”

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say.

He surged out of the bed, all lean muscle and golden skin as he prowled toward her. She’d never seen his face so angry. Never seen his horns twist like that as they grew longer and stretched behind his head. “You think I do not know you?”

She’d rattled his cage. “I think you have an opinion of who I might be, but we have hardly given each other enough time to know each other.”

The feral grin on his face was not one of kindness. He moved like a lion, tracking her until her spine hit the wall. Lust braced himself on a forearm above her head and stared down at her with those all-knowing eyes. “Are you running, Selene?”

“I’m not even moving, Lust.”

“And yet, you think that having another bedroom will stop you from feeling what we’re both suffering from. Do you think I wish to have a weakness in the form of a mortal woman? Do you think I have not noticed how affected you are as well?”

That is what she was afraid of. And knowing that he’d noticed only made all of this worse.

She felt as though a wave was waiting right in front of her, ready to swallow her if she didn’t hold her breath and sink beneath it.

She shoved all of that anxiety and fear underneath the ice of her imagined lake. Eventually, she’d have to feel these. Eventually they might even overwhelm her because she had so many feelings buried deep. But hopefully, she would have enough time to be alone and suffer through it.

She tilted her chin up and told herself to be as icy as a snowstorm. “You think an awful lot of yourself if you truly believe I’ve told you anything important about myself.”

“And you are more foolish than I thought if you don’t believe I know you, little moon.” He traced the backs of his fingers against her cheek. “You seem to think that knowing a person requires you to want them. I have told you that I want you, and you have said the same to me. You have told me more about yourself than you wish, and I respect that. But make no mistake, Selene. You and I are bound together now. You need me just as much as I need you.”

She was afraid of that. But she tried not to show it in her gaze. Impassive. Cold. Smooth as glass, so he’d never know the riot of emotions she was steadily burying inside herself.

Finally, he sighed and shoved himself away from her and the wall. “Fine. If you want another room, you may have it. But if you believe a few extra walls will stop what is happening between the two of us, then you’re very wrong. This will only make you want me more.”

She snorted. “I think a little privacy will show me just how far I wish to be away from you.”

He grinned back at her. “Ah, little moon. Your innocence is refreshing. I am curious to see which one of us breaks first.” Lust pointed at her. “I believe it will be you.”

As if.

She was not a young woman anymore, nor had she been sequestered her entire life. Selene had read a thousand books on court politics and intrigue. She’d handled his people and his brother like a true queen. She would not break.

Sneering, she fumbled her hand on the wall as she searched for the door handle to leave this den of madness. “You know better than to challenge me, Lust.”

“It’s not a challenge. Only the truth.”

Selene grabbed the doorknob behind her and twisted it. She backed into the hallway without another thought before she realized she was standing in the hall wearing only her sheer nightgown. Alone. With no clothing to change into.

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