Page 9 of The Demon Crown

“Maybe I do wish to eat you,” he replied wickedly. And when she flicked her gaze up to his, he licked his lips slowly.

Most women would have at least blushed. He’d made many women flustered with a look like that, especially considering he knew what they said about being in his bed. Greed had a reputation in this kingdom, and he’d worked very hard on that.

Greed was not necessarily a good emotion to have with a partner, but he was greedy in the best of ways. He took everything they could give him and then insisted on more. More, until they were shaking in his arms and incapable of walking.

What woman didn’t want that? And he was certain she’d heard the stories. He’d paid a lot of people good money to take that truth far and wide.

So why...

“Greed,” she hissed. “I sure could use a big strong man who could push some of this sand aside before the Horde comes and removes our heads from our shoulders.”

“They’d be hard pressed to do that.”

“I am but a small woman with only a few weapons on me. You are hardly at your best and they have already captured you once. Forgive me for not putting my life in your hands.” She gestured at the small hole she’d made in the sand that disappeared into darkness. “You’re sure about this?”

“Positive.”

She gave him one more look before sucking in a deep breath and staring up at the sky. “If you have tricked me, Greed, I will haunt you for the rest of your life.”

“That would be a very long life.” He felt the ripples through the air. The anger and the rage and the greed that rolled through the approaching Horde. It almost rocked him back onto his ass in this weakened state.

The spirit he’d always been wanted to feast. It wanted to turn toward all those raging emotions and feast upon them. He wanted to feed the Horde more, to give them even more greed, just to see what they would do. Would they take it and run? Would they turn toward the nearest town and unleash their rage?

No, that was not who he was anymore. He’d tried that when he had first taken this kingdom and it had not gone well. He knew what it was to watch this kingdom burn. It had been his first and greatest mistake.

He would not make it again.

Greed grabbed the woman’s wrist, turning it slightly in his own so his claws pressed against the sensitive skin where blood rushed underneath. “I will not betray you, thief. Slide through and I will make the hole bigger for myself.”

“Why does it seem like we’ve run out of time?” she asked, her eyes searching his.

“Because we have.”

And then he shoved her through the sands. Her feet slipped easily into the hole and she slid with her hands crossed over her chest, as though she knew the safest way to get to the bottom.

Damn it, he’d never met a woman so reckless. She had no idea what was down there waiting for them. It had been a long time, so he didn’t either. But...

Sighing, he started digging. His wounds screamed at the movement and he could feel blood dripping down his sides in earnest now. But all he could think about was getting away from the Horde so that he could cozy up with this beautiful treasure in a hidden oasis.

The thoughts spurred him on. The desire to lick his way up her throat, cherishing the sounds she made for his ears only. She would whisper what she wanted. He was certain of that. A woman like this would only know how to give orders and he would take them all. Until he didn’t.

Greed could hear their footsteps by the time the hole in the sand was big enough. He released his claws, dragging them behind him as he slid into the darkness. The sand followed him. It would seal them in the cave system, hidden from the Horde’s gaze, but it also dragged a waterfall of gold behind him as he fell what felt like forever.

The ground hit him hard. Or maybe he hit the ground. Whoever hit first, it hurt. His legs went out beneath him and he sprawled out in the sand while another horse sized amount hit him on the chest. He might have groaned. Or maybe he took the beating without making a sound.

All he knew was that one minute, he was drowning in sand and the next, he was yanked out by the wrists from underneath it until a grumbling woman sat on top of him.

He stared up at her with perhaps delirious happiness until she dropped his arms with a sigh and dusted her sand covered hands off on her hips. And then, when she glared down at him with those lovely, lovely eyes, he let out a little sigh.

“Stop it,” she snapped, pointing at him with a finger. “Enough of that. What did they give you in that cage? There must be something in that smoke that makes you lose your senses.”

“Maybe,” he said. Was his voice a little thin? He wasn’t sure. All that dragging had scraped his back even more raw than it already was. “Could be the pain.”

She frowned and looked him over. He swore he felt fire wherever her eyes lingered on his body. “You are bleeding again.”

“All for you.”

“That’s a stupid thing to say.” She hissed out a breath between her teeth, then made a tsking sound. “Can’t be avoided. I’ll see if there’s anything in here that I can use for the time being to help the bleeding, but we’re not exactly near a healer.”

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