Page 18 of Mortal Desires

“I prefer not to call you at all.” I shook my head, already deciding never to push him too far.

“You change your mind so quickly.” He tsked and snapped his fingers making a door appear where servants poured in.

“Help the witch to her feet,” he told his people.

Soon, their hands were on me. They fussed over my dress like it mattered, ignoring my glare to their lord. Once satisfied with my appearance, they moved to the long table, bringing heaps of food carried on overflowing trays.

“What’s happening?” I asked.

“They are preparing the feast.”

“Why are we having a feast?” I asked louder so he could hear me over the servant’s work.

“Because it’s our wedding day.”

The world stopped for a moment. The edges of my vision turned black as I felt ready to faint.

No one reacted to that statement, their comings and goings were still the same. My wobbly knees brought me closer to the throne, my voice hoarse trying to ignore what I just heard.

“Who’s wedding?” I asked him.

Vicious looked bored with my presence, his eyes swiped from my head to toe, barely acknowledging me before he averted his gaze and looked at his throne room at large.

“You can’t remain in the underworld unless you marry me.”

“That’s perfect, I had no intention of remaining here.”

His eyes flashed to mine. “You’re staying.”

“If I marry you. Which I obviously won’t do.”

Vicious fixed his position on the throne. I made sure to avoid looking at his loincloth area, afraid to catch sight of something I wasn’t ready to see. He dropped his elbows to his knees and lowered his voice.

“What happens when a spirit overstays its welcome on the surface, little witch?” I gulped. “You saw this happen many times.”

“I don’t know what happens,” I replied honestly. “I just watch the darkness take them down.”

He smirked, making a shiver run down my spine.

“And it happens to all of them. No exceptions, right?”

I kept my mouth shut. I knew of an exception but I wasn’t going to give him ammunition.

“It happens to all humans born on the surface and destined to aimlessly roam the earth caring for their boring lives.” He flicked his wrist and rested his back on the throne. “Unless—”

The words came out of my mouth before I even truly understood them. “Unless you choose not to take them.”

His cruel lips curved. “There were never any exceptions.”

I pushed the heels of my palm over my eye socket, taking a long breath and trying to understand.

He had Penny. But there was more to this. My heart beat fast in my chest, afraid of the possibilities behind his claim. Penny wasn’t an exception; he made her one. He let a dead girl meet me so he could emotionally control me later. He lured me into the underworld because he knew I loved Penny too much to let her wander away.

“Ask to see your bridesmaid.”

I removed my hand from my eyes and looked at him in alarm.

“What happens to her if I don’t marry you?”

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