“Warn a girl next time, yeah?” I chuckled, choosing to ignore the whole dragon fire bullshit, and the burn was now nothing more than a nice warm tingle that was moving from my throat down my chest and arms, overtaking my whole body. Oh, this is nice. Like a blanket, a snuggly and soft blanket.
“Come, let’s talk in the sitting room. Do you think you have the strength to walk?” he questioned, studying me.
“I’m feeling much better now. I should be fine, thanks,” I replied as I scooted to the edge of his monstrous bed and let my feet drop to the floor. Straightening my spine, I stretched out with my arms overhead. My muscles were definitely tired, but they didn’t feel like dried up raisins at this point, so I’ll take it.
Bram led the way to the seating area where a large black rug held a massive couch that looked like it was going to be the comfiest one in the entire world. Sitting down in the far corner, I turned to face him, putting my back against the armrest, and kicked my feet out in front of me on the cushion. He dropped down about a foot from my bare toes, reaching forward to put his glass down on the coffee table. I wasn’t ready to give mine up yet, so I took another small sip.
“So, I have a question,” I began, laughing when he startled.
“I’ll answer it if I can, tiny warrior. Not all questions are meant to have answers,” he replied ominously.
“Okay, well, first of all, what the hell did your dad mean by impregnating me? What was that about? He wants you walking around knocking up presumed whores? Of all the things I could’ve anticipated, that was not even on the radar,” I ranted, talking a mile a minute.
“He wants me to have heirs. At this point, I think he’d be happy no matter who birthed them. Just so long as the family line stays intact. I’m his only surviving child, so it’s really up to me to continue the family name, or that’s what he believes, anyway,” he confessed, rolling his eyes. “I told you, my father has no respect for the lives of others, and I want no part of his plans.”
He had told me that before, and judging by the general disgust that his tone was drenched with every time he spoke of the man, I think I had to believe him at this point.
“And you’re celibate?”
Bram turned and gave me his full attention, and it was intense to say the least. He had this... air about him, he seemed so professional and put together, and then it’s like his inner psycho would catch a glimpse of something that intrigued the beast inside. The beast was awake right now, I could see it with how his amber eyes practically glowed.
“I am,” he grumbled, an emotion passed across his face, but I couldn’t place it.
“Why?”
“You’re forward, asking about my sex life when you don’t even know me.”
But, I did feel like I knew him. He was easy to talk to, and his mannerisms were so unexpected that he reminded me a little of myself. Or maybe that was just the Dragon's Fireball talking.
“Well, I’ve never met anyone who was celibate, so I’m curious, and your dad is the one who brought it up originally," I reminded him, taking another sip of the poison.
“I’ve not found anyone of… interest in a long time,” his gaze penetrated mine, burning through me. “What’s the point of fucking if it doesn’t make you feel anything? Excitement, heat, passion, wickedness? Why bother if, when you’re balls deep, buried to the fuckin’ hilt, and you’ve got no desire to completely and utterly fucking own that person?” He leaned in closer to me, his voice becoming husky, and his eyes narrowing. The dark centers began to expand and I sucked in a breath. “The desire to fuck harder and harder, wanting to slam your soul into theirs so violently, they’re so gods damned intertwined they’ll never be untangled. That’s what I want. The obsession. The whole ‘I can’t think of anything else except her sweet cunt and tight ass. Her hot tongue, how sweet she tastes, and how I’d fucking kill for her.’ Oh, how I’d fucking kill for her.”
“You’re, uh, a little intense, yeah?” I asked, trying to shake the redness from my flaming cheeks. What a filthy talker.
“You’d be intense too if you hadn’t had sex in forever,” he chided and I nodded my agreement because, yeah, it wasn’t so long ago that I was in that predicament. Look at me now, catching dicks left and right like a gods damn snake charmer. A small smile tugged at the corner of my mouth and Bram’s nostrils flared. Leaning in, he inhaled deeper. What is with all the men lately and all the sniffing?
“I can smell sex on you. Of course, you’d be spoken for, fucking hell.” He rose off the couch and began pacing so hard, I was concerned the rug beneath his feet would be worn down from his speed. Actual words were no longer coming from his mouth, just a series of growls and mumbles. Shit… his face was a mixture of pain and anger.
Standing slowly, so he didn’t startle, “Bram?” I questioned softly.
No response, just more pacing. I could barely pick up on anything distinguishable coming from his mouth, but I swear I heard the words mate thrown in there and that had my stomach flipping. Poor guy really needs to get laid. His psycho dad was totally right. Eek. Not my job, though. I already have four cocks to entertain.
Steeling my spine, I spoke up louder this time, “Bram!”
The massive demon came to a dead stop inches away from me, snapping out of whatever the hell episode he was having.
“That’s okay. I’ll win you. Take me to your man, let us settle this like gentlemen,” Bram proposed, puffing out his chest. “If you were in your true form, I’d be able to scent him better and track the unworthy scum down myself,” he growled.
“What the hell goes on in this place? You physically fight other men for ownership of a woman? Have you lost your gods damned mind? I make decisions for myself, a man will not take that from me. Never again.” I bumped right up against his chest, poking a finger against his rock hard pec as I gazed up into his amber eyes that were looking a little like they were glowing.
Bram stood stoically, and I feared for a moment that I might have fucked up. I didn’t know this dude, at all. He’d already displayed some interesting behavior that called into question the stability of his mind, but maybe that was just a demon thing? Regardless, I might’ve peed myself just a teeny little bit while we engaged in this epic staredown. Just when I was about to break, he threw his head back and laughed. And laughed. He laughed so hard, tears began streaming down his thin face, causing his freckles to glisten in the lighting of his sitting room.
My eyes darted back and forth across the room, growing more and more uncomfortable by the moment, so I figured what the hell and threw out a few laughs of my own.
Suddenly, Bram gripped my upper arms and leaned down until we were nose to nose. “You, tiny warrior, will be mine one day. Mark my words. Something about you speaks to the beast inside of me.” His hand lifted and he twirled a strand of my hair around his fingers. “Every time you’ve visited me here, all I can think about is when I’ll stumble into you the next time. You smell like leaves crackling on a raging fire, like fresh steel and wet soil after the rain, my favorite scents. Plus, you have this faint vanilla smell to you that is purely delicious. Tell me, my sweet, if you weren’t meant to be mine, why does your scent slam into me and completely overtake my senses? And why is it when I touch your skin, it feels like an electric current is sparking through my body?”
He feels that, too? Inhaling through my nose, his aroma invaded my brain, and I nearly stumbled against him, feeling pulled by an invisible tether. I fought it.
Stepping back from Bram, he dropped his hands, his brow creasing as he stared me down, waiting for some kind of response. “Regardless of how I may or may not speak to your inner beast, I still make my own choices. Remember the shriveled up snail?” I reminded him, hoping that it might get him to back off.
“Do I remember it? Woman, that was the moment that I knew all I needed. Just envisioning you fired up and ripping that scum’s cock from his body?” He groaned loudly, running his ring adorned fingers through his red hair, fucking it
up a bit, just adding to the unhinged look he had going on at the moment.
Well, that didn’t work like I’d hoped.
“First of all, I’m not actually here. However this keeps happening, it needs to stop…”
“You are here, though. It’s a physical projection of yourself. You can eat, drink, fuck… all the essentials.” He winked. “Oh! Why didn’t I think of this before? I split my time between here and the human realm; tell me your name and I’ll find you there. I have unlimited resources at hand.” Bram chuckled, pulling his phone from his pocket and handing it to me. “Put your number in there.”
I couldn’t give this guy my personal information. With being stalked by demon shadows as it is, this would just escalate matters. The thought crossed my mind to ask him about the shadow demons, but I quickly dismissed that idea, wanting to find out more about him first before deciding to trust him. His phone lit up and I lifted my eyes with a 'what the fuck' look. His background image was a drawing. A full color, extremely detailed drawing of me. On his back, piggy-back style, while he was in full demon form, my fists wrapped around the horns on his head like he was some kind of rodeo bull. His wings spanned out wide, not even fitting within the dimensions of the screen, his tail wrapped around one of my legs and coming up between his own, covering his demon dick. Thank the stars, because of course, we were obviously naked. I wasn’t prepared to see whatever he was packing. Oh shit, it was probably scary looking. Eek!
“What. Is. This?”
“Your future, my warrior queen. I drew that a couple days ago, isn’t it amazing?”
I lost it. Laughter bubbled out of me like a force of nature, while tears began streaming down my cheeks. How is this my life? Oh moon maidens, is this some kind of cosmic joke? Bram was now howling with laughter right along with me and neither one of us had a clue exactly what the fuck was going on.
“Okay, okay, Picasso,” I gasped out between trying to catch my breath. “Here.” My fingers flew across his keyboard, and I entered some bogus phone number and put my name as Marigold. Giggling internally at that, I handed the phone back.
“Marigold,” he breathed, rolling the alias over his tongue and I couldn’t help but wonder what my real name would sound like in that tone. The dude was crazy as bat shit, but he really was uniquely beautiful. I’d never seen another man with such distinct features.
“Yep. That’s me.” I shot him double finger guns and he pretended in full theatrics that I’d actually shot him; I found myself giggling yet again.
“Come, I want to show you something,” Bram offered, holding out his hand. Eyeing it momentarily, I figured I may as well take it. Despite his… instability at times, I did feel surprisingly safe with him. He seemed like the kind of guy that would kill first and ask questions later.
“Where are we going?” I put my hand in his, and those tingles from before zapped up my arm as a small groan left my lips at the same time a louder one left his. “What is that? Why does that keep happening?”
“Don’t worry about it, Goldie,” he replied, not giving it a second thought, pulling me with him through the giant room until we reached a door. Goldie, hmm, that’s kind of cute, actually.
“Hey, wait. If we’re leaving this room, to go out, you know… in public… can I borrow some clothes? I don’t want to walk around looking like I’m searching for Hyrule all day.”
Abruptly stopping, he turned back with the biggest smile on his face. “I’d love for you to wear my clothes; what better way to scent mark you than to have you draped in my clothing?” He dropped my hand and disappeared before reappearing across the room, flinging open a door and striding inside, I didn’t even have time to shriek over his vanishing act.
Moments later, he popped back before me and this time, I did shriek. Loudly.
“By the moon, Bram! I’m not used to your Houdini shit, warn a witch. You’re going to give me a heart attack!” I shouted, and he had this dreamy look on his face. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“My name sounds scrumptious coming out of your mouth, Goldie girl.” He winked and my face flamed as he handed me his clothes. “I’m sorry I startled you. Here. Put these on, they should fit.”
Grabbing the first article of clothing, I held it up. It was a black t-shirt with a deep V down the chest, well worn, soft as a kitten. Damn, I bet he looks like sin with this on. He held out the second item, a pair of tight yoga pants, also black. They’d be way too long, but at least they’d be easy to roll.
“Turn around, demon boy. No peep shows today.”
Bram spun around without a single protest and that won him some brownie points. Dropping the purple velvet robe, it pooled around my bare feet and I quickly slipped the clothes on. The shirt was bordering on obscene. The gals were large and in charge, but I felt strangely sexy in his clothes. And they smelled like Heaven. Maybe I can keep them.
“Alright. I’m all set, but I don’t have any shoes,” I noted as he turned back to face me.
“Damn, Goldie. The stars really broke the mold when they traced the curves of this body. By Saturn’s brightest rings, you are the sexiest female I have ever laid eyes on,” Bram’s voice dropped an octave with each word spoken, and fire raced up my spine as his eyes burned a path over my body.
My blush deepened and I felt it crawling down my neck, heading straight for my chest. “Thank you,” I replied shyly.
“Here, take these socks and boots. They’ll be way too big, though.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” I chided, slipping my feet into the socks and boots, and with a flick of my wrist, the boots shrunk to the perfect size. “See? I can do cool shit too, demon boy.”
Bram studied me for a moment longer before shouting, “Here we gooooo!!!” Wrapping me in his arms, and poof, we were swirling, and then we weren’t.
“Ugh, what part of warn a witch do you not understand, you demonic dickhead?” I groaned, rubbing my temples, but Bram was already walking off, not listening to shit I had to say. Well okay then, guess I’ll just go fuck myself.
“Hey! Come back here, mister! I’m scolding you,” I called out, stomping over to follow him, my vision tunneling on his back.
“Who, me?” he called back over his shoulder, still not stopping.
Huffing with indignation, I mumbled, my feet tromping through grass, “No, not you, I was talking to the other freckle-faced nut —oof—” I slammed into a Bram brick wall. “What the heck are you doing, you are really starting to p—” I shut up. My eyes scanned the landscape and my mouth dropped open.
We were standing on a cliff that overlooked a massive forest with rolling hills and tinkling streams weaving in and out of the trees. Houses of all sizes were sprinkled throughout the vast land, smoke from chimneys rising towards the sky, lights from their homes lighting up the night like beacons.
“Wow, this is beautiful,” I sighed. A green witch’s dream, really. All of this growth? Ahh, I lowkey wanted to get down there and roll around, touch all the trees, and trail my hands through the tall grass.
“Would you like to go on a walk with me? I can tell you a little more about this realm?” Bram offered, and the slight insecurity in his tone had my heart softening and the anger I’d felt earlier dissipating.
“I’d love that!” I jumped up on the balls of my feet a few times in excitement.
He grinned, reaching for my hand. “I’m going to jump us down, and then we can walk like normal people, okay?”
As much as I didn’t appreciate the sensation of jumping, maybe this time wouldn’t be so bad since he’d given me a warning.
“Alright, let’s do this.” I grabbed his hand and a moment later, we were standing in a dense evergreen forest, the trees towering high above us, the cool air nipping at my nose. The jump had not jolted me as badly since I knew what was going to happen, so I immediately began wandering around, slipping between the trees, and letting myself enjoy the rich pine and cedar scent the forest was offering.
“This was
one of my favorite places to play when I was a boy. The trees are excellent for climbing, makes it easy to hide from your friends and pounce on them when they least suspect it,” Bram told me, keeping pace behind me.
“Oh, if this was where I’d grown up, I would’ve been out here every day! These trees are monstrous. The ones on my land don’t get this big. I love them!” A flash of white in my periphery had me slamming to a halt. Maven?
“Did you see that?” I questioned, pointing to where the white flash disappeared.
“See what?” Bram asked, his body already stiffening in preparation for… what? Are we in danger out here?
“There was something white, it reminded me of my pet back home,” I confessed, walking over to see if I could catch another glimpse.
Bram relaxed. “Oh, yeah, these woods are overrun with white foxes. Little shits are troublemakers.”
I froze in my tracks. Prickles of awareness tickling the back of my neck, oh my gods. What were the odds? No, there’s no way this was a coincidence. Demons hunting me? Check. Their forests are running rampant with white foxes like Mave? Check. What the fuck sticks? Is Maven a… demon fox?
“What is it, Goldie? Are you cold? You’re shivering,” Bram observed, wrapping his frame around me, holding me tight. Without conscious thought, I nuzzled my cheek against his chest and one of his hands came up and began to run through my hair.
“I’m okay, just tired,” I lied, not wanting to talk about this Maven conspiracy that my brain was trying to run away with. I wondered if there were some way to see if he was a demon fox, like a spell we could try that would reveal the truth. Thinking back, I couldn’t remember when Maven actually showed up. Well, I remember when I first started seeing him, he’d stuck to the forest for a while before getting brave and approaching me. It was a brutal winter and I felt bad for him, so I let him in the house. Gran about lost her shit over that, but he loved it. Snuggled right up against me in bed, and I never kicked him out again. That was about five years ago now.
The Magic Of Betrayal Page 3
