City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials Book 1)

by C. N. Crawford

  “I think the City of Thorns has been missing its last Lilu. We can’t be whole without your kind. We’re a city of seven wards, seven gods. We made a promise to the mortals, and you are the single living exception.” He raised his glass. “Exactly how did you extract such a deal from my father?”

  I shrugged and let the strap of my gown fall just a little. “I made him happy. You know, I always thought I should be queen.”

  “So did I.” There was something fierce in his voice, a desperate edge to it. “Maybe I still do.”

  “Well, it’s not too late.” I sipped my drink. “But if our relationship is going to progress, I need to know the real you.”

  He put his drink down on the railing, then moved closer and planted his hands on either side of me. The wind whipped at his pale hair. “In what way do you want to know me?”

  I reached out to stroke his jawline. “The thing is, Your Majesty, everyone has a weakness. Even a king like you.”

  “I’m not sure that’s actually the case, Mortana.”

  “Everyone,” I repeated. “If we’re going to be equals, then I need to know what makes you vulnerable. If you only know someone’s strong side, you don’t really know them at all.”

  “And what makes you vulnerable, Duchess? Is there anything that you fear?”

  Dammit. A deflection. It’s like he’d been studying with Dr. Omer.

  Maybe I could answer. What made my shadow-self feel vulnerable? I closed my eyes, trying to tune in to what Mortana would feel. If I were answering the question for myself, there’d be a wide array of fears to choose from, spanning the gamut of likely to nearly impossible: fire, dying alone, childbirth, imprisonment in North Korea, choking on a stray zipper that got into my cereal, bug infestations, making selfish choices, getting trampled by a moose…the list was pretty much endless. But Mortana? She was different. She was a survivor. She didn’t agonize about being selfish or flawed—she just survived.

  “Being hunted and trapped.” I opened my eyes. “For obvious reasons. I’m the only one left. And you?”

  “I fear nothing, because I have been blessed by Lucifer as his true leader.” His tone was silky, deep.

  Alarm bells rang in my mind. Did he have the five-pointed star, then?

  He stepped back from me and pulled a knife from his pocket. The blade glinted in the moonlight, and he drew it across his palm. For just a moment, his skin flashed with bright red—but then the cut was gone again in an instant. Demons healed quickly, but this was different, almost immediate. Like an arrow bouncing off a dragon’s hide.

  He held up his palm. “I’m afraid to disappoint you, Mortana, but nothing about me is vulnerable. That is what it means to be blessed by Lucifer.”

  Shit. Was that actually true? If so, why was Orion so convinced otherwise?

  “Well, that’s disappointing,” I said. “I like to leave my mark on a man. Drag my claws down his back.” I bared my teeth. “Or mark him as mine with my fangs. I like to deliver pain with pleasure. If you can’t be hurt, I’m not sure we’d be well suited.”

  He moved in again, pressing his hands on either side of my hips. “Maybe we could find a way to work past that.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “But how?”

  The sea wind whipped over us, and my red hair tangled with his. Over his shoulder, I saw Orion standing in the doorway. His eyes looked dark, and darkness seemed to stain the air around him. That was how he looked when he was pissed off.

  Why was he annoyed now? I was doing exactly what he wanted. In fact, I think the king was actually about to tell me something.

  I turned my attention back to the king and licked my lips. “How could we arrange that? If Lucifer protects you all the time, how can I leave my claw marks on you like I did on the duke?”

  The king’s eyes raked down my body. “No. You won’t see him anymore.” His voice had a desperate edge. “I’ve watched you for too long to let you go to another man again. When you were with my father, the jealousy ate at me, like it did at my mother. You were the goddess of envy, inspiring it like no one else before. I vowed to have you as my own.” He dragged his eyes up to mine again. “But I don’t trust you.”

  Damn. I’d have to play on his desperation to override the sensible side. I shrugged. “Well, perhaps we’re not suited to each other. I’m sure there’s another demon female who would make a wonderful queen for you. And as for me? Orion can satisfy me like no other male ever has. You can see how all the females look at him, can’t you? Everyone wants him.”

  He reached up and grabbed me by the neck. “No.” Ice-cold rage laced his tone, and his fury tightened his jaw. “I will have what he has. I’m the king, and I deserve what I want.”

  Fear was starting to climb up my throat now. Panic clanged in the hollows of my mind, sharpened by my species’ thousands of years as prey. My amygdala was telling me to get the fuck out right now—that was a very, very powerful demon was about to rip my throat out or take what he wanted from me. But I could also tell I was close to getting the information I needed. He seemed out of control, ready to do anything to have me.

  “You know what I want,” I whispered. “I want to know all of you. Not just the powerful side.”

  “I want you now.” His eyes gleamed, midnight dark, and he gripped my waist like he was about to rip the fabric. “There is one way—”

  “King Cambriel.” Orion’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Do not touch what’s mine.”

  To my surprise, the king simply dropped his grip on me. His eyes glinted with darkness as he slowly stepped away.

  I looked beyond the king to see Lydia stepping outside next to Orion. The king pivoted to find the two of them standing behind him.

  Lydia was seething, and fury burned in her eyes. Was the king attracted to the jealousy of others, too? If so, he had a feast right here.

  I exhaled, trying to hide my frustration. I’d been so close to learning what Orion wanted. But the king had been out of control. And maybe—just maybe—Orion actually cared for me.

  My one burning question was why the fuck the king was so scared of Orion.

  Chapter 29

  I met Orion’s gaze as he prowled over to join me. His shoulders looked relaxed, but his eyes were dark as night. The king’s frenzy had disturbed him.

  Lydia shot me a sharp look, and her lip curled in a snarl. “She is not to be trusted,” she hissed. “Can’t you see that? Nama thinks she’s lying about her identity.”

  King Cambriel glanced at me, his jaw tight, and then he locked his gaze on Lydia again. “Do you think I’m an idiot?” His voice boomed over the party, and the guests inside went quiet as they turned to look. “Do you think I can’t detect a threat? Or that I can’t look after myself? I am Cambriel, heir of the fallen Seraphim Beelzebub. As the rightful heir to the throne, I am protected by the gods themselves. Obviously, I don’t need rumors spread by lunatics like Nama to keep me safe. I thought you were above gossip, Lydia. Not like the other females?”

  He stalked inside once more, smoothing out his suit jacket.

  Wow, that was harsh. Lydia stared after him for a moment, then turned to look at me. She gripped her cocktail glass, and the wind raked at her dark hair. The king had just humiliated her, and she looked like she was about to take out all that rage on me. Her eyes went dark as night, and fire blazed from her fingertips, melting her glass. Molten glass pooled at her feet, and my stomach dropped.

  “You’re ruining everything,” she rasped. “I am meant to be queen in the City of Thorns, and you’re burning down my plans. Did you hear how he just spoke to me?”

  From across the balcony, she lunged for me, and my heart leapt. But before she could reach me, Orion shot out of the shadows and grabbed Lydia by the arm, halting her attack.

  Fury contorted her features, and she pivoted to face him. “And where the fuck did you come from, Orion? Who are you, really? You’ve never managed to explain to anyone why you’re here.”

  A
muscle clenched in his jaw. “I don’t need to explain why I’m here. In fact, I’m not allowed to. That’s what the Trial is for. I passed, and that means the gods want me here. You wouldn’t doubt their judgment, would you?”

  “Of course not,” she conceded.

  “Just like Mortana survived the Trial. You know the king doesn’t allow blasphemy. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to make him angrier.”

  She shot me one last furious look, then turned and hurried back into the penthouse.

  I exhaled slowly. It had felt like the king was about to confess his weakness to me, and I wondered if I’d get another opportunity. After this point, Lydia and Nama would make it their mission to uncover the truth about me.

  How long until they simply figured it out?

  Orion stepped closer to me, his eyes still black as jet. He leaned down to my ear, and heat from his body warmed me. Whenever he was near, I could feel his power rushing over my skin, a wave of sensual magic. He brushed my hair back from my ear, then whispered, “I had to stop him. He looked like he could have hurt you.”

  I’m not sure where the impulse came from—if it was from me or all part of the act—but I found myself reaching up and touching his chest. As I did, I heard a sharp intake of breath.

  “He nearly confessed the truth,” I whispered. “First, he said Lucifer protects him as the king…”

  “That’s a lie,” he whispered. “He uses some form of magic to make himself invulnerable.”

  I stepped back a little to look into Orion’s eyes, wanting to know more. Why was he so obsessed with this? And what did it have to do with Mortana?

  But even if the king was easy to manipulate, Orion was not. He wouldn’t tell me easily. I pressed myself against him and whispered, “I was close. He’s incredibly jealous of you, and I think he was on the verge of telling me how I could leave claw marks on him—”

  Orion let out a low growl, then shifted until our foreheads touched. He cupped his hand around the back of my neck. “Did you tell him the truth? That I was the first man you’d ever seen who could truly satisfy you in the way you need?”

  My heart was racing faster, my chest flushing. “Did I say that?”

  His hooded expression made my breath catch. “Let’s make him more jealous, shall we?” He lightly traced a finger over my jaw. “You were close to finding the truth. Maybe we can push him over the edge. I aim to show the king exactly how much you want me.”

  Was this really just about getting information from the king, or was Orion trying to prove something?

  He took me by the hand and led me back into the party. The lights were dimmer inside now, flickering like candles and reflecting off the pool. All eyes were on me as we walked inside—the succubus harlot. I tried to ignore the feeling of being self-conscious as everyone gaped.

  Near one of the walls, Orion took a seat in a leather chair, then pulled me into his lap. Only his shocking beauty was able to make me forget the uncomfortable feeling of being stared at. Orion’s gaze slid over the room—probably making sure the king was watching—and he stroked his hand down my spine. Hot, sensual magic followed the trail of his touch.

  When his eyes met mine again, his hand moved upward, cupping my neck. I leaned in, and my lips met his. My mouth opened against his, and heat swept through my body as his tongue flicked in. I stroked my hand down his chest, feeling his abs tighten under my touch. Every thought I’d had about the crowd around us seemed to melt away, and there was nothing but the deep, sensual pleasure of his kiss. I felt my nipples going hard under my silky gown, and molten heat pooled in my core. His tongue entwined with mine.

  As he finished the kiss with a nip to my lower lip, he pulled back. The look he was giving me was molten, hungry. His expression was positively primal, like he was about to rip my dress off, throw me up against the wall, and fuck me right here.

  Was that the look he was giving me, or was that what I wanted to happen?

  His breath sped up as he pulled down the strap of my dress, just enough that he had a good view of my hard nipples. A growl rose from his throat, and I saw his fangs lengthen like he wanted to devour me.

  This was all very out of character for me, but I wasn’t exactly stopping him as he reached down for the hem of my dress and slid his hand beneath. My gown was dragged upward as he traced his hand higher, exposing more of my skin. “Are you going to get cocky, love, with the two most powerful men in the city fighting over you?”

  “Get cocky?” I said, because I was Mortana. “I know my worth.”

  He tilted me into him, my hips shifting in his lap. One of his hands stroked slowly up and down over my ribs. I could feel his magic, his heat, through the thin material. My breath was hitching, my pulse racing as his other hand slid around my upper thigh. He was touching me like I belonged to him, but his expression held a certain reverence that I hadn’t seen before. The seductive scent of burning cedar curled all around us, and desire coiled tight within me.

  His eyes darkened to black, and I sensed he knew how much I wanted this. He was responding to me as much as I was to him. He brushed his knuckles over my thigh, the sensation so maddening I could no longer think straight.

  I should probably stop this now.

  I mean, we were in a room with other people, for crying out loud…but my breasts ached for his touch.

  From behind me, I heard the sound of a throat clearing, and Orion’s hand tightened on my ass like he was claiming me. He whispered into my ear, “We got the king’s attention.”

  A cold tendril of disappointment coiled through me. Right. Had this been about the information?

  With my cheeks flushing a bright red, I turned my face a little to see King Cambriel looming over us. “Mortana and I were not finished with our discussion.”

  “The thing is, Your Majesty,” said Orion sharply, “I don't really give a fuck.”

  I gasped. Was the king going to kill him for that impudence?

  With me in his arms like an indecent bride, Orion rose. I felt as if the rest of the room had fallen away. It was just me and Orion now, his dark eyes shining with desire.

  Without another word, he carried me outside. The sea wind chilled my skin, rustling my hair as Orion walked with me over to the balcony. Clouds had slid over the moon, and shadows swallowed up the night sky around us. The only light out there was from the party and the glittering phosphorescence of the sea.

  My emotions were drowning out rational thought completely. My breath hitched, and I simply repeated, “Where are we going?”

  “I thought I should take you out of there.”

  “On the balcony?”

  “I don’t want to give you over to the king. I want you in my bed, naked and moaning my name.”

  “Okay,” I breathed. “Let’s do that.” I frowned at him, my heart still racing as I clung to his neck. “Why are we on the balcony? How do we get down from here?”

  “You’ll see, love.” With me in his arms, he climbed atop the railing, and my heart stuttered in my chest.

  Now, the sea breeze outside was whipping at us, and panic made my heart race. “Are you crazy?”

  His dark eyes locked on mine, and he held me close against his powerful chest. “Do you trust me, love?”

  “No.”

  His beautiful mouth curved in a dark smile. “You’re very wise in that regard. But do you trust me at least not to kill you until I can bring you somewhere where I can make you come?”

  “I guess?”

  I tore my gaze away from him and glanced down at the ocean glittering far below us. Didn’t he say only the Lilu could fly? He wasn’t Lilu. “Wait—”

  Before I could get the rest of my sentence out, he leapt from the balcony, and we started to plunge through the air.

  Chapter 30

  The sea wind whipped over us as we fell into the darkness. Orion was still holding me tightly against his powerful chest, but we were falling toward the sea.

  What the fuck, Orion?

  Th
en, with a sound like a snapping bone, our fall stopped sharply. With a slamming heart, I gripped Orion’s neck, catching my breath as I stared at the dark wings that spread out behind him. His feathers were tinged a deep silver at the tips, and they seemed to glow like moonlight. “What are you?” I breathed.

  “Magnificent,” he murmured.

  Stunned, I stared at him. “No, really. I thought all the Lilu were dead besides Mortana. And that only the Lilu have wings.” I just stared, trying to come to grips with what had just happened. “The female Lilu were succubi. So you’re—what, an incubus? You’re an incubus. Can you fuck me to death?”

  Wickedness gleamed in his eyes. “Is that a request?”

  “No, it was a concern.”

  “I promise to keep you alive.” He flashed me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile. “Now you’ve seen the real me. And you’re just about the only one.”

  “A bit more warning would have helped,” I panted.

  His muscled arms were wrapped tightly around me, one around my waist, and one under my ass.

  “I couldn’t risk anyone overhearing me,” he said. “They need to think that you are the one flying, not me. You’re supposed to be the Lilu.”

  In the darkness, his pale blue eyes seemed to glow.

  I sucked in a sharp breath. “So…hang on, you’re secretly a Lilu? And no one else knows?”

  “No one except you knows that I am an incubus. And if the other demons realized that, they’d try to kill me.” A faint smile. “They’d fail, but they’d try, and it would be messy and disrupt my plans.”

  My mind could hardly keep up with this new information. “So I’m the only person who knows what you really are?”

  The corner of his lips twitched. “Either I trust you, or I’m just making stupid decisions because you robbed me of the ability to think clearly when you were sitting in my lap. When I could hear your heart beating faster and your breath speeding up, it was difficult to think straight.”

  With a jolt of surprise, I realized he was letting me know what made him vulnerable. “If you’re an incubus, then how are you still alive?”