by J. L. Weil
“Whatever you do, stay out of the water. It’s poisonous,” Ashor whispered near my ear, his breath a welcome chill over my warm skin.
Of course something so beautiful would be lethal. This was the underworld.
My stomach twisted as we approached the castle, passing through the heart of the city. The castle itself was nestled on the far south side, higher up the valley so the queen overlooked her faithful subjects. Dozens of pristine white steps steered us to the arched front doors. Columns flanked either side in rows down the long corridor that looked to wrap around the entire perimeter of the castle.
Ashor nodded to two demons on either side of the doors. They looked human and bowed their heads in return to the prince, keeping their gazes lowered for a brief moment.
“Welcome to Gardeness,” Verena purred, sweeping open both doors. The balmy air blew, fluttering the white curtains throughout the grand entryway.
Ashor slipped a hand into his pocket. “Your hospitality is appreciated.”
Had he been hit in the head? Why was he acting as if we were her guests instead of the prisoners we were? Was he hoping to kill her with kindness? Because I had it on good faith that shit didn’t work down here. But if you thought about it, kindness would make one hell of a weapon against demons.
Verena laughed, a cruel sound. “We have much to discuss, Prince. Why don’t we get comfortable first?” She gestured to a room on her left.
Countless open windows overlooked the city and the river below, carrying traces of sea and salt into the air. In the center of the room was a gurgling fountain of a naked woman spilling a pot of water into the pool. Without Verena saying a word, human servants breezed into the room, laying out trays of food and pitchers of spirits.
“You always do know how to make a guest feel welcome,” Ashor drawled, but I sensed the lie rolling off his tongue. He might look like the epitome of a relaxed demon male, but the prince was poised to strike on a second's notice.
“I can’t get over how different it is than the Fortress,” I muttered, still taking in the simplicity yet beauty of Verena’s castle. How unfair that a demon should live in such refinement.
The queen made herself comfortable in an oversize chair made of rich and plush fabric. “Gardeness does have a flair the Court of Darkness could never pull off.”
Still alert and distrustful, the prince reached for a decanter of wine situated on top of a glass serving cart and poured a glass, taking a long pull. “You got me here, Verena, so tell me, what it is you want from me?” he boldly asked, refilling his glass before reclining in a seat.
“Is it true your mother is readying for war between the courts?” she inquired, all pleasantries out of the way.
Ashor lifted his glass at her, a twisted smirk on his lips. “Direct, as always. You know that my mother doesn’t consult me in such decisions. If you wanted that information, you should have requested one of her commanders.”
I ran my fingers along the table, too on edge to sit, but Ashor, sensing my restlessness, pulled me down into his lap. “Have a seat, luv,” he murmured into my ear.
A vein at her temple throbbed. “Cut the bullshit, Ashor. We both know your mother has long coveted the position of Supreme.”
He laid a hand over the top of my thigh, coolness seeping through the material of my pants. “Supreme hasn’t been a position in Hell since long before I was born,” he said.
“You are not that old, Prince. Not compared to the years I’ve seen.”
My back relaxed against him, comforted by the lazy strokes his fingers traced on my legs. I craved his touch and wanted to be anywhere but here; ideally somewhere alone with a bed.
He offered me a sip of his drink, which I gladly took. “True, but you have aged gracefully,” he told the queen.
“Perhaps the mortal queen has something to say on the matter? It’s a shame she couldn’t stay.” The queen gave me a pointed look, but I didn’t shy away.
In fact, I stared right back, hanging tightly onto the glass. “Angel doesn’t want anything to do with the Court of Inferno. She doesn’t care about your demon politics.” Angel might hold the title, but she didn’t consider herself a part of the underworld and had renounced her claim to the Court of Inferno. Not formally, of course, because none of us knew if that was possible.
Verena raised a single brow. “Is it not true that the Queen of Darkness just months ago tried to steal her crown?” Her eyes shifted to the top of my head where Ashor’s crown glittered. “I couldn’t help notice that the mortal doesn’t wear the Crown of Inferno,” the queen mused with curiosity and a touch of disfavor.
Careful, luv.
My chin lifted, and I sat straighter in my seat. “No. She doesn’t. It’s a position she never wanted, but something she couldn’t avoid.”
“That must really burn Kali’s ass.” A slow curl of her lips. “Good.”
“I take you aren’t BFFs?” I asked, intrigued by the pleasure that lit her eyes.
A seductive laugh trickled from Verena, making my skin tingle. “You really don’t have any clue about the workings of Hell. It’s almost comical. The Queen of Darkness and I can hardly stand to be in the same world as one another. Given the chance, she would drown my soul in darkness. But it is the same among all the royals, isn’t it, Ashor?”
My mate neither denied nor confirmed Verena’s insight into the courts. He simply took the glass from my fingers and downed the remaining wine.
“It’s no secret. Demons aren’t wired for feelings of the mushy kind. It’s interesting that your mate wears your crown,” she said to Ashor.
“Is it?” he replied, sounding bored.
Verena smiled.
I shot her a shrewd expression. “What do you want with Ashor?”
She regarded me before responding. I was no one to her. I was someone she deemed beneath her, and yet, it was my status to the prince that allowed me to be here. Without him, I would be considered lower than the lowest demon. I probably wouldn’t have been invited into her home, that’s for sure. “To end a war before it begins,” she finally said.
“Hasn’t it already begun?” I countered, not caring two shits what she thought about me. I wasn’t one of her subjects or of this world, so damn their rules.
Verena’s grew dark and turbulent. “Perhaps, but if there is a way to save my court from destruction, then I will do everything in my power to prevent their suffering. I’ll save the torment for the Court of Misery.”
“And how does Ashor’s presence here accomplish that?” I challenged. I respected her conviction to protect her court and position, but that was where my respect ended.
“Verena plans to use me as leverage,” my mate supplied. “But she should know that I am not that important to my mother. She will not give you what you seek.”
The queen laid a hand on the table, nails tapping against the wood. “We shall see. In the meantime, you are free to enjoy the pleasures of Gardeness, but you cannot leave.”
Ashor remained gloriously uninterested. “I know the rules.”
Verena smiled. “Good.”
I fidgeted on Ashor’s lap, ignoring the sudden leap of my pulse. Lexi, sit still, I scolded myself. “Do those same rules apply to me?” I asked the queen as one of Ashor’s hands slid under the side of my shirt.
A ripple of the queen’s power trembled in the air. “You are the daughter of one of mine, so yes, the same rules apply to you. I’ll let Ashor handle the dos and don’ts of court.”
Ashor’s fingers traveled higher up my back, dancing lightly over my skin. I used all my willpower not to lean back into him and sigh, but concentrate on the queen’s words. “So we’re prisoners?” I concluded.
“Your label, not mine. It is really for your own protection,” she insisted, continuing her little delusional skit. “Jesset will show you to your room for the duration of your stay.” Verena snapped her fingers, and a female appeared in the doorway. “I assume you’ll want to share a room,” she said with
a scandalized twist of her lips.
14
Jesset was scantily dressed in sheer silk that wrapped around her neck in a crisscross to just cover her full breasts. If she moved the wrong way, they would be saying hello to the world. The material was tied with a ribbon at her waist, falling down the front and back of her body, but leaving the sides completely exposed. Little fawn-like horns poked out of her long auburn hair. Her hips swayed with grace and sensuality.
Gardeness was a castle of sex—a pansexual orgy. Boy-girl. Girl-girl. Boy-boy. And every other combination in between. Five. Six. Ten participants. The number or the sex didn’t matter. Pleasure was the only significant factor.
I’d never considered myself a prude and had seen my fair share of romantic situations, but holy shit. The things going on inside Verena’s castle made me feel like a virgin. My cheeks grew warm as we were led through the halls, passing by room after room of lewd acts.
“Are you blushing, luv?” Ashor whispered, leaning down so his breath brushed against my hair.
“It’s hot here,” I replied in my defense. A lie. And he knew it.
We were shown to a wing of the castle and then to a suite of rooms. It was in the lavish lounge where Jesset left us, shutting the door behind her. Pillows were stacked on the floor around low tables. The ceiling was draped in sheer fabrics gathered together at the center of the room.
Neither of us said anything at first. I waited for the sound of a lock clicking in place to solidify the reality of my lavish prison.
“There are no locks on the doors,” Ashor finally said, noticing my lingering gaze. “But you can bet your ass she has guards stationed outside. So I’d think twice about sneaking around the castle at night or alone. And don’t think about going out the window,” he said, anticipating my thoughts.
“As far as prisons go, this one isn’t so bad,” I said, scanning the space. “I’ve stayed in worse.”
“Don’t let the sparkle and beauty fool you. There is evil within these walls. And I’d rather not see the inside of Verena’s dungeons. Again,” he added.
I shook my head. “I don’t even want to know.” But I would take his word on the evil that slept inside this facade of a castle.
As silence stretched between us, it hit me that we were finally alone, and I had a lot to say. I wandered into the bedroom as I told myself not to think about the fact that we were sharing a room. The prince leaned against the bedroom door once he shut it behind him, bathing the room in absolute darkness. The blinds were all closed, shutting out the sunlight, and for the first time since I’d stepped through Hell’s Gate, he looked at ease.
But I was feeling anything but calm.
I whirled on the prince, letting loose the storm suddenly churning inside me. “You better start explaining what the hell is going—”
His lips were on mine, silencing me with a kiss that could destroy worlds. I hadn’t even seen him move. He was just there in front of me, kissing with a power that wrecked me and all those disorderly feelings beating within me. I didn’t relinquish immediately, but it was a winless battle. When it came to Ashor, I could only yield.
My body melted into his. This moment had played out in my head a million different ways, but nothing compared to the real thing. Ashor wasn’t a dream or vision. He was here in the flesh for my fingers to touch, for my lips to kiss, for my soul to breathe. I was also afraid he would stop kissing me and then the reality of where we were would sink back in, banishing the small amount of happiness we found in each other.
And yet, we couldn’t hide from our problems. They wouldn’t be solved as long as his lips were claiming mine, yet I didn’t have the strength to protest. I needed this as much as he did. Ashor could be taken from me at any moment’s notice, and the thought of another separation, regardless of how short the distance, sliced through my soul. The truth was, we were at the mercy of another queen. “Ashor,” I whispered, a tinge of warning in my voice, but it was weak.
“It can wait another minute, but I can’t,” he murmured, taking possession of my lips again, and I sank against him, giving in fully to the kiss.
Just another minute, I promised myself.
When did I begin the habit of lying to myself?
I’d kiss Ashor until the world around us crumbled.
Rising up on my toes, I sank my fingers into his hair, pressing myself against his hard frame. He was trapped between the wall and me—such a triumphant position to hold. Of course, the last thing I should be doing was wishing I could lock the damn door and beg Ashor to take me right here against the wall.
There was much for us to discuss, and all I wanted to do was keep on kissing him. My priorities were seriously fucked-up, but after months of being separated from my mate, this impulse to be as close to him as a person could get wouldn’t be subdued. My fingers dipped under his shirt, running up over his flat lower stomach where a whorl of tattoos spread over his skin. “You just can’t kiss me every time I want to talk to you,” I murmured.
He kissed the tip of my nose. “But it’s so effective.”
“So is my knee to your groin, but I don’t unman you every time you piss me off.”
His chuckle was soft and cool on my face. “I kissed you not to silence you, but to calm the turmoil both our demons are feeling. I kissed you because I needed to feel you. I kissed you to steady us both.”
My heart flipped. “Fine. I get it. But if you keep kissing me like that, we’re going to spend the whole night in bed.”
Firm hands gripped my ass. “I hope so.” He lifted me up, and I had no choice but to wrap my legs around him. He carried me across the room, setting us both down on the large bed that filled the center of the room, the fluffy mattress absorbing our combined weight.
I resituated myself on his lap, watching his violet eyes flare. The look there said I better talk fast, because he had other plans for my lips. “We need to talk,” I said, flattening my palms on his chest and pressing slightly. “Then maybe we can do other stuff.”
“You have my attention.” His fingers said otherwise as they roamed and traced over me leisurely. Those smoldering eyes watched my lips with dark hunger that caused my body to flush.
Be strong, Lexi. And I was the one who was supposed to be part sex demon. “Why are you really here? I don’t believe the queen could have imprisoned you, not unless you wanted it. I know about the oath you made with your mother. You have an agenda.”
Not an ounce of surprise flickered through his features. “I always have an agenda. It’s what makes us royals, royal. Besides, it’s best we let Verena think she has the upper hand.”
“And does she? Have the upper hand?” We were in her house, guarded round the clock. No matter what Ashor had planned, there were still risks. Shit could hit the fan. And considering who I was dealing with… it wasn’t a matter of if but when all hell broke loose.
It was coming. I could feel it, despite the prince trying to mask his web of deception from me. When dealing with a queen bee like Kali, someone was bound to get the shit stung out of them. I just prayed to god it wasn’t Angel or Verena. If the Queen of Darkness poisoned either one of them with her venom, it would be the beginning of an underworld takeover, which would bleed into the mortal world.
I shuddered to think what someone like Kali could do with all that power.
His gaze flicked just above my head before returning to mine. “It still looks good on you.”
My lips turned down. “You can’t avoid all my questions.”
Soft and luscious lips caressed mine, tasting like the ocean during winter. “Why talk when there are so many other more enjoyable things to be doing?” His mouth captured mine again, and I gave myself another moment of pleasure to enjoy the feel of it, but I didn’t let myself sink in—not like I terribly wanted to.
Under my palm, his heartbeat quickened. Dazed, I remembered his words. “What looks good on me?” I asked, circling back to his comment.
“My crown.”
I rolled my eyes. “So I’ve been told. How about you take this thing back?” I lifted my hands to take the crown and put it back where it rightfully belonged.
His fingers wrapped around my wrists midair, drawing them away from the crown to nestle against his chest. He shook his head. “I don’t think so, luv. I like it where it is. Besides, I have others. Royalty perks.”
“So you haven’t been disowned?”
A grin of pure wickedness appeared. “I’m her only true heir. My mother wouldn’t dare disown me.”
Thrones of Hell weren’t necessarily inherited. They were more often than not taken by brute force, the kingdom transferred upon the destruction of the only thing a demon had left—its soul. But a queen or king at any time could pass the throne to an heir if they had one. Kali’s reign was far from over. The only way Ashor would become the King of Darkness was by killing his own mother. “So the crown you insist I keep, is this another way for you to claim me?”
A twinkle sparkled in his eyes. “If it is?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I haven’t even decided if I want to be mated to you.”
The pad of his thumb ran back and forth over my bottom lip, parting them. “You’ve had months to consider and you’re telling me you still haven’t made up your mind?”
My response was a flick of my tongue over his thumb, tasting the potency of his skin, and my demon purred with delight. My demon was a harlot.
A deep rumble vibrated in his chest. “Perhaps you need more convincing….” The sudden silky and seductive quality to his voice sent two very opposite signals off in my body.
According to my mother, seducing Ashor should come naturally to me, but it was Ashor who seduced me. “We’re not done talking, princeling.” Looking into his sultry face, I was seconds away from saying, screw it. Seeing him changed everything. I still intended to find a way out of this mess, but I couldn’t unless I had all the facts.
