“AndItold you, of courseI’mnot—youare,” the demon says, frowning.
“What do you mean?”Idemand.“Stopdancing around the issue—what the fuck do you want in return for the coal?”
“I want her greatest fear to come true.”Salazar’seyes burn brighter.“Iwant you to change the color of her eyes.It’sclear the little priestess is afraid of losing her purity—if she wasn’t and you weren’t afraid you’d change her eyes, they’d be green already instead of virgin-blue.”
“No—Iwon’t fucking do that to her,”Isay at once.
“Why not?What’sstopping you?Isit because you love her and don’t want to hurt her?”Salazarasks, arching an eyebrow at me.
“Because he wouldn’t just change the color of my eyes—that’s not how the curse works!”Elowenblurts.“I’dget pregnant—right away.Notjust a little bit, either—it happened to my fellow priestesses and all of them gave birth just a few days later.”
“Ah,Isee…”Salazarnods wisely.“Sothe first part of the curse is endless lust—the second part is instant pregnancy.”
“Exactly.”Shenods.
“Hmm…well then, maybeIcan help you.”Hewaves a hand at her andElowenstiffens at once.
“What the fuck did you do to her?”Iturn on him feeling myDrakepressing against me to get out, both of us boiling with protective rage.
“Why,Iremoved the second part of the curse, of course.You’rewelcome, my dear,” he says, smiling at her.
Elowen puts a hand to her chest, her eyes going wide.
“I feel…different.”
“Of course you do,”Salazargives her a charming smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“If you can remove the second half of the curse, why not remove the first half too?”Iask.
“Ah, becauseIdon’t want to.”Salazargives an oily laugh.“Thinkof it—she wants you so badly, my dearDrakeand yet neither of you dares to act on her need because she fears you’ll change the color of her eyes.It’sabsolutelydelicious.”
I feel a growl rising in my throat.
“I don’t care if you removed the pregnancy part of the curse—I’mstill not changing the color of her eyes.”
“Well then…let’s try a compromise,” the demon suggests.
“What…what kind of compromise?”Elowenasks.
“The kind where you walk right up to the edge of your greatest fear…and see if you can keep from falling over,” he says.“You’lllet your handsomeDrakeenter you—even thrust in you.Ifhe can keep himself from shooting his seed deep inside you and changing the color of your eyes, then you get the living coal.”
Elowen’s face is pale as paper, but she still manages to talk.
“But what if he does change the color of my eyes?”she whispers.
“ThenI’llstillgive you the coal!”Salazartells her, smiling broadly.“Becauseeither way,I’llbe able to harvest your fear.”Hegives her a sly smile.“And,Ishould imagine, a fair amount of lust as well.Whatdo you say?”
I look atElowenand she looks at me.Ican feel the need flowing between us andIcan smell the rich scent of her feminine desire.Butthere’s something else in the air as well—fear.She’safraid of me—probably ever since she saw myDrake’sshaft.
“It has to be up to you, baby,”Isay to her.“Butif we do this,Ipromise it’s just my shaft you’d be dealing with—not myDrake’s.”
At once the fear in the air starts to dissipate and she looks ever so slightly relieved.I’mglad she feels better, but it’s still a bitter realization.Shemight be willing to take myDrake’stongue insider her, but it’s clear she draws the line at his cock.
Not thatIblame her—his shaft is fucking frightening because of its size and all the ridges.Still,Ican’t help feeling myDrake’semotions of pain and rejection.
“It’s not thatIdon’t like yourDrake,”Elowensays quickly.“Ido—but he’s sobig.”
“Ah—so many delicious fears and terrors!”Salazarcroons.“Ishall feast well tonight!”