Lila looked over to me, eyes narrowed, no longer appearing under my spell. Had she been faking it? I had expected my commanding magic to hold longer.
“I’ve played the good little puppet because I wanted to know where you live. And the truth is, I need help getting out of here,” she began. “You talk like you don’t want me hurt, so I can guess you are remotely good. If that’s the case, then what’s the harm of sending me home?”
Home? Did she honestly think she would return to the human realm after seeing our world? How sad for her. “There is no going home. Once you are banished or sent to our realm, you don’t go home.”
She scrunched her face in disbelief. “Bull shit.”
I rested my ankle on my knee, stifling a yawn. It was late, and the day had been long. As exciting as she was, I was bordering on exhaustion. “No human has ever left here. And we don’t have the ability to send you home. Only portal faes can go and/ or aid us between realms, and you would need permission for that. Of course, once they saw a human, you wouldn’t be able to leave. And, because you were banished, they might not even be able to send you home.”
“Well, we have to try.”
I cocked a brow. Why would she think I would help her? Perhaps I had been too nice. I had simply confused her. “Lila, I have no intentions of helping you get home. You are a rare magical human; I would be a fool to let you go. I brought you here to decide just how I plan to use you. But home?” I smirked at her, baring a bit of teeth. “You will never see home again.”
Her face dropped, shoulders sagging, and for the first time, I saw the hint of water in her eyes. Was she seeking my sympathy? She would not get it.
“I can’t stay here,” she said in barely a whisper.
Xander giggled, giving her a pretend sympathetic pout. “Aww, is the pretty lady going to cry? I’ve never tasted human tears. What deliciousness you have given me tonight.”
He reached up to touch her face, but she quickly grabbed his wrist. “You touch me again, and you will lose your hand.” She looked over to me, still clutching Xander, eyes going hard. She was a contradiction of emotions, and it brought out my curiosity. Who was she, really? “I need you to tell me what you plan to do now,” she insisted.
I leaned forward, her demands and desires were not my concern. She was here for my satisfaction and nothing more. I’d have to teach her that. “You do not give me orders. I must have made you believe that I was your friend. I am not. Just because I am saving you from the harm of others does not make us allies.”
She let go of Xander. “Then why am I here?”
“Because I desire it so.”
Her eyes narrowed in anger. “You said you wouldn’t hurt me.”
I sat back, tossing my hands to the side. “I said no harm would come to you and that we wouldn’t expose you. We didn’t define what harm meant. We are a different species from you, after all.”
She shot up, anger radiating from her body like a furnace. Even with her face twisted in rage, she still looked absolutely beautiful. I wanted to hit myself. Why was I concerned about her features? I wanted her, that was why. I knew it from the moment I saw her tangle with Xander. We could make good use out of her. It would be foolish to imprison her or give her to the royal court. They didn’t need all the humans that came our way. Maybe, for once, I would take something for my own.
She stormed in my direction and reared her hand back for what I was sure would be an icy punch. I rose, swiftly grabbing her by the wrists and slamming her back down on the couch, pinning her to the furniture. Xander scooted to the side, grinning as he watched us.
I leaned into her, standing between her legs until my face was inches away. She struggled under my grasp, and I tightened my hold on her wrists, slowing her movements. “You raise a hand to me again, and I will toss you into a pit so deep you will never see the light of day again. Or I can let the Nodoors have you. They will fuck and enslave you. They will not listen to your pleas; they will not give you comfort. You should be thanking me for saving your life.”
For the first time, the scent of fear rose from her like a sour perfume. I inhaled deeply, savoring it. I lowered my eyes past her wide eyes, noticing the rapid rise and fall of her chest. What would it be like to set her free and chase her? She was a fighter, but there was a smallness to her that I wanted to lick, to taste, to devour. She would be fun to stalk in the woods. She would fight back fiercely. It would be exhilarating when I finally caught her. I wanted that chase. That game. I could feel myself harden at just the thought of pinning her to the ground like I currently had her. Feeling those full lips on mine. Rutting into her over and over.
She looked to her left, to the glass walls overlooking the grass, stone walkway, and lake. It was dark, except for our stars and moon, which reflected brightly in the water. I had no doubt she was contemplating escaping through the glass, but it was reinforced, unbreakable. Even with her ice magic, I wasn’t sure she could break through. Still, it might be fun to see her try. To capture her.
“You can try to escape, but you’ll just hurt yourself. And then I’d have to punish you,” I smirked, knowing it would annoy her. Was I too tired for a chase now? I was beginning to wake up.
She closed her eyes. This was new. Was she resolving herself to her fate? “So, you won’t help me get home? If you’re going to turn me over to your authorities, then just do it. I’m not hiding anything, so you won’t learn anything new. Let’s not waste each other’s time.”
I glanced over to Xander, who had made himself comfortable, propping his feet up on my glass coffee table. He was tossing his dagger back and forth, eyeing Lila with amusement. I already knew he wouldn’t want to let her go.
I rubbed a finger between my eyes, exhaustion still taking hold after all. I would have to lock her up soon. “I’m not certain what I will do with you, but you don’t dictate what I decide. If I take you to the court, one of two things will happen to you. They will sentence you to death for trespassing, or they will enslave you for the rest of your natural life, longer by magic if they enjoy your services. It will not be a good life.”
She opened her eyes. “And I’d be better off stuck here? What did you mean by no harm would come to me?”
“I meant, we would not force ourselves on you, and we would not torture you.”
Xander blew out a raspberry, looking dejected. “No torture?”
I gave him a pointed stare, knowing he needed to hear me clearly. “No. We don’t break our toys.”
Xander grinned. “I can put her back together again after.”
