He looks up warily. “Yes?”
“If I hear that you’re having sexual relations with any female who is not of age or unwilling. I will cut off your cock.”
I give him a wide, demonic smile and slam the door behind me as I leave.
Chapter 31
Daisy
When I wake up, the room is quiet.
The only light in the room comes from the soft, shimmering glow of the crystal sconces embedded in the cave walls.
Korithax is slumped in a chair beside the bed. His hair’s damp, and he’s dressed in only those loose black sleep pants that I’ve become embarrassingly addicted to seeing him in. He must’ve showered while I was asleep. A blanket’s been draped over me, an act of surprising tenderness that makes my chest ache. On the wall above the fireplace, an intricate device of crystal and metal with soft runes encircling it, reads three thirty-three a.m. Gods. I’ve been asleep for hours.
I feel absolutely disgusting, the now dried blood feeling itchy against my skin. Carefully, I slip out from under the blanket and climb out of the bed, tiptoeing to avoid waking Korithax. Ipad softly towards the door that’s connected to the bedroom in search of a bathroom.
When I find it, I let out a low whistle in admiration. Smooth jet-black floors and quartz walls reflect the northern lights pouring in from the domed skylight overhead. There’s a grand waterfall shower made of sculpted moonstone, trickling streams of glowing water that cascade down from high above. Silver fixtures shaped like vines curl along the stone wall outside the shower, holding fluffy towels. Bowls of fragrant oils and shimmering soaps line the edges of a carved-out ledge that sits deep within the wall.
I peel off my underwear and bra and step under the cascading water. The moment it touches my skin, I groan in relief. I close my eyes, letting the water flow down my body, appreciating the feel of the blood leaving my skin. But as the waters soak me, the memories start to creep in.
The creature tackling me to the floor, its long claws and insidious smile. The way it sniffed at me like I was defenceless prey. Because that’s exactly what I was, even back home. I was weak, pathetic, and utterly incapable of defending myself.
My chest tightens as my breathing comes in quick and sharp. It feels like I’m suffocating, my chest burning as I fight to breathe. But I can’t. I can’t breathe. My heart pounds, thudding violently as panic sets in, my entire body igniting with fear. I grip my hair with my hands, sobs wracking through me as I fight for oxygen. My knees wobble as my head starts spinning and my ears begin to ring. Suddenly, hands grip my shoulders, making my panic rise to whole new levels.
“NO. GET OFF ME. NOT AGAIN!” I scream, the image of the creature flashing through my head over and over like a strobe light.
“Shhhh, little flower. It’s okay.”
He pulls me gently against his bare chest, my back pressed against him as he pulls my hands from my hair and wraps his arms round me. His voice is low and soothing, lips brushing my ear softly.
“Breathe, Daisy. You’re safe. It’s me,” Korithax whispers.
I sag into him, my body instantly relaxing. I decide to ignore how easily I managed to relax in the arms of a demon prince, that’s a whole other problem for another day. His arms loosen slightly, and I turn slowly to face him. He looks down at me, those onyx eyes dark but soft. I place my hands on his biceps, letting the feel of him ground me. I slow my breathing down, basking in the feel of oxygen filling my lungs, and blink away the tears that line my eyes, not moving my sight from his for even a second.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I thought you were that thing. The thing that took me.”
“I’m deeply offended. I’m much sexier.”
I snort, a borderline hysterical laugh escaping me. “We’ll agree to disagree.”
His lips tug into a faint smirk. We stand, staring at each other as the water continues to cascade behind me, filling the silence with a gentle patter. I slowly release my grip from his arms.
“Uhm… why are you in my shower?” I ask, suddenly extremely aware of my very naked body. I cross my arms over myself, trying to cover myself.
“I heard you panicking and came to make sure you were okay. I’ll leave you to your shower.”
He turns, but without thinking, I reach out and grab his wrist. “I’m still a little sore. Could you, um, maybe help me with my hair?”
Lie. I feel fine, physically. But I don’t want him to leave me. Not yet. He hesitates for a minute, and I brace myself for him to tell me to stop being so pathetic. But instead, he nods silently,motioning for me to turn around. A bottle cap snaps open, and then his fingers are in my hair, lathering the shampoo. It smells divine—like honey with a gentle undertone of smokiness. I groan softly. His fingers feel like absolute heaven on my scalp. He rinses it out gently, then applies conditioner to my ends. Never, ever, did I think a man would consider conditioner after shampoo. I’m pretty sure every man I knew back home used those freaking ten-in-one shampoos.
“The bottle says let it sit for a few minutes,” he says, his voice low.
I turn to face him again, still keeping my arms crossed.
He glances down at me, his brow furrowing. “Why are you hiding your body, Daisy?”
“I… is it appropriate to have my naked body on display?”
