Page 46 of How Does It Feel?

It wasn’t surprising, but my interest immediately sparked. Humans could only take so much before their weak minds snapped and madness overtook them.

I think I would enjoy breaking her.

“I am Callie Peterson,” she finally announced with a raised chin. “Proud environmentalist and biological technician. I was walking through the forest to get my microscope when I stumbled upon an anomaly of luna moths and a perfect circle of destroying angel mushrooms. I live at 4313 Sassafras Road, Willow Springs, Michigan,” she recited.

“Your name is Callie?” I asked in disbelief as she nodded her head.

I filed it away for later.

Maybe she was just a normal human? No assassin would snap so easily, and I could see the madness growing in her eyes. I could feel it. Shame she wouldn’t survive the night. I was almost jealous that the forest bog would get to thoroughly break her first.

I collected her with my wings; the tendrils of smoke shifted to wrap around her throat like a leash. The second it whispered across her skin, I jumped from the way my smoke reacted to the feel of her. I dragged her, still on her knees, out of the room back to her cell, growing more uncomfortable with what she was doing to me every second. Her choking sobs sent a fresh jolt of excitement to my cock as she fought against the smoke’s chokehold as we went down the stone stairs. I couldn’t help but scowl at the response she had pulled from me. I shook myself for even thinking about touching a human in any way other than killing them. It was disgusting and below me as a Smoke Slayer and an Unseelie royal.

I hurried my pace in the hopes of getting rid of her quicker as I heard her body thud down the stairs behind me.

The dungeon guards stirred with my appearance. I knew I could throw her to them and be done, but I needed to see that she got into the cell with the forest bog. That I would never think of her again after today.

Guards quickly ran to her cell at the far end of the dungeon. Ironically it was just on the other side of the castle’s library where Walter, my brother, had been spending most of his time, but she would never know that.

I threw her into the cell.

She slammed against the gray floor, cursing like a demon, and I couldn’t stop my grin.

There was movement from the cot in the corner. The forest bog was already on her by the time I looked back down.

A small flicker of something foreign passed through me.

Jealousy, I’m sure, from the fact that I wouldn’t be the one to break her. Odd feeling. My hand clenched, fighting the urge to stop him. I turned to leave as something wet hit my cheek. I wiped it with my palm as I turned to see where it had come from. The forest bog was petrified of me and surely wasn’t so stupid.

She stood, tears clearing the only path on her face not desecrated by filth and blood. She braced herself in the middle of the cell, glowering at me.

She had spit on me.

My wings pulsed with the need to slam into something, the sharp talons already forming a claw at the top corners.

I already had one of her teeth, which I had kept in my pocket. Maybe I should collect another?

“Do it!” she screamed, surprising me.

She balled her fist up as the forest bog rubbed himself perversely against the side of her leg, but she paid him no attention. Every drop of hate was aimed solely at me.

“Do it! End me!”

She stepped closer to me until she was so close I could smell her. I had to bend my neck down to look at her.

The fire glittered wildly in her eyes, and I had to bite my lip to steady myself.

The guards began to rush in, but I spread my wings, blocking the cell’s entrance with my smoke.

I reached out with my ungloved hand and grabbed her throat.

I don’t know what came over me. Touching her with my bare hand. I’d never touched a human with my flesh before, only my smoke or gloves.

My breath hitched the second I felt her skin.

She didn’t flinch as my large palm wrapped around her throat. Stars, her skin was so soft. I could feel the bones of her jaw resting on my thumb and forefinger. Why was her skin so soft? I froze as I stared into her insanely blue eyes. The fire inside of them pulled me in and mesmerized me.

Her chest rose and fell with each angered breath.