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“And how old was this love of yours?”
“Your age, thereabouts.”
The woman had to have been at least two times the baron’s age, given the maturity in her features, perhaps even older. “I am only sixteen. You laid with him?”
Lips stretched to a grin, she dragged her hand over her arm in a way that the baron wondered if it was meant to be seductive. “Many times. We did far more than lay together. And he enjoyed it.”
“That doesn’t excuse that you took advantage of him.”
The smile on her face faded, and her eyes stared into his, shadowed by a darkness that made his skin crawl. “Men take advantage all the time. I was married to a man thrice my age. He took me when I was only twelve years old.”
“He’s a monster, then, not a man.”
“Oh, the chivalry in this one!” She threw her head back on a laugh. “Well, this man taught me things. Things I ultimately taught my young lover.”
“Do not say that. It is not love you seek.”
“What is it, then, young baron?”
“Power. Yours was stolen at a young age, so you wish to steal from others.”
Brows winged up, she scratched at her chin. “You’re quite astute for your age. But you’re wrong. I did love him. He was delicious. Enjoyed the darker pleasures.”
The baron hung on that word, curious as to its meaning when related to laying with her. “What darker pleasures?”
“Tell me, young baron, have you ever found yourself aroused at the sight of blood? Have you ever held your breath underwater and denied yourself a single sip of air until your hand brought you to climax?” She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth and widened her knees, drawing his eyes to the shadows that hid her indecency. “Have you ever wanted to fuck something after a whipping?”
His eyes shot to hers, the stark nature of her words striking him like a slap across the face. “Get out. Get out of here now.”
“I meant no ill intent.” Smiling, she drew her knees together again.
“I no longer wish to speak with you, and I ask you kindly to leave, however you managed to find your way into this cell.”
“As you wish. My apologies for disturbing you.” Rocking forward to her knees, she backed herself toward the shadows again, until he no longer saw movement from that corner.
Once he was certain that no one was there, the baron pushed to his feet, flinching at the agonizing burn of his wounds as his skin stretched with the movement. He hobbled toward the shadows, his eyes adjusting to the dark as he neared the stone wall there.
He found nothing. No door. No passage. No way to exit the cell from that corner. Only a lingering chill, which climbed the back of his neck as he stepped away from it.
35
JERICHO
The news I had of Farryn’s father hung like a heavy albatross around my neck, as Onyx trotted up the driveway toward the cathedral. To avoid the succubi, I’d taken a different route home, a longer one that had taken an extra day to return to Blackwater, giving me plenty of time to relive the scene over and over in my head.
I was only glad Farryn hadn’t been there to see it. Even having witnessed fire demons before, it still made for a troubling visual.
While I’d had to break a promise to bring her father back, out of respect for his interest in protecting her, given the timing, I had to believe the old man had waited for the possibility that he might hear news of Farryn, for the chance to be able to pass the ward onto his daughter. Perhaps it was enough for him, to know she was safe.
Not that the ward itself would’ve done Farryn much good. The particular demon who would own her soul, my father, happened to be immune to wards. Even so, I believed anything was worth a try.
Early embers of dusk settled over the trees, and all three dogs chased after me, Fenrir nipping at the other two as if to rile them into play.As Onyx trotted to a stop, I hopped off, meeting Anya at the foot of the staircase and handing over the reins.
“Master Van Croix, I’ll take care of the horse. You might want to go check on Farryn.”
Her words had my muscles tensing with alarm.“Is everything okay?”
“She seems to be a bit ill. Taking a nap. As I understand, she returned with Vaszhago and Vespyr from the bookstore the day before yesterday, and has been feeling out of sorts since.”
