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Zyla stiffens. “History,” is all she murmurs before carefully extracting her arm from mine. “Go see your ogre before he loses his mind.”
Glancing at Orcus, I notice his gaze is still on me, but it’s jumping over my skin, as if he can’t decide what he wants to look at. One big hand covers his lap.Ten bucks says he’s hard.Zyla disappears from my side, and I’m left standing alone near the fire. Heat from the flames breezes over me. Witches and warlocks and mages dance and drink all around me. Suddenly a path clears. At the goddess’s direction? Who knows, but it’s as though they part so it’s easier for me to get to Orcus.
His onyx strands are shoved to the side in a careless but sexy sweep of hair. The fire flickers over his green skin and his golden jewelry shines, but it’s the light caressing over his blue lips that steals my breath. My pulse flutters, core clenching at the blast of heat licking through the bond. The corner of Orcus’ mouth lifts into a sly smirk and he raises his hand, beckoning me with a single finger.
Come.
I shouldn’t.
I should stay right where I’m at, enjoying the music and the night. I should know better than to take the first step toward an ogre that makes my heart skip. I should know better than to lick my lips as I take another step, drawing his attention to my needy mouth. I should know better than to think of all the ways we could worship each other tonight.
His gaze is locked on me. Every step I take lights a fire deep within me. The bond tugs and I stumble slightly. He releases a dark, cocky chuckle. I glare at him. His nostrils flare at the look, like he enjoys my ire. I narrow my eyes and close the distance between us. He’s so much taller than me when he’s sitting. I tip my head back and put my hand on my hips.
“Did you do that on purpose?”
“Maybe.” His eyes are bright with mischief, but there’s no missing the desire that singes across my skin as he slowly checks me out. Having this sort of rapt attention from a monster like him—a notorious warrior, the son of the king, a grumpy butthead—is intoxicating. He makes me want to find ways to keep his attention all for myself. He makes me wonder what it might be like to stay.
I arch my back a little and he releases a deep rumble of approval. Why was I mad again? His finger brushes down my bare arm, and I shiver, sucking in a breath.
“You were taking too long,” he murmurs, leaning forward.
“What?”
“To come to me.”
“Oh.” I force my eyes to move around the party. It’s not as much of a distraction as I had hoped for. If anything, I’m more aware of how he focuses on me. Full of intention and desire. “There’s a lot going on,” I rasp.
“Sit with me,” he says two seconds before he snatches me around the waist and places me on his lap. The ogre is far too comfortable with manhandling me.
“Orcus,” I chastise but the bond wiggles in amusement.
“How do you like the party?”
“I just got here,” I say with a shrug. Deciding there’s no point in fighting him, I settle my back against his chest.
He lays one, possessive palm across my stomach, fingers splaying wide and low. “The witches know how to celebrate.” He takes two drinks from a witch carrying a tray of cups full of shimmering blue liquid and hands me one. “Edgar is fine?”
“He’s okay.” I take a sip, rolling the sweet wine over my tongue. It fizzles with magic that releases tiny bursts of soft bitterness that complements the sugary liquid.Oh, that’s lovely.“Apparently he got three people pregnant around the same time and that’s why he ran.”
“Only a fool runs from that sort of responsibility.”
I don’t defend Edgar because I can’t help but agree. It was shitty of him to run away, even if he hadn’t meant to be gone for so long. “He asked me to come with him.” I’m not sure why I tell Orcus, it’s none of his business, but for some reason I want to know how he’d react.
He stiffens under me and his palm presses into my stomach, trapping me in his hold. “And what did you say?” His carefree tone is at complete odds with his possessive touch.
A couple of shouts erupt close by. Two kids are spinning around and around. Their hands break apart and they tumble to the ground, breaking into a fit of giggles. Should I go with Edgar? He was my roommate. There’s a sense of obligation to make sure he’s safe, but now that I know he’s not severely sick and he can walk, the only reason for me to go with Edgar is to run away from Orcus until Callum completes the spell that will send me home. As much as I want to leave, deep down, there’s a burning curiosity. The strongest desire to know everything there is to know about the monster.
“Daisy? What did you say?” Traces of apprehension bleed through the bond.
My stomach clenches, but I lift a shoulder in a careless shrug. “I told Edgar no.”
Releasing a harsh exhale, his muscles relax beneath me and he slowly moves his hand across my stomach. “Good. Oh, I have something for you.” In his other hand he holds a small vial of liquid.
“Is that the Kool-Aid?”
“What?”
“Never mind. What is that?”
