Mendax
“Did she scream Alist—” I turned, curious what type of massacre Alistair would have left me with this time.
My eyes crashed into the still-very-much-alive human girl’s.
I clenched my jaw so hard I felt the muscle pop, and my teeth ground against each other as I stared at her. The human stood proudly next to Alistair as if they were old pals. She looked ridiculous. Her red hair was tangled and matted against the sides and back of her head. She was so covered in filth that it was hard to see her skin color. Golden tan bits surfaced between the dirt and cuts. She wore the same whore dress as the night she landed on me in the forest.
It had been nineteen days since that night. Nineteen days I’d stayed as far away from her as possible, all the while hoping she would hurry up and die.
I hadn’t even bothered to get a good look at her that night. Why would I? She was nothing.
Nothing.
In the light of the torches now, I could see the creature that had haunted me since that night, since I’d touched her.
Even under my glove, I had felt the charge of electricity when I touched her. That had been shocking enough, but then her soft fingers had coiled around my wings and I felt . . .
I had rejoined the castle, unable to keep my thoughts from returning to her.
When I had returned to her body in the forest, simply to reassure myself that she was dead, I was startled to find that she wasn’t.
Ever since, I’d avoided the human, unable to stop thinking about what her skin would feel like under my ungloved fingers.
The fact that she was even still alive was a mystery. She hadn’t died from being stabbed clean through in the forest. I knew she would have died. I had watched the life fade from her pretty blue eyes after Fish had stabbed her.
When she hadn’t died in the dungeon, I thought I’d send a gift to my assassin and finally get her away from me. Surely she wasn’t that hard to kill. After all, she was just a human.
But as I stood in the room and watched her stroke my personal assassin’s muscled back like a house cat, I couldn’t help but wonder what was different about her.
Apparently, she was harder to kill than I thought.
“Cute. You picked up a stray,” I bit out as I tried to school my shock.
How was she still standing?
She shifted uncomfortably, and the filthy dress rode up her thighs, showing the claw marks of the forest bog. I knew it was from him. Good. I knew everything that happened in the Unseelie realm, which was part of why they feared me and precisely why my family held the throne. Her blue eyes looked fiery, much different from the doe-eyed act she had continued to attempt ever since she came through the veil.
Such idiots.
The humans really expected that I, the dark prince, would be distracted by a pretty slut in a short dress?
It would be that much easier to rid the land of humans and take control if they were that stupid. It still puzzled me how they knew we would be attacking that night. How did they know to send her at that exact time? If I found a mole in my men, I would drain his family’s blood as he watched.
“He’s not a stray,” she said defiantly. Her chin tilted up ever so slightly.
“I was talking about you,” I stated.
Fire was building in my blood as I watched her, and I knew Alistair would be able to track my heart because it was so fast now. Good thing I owned him, and he wouldn’t do a thing about it.
She shot daggers out of her eyes at me. What an interesting blue they were.
My pulse quickened.
“Tell me, Alistair, why are my eyes cursed with the pain of looking at this disgusting human alive? Do make it good, as your life does depend upon it.”
The oversized kitten shared a look with the human before stepping in front of the girl and bowing down. “I will not kill her, Mendax. She has my protection in my presence,” the royal assassin murmured.
Anger boiled under my skin. How dare he disobey me. His protection?
My smoke strained against me, eager to throttle both of them and be done with this.
“So you are a traitor then, Alistair? I offer you safety, even friendship, and you turn your back on me to help the humans? Have you been behind this all along? Perhaps it was you who alerted the humans of our attack. Mind your words, cat. My temper, as you are aware, is flaring,” I said calmly, even though I knew he could tell how much rage burned inside me by the speed of my heart. He also knew what would happen if I unleashed it.
“Mendax, I am no traitor. I have served this court tirelessly. I cannot explain my draw to the girl other than to tell you there is something enchanting about her, but I can’t place it.” He looked down, embarrassed. “I will not harm her and will not let harm come to her in my presence,” Alistair murmured.
I could see the struggle in his vicious eyes. He was at war with his decision. He was a killing machine, never hesitating. Why would he disobey me and spare her? This stupid, weak, full-lipped human?
“Then your presence has no more duty in this kingdom. Leave now before I forget what mercy feels like,” I growled at my friend.
We both knew I wouldn’t kill him. In truth, he was a good friend. Which made it that much more interesting that he refused to kill her. I knew he wasn’t a traitor. He looked forward to killing the humans as much as the rest of us.
The back wall panel opened, cueing the cat’s exit. He exchanged a last look with the human, as if he debated attempting to stay and protect her. I pulsed a warning at his mind, reminding him that he couldn’t truly protect her from me even if he stayed.
Nine tails flicked lazily behind him as he left us with a parting look.
The room stilled. It was just her and me now.
I could taste her fear. It grew the longer she watched me.
“Intriguing. That’s now two times you have escaped a death I’ve dealt to you.” I spoke so she had to strain to listen.
I wanted her to pay attention but didn’t want to get any closer to her.
“Let me go. Please.” She droned on.
The doe eyes had returned. Such a shame because there was something intriguing about that fire she hid.
“Now, why would I do that? We haven’t had a human in the Unseelie court for ages, let alone one that won’t die. Seems like quite the good time I could spread around. It is quite unnatural for a mortal to stay alive so long here. Especially one as sweet and innocent looking as you.”
There it was.
A tiny spark of fire in her eyes at the mention of looking sweet and innocent. Did that anger her? Good. I stared her down until the fire left and fear took its place again.
“Please.” She rushed closer to me and fell on the ground, her dirty knees brushing against my leather training boots. “Please let me go. I’m no good to you. I’m just a girl that was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she begged.
Tears flooded her eyes and began to drip down her filthy face. Even I could see the fear rattling her as she clasped her shaking hands together in front of me.
A thrum of excitement at the tiny human crying at my feet sent a jolt straight to my cock. My wings, constrained too long, shot out in a clap that shadowed my frame at least seven feet on each side.
Huh, odd.
At this angle, I had a clear view of her full cleavage.
Maybe the humans weren’t as stupid as I’d thought.
“What do they call you, human?”
Why did I even care? She’d be dead as soon as I sent her back to her cell. The forest bog had raised hell at not having had a go at her, and I was starting to understand why.
Maybe she would make a fun pet.
She hesitated at my question a moment. She was a human, so she had no knowledge as to the reason not to share her name.
Her eyes held a singular moment of madness in them.
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.
I could barely pay attention to the spark in her eyes as the pad of my thumb trailed against her jawline. I watched her face, wondering what I was feeling; I’d never felt it before.
“Do it,” she whispered, drawing my attention to her full bottom lip. “Know that even a weak, innocent human died unafraid of you!”
She was lying, of course. I could feel her fear—could taste its sweetness on my tongue. Absently, I brushed my thumb across her full lower lip and reveled in the feel as it moved against my pressure. Her skin was like nothing I had ever felt before. Silkier than the finest fabric, softer than anything had a right to be. The feel of it coated my skin with curiosity.
I liked her angry and full of madness. I could feel the fire she camouflaged so poorly. She bore little fear of me in that moment, only hate. Probably still riding the high of escaping death from Alistair.
What the fuck was I doing?
I stepped back, startled at my own actions.
I shoved her face back away from me with disgust as I stared at my hands, the feel of her still lingering on them.
She tripped and fell on the forest bog that was trying to poke his branches in her leg. He no longer dry humped her, likely because she was angry and not afraid. They were only drawn to fear, not anger. He would take care of that though. He’d make her so fucking afraid she’d piss herself.
I turned and shook myself out of whatever daze I had been in and walked out of the door, hardly able to believe what I had just done as I left the human to die.
By the stars, I would be rid of her and these treacherous feelings by tonight.
She would be gone, and with her, whatever poison she had put in my mind.
