Soulstone Ch. 03

"What's to tell?" he said, a bit more shortly than he meant to. He stared into the dark, but when she traced a finger along his arm, stroking softly, he didn't flinch or shrink away.

"It was centuries ago," he admitted softly. "I was young and stupid. Oaths meant nothing to me. I thought if I bested her, she could give me power. Turned out all she wanted was to humiliate me." A bitter half smile crossed his lips. "She has a long attention span, and a nasty imagination."

Eirienna chewed her lip, unconsciously sexy, still stroking his arm absently. "I saw a dungeon," she said hesitantly. "Chains. A cage..."

"That lasted a few hundred years. She doesn't bother anymore. She just wants me to --"

Repulsive images flashed. After feeding on him long enough, the Empress could shape-shift. Lately, she liked to make herself disgusting and order him to pleasure her. And his oath meant he couldn't refuse. He shuddered thinking about it.

Rotting flesh. Animal flesh. Abhorrently young flesh. "Well, it's filthy," he finished tightly. "Degrading. I'll let you imagine."

Damnation, he wanted a shower. He wanted to shower with Eirienna. Embrace her in wet warmth, and let the steamy water wash them clean.

She leaned over him, tracing one finger through his hair. Her affectionate touch felt strange. Her gaze traveled over his face, exploring it. Learning it. "Can't you free yourself? Break the oath?"

He almost laughed. Yes, as a matter of fact, I can. All you have to do is give me the soulstone and die. Do you mind terribly?

"No," he whispered, almost inaudibly. "I can't."

And it was true. He couldn't steal from Eirienna. Couldn't kill her to save his worthless life.

But Eirienna stared, and her beautiful green eyes widened in horror. "Oh, shit."

His heart skipped. "What's wrong?"

She lunged away, the quilt tangling around her legs. "That's what you're here for, isn't it? You want my magic. My soul."

"Eirienna --"

"Shut up." She scrabbled for her sword and landed on the floor in a crouch, fending him off with her wooden blade. "Fuck me. I'm so stupid. Get away from me, demon."

His blood curdled, sick and cold. He'd never hated himself more. He sat up, slowly. "Eirienna, you are safe with me. I swear to you --"

"A demon's promise," she snapped. "What's that worth?" Her naked skin flushed angry red, and her fiery hair tumbled over one shoulder.

Fuck, she was beautiful. Perfect. Untouchable. Superior.

Like all of them. A cold shock froze him in place. She thinks she's better than me.

Because I'm a demon.

No. That voice in his heart stabbed deep, a poisoned blade. Because you've spent the last seven centuries proving it. You are what you do, Scathe.

"You tell me," he said tightly. "I've had a dozen chances to take your soul and magic. Kill you, if that's what I wanted."

Eirienna's mouth tightened. Her blade didn't shake. "Don't equivocate. I'm wise to your tricks. Get the fuck out of my bedroom before I slit your throat."

"That's what you think of me?" He crouched, defensive, like a gargoyle on a stone pedestal. To think he'd been stupid enough to dream that he and she could have... Well, anything. "A filthy, lying demon? Even after what we've done?"

"Especially after that." Magic sizzled in her soulstone, a bright scarlet threat, and sparks glittered around her fingers. "What was your plan? Fuck me insensible, then steal my soul? Or were you just going to eat me whole?"

He laughed, ugly like barbed wire. "I am what I am. You liked it well enough a few minutes ago."

"Spare me, demon. Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"

"I could ask the same. If I hadn't held back, you'd be a quivering, gibbering shell of yourself in hell right now."

"Wow. How gallant. Seems to me you were too busy fucking me to bother."

His heart stung, a spiked whip into his soul, and ancient rage bubbled over like venom. "You have no idea of the powers I command."

The room darkened, his shadows blotting out the light, threatening to swell out of his control. He didn't care.

"Want to see what I can do? Want to know what hell feels like? Welcome to my world."

He vanished to hissing black shadow and dove on her.

CHAPTER TEN

EIRIENNA

Eirienna screamed unabashedly. Her talisman winked out, and she was blind Alone. Access to what offered her comfort was cut off.

Swamped in endless blackness. Tormented creatures gibbering ceaselessly for her blood. Teeth snapped at her flesh. Rotting fingers clawed for her eyes. Howling wind ripped her skin like paper. A crippling stink of death filled her nose and coated her tongue.

Chill seeped into her bones. Slimy, wet darkness like leeches, crawling down her throat, up her nose, between her legs, chewing at her tender flesh.

Toxic fangs sank into her heart, tearing skin, swallowing, blood spurting, her squirming soul sucking free...

Warmth rushed in, and the illusion vanished. Her eyes jerked open. Her bedroom. Moonlight glinted through the windows onto the rumpled bed. Her talisman glowed a comforting red.

Scathe was gone. Son of a fucking bitch. Tears burned her eyes. She furiously wiped them away and stiffly rose to her feet. Her tongue tasted of his skin. Her muscles ached sweetly from his loving. She could still smell him -- fire and dark delight.

Eirienna ignored it all and scrambled on the floor for her clothes. Dawn was a few hours away, and she had demons to kill.