Chapter 23 #2
“Besides, I knew he wouldn’t fight me.” He adds this as an afterthought, as though none of it really matters. Really, I suspect that he simply doesn’t care, that the matters of humans are beneath him.
Pushing away from his chest, I am determined to get answers and glare at him in annoyance. “Why are you here, Kit?”
I am frustrated that he’s here and causing trouble, but what really agitates me is how comfortable I feel pressed up against him. My body is betraying me and I need it to catch up and realise that Kit is not a good man to be attracted to.
The smile he gives me is heated, causing a tingle of desire to shoot down my spine and to my core. “Can’t a handsome man just want to dance with a beautiful woman?”
He knows what effect he’s having on me and is trying to make me uncomfortable. Snorting, I shake my head, my eyes flinty as I refuse to back down. “You are not a human, and I don’t believe in the slightest that you are here just to dance with me.”
Rolling his eyes like an errant child, he looks away, not meeting my stare. “The prince annoys me.”
“That is why you came here?” Stunned, I automatically stop moving at how ridiculous his statement is, however he continues to dance and I start to fall.
With lightning quick reflexes he catches me, the scent of magic settling over us.
Glancing around, we are moving much slower now, my feet stumbling, yet my body feels revitalised.
“Firstly, what did you just do to me?” I demand, “and secondly, are you saying that a human annoyed you, a demon, and you came here to… what? Why are you here, Kit?” I repeat, my voice slowly increasing in volume.
His brows raise and I instantly regret my tone.
Lowering his face to mine, he meets me eye to eye, so close that I can feel his breath on my cheek.
This is a demon, a creature that could destroy me in a heartbeat, that could cause havoc to my whole kingdom yet I’m taking to him like an annoying sibling.
There is something about him that winds me up and makes me forget the power imbalance between us.
“I magicked us so no one will notice your missteps.” He speaks through clenched teeth, eyes narrowed.
Releasing a slow breath, he stands tall once more.
“I think you forget that I own you, Lady Kiara.” He spins me so fast that I fall into his arms with a gasp.
“You needed a reminder that you are only here because of me.”
He doesn’t mean here in the ballroom physically, but the life amongst the royals as Lady Kiara.
Everything could be destroyed so easily and he is here to remind me of that.
Is this just a threat, or is he here to doll out punishment.
All of my exasperation flees, my face draining of blood at the thought.
I’m not afraid of pain, but losing everything I have here is a terrifying thought.
Could I go back to living on the streets, shunned and ignored?
“I told you before, Kiara.” He holds me tightly, not letting me escape the cage of his arms. “I am possessive, and the moment you made that deal, you became mine.”
There’s something else he’s not saying but I don’t probe him for more. The magic he cast over us will be working overtime as we have now stopped completely and no one seems to bat an eye. I’m sure if they could see my trembling figure someone would intervene, yet the merriment continues around us.
I try to speak but my voice is just a croak, fear wrapping itself around my vocal chords. Swallowing the lump at the back of my throat, I attempt it again. “I know.”
“Do you?” There is skepticism in his voice and he raises a brow.
“I leave you alone for a couple of days and when I come back, you have a whole new life that you’ve slipped into far too easily.
Not only that, but the crown prince is trying to woo you.
” His grip tightens on my arms. “Never forget why you are here, to do a job.”
We begin to dance once more but my mind is so caught up in what he said that I hardly notice.
The gems. That is the only reason for my new life, I am paying for it by providing my magical services.
Powers that I don’t actually possess. Is this why the prince is being nice to me, because I can bring them prosperity and not because he might actually like me?
My heart drops but I need to change the subject before I let myself get pulled into the emotions that are whizzing through me.
I knew why I was here when I made the deal with the King, I never expected Amir to come into my life.
Stumbling, I almost go down, my body exhausted from all of this dancing. Thank goodness for the magic Kit cast so no one can see my shoddy steps. However, the more I try to focus on staying upright, the worse my dancing becomes.
“You said you left. Where did you go?” I spit out, grasping onto the first thing that comes into my head, needing to lose myself in the conversation so I can simply allow my body to follow Kit’s lead.
“Why, did you miss me?” He purrs with a grin, yet I notice a shift in his eyes. I’ve caught him off guard.
I am not amused by his teasing and I level him a look that show just what I think of his comment. “No, but I need something to focus on so I don’t remember that I’m dancing, as when I do, I fall.”
He laughs darkly. “I will not let you fall, little gem.” Shadows dance and flicker in his stare, completely mesmerising me.
He stares down at me, the moment becoming intense and even if I wanted to look away, I couldn’t.
Suddenly, he blinks and the spell is broken as he lifts his head and leads us around the dance floor.
“I was dealing with some issues that had arisen.” Kit glances down at me and snorts, shaking his head.
“Something your human mind cannot comprehend, but all is now well.”
I ignore his snide comment, my mind whirling with questions. He was most likely hoping to put an end to the conversation by insulting my intelligence, yet it has only stirred up my curiosity. “Where do you live? Are there others like you?”
It’s something that I have been wondering recently.
Usually late at night when I am unable to sleep, I’ll stare up at the ceiling and wonder where Kit is and what he’s doing.
Where does he go when he disappears? Do demons have a place they call home, or do they just roam the land, searching for the opportunity to cause mischief?
However, I am acutely aware that I have said something wrong the second the words leave my lips.
Everything about him becomes sharp, his features harsh and for a second the magic over him flickers, allowing me to see his horns and razor-sharp fangs.
This male is no human, he is a hunter, a predator that could kill me in an instant.
The stories of demons torturing humans for their own amusement rings in my mind.
My human instincts are screaming at me to run, my knees trembling, yet there is something whispering in my mind that he’s not going to hurt me.
“If you are trying to work out my weaknesses so you can free yourself from our deal, then you will be sorely disappointed.” The words are hissed and accusing.
Blinking up at him in surprise, I tilt my head to one side.
Is that what he thinks I’m trying to do?
I had not even contemplated trying to break our deal.
Like it or not, those are the consequences of my actions and if selling my soul kept Ella safe, then so be it.
In fact, I am a little offended that he would think that I would try to use him that way.
“I am trying to get to know you, seeing as I am now tied to you, as you love to keep reminding me.” It comes out sharper than I intended, my annoyance tainting my tone of voice. “I’m not trying to use you, I’m simply curious.”
He looks at me thoughtfully, mulling over my words and testing them for the truth.
Clearly this is something that he’s never experienced nor expected from me.
The tension leaves his shoulders and his expression loses its fierce edge.
He still doesn’t fully trust me, I can see the wariness in his eyes.
Fine, if he doesn’t want to share this information with me it is not the end of the world.
As I told him, I was simply curious and passing the time.
“I live in another realm.”
My heart jumps in my chest at the unexpected titbit.
I have gotten more information from a rock before that what he’s just told me, but it is an offering, an opening into a conversation and I will not take that for granted.
I mull over what little I know from the stories told in my childhood about demons and gods.
The idea of there being another realm is not farfetched seeing as the gods we worship live in their own plane of existence, watching over us.
The music around us has slowed to a sweet melody and we are barely dancing, just moving in slow circles, which allows me time to formulate my next question. “A demon realm?”
Shaking his head, his response is much quicker this time.
“There is no such place. Human education on other lifeforms is catastrophically lacking.” Rolling his eyes he mutters under his breath something that I’m sure is an insult to my intelligence.
“Your world is not the only one, there are others, and the one I am from is not so different from yours. The only main differences between them are the creatures that live there and the magic. In my world, it flows in abundance.”
I am completely stunned. In reality, I suppose it’s not so absurd to believe in another realm, but haring it aloud is a different matter.
Why is this not part of the stories told about demons?
That they live on a different plain, a world that holds magic and powerful creatures dwell.
Perhaps no one else knows, yet if the demons can travel to our realm, does that mean that other creatures can as well?