Chapter 22 #3
I frowned down at the man. He had followers. If he died, would his kingdom go to the pretty daffodil prince, or would it get dumped on me? I didn’t know enough about succession, but the thought of getting sucked into their political morass was enough to have me sputtering.
“I can’t?” the devil replied, eyes glowing deep red, like burnt cinnamon bears.
I pushed against him with my elbow, trying to lever out of his grasp. It didn’t work. “That is, I’d rather you got rid of his scar. Like a deal. Spare his life, fix his face, and in return, he has to never see me again.” I smiled brightly while he studied me then he glanced down at the king.
“I don’t like that smile. It covers your pain. I want to see your pain. Why would you want me to fix his face? The rest of the deal is more than generous enough before that.”
“Ah, yes, but I find his scars attractive, so I’d prefer if he didn’t have them. I don’t like finding him attractive because I’m in love with you. It feels like betrayal.” I shuddered at the memory of how easily the fairy king had turned my mind to mushrooms of lust.
His eyes flickered, and he gave the king another, longer look.
“You find scars attractive? Well, we can’t have my sweet blood thinking of anyone else.
” He slid me against his chest until we were face to face.
Then he kissed me, his sharp teeth cutting my lip.
It felt so incredibly good, shooting a bolt of heat and energy through me.
I kissed him back, with teeth, needing to rip him apart until he was only mine forever.
His tongue lapped up my blood while his hands held me close.
I drowned in his kiss, sweeter than sugar, headier than wine, almost better than baking. No, actually it was better than baking. He was better than baking.
I pulled away with a gasp and framed his face so I could stare into those glorious, luminous eyes. “I love you. I’ll love you forever. Will you marry me?”
He blinked at me, leaning back like I’d shocked him. “Marry you?”
“Yes. I’m tired of people wanting to use my impossibly rare virgin blood to take over worlds or whatever.”
“You don’t love me.” His eyes grew darker, angrier. Of course he was, because that stupid fairy enchantress had destroyed his heart, and now it was heavy with anger over her betrayal.
“No? Oh, my mistake. In that case, I’ll go find someone else to marry.” I kicked him with my bare feet and succeeded in bruising myself on his shins.
His eyes narrowed while his tail tightened around my waist. I hadn’t even noticed it being there. Scary. “You aren’t marrying anyone else.”
I batted my lashes at him. “Then I guess I’ll have to marry you and spend the rest of my life in absolute bliss. Too bad.”
“Or I keep you chained up in a castle without marrying anyone.”
I stared at him then sighed heavily, shoulders slumping. This just wasn’t going how I’d hoped. I guess that’s why you shouldn’t hope. Things always went off the rails.
“You could do that, except it’s not in the deal. You write the most meticulous contracts, like you expect your heart to come back to life in your chest and turn you into a monster at any time.” I pouted at him.
He smiled slowly, claws tracing my mouth. “I would be a terrible husband. I’m a devil, you know. I have no loyalty, no kindness, no selflessness, no love.”
I pressed my palm against his heart, stretching out my wings and magic so I floated instead of dangled.
“I don’t believe you. You wish you had none of those things, but you’re the best thing in my bakery, even without a heart, even with only half a soul.
You bound yourself to goodness in spite of your natural tendencies.
And you wrote a contract that keeps me safe from you.
If you break our deal, you’ll never see me again and I’ll be eternally protected from you. But you never break deals.”
He studied me for a long time, eyes considering. “Once. I broke a deal once.”
“And things didn’t go well after that. You told me about it. Would you like some more tincture drops? It might help you remember who you are.”
“I remember who I am.” He frowned as he studied me, almost like he wasn’t sure.
“Then remember who you want to be. Remember the person that I love.”
“What could you love about a devil?”
“Well, you kissed me on the forehead and tucked me in every night. And you bought all my croissants when I opened my shop so I’d make my profit quota on my first day.
And you made me dinner with your own hands while we talked about our days in the evening.
And you treated everyone kindly even if you were going to kill them.
And you danced with me.” I sighed happily. “You’re a very good dancer.”
“Of course a devil can dance,” he said, sounding cross. “Other than that, I’m not the person you described.”
“You think I’m lying?” I stared at him, nose to nose, until his mouth distracted me, and I tilted my head and kind of drifted into contact with his soft, delicious, beautiful lips. More caramel, less ashes.
For a moment, he was soft against me, but then thunder cracked in the blood-red sky above, and the devil was putting me behind him as he turned to face the king of the fairies.