Chapter Eleven #2
A pressure gripped my sternum. “And you call yourself a selfish demon lord.”
“How forgetful of me. Allow me to rephrase.” Onyx circled his thumb over my Adam’s apple, his expression so damn soft it stuttered my heart. “You’re my prisoner, little bird. Any attempt to leave my side will result in you being thrown in the dungeon. Or would you prefer to be chained to my bed?”
“Um.” The intensity of his woodsmoke scent infiltrated my senses. It made me weak in the knees. This freaking demon lord had the ability to turn my brain to mush—and my body to goo. “Between a scary dungeon or a nice, comfy bed, I’ll definitely choose the bed.”
He smirked down at me. “You would surrender to me so easily? Allowing yourself to be mine forever?”
“Well, not only yours.” I stepped closer, albeit hesitantly, and hooked my arms around his waist. The hesitancy came from the chaotic butterflies jostling in my belly.
Part of me was terrified that this wasn’t real, that I was getting my hopes up only to have them crushed.
“Five other men hold pieces of my heart.”
“A fortunate turn of events, I suppose.” Onyx slid his hand to my nape and brought me closer, resting his chin on the top of my head. “Given your rambling mouth, clumsy legs, and your affinity for placing yourself in precarious situations, one male isn’t enough to keep you safe.”
Tears stung my eyes. Happy ones, for once. After so much confusion and back and forth between us, we were finally on the same page. I buried my face against his collarbone.
“You’re crying.” Surprise bled into his tone. “Have I said something wrong?”
“No.” I tipped my face to peer up at him, my smile wobbly.
“Do you still believe me to be a carrot?” he asked.
I snorted a laugh. “You were the one dangling the carrot, not the carrot itself.”
“Then what did the carrot represent?” He frowned.
“This,” I answered, tightening my arms around him. “Us being together.”
As he stared down at me, expression warming and smoothing into one of clarity, the sun kissed his porcelain skin and reflected in his eyes. Threads of gold wound through his crimson irises, like embers sparking in a fire.
Fitting since that’s how he made me feel, like I was burning. The flames soothed rather than hurt though.
Cheep!
Something latched onto my calf and scurried up my leg.
I squeaked in surprise and jolted backward, seeing a blur of orange rushing toward my face.
“Careful, little one,” Onyx said, reaching for Pumpkin.
Holding him to his chest, he used two fingers to pet the top of the arbordu’s head, being mindful of the twig and blue bud sporting upward from it.
“You could have caused Evan’s death. Muffins are clumsy, you know.
No wings to fly or sense of balance to stay upright. ”
The last was spoken with a slanted smile aimed my way.
“Seriously? Playing the clumsy card?” I huffed. “Remember what we were saying earlier about you being mischievous? Teasing me is a prime example of that, my lord.”
“You seem to be mistaken.” Humor lit Onyx’s eyes. His normally cold stare held so much warmth now, like snow blossoms greeting the first warm breath of springtime. “Never once have I teased you.”
Pumpkin chittered and nuzzled the demon lord’s cheek before wiggling his fuzzy butt and leaping back over to me, landing on my shoulder. His attention moved to the basket over my forearm.
“Ah, I know what you want,” I said before pulling off the cloth. Along with the sandwich and cookies, I had packed grapes, raspberries, and a banana. I grabbed a raspberry and offered it to the critter. “These are your favorite, right? I remember from the other day.”
Pumpkin did his excited butt dance as he gobbled up the berry. I laughed and fed him another. Seemed it was my mission for the afternoon: feeding all the adorable creatures around the castle.
A soft touch at the side of my neck drew my attention back up to Onyx. He stood closer than he’d been just seconds ago, his expression set into one I couldn’t figure out. Pensive, yet holding traces of frustration.
“O-Onyx?”
“You confound me, Evan.” His red eyes raked over my face. “Here you stand with the power to bring any kingdom to its knees, yet you have no desire to do so. Or have you allowed those mates of yours to convince you otherwise?”
“I don’t want to overthrow kingdoms, Onyx.” My breath hitched in my throat, mimicking the way my heart jolted against my ribs. “I’d need to actually harness my powers first. And in case you’ve forgotten, I still have a mental block keeping them locked away.”
“Phantasia tells me the elixir should be ready by tomorrow morning,” he said before lowering his hand. “Once you lift that block and fully tap into your powers, there’s very little you won’t be able to do. Defeating Cedric amongst them.”
“You’d have to let me leave first,” I reminded him, trying to lighten the mood. “Last I heard, you plan to chain me to your bed.”
He chuckled. It was low and sexy as hell, awaking the butterflies in my belly from their dormant state. The little jerks flapped more like bats.
“Besides, even if I did want to help defeat Cedric and save Bremloc, I’m not brave or strong.
” I glanced at my boots. “I scream at my own shadow sometimes. How can anyone ever expect me to be this powerful saint meant to turn the tides in a war or whatever? I think fate made a mistake when it chose me.”
“Perhaps I was wrong then,” Onyx said, tipping my face back up. “Maybe you’re not meant to lead armies but to, instead, stop them from being needed in the first place. Using your power to save lives instead of taking them.”
“Unlike Saint Vera?” My chest tightened. “I heard what happened the day she and King Paris came here. How Vera killed demons, both warriors and civilians alike. I don’t want to be like her.”
“You care too deeply for others to ever be like her.” Onyx petted the tree demon chittering away on my shoulder. “Your heart is too kind.”
“What did she do to you, Onyx? Phantasia said it was something awful.”
“She invaded my home, killed my people, and defeated my father. What more is there?” The tenderness in his eyes fled as something hard took its place. “Centuries later, and my bitter rage has yet to subside. Forgiving is not in my nature. Nor can I ever forget.”
Onyx touched the center of his chest before letting his hand fall away. The red tattoo-like mark appeared to pulse beneath his touch for a moment. Or maybe it was only my imagination.
What wasn’t my imagination? The brittleness in his voice as he spoke of that painful part of his past.
My body moved on its own, the desire to comfort him outweighing everything else. I set my basket on the grass and held him tightly with both arms. We stayed that way for several quiet moments. A sweeping breeze created a chorus of rustling leaves in the surrounding trees.
“It’s a pretty day,” I said, resting my head in the crook of his shoulder. “Do you want to walk with me?”
“Walk with you?” Onyx cupped the back of my head but stayed still apart from that small movement. I felt a subtle quake in his core. He wasn’t nearly as calm on the inside as he pretended to be. “Where would you like to go?”
“Doesn’t matter where we go.” I smoothed my palm up and down his spine. Trying to ease whatever had his mind out of sorts. “The best part is the journey. Enjoying all the yummy food and sights along the way.”
“Do you always think of food?”
I smiled against his shoulder. “I think of other things too. Like smoking-hot demon lords.”
“Ah.” Onyx took a step back from me but didn’t go far. He grabbed my hand. “How many demon lords have you known?”
“Just you.” My pulse kicked up a notch, and I smiled down at our joined hands. “You may be stubborn as a mule, but, like your realm, you’re growing on me too.”
“You make me sound like a fungus,” he said, scrunching up his face. “I’ve never been so offended in all my three hundred years.”
I choked on a laugh. Not so much amused by what he said but how he said it. His expression playfully mopey and his tone light, lacking all the heaviness from before when discussing Saint Vera.
“Come on, Lord Fungus.” Still holding his hand, I bent to retrieve my basket from the grass with the other, not even surprised to find that Pumpkin had leapt inside.
He scurried around beneath the cloth, chittering as he devoured the berries and grapes.
“The day is still young, and there’s a lot in your realm I haven’t seen yet. ”
Humor resurfaced in his expression, visible in the subtle curve of his lips.
Things were still so new with Onyx. Our relationship had only just begun, and while we definitely had no trouble setting the sheets on fire, communication and true vulnerability would take time. But, just like the newly blossomed flowers in the fields, hope bloomed in my chest.
Springtime signified rebirth. New beginnings. And as Onyx led me from the pasture, our hands linked, I was excited for what this new season would bring.
***
Apparently, the season brought allergies.
I sneezed for what felt like the hundredth time as we walked along a winding path that cut through the woods.
A scenic little path too, with a stream trickling nearby and surrounded by pretty flowers and newly blossomed trees.
What should have been a super romantic walk together turned into a horror story instead. That horror coming from my snotty nose.
“Visit the clinic once we return to the castle,” Onyx said, his expression hovering between amusement and concern. “I’m sure Phantasia has a tonic that can help you.”
“’Kay.” I sniffed, feeling another tickle in my nose. “Must be because of these trees. I was fine until we came in here.”
He cleared his throat.
“Stop laughing,” I told him.
“I’m not.” He smoothed his lips together and faced ahead. “I would never find humor in your misfortunes.”
I sneezed again. So loud that it echoed around us and scared a bird that’d been perched in the nearest tree. It squawked as it flew away, dropping a feather in its desperate escape.