“You’re trembling,” the man said, his cadence silky. Still nowhere to be seen. “Like a baby rabbit alone in its burrow.”
Goose bumps trailed down my arms as his voice clicked into place. I’d heard it once before while deep in the dark wood, surrounded by demons. “L-Lord Onyx?”
The air stirred at my back.
Skin prickling, I flung around to see him sitting on the window seat. Crimson eyes. Smooth, pale skin. Long raven-black hair with sections braided and pinned back, like a warrior. The demon lord was both beautiful and frightening.
Okay. Changed my mind. I’d rather it be a ghost.
“You know my name. Good.” He rose from the bench and approached the bed. A purple kimono-style robe hung off his tall, lean frame, falling open in the front and revealing red tattoo-like markings on his chest. “Saves me the trouble of introductions.”
“We met once before,” I said shakily. “In the dark wood.”
“I remember.” Onyx reached the bed and rested his hands on the comforter, leaning toward me. “I allowed you and your companions to leave that day. A mercy that denied my demons a wonderful feast.”
I shuddered at the visual. A feast where we would’ve been the main course. “Pretty sure it was a mercy for them too. I wouldn’t taste very good. Probably like stale muffins and expired milk.”
“Ah.” Lord Onyx pressed in closer, his dark hair falling forward and tickling my arm. My back was against the headboard, leaving little space between us. “On the contrary. I believe you’d be exquisite. Pure bliss.”
A scent tickled my nose. Cedar and woodsmoke. From the fire, maybe?
“You said Lake is okay?” I asked, inching away from him.
“Yes.” His red eyes carefully watched me. “He’s resting in the room down the hall. I’m told his injuries were quite severe. He must truly love you to have carried you for so long while in so much pain.”
My chest squeezed. “Can I see him?”
“Soon. He was given a strong healing elixir and will be asleep for a while.” Onyx tilted his head. “If the Fenrir pup hadn’t alerted me when he did, your wolf may have been past saving.”
I vaguely recalled the little yips and tugs on my sleeve, then a deep, wailing howl breaking through the quiet night.
“Oreo.” My heart squeezed. On impulse, my hand went to my chest—resting over the burn scars. “He keeps coming to the rescue. Might need to start calling him Super Pup.”
A waft of air touched my legs, and I realized the comforter was still pushed off from when I’d started to get up earlier. That’s when I noticed my clothes. Well, shirt. It fell to the middle of my thighs.
“This isn’t mine.” I picked at the material with my thumb and forefinger.
“Your clothing was soiled with dirt and blood, so I had it removed.” Onyx dropped his gaze to my bare legs and glided his fingertips up my shin. “I’d say this suits you much better.”
I wiggled away and shoved my body back under the blanket. Definitely not dwelling on the feel of his fingers or the little tingles they caused in my core.
“Keep your hands to yourself. I don’t care if you are a demon lord. You can’t just take a dude’s clothes off without his permission.”
He faintly smiled and withdrew his hand. “Nothing inappropriate occurred, I assure you. Fane treated you with the utmost respect.”
“Fane?”
“My attendant. He took your suit to be washed and will return it on the morrow.” Onyx stood from the bed, and I started to relax a little. Surely if he planned to hurt me, he would’ve done it by now. “Shall I have food brought to you? You must be hungry.”
“I don’t want food. I want answers.”
“To receive an answer, you must first ask a question.”
“Why are you being so nice?” I asked without missing a beat. Out of all the questions rolling around in my head, that one stuck out the most.
“Nice, you say.” Onyx exhaled a musical sound, not quite a laugh but close. “Not a word many use to describe me.”
“Humans are your enemy, right? I should be in a dungeon, not a comfy bed.”
