“Am I interrupting?” the demon teased, his eyes on me.
The muscles in Onyx’s strong back moved in agitation, not amused. “Eyes on me, Void. What is it that couldn’t possibly wait until tomorrow after I rested?”
“Vektor is requesting an audience with you. He has information he thinks will shed light on what occurred in the Borderlands and our suspicions earlier this week.” Void might be speaking to Onyx, but despite my demon’s warning, his violent gaze never left mine. “Not to worry, I can keep an eye on the little human while you’re away.”
The menacing snarl that erupted from Onyx was so loud that Void’s eyes snapped back to him in blatant shock. I got the impression that the other leader was rarely surprised, and certainly not to the point of showing it.
“Must I remind you why you’re not to be around humans, or will we need to have it out until it’s beaten into that thick skull of yours?” Onyx threatened, his voice summoned from the very pits of the underworld. “She’ll come with me, and not until I’ve rested for a few days. I think I’m at least owed a week of rest before I’m dragged into another mindless Vektor theory and ramble. Not to forget the messy business of the Dragon Border Alliance appointment meant to take place any day now.”
“I don’t think—”
“I wasn’t asking. Let Vektor know I will see him when I’m better rested and can stomach his presence. Oh, and make sure he understands that if his information proves as useless as the last, he’ll be stripped of his titles and exiled. Am I understood?”
I brought my knees to my chest, feigning fear to conceal my interest.
I was surprised that Onyx planned to bring me along. Based on Void’s visible reaction, I wasn’t the only one. He wanted to argue, but whatever expression Onyx wore silenced him. Instead, he sent his fiery distrust my direction every chance hegot. Onyx was quick to catch on and moved to block Void’s view of me.
I’d been careful to avoid the terrifying demon over the last week. I didn’t want to come under his scrutiny. I knew a clever beast when I saw one, and Void was the cleverest of the bunch. Well, after the leader whose bed I was now in. The sadistic demon would enjoy my interrogation, one I wasn’t likely to survive, and Onyx just gave him every reason to be suspicious.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I wanted to suggest staying with Iris for their meeting, but if I spoke up and Onyx didn’t punish me for my impudence, Void’s suspicions would grow. So I stayed silent and waited for the other demon to leave.
When he finally did, I scrambled to the edge of the bed. “I can stay with Iris when the time comes to meet with him,” I offered quickly.
Onyx stilled, and his eyes dropped to where I was prostrated on my knees. He stared at me as if he’d only just realized I was there. “No. You will come with me.”
“Do humans normally accompany dem—leaders to these meetings?”
His head tilted, the move oddly animal like. “Are you questioning my judgment, little beast?”
That nickname made my cheeks burn for some reason, and none of my training eluded to why.
“Just trying to understand how it is you do things here,” I clapped back before I could stop myself. “If you saw the way he was looking at me—”
The powerful leader snarled. “How was he looking at you?”
Surprised, I froze. “I only meant—”
“How was he looking at you, Maze?” he demanded again, his voice doing that weird thing it sometimes did when he was angry. Like it wasn’t him but a beast who spoke.
My body tensed in alarm. “Like I’m the enemy.”
“Are you?”
I wasn’t prepared for the question, and my muscles contracted in a panic, prepared to spring away and escape. I needed to be very careful with how I responded. “If I was, would I still be alive? You don’t strike me as the sort to miss the enemy in his bed. But what do I know? I’m just a weak, fragile human.”
Okay. Fuck. Not what I planned to say. The farthest thing from it, actually. This damn mouth of mine. My carefully curated personality broke to pieces the second his predatory eyes landed on me and I felt the need to defend myself.
Now I was a dead woman walking.
I itched to grab the dagger next to his bed, but after seeing how fast he moved—or rather, not seeing it at all—I’d be lucky to see my own death coming.
I braced myself for his rage but startled when Onyx threw his head back and laughed. The sound echoed off the walls for nearly a minute before he crossed his arms and smirked.
“True,” he finally agreed. “But you’re wrong about one thing, Maze.” My brow rose in question, and his smirk intensified. “You’re the farthest thing from weak and fragile.”
Chapter 10
