An image flashes of the basement he is keeping me in. Home? Really? That is not the place I should think of when I hear that word. But where else do I have?
I tighten my grip on him, and he picks me up as if I weigh nothing. Being in his arms feels right. It feels as if I belong here.
So I might as well admit the truth. Wherever Mal is, is the only home I have.
Chapter fifteen
I’m going to be buried under all these bubbles. The hot water of the bath is soaking into my very bones, but I can’t actually see the water for all this soft white foam.
I can hear Mal clanging around in the kitchen, making food. I think he is making more noise than is necessary, so I know that he is there. And it is working. The sounds are reassuring. Comforting. Mal is only on the other side of a thin wall.
He berated me for letting my body get so cold, but he hasn’t punished me for leaving without his permission. Instead, he has run me a bath and is cooking me dinner. He is a bewildering man. I wonder if I will ever understand him.
The smell of sizzling meat is wafting through the air. My stomach makes a loud noise. I am hungry.
“Dinner’s ready!” calls Mal.
I climb out of the bath, grab my robe and head towards the kitchen. Mal is sitting at the small table. There is a plate of meat by the empty chair. No vegetables. No sauce. Nothing but pure deliciousness. My stomach rumbles again.
Mal chuckles. “Go on, tuck in. Don’t worry about using cutlery. Just this once.”
Is he joking? Is this a trick, a test? His eyes look genuine. I can not see any malice. There are all sorts of emotions pouring from him, but none of them seem cruel.
Another pang of hunger shoots through my body. Fuck it. I want the meat. I sit down, but my ass barely touches the seatbefore my hands grab the food and shove it into my mouth. Flavors explode on my tongue. Juices run down my chin. I think this was once a cow. Now it just tastes good.
A moan of delight escapes me, quickly followed by a tendril of Mal’s lust. My gaze flicks to him. He is watching me with hungry eyes.
“I’m looking forward to you being well enough to suck my cock, Little One.”
My heart flutters. I’m looking forward to that too. Very much. I’m not going to bite him. I’m not that crazy. But I understand why he is wary. I need to earn his trust. Then worshiping his cock will be my reward. It is nice to have something to look forward to.
I turn my attention back to my food. I can feel Mal watching me. He wants me. It makes me want to preen.
Abruptly, he gets up and makes himself busy in the kitchen. I can still feel his desire. I hope he is merely trying to distract himself temporarily. It would be awful if he was attempting to quell his lust for me. I want him to feed my other hunger, but I also simply want him. I enjoy being in his arms.
The meat is gone. The empty plate taunts me. I lean down and lick it clean. Mal takes it away and I whine, but I am soon distracted by this new thing he places in front of me. It is like a cup, only bigger. It is full of hot liquid but it is not tea or coffee. It smells sweet and milky.
Mal holds a metal canister over it. He presses the nozzle and white stuff spurts out with a loud hiss. I jump. Mal chuckles. I watch mesmerized as pretty white swirls fill my large cup.
Mal does the same to his own cup. Then he sits down. The smell of cream fills my nose.
“It’s called whipped cream,” says Mal. “And the drink is called hot chocolate.”
Does he mean Cocoa? I used to love Cocoa. I take a sip. Sweetness and the dusky notes of chocolate fill my mouth. A deep, appreciative moan escapes me. This is far better than cocoa. All thebitterness is gone. And the smooth, fluffy cream is sweet too. It is wonderful.
“You like that, Little One?” asks Mal with a gleam in his eyes and a smirk on his lips.
I nod enthusiastically, even though it is a stupid thing to do. Now he might never give me another hot chocolate. Or he will use my desire for one to get me to do whatever he wants. Though, who am I kidding? I’m already going to do whatever he wants. He doesn’t need to break me. I’m already broken.
Mal is shaking his head in wry amusement. “Demons. Meat that is nearly raw and sweet things. Why is it like catnip for them?”
What other demons has he made hot chocolate for? My chest tightens with dark emotion. I think it might be envy. I scowl at Mal, but he just grins. I take another sip of my wonderful drink to console myself. I’m being absurd. Mal is clearly extremely knowledgeable about my kind. Obviously, I’m not the first one he has known.
I should enjoy this glorious treat and not sulk about something so very ridiculous. More divine sweetness floods my mouth. I gulp it down. All too soon, I am staring at my empty cup. Where did it all go?
Mal takes my cup from me. My earlier assertion that I will not bite him is sorely tested.
“One human body, warm and clean. Fed and watered. Now it’s time to feed your demon side,” grins Mal.
