Through the blinding waves of pain, only one clear thought thundered in her brain: It’s killing me. Whatever magic permeated this sanctuary, it was trying to force its way into her every cell, tearing at her like a vicious dog.
Kain.
Selma twitched on the ground, trying to force her limbs to drag her back to him, but she didn’t have the strength. She only managed to turn halfway over, but the effort let her see back where she’d come from.
Kain was there, his features marred with fury as his black magic struck the barrier separating them.
Another deep ringing echoed around her as he did, his lips forming one single word around a roar. Her name, she dimly realized—he was screaming her name.
Another torturous wave blurred her vision into red-dotted black, erasing the demon trying so desperately to save her once again. She floated into unconsciousness knowing he’d be too late this time.
29
Selma
This time, the silence emphasized by the soft hum of the car’s engine was pleasant.
On the way here, Selma had been weighed down by the prospect of never seeing Kain again, of never getting the chance to explore what it was about him that called to her on more than just the most primal of levels.
She glanced to her left something fluttered low in her belly. His dark eyes trained on the road ahead of them were illuminated by the dashboard, his strong hands resting on the steering wheel. Eyes that could make her blood burn with just one look and hands that could melt her with a simple caress.
Okay, so maybe she was eager to explore the primal levels with him, too.
His low growl made her sex clench and her panties suddenly dampen. How did a growl do this to her?
“I can smell you,” he said without taking his eyes off the road, but when she glanced at his hands, his knuckles were white around the wheel. “Your need.”
“Handy.” She couldn’t keep the breathy note from her voice. “When we get to a motel, will I have to forcibly seduce you again? Or are you over the belief that you’re molesting me?”
“My morals are irrelevant. You carry my son and will need my seed to survive the pregnancy.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Uh… what?”
He let out a low sigh. “My semen will strengthen your body when we mate so that you may endure the full nine months with a demon growing inside of you. Without it, you would soon weaken and die.”
She blinked. Repeatedly. Some of the warm, fuzzy feelings that had been spreading inside her since she’d accepted her pregnancy faded.
“My child will kill me?”
“No, I would never let that happen. But he needs a lot of power, and he will drain your life essence to grow if not supplied with another source. He may look human to you once you hold him in your arms, but he will not be a human baby. Which brings me to something else you should know.”
His eyes darted to her for a brief moment, a certain measure of worry evident in them despite the lack of light in the car. “We normally know our Breeders are pregnant when they, ah, see through our disguise.”
“See through…?” Selma paused to stare at the male by her side. “You mean I will see your demon form? When? Why?”
Another sigh. “It usually happens within a few weeks of impregnation. Our son’s magic will protect you against the brand blinding you to our true nature. It is… upsetting to many Breeders, and I want you to be prepared. I will need to mate you regardless, to ensure your survival. Even if you find it… disagreeable.”
It took her a moment to process his words. If she refused him, he would force her in order to keep her alive.
Memories of the demons she’d seen before she’d been branded made her shudder. While some had been like her Procurer—mainly human with horns or odd eyes—others had been terrifying. Submitting to him if he looked like that…
“What does your demon form look like?” This time her whisper was more hoarse than breathy.
He grimaced. “Different. Bigger. Less human.”
Well, that wasn’t overly helpful. She glanced at him again. Maybe it was better if she didn’t think too much about it until she absolutely had to.
“You demons sure seem to forget to mention a lot of the small print beforehand.”
