“Honestly, one minute you’re talking about ‘helping me’, and the next you’ll barely look at me. You’re so confusing.”
The demon pressed his lips together. He knew it had been a mistake to be so flirtatious back in the cell.
It had never been a penchant of his to tie his bed-mates up, but when he had first come across the princess chained to her metal cot, he had taken a moment longer than strictly necessary before making his presence known.
Raxx had been a mess, had barely contained his desire and his mind had been running circles around him. He hadn’t intended to suggest he help the princess out of her exhaustion in a sexual sense, yet before he could stop himself, he had.
It wasn’t a ruse – often when he had spent his majick energy, Raxx found pleasure to be a key component in building it back up – but he was far more interested in Faye exploring that avenue to regeneration than the others he had suggested.
Raxx didn’t respond to Faye, just sat down obediently next to her, keeping a safe enough distance so as not to risk any more accidental touching. The demon cracked his knuckles loudly in the quiet room.
Faye was watching him from the corner of her eye, he could feel her gaze burning into him. He brought the cup of wine to his lips and in one swift motion, tipped its entirety down his throat.
“Thirstier than you thought, hm?” Faye asked.
Raxx simply shrugged in response and wiped his mouth on the back of his glove.
He risked a quick glance at the princess and did a double-take as he watched her tipping her own wine glass back at an impressive rate. She gasped for air and licked the wine from her upper lip.
Raxx’s brows quirked and she shrugged back at him.
“I’m thirsty too, I guess.”
They stared at one another for a long moment before Raxx snapped from his daze and took her cup from her.
“Another?”
“Do you have anything stronger than wine?” Faye asked.
Raxx paused before nodding and heading to the far side of the room. Laying on its side in a dusty wine rack was a bottle of strong sweet mead Oriel had bought for him many, many moons before. He brushed his hand over it, wiping the worst of the dust from its surface before popping the cork and sniffing it cautiously.
It smelt as fresh and delicious as it had the first day he had opened it. Throwing caution to the wind, Raxx poured a generous portion into each cup and joined the princess back on the bed. He had barely passed Faye her cup before she was throwing it back.
“Careful Faye, this stuff is a lot stronger than wine,” he warned.
“Good,” she sighed and held out her cup for another helping.
“Are you—”
“Raxx, don’t lecture me.” Faye chided, wiggling her cup at him. “I’ve had a long day.”
The demon couldn’t argue with that. He shook his head but poured another cup out, then took a sip from his own. The spirit was strong and it quickly got to work, relaxing him a little. He was grateful for the reprieve from the intensity of his desire.
“Did you know we could share energy? Have you done that before?” Faye asked through a mouthful of bread.
“Never. That’s becoming a bit of a trend for you and I.”
Faye grinned. “I’m glad I helped though. That’s the first time I’ve ever been thankful for my majick.”
Raxx shot her a questioning look and Faye swallowed her mouth of food to elaborate.
“When I was younger, I was often punished for using my majick. Father taught us the basics, mainly out of fear I would implode if he didn’t, but anything I did without his or my mother’s explicit consent, I was punished for.”
“But you can’t help being the way you are.” Raxx stared at the princess dumbfounded.
“I...” Faye began, but her face darkened and she hesitated.
Sensing her uneasiness, Raxx braved shifting closer to her.
