As both men came, the snake-woman slunk forward and bit the human's neck. The fairy man pulled out and tucked himself into his pants before he resumed his seat—beside a woman who kissed his cheek as if he'd done an amusing trick. But the human man began to scream as his skin blackened. The other women pulled away, but the snake-fairy latched on tighter and rubbed herself against the man as he cried. She shouted out in pleasure as the human finally went still.
“Fuck you, Andra!” One of the other women growled. “You always kill them too soon! We weren't finished with him yet.”
“Sorry,” the snake-woman said in a tone that belied her statement. “I can't control myself when I'm aroused; you know that.”
“That's some stink snake shit!”
The women argued their way out of the hall; scooping up their clothing angrily as they went. The human's corpse was left behind; but not alone. A pack of shaggy, black dogs—the size of Shetland ponies—came snarling around the tables and began to tear apart the body.
I turned away with a shudder.
“Don't look,” Drostan whispered as he pulled me to my feet. He angled me into the curve of his chest and held my head there. “I'm sorry; I didn't know what they were planning. Come with me, Aja; I'll take you back to the royal suites, and we can have dinner brought there.”
All I could do was nod.
“You're coddling her, King Drostan,” Conall said sternly.
“She's mine to coddle, Sir Conall,” Drostan snapped before he led me away.
Chapter Thirteen
“Are you feeling better?” Drostan asked me.
We were seated at the small, circular dining table in his bedroom, finishing our dinner without entertainment.
“Yes; thank you,” I murmured.
“That doesn't happen often,” he said apologetically.
“But it happens often enough?” I asked.
“It's not uncommon.”
“Wow,” I whispered.
“I tried to tell you that you were being treated better than most humans here,” he reminded me.
“I know.”
“I need you to uphold your end of our agreement to the fullest, Riley,” he said sternly. “If my court ever sees you defying me, I'll have to punish you... publicly.”
“Yes; we went over this,” I huffed.
“We did?” He asked with a frown.
“Like the first night I was here.” I rolled my eyes.
“Right.” Drostan cleared his throat. “I'm merely reminding you because you've witnessed something unsettling.”
“Unsettling?” I nearly screeched. “This is the second time I've seen a man murdered in your castle. First, you decapitate that Gancanagh, and then that snake-girl poisons that human.”
“The naga,” he murmured.
“What?”
“She's a naga.” He waved it away. “Never mind. You're right; this has been a horrible ordeal for you when all I want is to make you feel comfortable here.”
“Thank you for trying,” I whispered.
