“My king, join us. Let us serve you,” she moans.
The demons never cease their pleasure parties, thriving on sinful temptation. Normally, I would take the succubus up on her offer, but the pleasure she and the male succubi will give me pales in comparison to the news I received earlier. Still, I reach out my claws, sharp nails digging into her skin.
The succubus’s eyes roll back, a small gasp leaving her lips.
“Perhaps next time.”
“Yes, my king,” she manages to say before a cock is thrust back into her mouth at a punishing pace.
I make my way to the chair that awaits me on the far side of the room. A throne made of bones and sinew, polished together, creates a stark reminder of life’s fragility and my power here.
But if you ask me, it’s a bit much.
I’m not alone when I reach my throne, draping my body over the chair. The piece is more a symbol of power than of comfort, but I don’t plan on being here long. It’s important I make my presence known, but in the back of my mind, I’m waiting to meether.
“Garvan,” I say to my courtier, who has taken up his normal position at my side. “Voyeurism is beneath you. Join in. Indulge.”
Just as expected, my courtier blushes. As far as demons go, he’s modest and cares too much about his pride and dignity. Makes for a boring advisor but a disciplined one.
“I don’t care to participate in such…follies,my king.” Garvan says “follies” as if the word personally offends him.
I regard my second, a demon I’ve known most of my life. He was a child when we met—we both were. We grew up, not as friends, because kings rarely have true friends due to the power imbalance, but as confidants. He was an easy choice when I ascended to the throne and had to choose a courtier.
Despite being fully clothed in a room full of nude and mostly nude demons, Garvan stands out. He wears a sharp tailored suit in midnight blue with elongated lapels. His gray horns—smaller than most demons’—are adorned with silver chains. Garvan is slender and tall, awkward in his own body. He wears his meekness like a mask, but it’s all a façade. I’ve seen this man rip heads from bodies and hearts from chests.
People underestimate him, which makes him perfect as my spy and confidant.
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t,” I murmur, never having seen him do more than kiss another. I don’t quite know his preference for male or female. Most demons don’t limit themselves to just one gender. Where’s the fun in that?
“Are you certain this is appropriate?” Garvan asks. Near him, a rather rambunctious couple slams into a wall, fucking in a frenzy to see who will orgasm faster. It’s a game we play, one I find quite fun but have no time to play today.
“I mean, with everything going on, shouldn’t we?—”
“Whether or not we fuck is not going to stop the curse. Let them indulge while they can.” I wave my hand, cutting him off. I grow tired of this conversation. If it were up to Garvan, he’d have the demons locked away in their homes, isolated.
The curse isn’t a sickness. It can’t be caught from an infected person. No demon is safe. It’s a game of chance and not one I like playing. Especially when the odds are stacked against me.
So, no, stopping the sex-induced haze as a form ofescapism will do nothing but leave me with horny and anxious demons. With them occupied, I have been able to put my efforts in other places. And I think I’ve succeeded, if this morning was any indication.
My lips pull up into a smile, a deep laugh escaping from the back of my throat. Garvan’s black eyes bore into me, a burning question on his tongue. My courtier isn’t one to stay curious for long though.
“You seem pleased, my king. Is it because Ender is bringing the human here today?”
Ah, yes, that. The entire reason I’m not indulging in tonight’s activities.
“Is that today?”
My question doesn’t amuse Garvan, and he frowns. His black eyes flash, but not with anger. No, Garvan is smart enough to never show anger toward me in person. Behind my back though…well, he probably still doesn’t.
No, there is something akin to fear in his expression, but I don’t know why.
Still, I let him stew with his fear for a little while longer. I know quite well my betrothed is on her way to me. I sought out Ender after Malix called a meeting with all the kings in Mescos. I watched from my throne as their people suffered, fed off it, even, but then watched the human women take on the curse and end up victorious each time.
If I want to win—and I always want to win—I know my best chances are with a human mate. It’s been months since I’ve reached out to Ender. So long, in fact, I assumed he forgot about me, until he reached out a week ago and promised to hand-deliver my bride.
Unlike the other kings, I don’t plan on sitting around as my kingdom unfolds before me. I will not run away from the dangers but embrace them with open arms. Which is exactly what I’m doing.
And it has worked for me so far.
