Neon Blue by E Frost (best book reader .TXT) 📗

strong emotions. You know what happens if you trap a demon and drain its energy, day after day?”

I shake my head again and swallow hard. I can tell I’m not going to like the answer.

“It starves to death. Just like a person. Slowly and very fucking painfully.”

I rub my hands over my face. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

“That what you were gonna do to me, witchy-poo? ‘Cause that was your buddy’s specialty.”

“No, absolutely not,” I say, hoping he can taste the truth the way he could taste Justinian’s evil. “I didn’t ask him to come here. I just want you to leave me alone.”

The demon watches me for a long moment. “Let’s say I believe you—”

I nod encouragingly.

“And let’s say I decide not to hunt down your little ghost-whispering friend—”

“Wen was only trying to help me.”

“Mmm. I expect you to show some appreciation.”

“Well, you’re already clean, so the licking thing is out.”

The demon sits up and holds out one muscled arm. “Still bleedin’.” He twists his arm, which is cross-crossed with gashes that glimmer wetly in the diffuse light. “You got a sweet tongue.”

I shake my head. The last thing I want – well, other than following Justinian to whichever Hell the demon has sent him – is more of the demon’s blood inside me. “I have healing potions downstairs. I’ll get you one.”

“Boooring,” the demon sing-songs. “Lick me. And weren’t you supposed to be waitin’ for me naked? Lick me naked and we’ll call it even for tonight.”

“No sex?” I ask hopefully.

The demon chuckles. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then remind me what I get out of the whole naked licking thing?”

“I don’t hunt down your friend and eat him. Or that pixie, who’s beginning to piss me off. No more gifts from strange fairies for you.”

I’m not sure why the demon objects to Lilliwhite, or the Squire’s bowl, but I get the picture. He’s found yet another button to push. “Fine. I’ll lick you. But I want to leave my nightgown on.”

The demon beckons with two fingers and I reluctantly crawl out of the covers. “C’mon, witchy-poo. Take that off. I’m barely wearin’ anything.”

Which is the truth, since the towel has bunched around his hips and is leaving very little to the imagination. “You’re a demon.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So . . . so.” I don’t know. I expect demons to be casual about nudity, but maybe he’s not. I just don’t want to bare myself to him. I don’t want him to see all my physical imperfections. I don’t want him to compare my body to all the beautiful women he must have known over the last thousand years. “So I’m human, okay? And I’m not perfect and I don’t use glamor on myself.”

“Glamor don’t work on me. C’mon, I want to see you. I’ve been dying to see what’s under those fucking sacks you wear.” He lifts one corner of the towel teasingly. “I’ll show you mine.”

“I don’t want to see yours,” I snap.

The demon freezes, and I realize I’ve said something really, really wrong.

“Heal this.” He turns away from me and holds out his arm.

I touch him tentatively. Among many smaller cuts that have scabbed over are three long gashes that run from shoulder to elbow, still oozing small beads of the demon’s dark not-blood.

I lift his arm and touch my tongue to the fluid that’s collected around his elbow. His exotic taste fills my mouth.

I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.

“Yeah, you did. Never met a human so disinterested.” The demon sighs. “Suck a little before you close ‘em.”

After insulting him, it seems the least I can do. I suck gently at the bottom of the largest gash before licking my way up it. His not-blood trickles down my throat. It burns, like alcohol, and expands warmly in my stomach. I can feel the wounds closing under my tongue. Power trails from my mouth across his skin.

Mmm. That’s better.

I lick my way up his arm, diverting around his triceps to a deep puncture I can feel more than see. I’m at a bad angle for it and my tongue pushes into the wound more than I mean it to.

The demon groans. “Oh, yeah, just like that.”

I should be grossed-out, but there’s no taste of blood, and he’s clearly enjoying it. I smile and, because it seems like the thing to do, bite down on the warm, firm flesh in my mouth.

Power explodes out of my mouth, erupts around my teeth, and sinks deep into his skin.

“Ahh!” The demon’s back arches and then he’s whipping around and pushing me back onto the bed. My nightgown’s up around my waist before I know how it got there and my panties are gone and something huge is pushing into me.

“Stop! Stop, please stop!” It feels like he’s trying to shove both fists into me. He’s going to tear me in half.

He withdraws immediately and flops backwards onto the bed. I sit up slowly, shaking.

“Wha-what . . . ” I look at him. His thing is lying against his stomach. It’s good sized, but doesn’t look that big. Certainly nothing like what was forcing its way into me a moment ago.

“Sorry, sweet meat,” he says. He’s thrown his healed arm over his face. His voice is rougher than I’ve ever heard it. “The dead bitch kept me on a really short leash.”

“Is that . . . ?”

“Yeah. But it’s not supposed to get that big until later on. When you can take it.”

I shake my head. I’m never, ever going to be able to take that.

“Trust me, when you’re ready for it, it feels great. Once you’ve fucked a demon, you’ll never go back.” He blows out a breath and lowers his arm. “I didn’t peg you for the bitin’ kind.”

I shrug. I kind of like biting, and I liked biting him just then. I wouldn’t mind doing it again, but now I'm a little afraid of his reaction.

“So, biting. Anything else?” The demon slides up onto his elbows and looks at me, dark eyes glinting in the low light.

“No,” I say warily.

“C’mon, help me