Kreturus’ beautiful face had a hint of the expression that Eric’s held before he did something that caused me pain. “Drink it. Show me your repentance...” his words were seducing. His voice made me tremble with pleasure and I’d only tasted the tiniest bit of his blood. His grip on my breast tightened, as he stroked me with his thumb. My knees went weak as my mind reeled. His warm breath slid over my body.
The cup trembled in my hand, and I nearly dropped it. Kreturus wrapped his hand around mine, and helped me hold it up. He tilted it back and the warm contents slid down my throat. I pressed my eyes closed, feeling the power of his blood surge through me. The desire he inflamed in me tore through my body, making me press my body harder into him. My mind was covered thickly in haze and lust. Eric’s screams died with the wind. I could no longer hear him. He no longer mattered to me. It was only me and Kreturus—and his blood. The warmth slid down my throat, burning as it went, warming my nak*d body.
Kreturus purred, “Drink my Queen, drink...” I could not disobey his command. I did not want to. I’d forgotten what I was doing, and how I’d gotten here. Collin’s death didn’t flash behind my eyes as I closed them, feeling the slick warmth slide down my throat. Kreturus held the cup to my lips, watching me submit to him, and abandon myself.
As the cup emptied, I felt something bump into my lips. It was smooth and round. It remained pressed to my lips as Kreturus watched me drink, unaware. Through lowered lashes, I watched him. Moaning, I spoke as I drank, “Hmmmm,” I moaned happily, “I wish,” my tongue slid over my lips, but Kreturus didn’t lower the goblet. He wanted to make sure I was completely under his control. He wouldn’t stop until I swallowed the last drop.
He watched me, eyes wide and dark, transfixed on my mouth, “What do you wish, my Queen?” He tilted the glass back, and I drank more. The ancient demon’s face was close to mine. He was mesmerized, watching me with blazing eyes.
“Hhhhm, I wish the demon who fills my mouth with his power, with his blood, and washes it over my lips,” he tilted the glass up, and I gulped the last of its contents. I swallowed an entire cup filled with his blood. Blood that was powerful, and binding. With a satisfied smile, Kreturus lowered the cup. Running his thumb along my face, he stopped, feeling the bump in my cheek. The expression on his face shifted, but I spoke, completing the curse, making my wish, “ … were no more.” I pursed my lips and smiled, revealing the glowing Satan’s Stone between my front teeth.
Kreturus’ eyes went wide before the magic took effect. He threw me back, intending to kill me. My back scraped against the ice as I fell next to Eric. Eric watched me, wildly trying to free himself, when a loud crack echoed through the sky. The earth shook under us, threatening to break open and swallow us whole. Kreturus’ voice rang out, caught in a silent scream as the power of the stone manifested within his body. It filled every ounce of his being, every bit of his spirit, and every cell of his blood. I watched as my wish was granted—my horribly terrifying wish. Eric pushed himself to his elbows next to me, and threw himself over my body, pressing me to the ground. I could no longer see the demon’s gruesome destruction.
Eric worked his jaw before he spoke, “You’re insane. Completely, f**king, insane...” He kissed me, fully on the lips, releasing the last surge of power that was contained within him. Every last drop surged into me in a flash. As he pulled away, he held my cheek in his hand, “I’ll find you again. I promise...” he pressed a kiss to my forehead and I was ripped out of his arms, as the price of using the stone was paid.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Energy was drained from my body as the stone was ripped in half. Half of the stone remained in my palm, the other half was hidden again, awaiting its next victim. My body was twisted, deformed, and I was barely aware of my form when I was sucked into darkness thicker than tar. Wind rushed by my ears in a deafening scream. I was sucked lower and lower through the earth, finally emerging numb and nak*d on a marble floor. Lifting my head, my hair trailed over my shoulders. An empty dais sat in front of me. Demons surrounded me, filling the room with treacherous eyes. Rising, I felt my chest constrict, but I did not panic as one of the demons approached me. This was the place from my nightmare.
The demon bowed down low and said in a gurgled voice, “My Queen.” Hundreds of demons then dipped, bowing to the floor in a black wave.
When they rose again, I tried to cover my nak*dness with my hands. My long hair covered my br**sts, but as I gazed at my arm, my eyes widened. Suddenly not caring that I was unclothed, I lifted my arm to my eyes. My flesh was almost translucent, shimmering blue in the dim light. Swallowing hard, I touched my arm, wondering if I was real. My fingers pressed into cold flesh. When I grabbed my hair it felt like frozen silk. Every inch of me was cold beyond comprehension. Wildly looking around for answers I saw him standing in the back of the room. Eric.
Tears formed in my eyes, as my jaw trembled. He walked toward me, his gaze drifting over me from head to toe. “You’re alive...” was all he said. No snarky remarks. Nothing else to belittle me. He reached for my hands, but they slipped through his touch like air.
“You cannot touch my Queen,” the demon hissed at Eric. “She is no longer with body.”
My voice came out half strangled, “What does that mean?”
The demon lowered its head, bowing deeply, “Am honored to answer for Her Majesty.” He remained bent, facing down as he answered. I stared at the back of his deformed scaly black head, “You were damned, and your warm flesh was taken—but you retained your spirit. None can touch you for the rest of your days. You are amongst the dead, and Queen of the Damned, as you defeated our master.”
Eric’s voice sounded hollow, “No one can touch her? She has to live eternity without...” he didn’t finish. My jaw hung opened. I was alone. Even though he survived, there would be no comfort from this friend. There was no warmth left in my life. Even my body was frozen, chilled through and through like a corpse. His eyes became glossy and he looked down, at my bare feet. Clearing his throat, his gaze turned up. His golden eyes remained on my face, “I have no idea how to console you, Ivy.” He remained in front of me, his arms at his sides, uncertain.
Looking away, I replied, “There is no comfort for my loss.” Collin. My throat tightened. I was to be deprived of touch, nak*d, and alone. Closing my eyes, I turned away. Numbness flooded me. Eric’s voice rang out behind me, “Ivy, wait...”
But I didn’t turn back, “There’s nothing to be done.” Stopping, I turned to make certain no one would harm him. “This boy has my protection. Anyone who seeks to harm him will suffer the consequences.” I lifted my hand, surprised. Power, light and pleasant, flowed through my fingers. I gazed at Eric. His wide eyes were stunned as my power made my protection clear. A mark appeared above Eric’s brow—a sprig of Ivy that glimmered pale gold. My mark. It was the mark of my chosen people. I smiled and walked away, knowing he would be safe.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Demons trailed after me, constantly asking if I needed anything. But I didn’t. And they couldn’t give me what I wanted—a sweatshirt and jeans. I’d always be cold. Always be alone and untouched. Eric remained in the Underworld. He wouldn’t leave. Numbness flooded my soul, smoothing the ache of Collin’s loss. I sat on my dais, my hair draped over my shoulders like a goddess, with my legs crossed. Eric sat next to me, trying not to look at me.
“The curse twisted, you know,” he said one day. I stared blankly at the empty throne room. I didn’t respond. “My curse tried to kill you, as your cursed tried to damn you... Combined, they did this. And you’ll forever be a vision of beauty that no one can touch.”
Glancing out of the corner of my eyes, I looked at him. He slouched back in his padded velvet seat to the right of my throne. His eyes were anywhere but on me. He always averted his eyes, not wanting to look at my body. I finally spoke. After weeks of silence, I finally said, “It’s cruel. And humiliating. I’m on display like... like a... spectacle. Even the demons stare at me. They tried to clothe me, offering different materials, all made of magic, but when I put them on, they melt away. It’s like this is a punishment for hiding every secret that I ever had. Now, I’m forever exposed.”
He nodded, “I didn’t think of it like that. You liked your privacy,” turning his head to meet my gaze, he added, “your secrets.”
“I did,” I answered. His gaze started to drift lower, but he stopped himself and looked away. I’d watched him trying hard to ignore my body, and constantly looking anywhere and everywhere else. It was as if this curse pained him too. “This … ,” I sighed, rubbing my face in my hands. “This pains you, doesn’t it? You can’t help me. You can’t touch me. You can’t even look at me.” When he didn’t answer I pressed my eyes closed and took a deep breath. Rising on my bare legs, I moved and stepped in front of him. “Look. Look at me, Eric,” I threw my hair over my shoulders, exposing myself entirely. “Once you see, there will be nothing left to look at it.” That was what I’d hoped. That was what I told myself. And Eric, well, he was constantly avoiding my gaze, looking over my shoulder as we spoke. It made me feel insane. It was bad enough that no one could touch me, but being denied his gaze, too. It was too much. I couldn’t stand it anymore. Something inside of me snapped. “Look at me, Eric! This is who I am. This is what I’ve become! Accept it!”
His head turned, and he met my eyes. A sad smile spread across his lips as he stood. “It’s not so easy. And it’s not what you think.” He reached for my hands, forgetting that I was untouchable. His grip slipped through mine. I was air to him, and nothing more. Turning his gaze away from me, he pressed his lips together and shoved his hands back into his pockets. “Your beauty is brilliant. Looking at you is like staring at the sun. I know I’m not supposed to, but I look again and again. Once is not enough.”
I moved, catching his gaze with my eyes. “You loved me. Didn’t you?” All this time, I suspected his feelings for me were more than platonic, but there was so much anger laced with his affection that I wasn’t sure it was real. Now, seeing him looking at me like that... It was as if he was granted a wish only to have it shatter in his grasp. The longing in his eyes made my throat tighten.
“How could I not? But your heart was never mine...” his voice trailed off as his gaze slid over my form—looking at me with softness that was uncharacteristically Eric. He tore his eyes away when they reached the sloping curve of my hip. I would have blushed, if I was able.
I looked away and turned, walking toward the massive window, pulling my hair back over my shoulders to hide myself the best I could. I could feel Eric’s eyes on my back. I didn’t answer him. I would never stop loving Collin. This was my punishment. This was my price; to live eternity this way, without him. Emotionally, I was in such a state of despair that I couldn’t take it much longer. If I were made of warm flesh and soft skin, I would have found comfort in Eric’s arms. The way he blended pleasure and pain in such a carnal way would help me forget what had happened. What I’d lost. But there was no forgetting.