Immortals After Dark 07 - Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole Read Free Book Online Page B

wall of the throne room- which was covered with stone tablets.
    They were covenants, tablets made with the blood of those enter' ing into any of a variety of dark pacts, with the terms inscribed in the stone for all to see.
    The four main players of the Pravus had signed one, vowing allegiance to each other-Omort, Lothaire, the viceroy centaur, and the king of the fire demonarchy.
    But now, Omort's gaze was fixed on Sabine's tablet. It was a Sanctuary -an ancient Sorceri covenant that ensured as long as she kept her body "pure," no male could "taint" it. For centuries, she'd suffered her virginity instead of any intercourse unwanted or unnatural.
    If a tablet fell from the wall and broke, all would know that someone had violated the terms of the agreement. Omort was waiting with dread for Sabine's to break- proof positive that she was having sex with Rydstrom.
    "The demon's here in my dungeon?" Omort asked absently. "For how long?"
    Lanthe shrugged. "Half an hour, I guess." "1 see your sister isn't having as easy a time as she'd predicted," Hettiah said with a smirk.
    "No, that's not true, Hettiah." It hadn't happened yet, but of course it would soon. "I'm sure Sabine is finding this diverting-playing with him like a cat with a winged bird... ."
    The demon ran a shaking hand over his mouth, then seemed to catch himself doing it.
    With his gaze raking Sabine's body, Rydstrom began stalking toward her with slow, menacing steps. His eyes were growing black once more, but with desire or rage or both?
    She assumed that he would try to escape, would likely seek to use her as a hostage, unless she could
    seduce him to forget himself. She thought she still had a chance-he couldn't hide his body's reaction to her. Yet the conflict was plain on his face.
    Rydstrom didn't know whether to claim her or kill her. "What do you hope to gain from this?"
    "I told you."
    ''No, you personally. Your kind looks down on mine. Why would you ever want to wed a demon, to bear one a child?" He narrowed his gaze. "Is Omort holding something over you to compel you to do this? Has he imprisoned a family member? A ... lover?"
    Sabine could tell how much he hoped she was being forced into this. "No, he has no one that I hold dear imprisoned. I was quite eager to fulfill this duty." And to begin the prophecy.
    Foretold centuries ago, it stated that if the Queen of Illusions bore the heir of the fallen king of the rage demons, that prince would unlock a source of inconceivable power. If she didn't, the Pravus would fall to
    its foes.
    "Eager?" he bit out.
    Earlier the demon had inhaled deeply, exercising more patience than Sabine had seen in a male in ages. But she sensed that with the possibility of her coercion gone, Rydstrom had just given up reasoning with her and had reached the end of his patience.
    She could see him shutting down. A muscle ticced in his scarred cheek, and his eyes glowed fully black. In a flash of insight, she realized she was seeing a side of] Rydstrom that few had encountered before.
    "You have no idea what you're playing with," he said, his tone cruel.
    "Tell me."
    "You won't win this."
    "No? Just imagine it, Rydstrom. I can give you whatever you want. I'll fulfill every secret desire you have."
    "What do you know of my secret desires?" Had his voice roughened? Again she probed his mind but couldn't get through.
    When he was directly before her, he made no move to touch her. This close to him, she felt so small next to his great height. She could perceive the heat coming off his body.
    Without warning, his hands shot to her camisole, fisting the material. She stifled a gasp as he ripped it off her, exposing her breasts to him.
    Collecting herself immediately, she asked in a femme fatale voice, "Do you think them pretty?"
    As he peered hard at them, his brows drew together in answer.
    "Won't you touch them? You've waited all your life to pet your female like this."
    Just when she thought he would succumb, he wrapped her hair around