City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials Book 1)

by C. N. Crawford

When I felt the brush of his canines over my throat, my breath hitched. Liquid desire slid between my thighs. I didn’t tell my arms to wrap around his neck, but they did anyway, welcoming him to my body. He felt as solid as the wall behind me. My pulse pounded, and I waited for the sharp sting of his teeth puncturing my skin. Instead, what I felt was a warm kiss.

  Oh, God, that felt good.

  A pulsing, sensual heat was spreading from the place where his mouth met my throat, and his tongue swirled over my neck. Then a sharp stab of pain curled my toes, made my heart slam against my ribs. His fingers tightened on my waist as his fangs sank into me, claiming me. Pleasure washed over the pain until all I could feel was the sexual ache building in me.

  This was supremely fucked up.

  I only tilted my head back more, giving him more access. I was tightly coiled with desire now, and I fought the urge to pull up the hem of my dress again. But I needed release, and he was the only one who could give it to me.

  After a moment, he pulled his canines from my throat, and I started to fall against his chest, arms still wrapped around his neck. I’d never wanted someone so badly in my life. Clearly, my body had terrible taste in men. Really, just the worst possible taste. He was arrogant, insulting, a self-professed asshole who’d locked me in a literal dungeon. Oh, and he was a centuries-old blood-drinking demon.

  “There,” he whispered, brushing a hand down the back of my hair. “Mortal.”

  I leaned against the hard, muscled wall of his chest, and when I looked up at him, I saw that he looked nearly as dazed as I felt.

  “That was horrible,” I lied. “I hated it.”

  He leaned down and whispered, “I don’t believe you. But I suppose I am sorry about the abduction.”

  I glanced down at the powerful arm wrapped around my waist, at the eerie snake tattoo. Then I pushed him away. “Okay. Let’s discuss how I’ll stay in the City of Thorns as your spy.”

  “Is that what we’re doing? Because I detest mortals nearly as much as I hate Mortana.” He tilted his head. “But you do taste fucking delicious, so that softens the hatred a bit.”

  I touched my neck, surprised to find that the two puncture wounds were already healing. There was hardly any blood at all.

  “But you’re tempted by my plan, aren’t you?” I smiled at him. “Because you’re the Lord of Chaos, and you know that a mortal twin of a succubus can turn this city upside down.”

  “And why do you want to stay here so desperately?”

  I shrugged. “You summarized it yourself. My life is desperately sad. The yogurt pouches, the T-shirt cereal bowl. It fucking sucks, even for a mortal, and I can’t go back.”

  “Here’s what you have to understand. There is, in fact, one circumstance in which demons are allowed to kill mortals. In which we can drain your blood with impunity or throw you into a fire pit. And that is if you enter the City of Thorns without permission, or under false pretenses. If the king or his soldiers determine that you’re actually mortal, then you will die, and probably in an excruciating way. So are you actually sure about this?”

  Not at all. “Yes.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “And once I fill you in on the secrets of the City of Thorns, once I tell you what I want, there will be no going back. I’m not letting you leave this city freely with my secrets, to wander around telling people what you heard. I’d have to kill you first.”

  I bit my lip. “Are you saying I can never leave?”

  “You can’t leave until you’ve helped me achieve my mission.”

  “Which is?”

  He shook his head slowly. “I can’t tell you that yet, can I? You’re either in or out. And you need to make your choice now. If I take you up to my apartment to divulge my plans, you will have crossed a threshold that you cannot return from until the mission is complete.”

  Fear skittered up the back of my neck. But I already knew it was too late, that there was no going back. Because I was so close to having answers now. I needed to know what happened to Mom, and I wasn’t going to get another chance after this.

  Now or never.

  And the truth was, it wasn’t just that I wanted vengeance. I also wanted to get rid of the cloud of suspicion that hung over me at all times, that maybe I’d been involved.

  With a tight chest, I nodded. “I’m willing to take risks. But since what I’ll be doing for you is dangerous, I’m going to need you to pay off my undergrad student loans. And I’d like to transfer to Belial University.”

  He shrugged. “I can easily pay your loans. I can buy you a mortal degree if you want. But you cannot be at the university because Mortana would not be at the university.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “You can’t just buy a degree.”

  He looked at me like I was mad. “Of course you can. You can buy anything.”

  I nodded, realizing he was probably right. My stomach twisted in knots as I realized I was about to undertake something extremely dangerous. “Okay. Whatever the dangers are, I’m in. Let’s do this.” I clapped my hands together. “And now I’m going to need you to show me where the bathroom is before your opinion of my dignity falls even further.”

  Chapter 9

  Blindfolded, I walked through what I thought was a series of tunnels. The Lord of Chaos held my hands to guide me, and it kind of felt like we were on the most fucked-up date in history.

  After a minute of walking, I whispered, “What’s your actual name?”

  “Orion,” he said quietly.

  I found the sound of his name dark and intoxicating.

  And as we walked in silence, I could only feel a wild exhilaration that I was actually getting what I wanted. Forget saving money. Forget breaking in.

  Now, I would get to stay in the City of Thorns.

  After a few minutes of walking in the cool air, we reached a set of stairs. With his hand in mine, Orion led me up the stairs until I heard the creaking of a door.

  When he pulled the blindfold off, I found myself standing in what looked like a heavily columned Mediterranean palace. Everything seemed to be made of pale, golden marble. A splash of blood-red poppies bloomed in an ivory vase by one of the open windows. When I glanced at the ceiling, I found it painted blue and dotted with stars that glowed with magical light. On two sides of the room, glass windows overlooked a sea that glittered like blue topaz. This place looked nothing like the grim Atlantic. This place was paradise.

  On a third side, the wall was open to the air, and a covered balcony overlooked the sea. There, an overhang shaded a bed with a white duvet. On the other side of the seaside balcony, a table was had been set up with two chairs. A warm, salty breeze filtered into the room.

  Holy shit, his life was amazing.

  I managed to close my gaping mouth, and I turned to Orion to find that he was on his cell phone. “Morgan? Please bring breakfast and coffee for two.” He hung up, then gestured to the balcony. “Let’s discuss my proposal out here.”

  Before I followed him into the buttery morning light, I lingered for a moment to survey the rest of the room—the books lining the walls, the cream-colored sofas. Would I get to stay here?

  A warm breeze rushed into the room, and I followed him onto the balcony. Out here, the sun dazzled over the sea.

  As I took my seat at the table, the door opened, and a man with a salt-and-pepper beard and a crisp white shirt entered. He looked like he might be about fifty, in excellent shape, and sporting perfectly applied eyeliner.

  Orion smiled. “Morgan.”

  “Orion, darling! You’re up early, aren’t you?” He spoke with a lilting Welsh accent.

  I smiled at him as he slid a tray of fruit, yogurt, and coffee onto the balcony table. But before I could open my mouth, Orion introduced me. “I have Lady Mortana with me. Former advisor to King Nergal. She was living in the City of Serpents, and she has returned here after a long time away.”

  Morgan smiled at me. “Welcome, darling. I can see why you’d return to the most amazing city in t
he world. No mystery there.” Morgan nudged a bowl of fruit in front of Orion. “You’re not having the donuts today. You can’t eat junk and look nice forever, even if you are an ancient and powerful demon.”

  Orion draped his arms over the back of his chair. “I like the donuts. They’re the zenith of human civilization. Especially the ones with the raspberry jam in the center.”

  “That’s not the bloody zenith of human civilization.” Morgan looked at me, shaking his head. “Honestly, he can be so patronizing sometimes. There’s plenty of other achievements to choose from. The Great Library of Alexandria comes to mind.”

  Orion plucked a strawberry. “And do you know what happened to the Great Library of Alexandria? A mortal mob burned it down, destroyed its contents, then flayed alive the scholar Hypatia because women who knew things were apparently witches. Yes, that’s a great example of mortal civilization, I’d say.”

  If I spent enough time with Orion, I was worried I’d actually start hating mortals, too. He really did have a knack for making us sound terrible.

  Morgan held up his digital watch. “Okay, forget the ancient world. We’ve grown better since then. We have Apple watches now. I know exactly how many steps I walked today, and that I’ve stood up twelve times so far.”

  Orion let the silence drag, just staring at Morgan. There was the Dr. Omer technique in action.

  Morgan looked increasingly uncomfortable and adjusted his shirt sleeves. “Look, I’m going to have to come in prepared with a better answer after doing a bit of research. The zenith of human civilization isn’t something you can just come up with off the top of your head. There’s a lot to choose from. A lot.”

  “While you’re mulling that over, I have another favor to ask of you.” Orion turned to look at me. “I’m sure our new king will want to see Lady Mortana soon, but obviously, she can’t meet him dressed like a peasant.”

  I was wearing the best outfit I owned.

  Morgan nodded at me with concern. “Dolce e Malvagia opens at ten. Gorgeous clothes. Do you want me to pick out some things and send them up?”

  He nodded. “Select a bunch of dresses for Mortana to try on, bathrobes, pajamas, everything she might need. You can put it on my account.”

  “Right.” He looked me up and down. “Lovely hourglass figure. Favorite color?”

  I had no idea what Mortana’s favorite color was. But if she’d been out of the city several hundred years, what were the chances anyone else would know? “Black.” Seemed a safe answer for a demon.

  Orion steepled his fingers, and he looked between the two of us. “Morgan, there’s something else important I should tell you about Mortana. She is a succubus. You may warn the others.”

  I watched the color drained from Morgan’s face. “A succubus?”

  By his reaction, I gathered that this was a big deal. I smiled at him and shrugged, deciding it was probably best to say as little as possible at this point—particularly since I had no idea what was going on.

  “The last remaining succubus,” Orion added. “She will be taking up residence in the Asmodean Ward after she meets the king.”

  Morgan’s gaze flitted nervously between the two of us. “Can she kill me?”

  “She won’t kill you,” Orion said in a soothing tone. “It’s against the rules, isn’t it?”

  Morgan still looked horrified. “But the whole Asmodean Ward is abandoned. I thought the Lilu were extinct. I was told they’re very dangerous.”

  Orion lifted the coffee pot and poured two steaming cups. A lock of his silver hair fell before his eyes. “Nearly extinct.”

  He nodded and backed away, then hurried out of the room like a ghost was on his heels. The door slammed shut behind him.

  I stared after him. “A mortal servant, I take it?”

  “Yes, and he is under the mistaken impression that I care about his views on nutrition. But I do value his help.” Orion sipped his coffee. “I must fill you in on a few things.”

  “Agreed. What’s this about being the last succubus? What happened to the rest?”

  He poured a bit of cream in the coffee. “The Lilu were hunted into extinction hundreds of years ago.”

  I scooped some berries into a bowl of yogurt. “Why?”

  Every time his eyes met mine, I felt an unnerving jolt, like an electric pulse in my chest. I hoped that he had no idea what effect he had on me—he was arrogant enough as it was.

  “The Lilu were killed for two reasons,” he said. “You know about the war between the demons and the Puritans, yes?”

  I nodded. “In the 1680s, yeah.” It was how demons had ended up locked up in this city in the first place.

  “As part of their surrendering terms,” said Orion, “King Nergal agreed to kill the Lilu. The Puritans hated all demons, but they really loathed the Lilu. They feared being turned on by a demon more than anything.” He stared out over the glittering sea. “And Nergal agreed because other demons hated the Lilu, too. The Lilu had a power that threatened the rest—the ability to compel others of their kind, to control their minds, to seduce them to do what they wanted. They’re also the only demons with wings. They were simply too powerful.”

  I squinted in the sunlight. “And how did Mortana manage to survive?”

  “By being cunning, calculating, and evil as sin. King Nergal was a dull, tedious man, and Mortana was the opposite. She was witty and captivating, and nearly everyone fell in love with her. Including the king. She made a deal with him—she would help him round up and slaughter all the Lilu, and she would get to live. He kept her in a room in the Tower of Baal, and she became known as the Seneschal.”

  I wondered what she’d done to Orion. “The king was in love with her, then.”

  “Yes. Like many others.” He stared at me over his coffee cup. “I confess, I marvel at the poor judgment of all those human males who rejected your beauty. Demons have better taste.”

  Chapter 10

  Was that a compliment? I could feel myself blushing now, but I had no idea how to respond.

  “Mortana,” he went on, “demanded that the king make a blood oath. She made him pledge that the crown would always keep her safe.”

  “What’s a blood oath?” I asked.

  “It’s an oath sealed by mingling the blood of two people. If someone breaks a blood oath, it will result in an excruciating death based on the magic of a curse. The problem is, only the monarch made this oath. The rest of the demons in this city will probably still want to murder you for being a succubus.”

  I was losing my appetite for the berries and yogurt, and starting to feel like I was in slightly over my head. It seemed there were so many ways to die here in the City of Thorns. But I’d made my choice, and like Orion had said, there was no going back now. “How much danger will I be in?”

  “It would be a lot more if you weren’t with me. We will be spending a great deal of time together.” A smile played over his sensual mouth, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I’ll need to keep you closely guarded.”

  I swallowed hard. “Who is it that you want me to spy on?”

  “King Cambriel.”

  Oh, good. I’d be spying on a murderous king. My stomach fluttered, but this had been, after all, my idea. “Cambriel cut off his dad’s head and stuck it on a gate, right?” I paused with my spoon in midair. “You want me to get close to him?”

  Steam from the coffee curled before Orion’s face. “He will be looking for a wife. If the real Mortana were here, she’d be a strong candidate. She’s the duchess of one of the wards. Some think she had a claim to the throne. I mean, she was mistress to his father. She’s also widely rumored to have killed his mother, Queen Adele, centuries ago, but I’m not sure that he holds a grudge.”

  I stared at him. “Okay, slow down for a second. Mortana probably killed the king’s mother, and I’m supposed to convince him to marry me?”

  Orion shrugged. “It was never proven. Just rumors. They say Mortana hoped to take the queen’s place, and
one day, Queen Adele’s body was found in a vat of wine with her heart cut out.”

  I frowned over my coffee. “Do you think Mortana did it?”

  “Probably. That was her style. Queen Adele didn’t drink alcohol, and that irritated Mortana, so the wine was a nice touch. Anyway, water under the bridge now, I’m sure. Charm the king, flirt, get him close to you. As long as I can teach you to act like Mortana, you’ll have the chance to try to pry his secrets out of him.”

  My chest felt tight. “What, exactly, are you looking for?”

  “I want you to find what makes him weak.” Sunlight glinted in his pale eyes. “Because everyone has a weakness.”

  It was like he’d ripped the phrase from my own thoughts.

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you telling me you want to kill the king? I thought that only an heir can kill the king. So unless Cambriel has a child who wants him dead, he can’t be killed, right?”

  “Did your friend Shai tell you that?”

  My throat tightened. I didn’t want to get Shai involved in this. “What are you talking about?”

  He looked out over the sparkling ocean. “I saw her with you in the bar, and I noted the Belial University insignia on her handbag. So while you were sleeping in the prison cell, I found her wandering around Osborn and interviewed her.”

  Oh, shit. I slammed a hand on the table and leaned forward. “You interrogated Shai?”

  “Interviewed. I wanted her to tell me what she knew about you.” He sipped his coffee. “And as for the king and his weakness—it’s true that only an heir can kill the monarch, but the king can be imprisoned. There’s more than one way to get revenge.”

  The coffee was starting to give me a little buzz. “Okay. You want to get rid of the king. And I take it this requires a high degree of secrecy so your head doesn’t end up on his front gate alongside his dad’s.”

  His icy gaze bored into me. “Precisely. A high degree of secrecy. You are the only one who knows what I plan to do.” He leaned over the table. “And now you know why there is no going back. I cannot allow you to leave here until I’ve achieved my goal, and if this secret got out, it would be all over for me. Until I’m rid of the king, you are mine. And if you cross me and tell my plans to anyone else, I will murder your dear friend Shai.”