Sighing, I sat again. “Don’t you want to know everything that happened?”
He took a seat across from me. “I saw the ragged remnants of your enemies. Did I mention that there’s something kind of terrifying about you?”
“You killed fifty demons, didn’t you? That means you ripped out fifty demon hearts in the forest. I think you’re more terrifying.”
He gave an easy shrug. “But I’m obviously dangerous. People can tell that as soon as they meet me. You disguise it. You’re a lion dressed as a lamb.” He frowned. “And then in a second lion disguise, since you’re also supposed to be Mortana.”
“I have layers.” I raised my eyebrows. “And maybe a dark side.”
“About that.” He leaned forward, his blue eyes piercing me. “You told your secrets, Rowan, in that prison cell. But you didn’t tell all of them, did you? There was something you kept hidden.”
Even from myself. That thought rang out in my mind—a voice that wasn’t quite my own.
Hidden from myself.
What the fuck?
I gave Orion a tired smile. “No, I don’t spill my darkest secrets. They make people uncomfortable.”
“I doubt you’d find that to be the case with me.”
I doubted that, too. My darkness would be nothing to him. He held a world of shadows within himself.
But I wasn’t about to spill my guts to one of my suspects, and I had a very important question to ask him. One that related to my investigation. “Orion, when we were in the Tower of Baal, one of the demon males had a symbol on his head. Like a crescent moon. What is that?”
He shifted into the cushion and spread his arms out across the sofa back. When human men took up space like that, it was a defensive posture. Was it the same for demons?
“Sometimes, we shift to a more bestial, darker form. Black eyes. Sometimes, scales emerge. And we’ll have a demon mark. When we shift, it can appear.”
“What makes a demon shift?”
“We feel emotions very, very intensely. And when that, happens, it can reveal our true selves.”
Fascinating. “But you don’t feel empathy.”
“I don’t. Some of us shut things down. It makes it easier to think logically in the haze of emotions.”
“Okay.” I bit my lip. “But back to the mark—”
His eyes were growing darker, weren't they? This topic was making him shift a little. Weird.
“Does every demon have their own unique mark?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I drummed my fingertips on my knees. I needed to be an undercover cop about this and not push the point too much, but the desperation was building in me. “So do you know what everyone’s mark is? Have you seen them all?”
“No, most demons keep them hidden. Sometimes, the marks betray things about people they’d rather keep secret. Powers, the truth about their lineage…”
“What about a star?” I asked, gripping the armrests.
As soon as the shadows slid through his eyes, it was clear I’d struck a nerve. He was shifting, wasn’t he? And it wasn’t just his eyes that changed. The room was going darker around us, and his mood swallowed up the light. “Why, exactly, are you asking about that?” His voice was a low, quiet warning.
What the hell... Maybe demon psychology was different than humans’, but he was definitely defensive. I’d stumbled into some kind of dangerous territory.
I inhaled sharply. “No reason. I just thought if there was a moon, there must be a star.”
He sucked in a deep breath. “A star identifies the Lightbringer, our destined leader. No one has seen that mark in a long time.”
An ice-cold chill rippled through me. “Not on the king, then?”
“I’ve never seen his mark. No one has.” The shadows around him seemed to sharpen into blades, growing darker.
And all of this was a fantastic reminder of why I couldn’t be seduced by his beauty. Did he look perfect? Yes. Was he sketchy as fuck and possibly a murderer? Also yes.
“It seems like you killed that duke very easily,” I said. “Was it really necessary?”
“He wanted to kill you so badly, he wasn’t playing within the rules. He seemed like a liability.”
I frowned. “So when you have a difficult interpersonal situation…do you often just kill the person to make things easier?”
His eyebrows rose. “‘Difficult interpersonal situation’? Is that what you call it when someone tries to kill you?”
“Okay. Point taken.” My head was spinning, and I wasn’t quite sure I was keeping up with the level of danger in this world.
I glanced at the macabre tattoo on his arm—the noose made from a snake. “Since you’re not going to tell me about your mark, how about this: why did you get that tattoo?”
A muscle tensed in his jaw, and he rose, towering above me. “We should go to your victory party.”
Wow. Another off-limits conversation. “Give me a second to do my hair and makeup.”
I could be allied with my worst enemy. But at least I’d learned something new. If I wanted to identify my mother’s killer, I’d have to try to provoke strong reactions from every demon. I needed to see their marks.
Unfortunately, I’d have to anger a lot of demons in the process.
Chapter 23
When our cab arrived at the Temple of Ishtar, another red carpet stretched out to greet us.
The temple was just north of the Tower of Baal and south of where Orion lived. Small crowds of demons flanked either side, snapping photos on their cell phones. It was after one a.m., and I was starting to get the impression that no one here slept. As I stepped out of the car, I felt underdressed for this crowd of onlookers. But Mortana wouldn’t be self-conscious, so I just gave everyone that smug demon smirk. When Orion was by my side, I made sure to walk with a swing of my hips over the carpet.
A humid ocean breeze rustled through my hair, and I licked the salt off my lips. The Temple of Ishtar was actually a bar now, but it still looked like a temple, with Doric columns and carvings of a beautiful, winged woman jutting out from the roof.
With Orion, I ascended the steps and passed through the towering open doors. There, I found myself in an enormous hall of golden stone. Demons in gowns and suits stood on a floor of blue and gold tiles. On the walls to the right and left, mosaics formed images of golden lions. Directly across from us, the columns were open to the sea, and a balmy breeze rushed in. Sparkling phosphorescence made the waves glitter under the night sky.
I glanced at the golden-brick cocktail bar to my right, where row upon row of liquor bottles stood before the mirror. God, this place was amazing. It was unfortunate I wasn’t actually a succubus.
When I glanced at Orion, a shiver of unease rippled through me. For a number of reasons, I didn’t want him to be my enemy. But given how he’d reacted to the star question, I’d have to keep my eyes open to the possibility.
I watched as he crossed to the bar and chatted with the bartender. Was he avoiding me?
After today, my nerves were completely shot. But Mortana, my shadow-self, wanted a drink. So when a server brought over a tray of bubbly cocktails in champagne flutes, I plucked one off and took a sip, tasting gin and lemon.
When a hush fell over the room, I turned to see King Cambriel arrive, his golden hair falling over a gorgeous velvet suit. He walked arm-in-arm with Lydia, who wore a black leather jacket over a silky gown with slits in strategic places. The dress showed off little glimpses of her waist, her ribs, and part of her thigh. She looked cool as hell.
What was not as cool was the way she snarled at me when she met my gaze.
She didn’t know this, but I was probably the one person in this bar who didn’t actually care that she was on the king’s arm. At least, not beyond the fact that I had a deal with Orion.
I had two goals here tonight. One was to get the king’s attention so that I could start to learn about his weaknesses. But the other was my own. Could I sufficiently
rile up this crowd that I saw some of their demon marks? Could I churn up emotions powerful enough to make some of them shift?
Orion had said that he, the king, Lydia, and Mortana all had fire magic. That meant three marks I needed to see in order to rule them out.
Right now, Lydia had the king’s attention. I thought I had an idea of how to enrage her and provoke the king’s emotions at the same time. I watched as Lydia grabbed a champagne flute, then leaned in, whispering to the king in a conspiratorial way.
Time to get his attention, and that meant getting Orion’s attention. Jealousy would be my friend tonight.
But before I could find Orion, a female demon with a halo of white curls caught my eye. Her cheekbones shimmered with pale glitter. With a tight smile, she sauntered over to me. “Well, Mortana. Congratulations are in order.” She touched her throat and swallowed with a grimace. “I’ve never met a demon with your powers of poison before. Quite intriguing. Miasma magic.”
I gave her a fake smile and a shrug. “I don’t often have a reason to poison people.”
“I’m Nama.”
Ah…the one with the ice powers.
When her glance darted over my shoulder, her expression changed. She licked her lips, and her pupils dilated. I stole a quick look behind me to see Orion.
So that’s why she’d approached me. Keep your enemies close…
Her gray eyes locked on mine again, and the look she gave me sent a chill through my body. “It’s interesting to see the duke getting close to someone new. Before you arrived, he and I were going to be quite good friends.” She flicked her white hair over her shoulder. “I’ll admit we haven’t had the chance to become properly acquainted yet, but I think I’m considered one of the best marriage matches for him.”
“Oh?” I took a sip of my cocktail, trying to get into the bitchy Mortana mindset. “Considered by whom?”
Her lips thinned. “By many. He and I both come from wealth. You know, we have a lot in common. We both love the sea.”
My shadow-self found her irritating, so I lifted my cocktail glass and stared into it. I swirled my drink, looking disinterested in her. “Everyone loves the sea. Why would you possibly think that would make you well suited? It’s akin to liking sunlight.”
“He likes pastries, and I’m an excellent cook,” she said sharply. “And when I injured my thigh in a sea cave, he healed me. Listen, Mortana, have you been spending a lot of time around mortals, by any chance? You seem as dull-witted and unsophisticated as they are. There’s something really not right about you.”
I gave her a patronizing smile. I was starting to find that it wasn’t hard at all to come up with what Mortana would say. “Maybe I’m unsophisticated, but I’m going to guess that you hurt your thigh on purpose, then ran to Orion crying that you needed help. Don’t you think he could smell the desperation?” I sipped my cocktail, watching as her cheeks went red. “Don’t mistake pity for affection, my dear.”
Wow. Mortana was a bitch. And maybe it was kind of fun.
Nama’s eyes darkened to shadows, and her jaw went tight. She leaned in and whispered in my ear, “You’re older than I am, Mortana. But I’ve been told why the king wisely rid the city of your kind. The succubi whores like you brought disrepute to our city, begging for cock like you did. Disgusting. Dirty. I heard what he said about you. How you beg for it on your hands and knees. And you might charm Orion for a week with whatever tricks your twat can manage, but he’ll quickly see that you are all used up. No better than a mortal whore. He’ll want someone younger. Cleaner. They always do. Tell me, harlot, do you know what happened to the succubus Jezebel in the ancient world?”
I kept that serene smile on my face, but I had no idea. “Of course.”
“Maybe you’ll find yourself thrown from a palace window, trampled by horses, then eaten by stray dogs,” she hissed. “Just like Jezebel.”
Ah. Learned something every day.
Chapter 24
I kept my face calm and raised an eyebrow. “Is that a threat, Nama?”
“None of the demon males stepped in to protect your kind when you needed it. They fucked you, then left you to die. All it takes is one look at your harlot-red hair and the repulsive way you move to know you’re not wife material. You’re an easy, available hole.” She backed away and fluttered her eyelashes at me. “Nice talking to you, Duchess.” Then she spun on her heels to walk away.
Her words were directed at Mortana, but there was enough personal stuff included there to make my stomach tighten with anger anyway. No better than a mortal? Harlot-red hair?
Had to say I didn’t like Nama very much.
And when I turned to see that she had sashayed over to Orion, that she was giggling up at him, I felt a tiny little ember of my own jealousy burning. But that was absurd. Orion and I didn’t have a real relationship, obviously. He’d hired me to do a job, I was treating him as a suspect, and that was that. But I found myself staring as Nama looked up at him adoringly, lightly stroking his tattooed arm. My id—my shadow-self—was getting angry.
I glanced behind me and found that the king’s attentions were occupied with Lydia.
It was time to turn all this annoying shit to my advantage, now.
I turned back to Orion and Nama. Now, Orion was looking at me, the corner of his mouth quirked in a half-smile. It was almost like he knew I’d felt jealous. But there was no way he could have sensed that, so that was probably me being paranoid.
I summoned my id. With a seductive smile worthy of Mortana, I beckoned Orion toward me.
If I said it wasn’t satisfying to watch him brush Nama off and walk closer to me, I’d be lying. She was giving me the look of death, like she was going to rip my head off any second now. The unfortunate part was that she probably could.
Orion prowled closer with languid movements, eyes locked on me. When he was just inches away, I reached up and pulled him down closer, whispering, “Let’s make the king jealous.”
“Hello, love.” His low whisper was a seductive stroke up my spine. My pulse started to race. “Are you ready to leave your inhibitions behind?”
Just being close to him and feeling his magic pulse over my body made my breath hitch, even if all this was just for show. “Yes.” Must…remember…he’s my suspect…
Taking me by the hand, Orion led me to a chair near the king. In the next heartbeat, he was pulling me into his lap. I could feel all eyes on us now, but my attention was on Orion. His exquisite beauty was still shocking to me. His lids looked heavy as his eyes darkened. I felt a blush creep over my cheeks.
“Your friend Nama seems to think I’m taking something that belongs to her,” I said quietly.
His fingertips brushed up my leg just above my knee, and heat rushed through my body. “I belong to no one.” With excruciating slowness, his hand moved further up my thigh, then slid under the hem of my dress, his touch scorching. He leaned in, lips lightly brushing over mine. The Lord of Chaos had an excruciating capacity for restraint. The graze of his lips against mine was making my nipples go hard in my silky bra. His hand moved higher, dragging my hem with it. He fingertips stroked slowly up and down my skin…
God, I wanted to take him somewhere alone.
This is just a job.
I wondered if he could hear how fast my heart was beating now. Did he realize that when I told him I didn’t find him attractive, I was lying through my teeth?
For his part, his muscles seemed tightly coiled. Maybe this restraint wasn’t so easy for him.
Unable to contain myself anymore, I pressed my lips against his. Under the hem of my dress, his fingers tightened on my flesh. He kissed me back slowly, deliciously, his tongue brushing against mine. When he pulled away from the kiss, my heart was racing out of control. I ached for him. And if all of this was happening in front of other people—that wasn’t my fault. That was Mortana’s fault.
I could feel everyone watching us now, but to my shock, I found that I actually didn’t care.
He moved his mouth close to my ear. “Why do I get the feeling that you want more?” His deep purr made me melt into him.
I could feel my cheeks heating. “Just doing my job,” I whispered back.
The brush of his fingertips was a slow, maddening touch that left a trail of heat in its wake, now near my panties. I felt as if there was something reverent in the way he was touching me, and my core pulsed, aching for him. Slowly, he moved his hands over my panties, brushing his fingertip down the front. I gasped at the sensation. I was sure that he could feel exactly how turned on I was through the silk, and I felt my cheeks going redder. From him, I heard a quiet growl that seemed to reverberate over my skin.
I should probably stop this now. Succubus or not, I wasn’t going to fuck him right here in front of a crowd.
“I think that’s enough,” I whispered.
When he pulled his hand away from me, out of my dress, I rose from his lap. I felt my cheeks and chest flushed with heat as I looked around, seeing everyone’s judgmental eyes on me. Nama looked like she was about to crush the glass she was holding.
But there was her demon mark—a byzantine golden symbol that beamed from her forehead.
Several females gaped at me, seething, their marks blazing. One had the mark of a serpent, the other a triangular shape. It seemed that Nama wasn’t the only one who had designs on Orion.
But Lydia and the king? The ones I actually hoped to see? No demon marks on display.
I was still catching my breath when I caught the king’s eye. That had gone a little far, hadn’t it? But I’d gotten what I’d wanted—his attention.
He crossed over to me swiftly, his eyes dark as night, pale hair draped over his velvet suit. His jaw was set tight, and he boxed me in until my back was against a column. He pressed his hands on either side of my head, his crown gleaming in the lights of the bar.
My heart skipped a beat. I’d definitely gotten his attention.
His stance was possessive, dominating. And since I was supposed to be an ancient and powerful demon, I couldn’t shrink from it. “I hope you will find your new accommodations in the Asmodean Ward to your liking. I had my mortal servants working day and night to get it in good condition. I had my best magicians working on it, too. I can give you anything you desire.”
City of Thorns (The Demon Queen Trials Book 1) Page 13