by A. H. Lee
However, Mal was taken off guard when Azrael turned the book around and said, “I was attacked by this.”
Mal leaned forward to squint at the illustration of a hulking beast. To his surprise, the book did not appear to be a treatise on monsters, but a biology text. “A giant frost bear? They’re extinct.”
Azrael nodded. “The necromancer has made a golem of one, and it is roaming the Shadow Wastes.”
“That’s…peculiar. What for?”
“Me,” said Azrael grimly. “It has been hunting me as I try to trace back these deaths in the Solarian villages. At first, I thought it was just being sent to harry the dead spirits—to keep them in the Shadow Lands so that their bodies remain animate.”
“All those spell traps you’ve been making…” said Mal thoughtfully.
“I caught the beast yesterday,” continued Azrael, “but it managed to break free. That alone is troubling, but the fact that it could physically injure me is worse. It means that the necromancer has something of mine. Something very personal—hair, nails, or blood. Which means that he or she has been to the Shrouded Isle, probably recently. Somehow, my wards have failed. I thought so after that strange business with Prince Dustin, and now I am certain. Someone or something got in here.”
Mal watched Azrael with his head on one side. He’s asking for help, thought Mal in surprise. Azrael asked for magic all the time, for power, but not for help.
Azrael drummed his fingers in frustration. “Can you remember anyone here in the last few months who seemed off? Something I missed. A strange aura. Snooping in places they didn’t belong. An untoward interest in death magic.”
A twisted, jowly face leapt immediately before Mal’s inner eye. Choke her. “The Duke of Carnobo suggested choking Jessica her first night at dinner,” said Mal.
Azrael looked unconvinced. “People say things like that all the time when you’re working on them. It doesn’t mean he’d do it.”
But he did, thought Mal. He tried…even through the fog of your memory charm. And, come to think of it, that’s odd. Mal opened his mouth to say so and stopped. If I tell him about Carnobo, I tell him about Jessica. Aloud, Mal said, “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
Chapter 27. Reprimand
Jessica woke, disoriented, in her own bed. For a moment, she could not remember how she’d gotten there. The room seemed dark. Is it morning or evening? The previous day’s events came back to her in a rush, and she groaned. I hope Mal and Azrael are alright.
Jessica struggled out of bed, uncharacteristically clumsy. She nearly went sprawling when her foot caught in the sheets. She saw that she’d fallen asleep in the remains of her clothes.
“Good evening, Miss Jessica.”
She spun around. Lord Azrael was sitting at the table before the window seat, reading by the light of a single lamp. A meal lay untouched in front of him—meats cooked in dark, fragrant sauce, vegetables, a crisp salad full of nuts and berries, wine.
Jessica’s mouth watered. She was suddenly ravenous. At the same time, she was conscious of her insane appearance—hair hanging in sleepy waves around her shoulders, her wrinkled blouse sliding off one shoulder, her breeches stretched and bunching in strange places. Jessica pulled her blouse up self-consciously and scrubbed a hand through her hair. Her voice came out rough with sleep, “My lord, I— Oh, gods, you’re alright!”
He raised one eyebrow, and Jessica knew she’d said the wrong thing. I was supposed to pretend not to know. But how can I? If demons lie, I don’t make a very good demon.
“Sit down, Miss Jessica. Have something to eat. You’ve slept all day; you must be starving.”
Jessica came gingerly forward. She knew she should excuse herself and dress, but she was so hungry. Azrael seemed to expect this, and he let her eat without comment. He was dressed once more in one of his perennial black suits, this time with a flare of red in his breast pocket handkerchief. While his clothes were, as Mal said, rather similar, there was something intimidating about those severe lines and his sharp profile. His black eyes were unreadable in his pale face, his mouth set in a straight line.
When Jessica had satisfied her immediate hunger and thirst, he said, “Miss Jessica, perhaps I have given you the impression that because decorum here is rather lax, my orders are also to be followed or not as you please.”
Jessica hung her head. Her stomach twisted around the food she’d just eaten. “I am deeply sorry, my lord—”
“You were told not to go wandering into the depths of my library. I told you explicitly and in person that I did not want you seeing Mal outside of my supervision. Was any part of that unclear, Miss Jessica?” His normally smooth, low voice cracked like a whip on the last sentence, and the lights in the room actually dimmed.
Jessica was suddenly not just sorry, but afraid. How did I forget he’s the most powerful sorcerer in the world? Shadows seemed to gather around him, black as his eyes. Nothing remained of the man who’d walked with her by the fish pond.
Mal said he would be angry. Mal has been living with him for two decades. I should have listened.
She could think of nothing to say. Jessica shut her eyes and waited, trembling, for him to pass judgment.
“I should send you home in disgrace,” he grated. “With no memories of your time here.”
Jessica flinched. Tears gathered under her eyelashes. “Please don’t, my lord.”
“Well, I do think my cat would be distraught,” he snapped. “Also…there is the fact that you saved my life…and possibly his.”
Jessica dared to look up. Azrael’s tone had not changed, but his eyes had drifted away from her face. He took a long breath, and the knot in Jessica’s belly unclenched a little.
Azrael spoke more quietly. “If he hadn’t fed recently, I don’t know what would have happened. He was so drained this morning that he almost didn’t wake up. I had to nearly drown him in ambrosia to get him to take a drink. Mal doesn’t need to use the full breadth of his powers very often. I think sometimes he forgets that he can die.”
Timidly, Jessica said, “Are you fully recovered, my lord? You were rather dreadfully injured.”
“That’s what Mal said.” The razor-straight line of Azrael’s shoulders dropped a little, and Jessica realized that he hadn’t enjoyed delivering the threatening lecture any more than she had enjoyed receiving it. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t serious. Jessica was beginning to understand that Azrael did all kinds of things he did not enjoy because he felt they needed doing. The fact made him both admirable and terrifying.
As though sensing her thought, Azrael looked up and fixed her with another penetrating glare. “Do not go behind my back again, Jessica. This is your last warning.”
“Yes, my lord,” said Jessica meekly. “I am truly sorry.” Her hunger was reasserting itself, and Jessica returned to the food.
After a moment, Azrael poured himself a glass of wine. “This exhaustion is the sort of thing you can expect when he feeds. I hope you understand that.”
Jessica’s eyes narrowed, although she didn’t look up. He thinks Mal was feeding on me when disaster struck, and Mal used that energy to heal him.
After a moment, Azrael said, “Is that my blood on your blouse?”
Jessica paused to glance down at herself. “I’m afraid so, my lord.”
“My blood is dangerous in the wrong hands. I’ll need to burn it.”
Jessica nodded, certain that she was about to be asked to disrobe. This request was becoming mundane. “Do you want me to—?”
Azrael waved his hand. “Later.” He turned to look out at the moon through the window. “Mal said you were the one who undressed me and put me to bed.”
Jessica nodded. “Your clothes were wet with blood and only making you colder, my lord. I had to cut them off you.” She was amazed at her own bravery when she added, “So I suppose we’re even.”
Azrael frowned. Jessica could almost see his thoughts ticking back through their interactions to that
first evening when he had, literally, cut her clothes off her with his dinner knife. To feed me to his pet demon. She could see the exact moment when he realized what she was talking about because a very faint flush rose in his cheeks. So you aren’t completely without shame.
“I should have altered your memory.” He screwed up his face. “I did alter the memories of all the other humans involved.”
Well, that’s nice to know.
Azrael was looking very uncomfortable now. “I can still take it away if you like.”
“Oh, no,” said Jessica in some alarm. “I like my mind intact. Besides, it wasn’t horrible. Just a little embarrassing. You told me I could leave.”
Jessica was gratified to see him actually squirm. “Mal can’t feed on unwilling partners. Even if a courtier is feeling too intimidated to get up and walk out, Mal won’t engage if they’re not interested. I’ve been in plenty of situations where he couldn’t be induced to feed at all. That evening with you, he put on quite a show. I was surprised. I remember checking his collar afterwards to make sure it was functioning properly. I thought he might have taken too much energy, might have hurt you. That’s why I gave you a week to recuperate.”
Jessica nodded. “I understand, Lord Azrael.” However, the fact remains that you cut my clothes off me…and now we’re even…more or less. She grinned and allowed a little sauce to creep into her voice. “At least I didn’t feed you to Mal.” Although that sounds intriguing.
Azrael looked down at his drink and gave a nearly silent snort of laughter.
Jessica smirked back at him. I wonder how many people ever dare to flirt with you.
When he spoke, however, he wasn’t laughing. “You could only do that once. He would kill me.”
“Are you sure about that?” asked Jessica. “I really think he’s quite fond of you. I think you’ve hurt his feelings in the past by—” She realized she was about to get extraordinarily personal with the world’s most powerful sorcerer and finished lamely, “by not treating him quite like a person.”
“He isn’t quite like a person,” said Azrael, his voice soft, but firm. “I do think he’s more of a person than he used to be. He’s becoming differentiated from his entity. But all astral demons have an overwhelming instinct to kill the one who summoned them. I doubt he’ll ever get over that. We’ve lived together for a long time. We’re comfortable around each other. But I’ve always known that if I make one mistake with Mal, I’ll never get to make another.”
Azrael shook himself and spoke more briskly. “None of that is for you to worry about, however. He won’t hurt you. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone except me. This attachment he’s forming with you is good for him, and as long as you are pleased as well, I’d like it to continue. I realize it’s natural for lovers to sneak around, but I can’t let you do that with Mal.”
He drank off the rest of his wine and stood up. “As you can attest, my last encounter with this necromancer’s creature did not go well. So I’ve got some work to do before I try again. I’m going to attempt to do this work while supervising the two of you. Please do exactly as I say during these outings. I will try to choose romantic settings, but I have other considerations as well.”
Jessica was surprised, but she nodded. “That is generous of you, my lord.”
Azrael scooped up his book and moved towards the door. “I’ll send for you in a few days. Please do not preempt me. I promise I have not forgotten. Oh, and give me that shirt, the breeches, too.” He spoke without turning and held out his hand.
Jessica obediently stripped off her clothes. She came forward and placed them in his open palm. Azrael did not turn or look at her. “If you find anything else with my blood on it, please let me know.” Then he whisked out the door. After a moment’s consideration, Jessica crawled back into bed.
Chapter 28. Tod Gives Advice
Jessica slept soundly that night in spite of having slept all day. She woke to the rush of water as Tod filled her bath and brought in her breakfast. The coffee smelled divine, and Jessica sat straight up in bed before realizing she was naked and pulling the sheets around her.
Tod turned at the sound of her rustling. “Jessica,” he spoke with relief, not at all self-conscious about her lack of clothes. “You look well.”
Jessica yawned. “I feel well.”
Tod returned to setting out breakfast. “You were absolutely dead to the world yesterday. I hope he’s not—” Tod bit back the sentence and shook his head, posture stiff, almost angry.
Jessica frowned. “You hope who is not what?”
Tod hesitated. He answered without looking at her. “Azrael is asking an awful lot of you. An awful lot for a first-year. An awful lot for anybody.”
Jessica wasn’t sure what to say. She slid out of bed, still swaddled in a sheet. Tod promptly left the breakfast things and went to get her bathrobe off the hook in the corner—a silky white garment trimmed in soft fur. He held it open for her, his head turned politely away. Jessica dropped the sheet and slipped into the cool embrace of the bathrobe. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” he muttered. “I feel like I need to apologize to you.”
Jessica turned to him in confusion. “Whatever for?”
Tod didn’t quite meet her eyes. “For abandoning you at the Revels with him.”
“Oh.” Jessica remembered Tod’s half-glazed eyes, the longing look he’d thrown over his shoulder as he staggered off the dance floor. “Oh, Tod, you don’t need to apologize for that. I should apologize to you! I think I sort of…teased you. I didn’t mean to; I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “You don’t owe me anything.” He threw her a quick grin as he finished setting out breakfast. “And don’t worry about me; I had plenty of fun that night.”
Jessica smiled. “I’m sure you’re in high demand.”
“Well, I don’t know about high. But I do alright. No, that’s not why I’m sorry. It just seemed like he kept you busy all night, and that can be bad. He—”
Tod straightened and looked at her. Jessica was positive that none of her own cohort had made any connection between the tall, sexy stranger with whom she’d spent the evening and the panther that ordinarily paced at Azrael’s side. Tod, on the other hand…
“How much do you know about Mal?” They spoke at the same time, and it made them both laugh.
After a moment’s pause, Tod said quietly, “I know that his attention is addictive and that he wears a partner out. I know that he is quite charming…and that he sometimes goes on four legs.”
“You know a lot,” said Jessica.
“But nothing you don’t know?” asked Tod, his gaze probing.
Jessica shook her head.
“Sometimes courtiers end up pining for him. I won’t call it love, although it feels that way. If they grow too despondent, Azrael takes the experience away from them. Makes them forget. He’s good at that.”
“So I’ve gathered.”
“I don’t think it’s healthy, though,” continued Tod, “having one’s memories altered. It’s better to just not fall in love with Mal. He’s charming, and he’s a really…” Tod colored faintly. “A fantastic ride. But he can’t love you back.”
Jessica stared at him. “And you know this from experience.” She was so sure that she made the question a statement.
Then Tod really did blush. “Everyone who’s been here for any length of time knows it by experience.” He let out a long breath. “I… Gods. I’ve never had any interest in men. But after him…I tried it once…with another man, just to see… But it wasn’t the sex of the person I was with or anything we were doing. It was just…Mal. I have my suspicions about what he is, but Azrael has been very kind to me. He does a lot of good in the world. I wouldn’t want to cause him trouble or get myself thrown off the Shrouded Isle for spreading rumors.” He smiled at Jessica a little sadly. “I don’t want my memories altered, either. I value them all—the bitter and the sweet.”
Jessica crossed th
e distance between them and hugged him. There was no erotic charge in it, just friendship and compassion. Tod hugged her back. “You are one of the kindest, smartest, most curious people I’ve met here in a while. I don’t want Mal to fuck it out of you. He eats people.”
Jessica laughed against his shoulder. “He won’t eat me.”
“If you think that, you’re in danger.”
“No. I’m immune. Sort of. Because I’m a succubus.”
Chapter 29. Confessions and Seduction
Jessica felt a sense of relief as the secret left her, as though she’d been carrying a heavy burden and someone else had lifted the other end.
Tod, however, went rigid. He pushed her back to arm’s length. “Jessica!”
“It’s true,” she said, wondering if he was going to run from the room. “Mal told me, and I’m glad he did or else I might have hurt someone. I almost did hurt Prince Dustin. And then the other evening, I think I almost hurt you. Mal has been trying to teach me not to…take so much.”
Tod shook his head, round-eyed. “Jessica, you should not have told me! You shouldn’t—” He jerked her convulsively back against his shoulder, his arms cradling her head. “Why in gods’ names did you tell me? Have you told anyone else?”
“No,” said Jessica, muffled against his starched uniform. “Mal told me, and I didn’t want to believe him, but he’s right. He’s been very kind, trying to teach me.”
“Does Azrael know?”
“No.”
“You have to tell him, Jessica. If Mal knows and Azrael doesn’t. Gods. Mal is playing you, Jessica!”
“How?” asked Jessica, genuinely curious.
“I have no idea. I don’t know much about…demons.” His voice dropped on the word, as though he were ashamed to have said it. Again, he asked, “Why did you tell me?”
“Because you’re my friend,” said Jessica in a small voice. “And I don’t have many friends here.”
“You hardly know me!”
Jessica drew back a little and looked at him, pleading. “I have to tell someone. Someone other than Mal. I will tell Azrael eventually. But I’m afraid.”