Page 68 of Dancing With Demons

“Me?” I edged away, worry leaking into my voice. “What are you talking about? What is that?”

“First”—his eyes hardened—“why don’t you tell me what that is?”

I knew without asking that he was speaking about the cut on my wrist. Santino fed from there and then sliced my skin, disguising two puncture marks to look like one cut.

“What, that?” My tone was even—calm. “It’s nothing. Just a scratch. I got it when your friend Raven was manhandling me and shoving me into walls.”

“Interesting,” he replied. “But for a cut so deep, it’s healing rather fast.”

I let nothing show on my face. Vampire saliva had healing properties. It’s why I didn’t bleed out and die the many times Radu popped open my major arteries. Radu said he couldn’t be sure if Ronin knew enough about vampires to know that.

I had a feeling he did.

“It’s not deep,” I quickly retorted. “Like I said, it was just a scratch.”

“So then this doesn’t hurt?” Ronin pressed down viciously on the wound.

“Ahh!”

Moving fast, he tipped the vial into my open mouth.

I coughed and hacked, swallowing down the surprisingly sweet-tasting potion. “What— What is that? What did you just give me?”

“You know, pet,” Ronin said, drifting out of my line of sight. I craned my neck to follow him to the armchair. “You’re the worst liar I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m not lying, Ron—” I broke off, groaning. “Hey, seriously, what was in that vial? I’m starting... to feel...”

“To feel what exactly?”

Hot.

Heat was pooling in my belly and spreading through my extremities like ice cream melting on cobblestones.

Everything was hot, but the silk clinging to my back, legs, and neck was cold. I felt every filament and sticky gum that bound the threads together. I felt the hands that wove the dress strips tied around my wrists and ankles.

My nipples stood to attention, waving their horny flag high and proud for all to see, and they were still less shameless than the wetness collecting between my legs.

“What...” I panted, “...did you do to me?”

“I gave you the best and most potent aphrodisiac House Asmodeus brews. You’re welcome.”

“Why—” I shifted and a jolt went through me, striking directly at my core. I could’ve wept, I’d never been more turned on than I was right then. “Why would you give me this!”

“Because I’ve got a wager to win.” He couldn’t have been more smug than if he caught the canary too. “You’ve clearly laid out how much I’ve got to lose. Forgive me for hedging my bet.”

“Screw you,” I spat. I wasn’t into being tied up— I wasn’t! But for some reason, I was getting worked up picturing how I looked trussed up and ready to be served as the main sexual delicacy. What kind of psycho potion is this?! How am I getting aroused by imagining myself aroused!

“Let me out of this right now,” I ordered, breathing hard. “And I don’t know if demons pray to gods, but you’d better start! Because if the next thing in your hands isn’t an antidote, I’m kicking your ass!”

Ronin laughed heartily. “Any pain you inflict on me will be returned to you hundredfold. Didn’t this morning teach you that?”

I gritted my teeth, fuming at my lack of a comeback. I did remember that morning, and I never wanted to feel that pain again.

“But lucky for you it won’t come to that because my hands are the antidote.” A light teasing finger tickled my ankle, and I came.

That was it. One touch and—

“Ahhh! Ah!” Shudders wracked and crashed through my body, exploding that pooled heat like a match tossed in gasoline. But instead of calming my desire, the fires grew and spread to every corner of my body—daring someone to put them out.