Page 170

At some point, Emerie was going to part her thighs for his gigantic, tentacled purple cock and say ‘come hither’ while crooking her finger. If she could do that without any trepidation, that would be just fan-fucking-tastic.

She dug her nails into Delora’s shoulders, tempted to get on her knees to plead.

“There’s a spell,” Delora quickly uttered.

She darted her head up, although didn’t unfold herself from her sagging bow. “A spell?”

Delora squirmed, her hands clenching into tight fists. “Yeah. I-I can only tell you what happened for us because I don’t know about the others. When he, uh...” She covered her face to hide it, practically slapping herself. She shook her head. “I can’t believe I’m telling someone this. When he put it in the first time, he shoved his claws into me and then my body just... made way for it. It’s like he magically rearranged my insides to fit it.”

Emerie’s features paled, and she straightened. “Didn’t you give Magnar your soul really early, and it took away his hunger?”

Delora was finally able to step back to put space between them. “Yes.”

“Well, shit,” Emerie groaned as she palmed her forehead. “We can’t do that. Ingram can be really sensitive to blood, so if he puts his claws in me, it won’t be death by dick, but he’ll try to eat me instead.”

She could picture being pinned underneath him by his cock, with nowhere to go, as he bit her head off. Emerie wouldn’t even have a fighting chance.

“The more humanity they have, the better they are at suppressing their hunger and urges,” Delora mumbled as she gave Emerie her side. “I think that’s why Reia and Mayumi survived it. Magnar was around Ingram’s level when I met him, so I don’t think I would have survived it had we tried then without me giving him my soul first.”

Emerie cringed so hard that her squinted eyelids almost blocked her vision. At least now she knew therewasa way for her and Ingram to join their bodies like this, but now she had a new problem!

At her twisted face, Delora’s own morphed into one that was apologetic. “I’m really sorry. I wish I had more answers for... you.” Just as she was speaking, she leant to the side with her eyes widening and her lips parting.

She’d looked off into the forest.

Emerie looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at the person approaching. Then she gasped, turned, and faced the woman wearing a cloak of white feathers.

Bare-footed, her white dress caught fractures of sunlight as she strode silently towards them.

“Lindiwe,” Emerie rasped. She walked out of the garden to greet the woman. “I was wondering when or if you would show up.”

She nodded her head to Delora after pushing back her hood, and her loose corkscrew curls fell freely around her face. Her rich-brown hair looked shiny and glossy in the sun before she dipped into the shade of the house with them.

She brought her sharp gaze to Emerie. “I was unsure if you would survive, but it appears luck was on your side.”

“I’m a firm believer that you have to make your own luck,” Emerie argued. “I survived because of my own cunning.”

Surprisingly, Lindiwe’s features softened and her full lips curled upwards. “That’s one way to think of it.”

Delora grabbed Emerie’s forearm and tugged her back slightly. She stepped forward to be partially in front of her, as though she wanted to protect Emerie.

“What are you doing here?” There was no accusation in Delora’s tone, but it was obvious she was unsettled by the Witch Owl’s appearance.

“Can a mother not visit her children?” the woman mused.

“Yes, but every time you come here, there’s either danger or someone needs help,” Delora answered.

Lindiwe sighed, her expression falling into one that was dull. “I think it is best if we have this discussion with everyone present.” She diverted to the right without anyone’s direction and headed towards the porch. “Magnar can call for everyone.”

“Hey!” Delora exclaimed, running after her with Emerie in tow. “You can’t just go inside my home.”

The feather-covered woman glanced over her shoulder. “I go where I am needed, and right now, I am needed here.”

For some reason, she kept her gaze locked with Emerie’s for a lot longer than was normal, or comfortable.

A sense of foreboding washed over her.

She mentally threw her hands up.Great. There go my plans of figuring out how D plus V equals a great time.