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My fingernails sharpen as I clutch him, my claws pricking his skin. My nails dig deeper, and the King of the Night grins when they pierce his flesh.

We really are a twisted pair, getting off on blood and sex.

My breath is coming in pants, my legs parting wider as I urge him on.

His nose and lips brush my flush cheeks. “Or perhaps I’ll choose none of that. How I do love seeing you fall apart at my touch. Perhaps my touch is all you’ll get.” He nips at my chin, toying with me. Clearly enjoying that I’m clay in his hands right now, ready to be molded into whatever shape he wants.

A minute ago I wasn’t thinking of sex, now I’m lamenting the slow torture of him burning me up without properly filling me.

I begin to reach for his pants when he catches my wrist and pins it to the wall.

“Ah ah. That’s not how this works.” Des kisses my neck then moves his attention to my mouth, tasting like liquor and dark deeds. All the while his deft fingers stroke me up and down.

He takes my lower lip between his teeth, rolling it around, his clever eyes particularly devious.

He releases my lip.

“Come against my hand,” Des demands.

It’s the same pushy order he used to give me back when I had a bracelet of beads.

And even though the bracelet is long gone, I feel the Bargainer’s magic bloom between my legs, strange and forbidden.

My knees go weak as my orgasm is pulled from me, sweeping through my system. The pleasure is violent and sudden. It seems to stretch on and on, and even once the waves of it abate, the comedown seems to last a lifetime.

I lean my head against the wall, breathless and flushed. “You are such a bastard,” I murmur.

“Awww, you don’t really mean that, cherub,” Des says, removing his fingers from my panties. He places the two of them in his mouth, licking them clean.

Have I mentioned how dirty he is?

It only takes a minute or so for me to regroup from getting fingered within an inch of my life. My siren is riding high. Far from being satiated, she’s only just gotten a taste of sex.

Pushing off the wall, I prowl over to the Bargainer. Taking his jaw gruffly, I kiss his mouth.

“For a guy that specializes in favors, your repayment plans lately could use some work,” I say, tapping the side of his jaw with a clawed forefinger.

I’m sure I look just as devious as he does.

Releasing his jaw, I kneel down in front of him.

“Callie …”

I begin to unbutton his pants, glancing up at him. Des’s eyes are crackling with desire; Des wants to tell me to stop, but he also wants my lips around his cock—and he wants thatverybadly.

The zipper makes a hissing noise as I pull it down. “Lucky for you, when it comes to repayment, I’m willing to help.”

Chapter 25

The world formsfrom chaos, blurs of color sharpening until they become things.

The first thing I notice is the tickle of wheat against my open palm. Then it’s the vivid blue sky bearing down on me.

Then it’s the Thief.

He walks through the fields dressed in black, looking like a reaper come to collect my soul. Like the last dream, seeing him this way is disarming. If you take the monster living under your bed and put it in broad daylight, what then?

He comes up to me, uncomfortably close. This is where I cringe away from him, where I revolt.