Page 27 of Paramour of Sin

Hot.

Soothing.

More.

Only he released me, leaving me bereft without him.

Pull it together, Gwen,I told myself.And maybe consider breathing.

I swayed on my feet and stared down at the surface of my cold coffee, feeling unsteady and adrift. Everything had happened so fast. Finding out about the dead bodies and their connection to me. Being scrutinized by my Demonic Lord, then tested by Zane, and finally the Archdemon himself calling for retribution.

There was a distinct possibility that my life as I knew it was about to end.

Zane reached for my mug. “I’ll make you another.”

I gaped at him, but released the mug to his hand. “Why are you taking care of me?”

“Because I can.” He flashed me a charming smile before he left the living room.

I stared after Zane in stunned silence and remained unmoving in the middle of the living room floor. Everything was upside down.What is even happening?

Lord Zebulon walked around to stand before me and cupped my cheek, his gaze searching. “Are you all right?”

If I thought having him so close against my back was overwhelming, this was worse. He stepped forward, right into my space like he owned it. His thumb brushed over my cheekbone, and his dark chocolate gaze met mine with an eerie, steady calm.

But I erupted. His warmth on my skin, his scent surrounding me, they awakened my succubus instantly. It wasn’t the first time he’d been this close, but it felt somehow more intimate than all the times he’d fed me through his kiss. I was unnerved by his closeness. My succubus soul rose up again, thirsting over his power, sending goose bumps rippling over my skin.

Forcing the need away, I stammered, “F-fine. I-I’m fine.”

Lord Zebulon raised a wicked brow as if he didn’t believe me—I couldn’t exactly blame him—but he didn’t press it. His hand fell back to his side, then he clasped them both behind his back and leveled me with a serious look. “I have a course of action for you. For tonight.”

“Oh?” I sank wearily to the edge of the loveseat cushion—the closest seat I could find—too spent mentally and emotionally to remain standing.

“Indeed,” Lord Zebulon replied, shifting to stand over me in that domineering way of his. “I need you to go out and feed tonight.”

I wasn’t one to ever question my lord. His word was law, as far as I was concerned, but with everything that had happened and the bodies dropping like flies…

I swallowed. “Is that… Are you sure I should?”

He smiled—an angled slash of white among his thin dark beard, like the moon on a night sky, and just as devastatingly beautiful. “Yes. Zane will accompany you to ensure you don’t hurt anyone. Once you’ve found your quarry and have taken your fill, I’ll place a Tracker on the human in question. Then we’ll see what happens.”

It didn’t take me long to follow what he intended. “You want me to create bait,” I translated.

“I do.”

Not exactly my favorite plan, but it sounded better than staying here and moping all night. “Okay,” I agreed, swallowing. “I can do that.”Or I’ll try anyway.The notion of subjecting an innocent human to being demon bait just feltwrong. But what choice did we have? Someone was stalking me and killing my conquests. Which made Lord Zebulon’s plan ingenious… anddark.

I’ll choose someone’s fate tonight.

It was different when I could blame myself for losing control.

This… this wasintentionallyputting someone in harm’s way, and I wouldn’t be there to try to control the outcome.

“I’ll accompany her,” Zane announced as he reappeared in the hallway with a steaming mug in one hand and a dessert plate in the other.

“Good,” Lord Zebulon replied. “I was going to command it.”

“Best that you didn’t,” Zane drawled, taking the seat beside me. “For you know how much I enjoy fighting your demands.”