Page 6 of Taken to the Deadlands (Stolen Demon Brides #1)

Chapter 6

Mia

I was going to get fucked by a demon.

A demon with large horns, clawed hands, and sharp teeth.

Why does the thought of those same clawed hands gripping my thighs cause my cunt to clench like this?

Still, I ignored what my body was telling me.

I would fuck her, but only because I was sure it was the only way I would live through this. And after, once her guard was down, I would find a way back to earth and?—

All the thoughts in my mind came to a complete halt when I came face-to-face with the… monstrosity the demon called a home.

I thought the long walk through the creepy, misty woods had been bad… but this?

Maybe if the stone was not cracking, or the windows broken, or the grass wilted, or the dirt blackened, the manor could have looked hospitable.

It was large and towered over us. In a period drama, I would say that the same type of house would look regal, but having it plucked from a bright, cheerful setting and dropped here to rot for god knows how many years caused it to look… horrific.

“The Deadlands, huh?” I commented, looking toward the demon.

Her lips dipped and her brows pulled together. It was the most expressive I had seen her be—if I could call it that—since she leaned forward and sniffed my chest. Her eyes had returned to normal. The dark veins that lined her face were gone. And now she looked at me with something akin to annoyance.

“Your aptitude is astounding,” she muttered. “It is like it’s named. Dead. Everything, everywhere.”

I swallowed thickly.

“Can a human survive here?” I asked.

She gave me a quick nod and motioned for me to follow her. This time, she didn’t try to pull me along. I could try to make a run for it. But she didn’t seem too worried about it.

Maybe it’s because she knew I wouldn’t be able to survive in these lands without her.

So I followed her.

We walked up the hollow-sounding steps, and she pushed the door open with ease.

“Water, electricity, warmth, food, servants. I have prepared everything.”

Even though the inside was still basked in dark grays and blacks, it was almost… cozy. The light was dim, and the main entrance opened into a foyer where there was a large staircase that led up to what were probably other wings. Decorative dark rugs were strewn about, and frames covered the walls, though none of them had any portraits.

I caught sight of another demon off to the side.

She was dressed similarly to Aris, though her robe was much less extravagant. It was black and somewhat plain. Her white hair and black horns were in stark contrast to each other. Black veins lined her forehead, and her nostrils flared. Her eyes slowly started to turn red.

“Leave.” Aris’s voice caused me to jump.

The demon bowed and turned back toward the right side of the house, disappearing into what I assumed was another living space or even a dining area, though I couldn’t be sure because of the lighting.

Aris’s gentle hand glided across my back. Only then did I realize how warm it was in the house. Her action only caused heat to fill me even more.

“Will she eat me?” I asked.

“No one here will touch you,” she vowed.

I nodded shakily. After what happened in the auction house, I had no reason to doubt her ability, but somehow living in a demon realm with demons I had no idea would be able to control themselves enough not to eat me left me feeling less than secure.

“You sure know a lot about humans, huh?”

Her hand left my back so quickly I had to turn to make sure it wasn’t yanked away.

“All demons do,” she said, though her tone had turned hard. “Let’s get you to your room, and we can discuss what I need from you.”

What she needs from me. My stomach flipped and heat rushed through me.

I had a moment to take her in, and it was hard not to notice how lean and well-built her body seemed under those robes. Monstrous or not, I was attracted to her.

So, hopefully, this will be enjoyable for the both of us.

Even though my instincts told me it would be more than just that.

I couldn’t speak as she led me to the wide staircase and to the second floor. The hallways were filled with open-doored rooms, but when I peeked in, not one soul was lingering.

We stopped at a closed door, and she pushed it open, giving me a look into the biggest room I had ever laid eyes on. It was even bigger than the shitty apartment I had above the shop.

The entire first room had large, albeit cracked, windows. A bed that could easily fit three people.

Or maybe a human and large clawed demon.

There was a seating area off to the side and two doors to the right, which I guessed led to the bathroom and closet. Oddly enough, there was a bookshelf to the left filled with old, battered books. From my position, I couldn’t tell if they were in English.

“So, what do you… need from me?” I asked, trying to swallow the knot in my throat.

“Sit down.” She motioned toward the bed. “You must be weak from everything.”

I rolled my shoulders and moved to sit on the bed with my hands in my lap. I didn’t know why I expected her to do something as human as sit beside me, but she moved to stand in front of me instead.

Sitting down, I had to strain my neck to look up at her. She said nothing for what seemed like a long time.

What is she going to do to me? How is this going to happen?

“I had a human before,” she finally said softly.

So, she knows how this works. It makes sense that the entire place was “ready” for a human then.

I nodded, and with a shaky hand, I reached out to grab her clawed one. She jerked away at first, but after a moment, she relaxed and let me take it.

“I didn’t want to come here,” I admitted, though I didn’t know why. “I still want to go home. Even if it’s the shittiest place I’ve ever lived.”

Maybe I thought it would force her to take pity on me. Or go easy on me, so to speak.

She surprised me by squeezing my hand lightly.

“I’ll take you home after you help me.”

Hope burst in my chest. I searched her face for any indication that she might be lying, but there was none.

That’s it? So, what, we fuck, and I get to go home?

The idea of fucking a demon shouldn’t turn me on as much as it did, but still, a low heat filled my belly, and my heart rate picked up.

It could happen any second now. It had to happen any second now. We were in the perfect place for it. I mean, there was even a bed.

Though I’d be lying if I said that the thought of her pushing me against the wall to ravish me wasn’t appealing.

“That easy?” I asked, my voice rising.

She gave me a stuff nod. “That easy.”

I stood up. She was so close, our chests were brushing against each other.

With shaky hands, I pushed off the straps of my slip dress. When I let it fall to the floor, her nostrils flared.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice deepening. The veins were back, and she bared her teeth at me. Red played at the sides of her eyes, but didn’t overtake them fully.

I should recoil, but instead, I slowly wrapped my arms around her shoulders.

“What you paid for,” I answered. “You had a human before, so you know how to handle me, right?”

“This is?—“

I leaned close enough for our lips to touch. I wanted to kiss her. Even if she had teeth as sharp as knives.

“Be careful,” I whispered. “Or your expensive toy will break.”

Without another word, I pressed my lips against hers. For a few awkward moments, she just stood there, frozen against me, but then her clawed hands gripped my waist.

Then, as if something switched inside her, she began kissing me back. Forcing her tongue between my lips and exploring my mouth in a way that gave me no time to react.

I whined and pushed myself against her, but it wasn’t enough.

Her hands cupped my ass before trailing to my thighs and lifting me before I wrapped my legs around her waist, shamelessly grinding against her in search of friction.

She pushed us to the bed, her hand coming up to grasp my throat. When she pulled away, my breath caught. She looked just like she did in the auction house. Red eyes. Face overtaken by those veins.

But there was a hunger that hadn’t been there before. One that made her look like she wanted to devour me… in a different way.

“You smell like you want me,” she growled, her eyes trailing down my body. Her hands pushed open my legs, exposing me to her.

I couldn’t stop the shiver.

“And if I do?”

Her eyes shot to mine.

“Is this the payment you require?” she asked. I raised a brow at her and opened my mouth to speak, but her clawed fingers coming to rub my clit caused all thoughts to disappear from my mind.

The claws were so sharp I worried for a moment that they may hurt, but it was overshadowed by my lust for her. I may have even welcomed the bit of pain as it mixed with the pleasure.

“Payment?” I managed to croak out somehow.

“For what I require of you,” she reminded me. “You want your payment to be in orgasms?”

I let out a low moan when her fingers trailed down my folds and to my entrance. They were teasing, careful not to add too much pressure.

It only made me wetter. She was pacing herself. A demon who could murder me in the blink of an eye was trying to control herself instead of just taking me.

“Orgasms are a given for what you require.”

She nodded.

“I can’t taste too much for risk of frenzy, but if we’re careful…”

I was going to ask what the “frenzy” was, but then I forgot all about it. She pushed a single finger inside me, and her claws didn’t nick me. Instead, all I felt was a blunt fingertip.

Not enough.

I reached out to her, but she shook her head.

“I’ll stay here,” she said. “To be safe.”

There was something vulnerable in the space between us. In me being completely naked while she was still fully clothed. In me writhing and moaning at only the touch of one finger while she was just standing there, still as stone.

“Please,” I murmured, spreading my legs even wider for her. “ More .”