Page 13 of Taken to the Demon Court (Stolen Demon Brides #3)

EVE

I s this what being a real-life princess feels like?

I stopped to stare at my reflection in the window.

The world outside was dark, and the ballroom was so bright I could see myself almost perfectly.

My black hair was curled, with half of it pinned on the top of my head. I wasn’t wearing makeup, but the demon assistants put something on my face that made it look like it was glowing.

The dress was dark blue like the other, which I quickly learned was the twins’ favorite color on me, but it had thousands of tiny blue crystals sewn into the bodice and skirt.

I was absolutely sparkling and not at all looking like I was there as the main course. For the first time, it was like I actually belonged in the world around me.

The ballroom was decked out with shining chandeliers, glass tables, and shimmering dance floors. Everything beautiful and eye-catching, like a fairy tale, until you looked at the dark little details hiding in plain sight.

“You’ve succeeded,” Oros said as she pulled up to my right. Her eyes were digging into mine in the glass. Her sudden appearance made my heart skip a beat in my chest .

“In what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Making the entire party jealous that we get the company of such a beautiful human,” Eros said, moving to my left.

Their comments made heat rush up my neck.

“I shouldn’t even be here,” I murmured and turned to look back at the party.

There were more demons there today, all of them reminding me of the ones I saw when I looked out into the crowd at the auction.

Some of them might be the very same that had been there that day.

They are staring .

It was hard to ignore the weight of their eyes, especially when they didn’t even bother hiding it when I stared back.

I wasn’t like the other humans in the room. There were only a few of them, but they definitely were not treated the same way I was. Most of the ones I saw were at their owners’ side, looking worse for wear, and wore ragged old clothes.

It made me hurt for them.

Especially when I saw the bruises some of them had.

But not all were treated that way. My eyes caught one on the far end of the room. She was dressed just slightly better than the others, her hair done up in a nice updo, and she was conversing with the demons as if she wasn’t owned by one.

“Angelica,” Oros whispered in my ear. “She was bought at an auction as well. Though her first purchaser died, and his son decided to take her for himself.”

“Except he fell in love,” Eros whispered, her hot breath brushing across my neck.

“I didn’t know demons could love,” I replied.

Oros let out a light laugh.

“You and me both.”

“Maybe not love ,” Eros said, her hand coming to rest on my waist. “Obsession. I can empathize. ”

“You can?” I asked, looking at her.

She met me with a wicked grin.

“Yes, after tasting that sweet nectar you make, I think I might be just as obsessed.”

I was going to tell her that she didn’t seem that obsessed, considering neither of them had touched me again, but I didn’t have time to respond, not when the human Angelica had paused her conversation and was heading right toward us.

I panicked inside.

Besides the humans I had met at the auction, this would be the first interaction with one in this realm.

“Eros, Oros,” she greeted them, but her eyes never left me. “You got yourself a human? I thought you were above that.”

Oros intertwined her fingers with mine.

“A temporary deal,” she said. “We keep our word.”

Angelica let out a small, satisfied huff.

What? What word? It looked like they knew each other better than they let on.

And what was this deal they were talking about? Emotions started to rise in me that I didn’t want to acknowledge.

“I’m sure,” Angelica drawled, her eyes falling to my dress before meeting my gaze again. “Mind if I check?”

“We have no problem with it, but you should be asking her,” Eros said, her hand finding the small of my back.

Is she trying to comfort me?

“Well?” Angelica held out her hand to me.

I blinked twice before nodding and slipped my hand into hers.

Excuse me; I promise this will only take a second. I startled at the unfamiliar voice in my head. I tried to pull my hand away, but she held on tightly.

She was accessing my mind. She was a human with a power too, but hers was… incredible. As soon as I felt her conscience, a sense of awe fell over me .

I could literally feel her sifting images and replays of everything the twins and I had done.

She finally pulled her hand away, apparently satisfied with what she found.

“Keep up the good work, girls.”

And without another word, she was gone, taking my breath with her.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Eros asked.

“More like an invasion of privacy,” Oros said with a slight annoyance to her tone. “She should trust us by now.”

“Trust you ?’ I asked, looking at the quiet twin. “Don’t you mean the opposite?”

“All in due time, my dear,” Eros said and took my hand before leading me further into the gala. “Why don’t we focus on the task at hand?”

I frowned. “I don’t like parties.”

“If you’re good, I’ll sneak you out early,” Oros said.

I shot her a smile. “You’re succeeding.”

Her lips twitched.

“At what?”

“Becoming my favorite twin.”