Page 16 of Taken to the Demon Court (Stolen Demon Brides #3)

EROS

“ O ros will take care of it. She’ll find us an opening,” I said as I laid us both down on my bed in the room I shared with my sister, facing each other. “She’s good at this kind of stuff.”

I knew the human probably had a million things she wanted to ask. There had to be so much she didn’t understand about our world, and she knew that I wasn’t able to lie my way out of it without her knowing.

“She does look like she’s good at the whole court intrigue thing,” she agreed. “It doesn’t need to be a perfect situation. I just need to get close enough to hear his response.”

I knew that. And I knew Oros was a lot more no-nonsense and efficient demon than I was. She didn’t beat around the bush. I was the one who put on the big smile and acted all charismatic to get my way.

“She knows that. She’ll work it out, I promise.”

Eve suddenly looked at me. I was very careful with my words around her so I wouldn’t lie, but it was like she could tell where my head was at.

Like she could tell that I felt useless. And how afraid I’d been when I realized Father had sent for her. He easily could have killed her. And while she seemed to favor Oros, I didn’t think I’d be able to bear it.

Uncomfortable with her stare, I ran my hand through my hair, trying to work through the tension in my shoulders.

“OK, what’s going on?” she finally asked.

“It’s unlikely he will say much in front of you,” I offered, trying to deflect. “He already whisked you away in the middle of the night, so it means that he’s wary of you.”

I tried to pull her closer, but she wasn’t having it.

“That was not what I meant, and you know it.

I let out a sigh and sunk into her side. She was so warm, so soft, and smelled so good. I wanted more from her, but she always seemed to keep me at arm’s length. I felt like the runner-up. It wasn’t me she’d connected with.

And I wasn’t used to feeling like this. I wasn’t used to wanting someone who didn’t seem to want me back, other than what happened in the library.

“What do you want to know? How Mother died? What happened to us after she died? Why we hate our father?”

She gave me a curious look. “All of that, yes. But mostly what you’re thinking. Because I’m feeling… something. You haven’t lied to me, but there’s something you’re hiding.”

She has me there.

“You like Oros,” I finally managed to say. “You know you can count on her. I do too.”

“You trust her with your life, don’t you?” Eve asked.

“She’s smarter than me. More cunning. More capable. If anyone can do this, it’s her.”

She looked up at me then and touched my face. “I think you’re plenty smart.”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“No, you don’t. It’s okay. I know I’m not the smart one, just like Oros isn’t the talkative one. She has the brains, I have the flamboyance. I think our roles have been pretty nicely carved out for us.”

“You think you can’t measure up to her?”

I let her words settle between us before speaking. “You tell me. Even you seem to prefer her. Connect to her. While I?—"

“Don’t you ever get tired?” she asked when she cut me off. “Of the mask? The role? The lies?” Her eyes shifted to mine. “Because I feel like this is the first time I’m seeing the real you.”

When I didn’t say anything, she leaned her head against my chest.

“Sometimes I just want to leave this place,” I finally admitted. “Leave and never come back. But I owe it to my mother to take down every single demon who had a hand in her death. We are so close; I can’t give up now. No matter how tired I really am.”

Fuck. Apparently being vulnerable hurts. No wonder demons don’t want to love.

“How long have you been doing this?” Eve asked, her hand finding mine.

“Years. Half my lifetime. Sometimes it feels like forever. Others, it’s like she was murdered just yesterday.”

She created some space between us so her eyes could seek out mine.

“A bit too depressive for you?” I scoffed. “The old my father killed my mother is too dry and drawn out for y?—“

“You’re smart,” she said again, holding my gaze like she wanted me to know she was being serious. “And caring. Thank you for sharing this with me. I know keeping a mask on at all times is not easy.”

Shit. She needs to stop talking, or I feel like I’m going to… cry?

I moved to kiss her, and she let me. It was chaste at first, but then she deepened it, pushing it. Pushing me. Like she knew I needed it.

“Eve… ”

“Eros, I’m not here to judge. My own parents were shit. Especially once I caught Dad in a lie and blew up their marriage.”

My face dropped. I hadn’t considered that having her power could come with some serious difficulties.

“Tell me about your family,” I asked, a whisper against her lips, and she let out a sigh.

“I had a pretty good childhood until I let it slip that Dad was cheating on Mom. After that, they fought—a lot—and then took it out on me. They’d ignore me and make me feel like I’d be—“ She didn’t seem to find the words, so I ran my hand down her back, soothing her. “Better off dead.”

My claws dug into her skin. Not enough to hurt, but definitely enough to show her my anger. I felt the black veins beginning to show on my face, and this had nothing to do with lust.

I want to kill them both for making her feel that way.

“You don’t think that now, do you?” I asked. “Because if you do, even the tiniest bit, I promise you I’ll spend days—no, years—showing you just how wrong you are.”

She smiled at my response, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

“No. I don’t think that anymore.”

We took a moment, sitting in the heaviness of our confessions.

Maybe we’re not that different after all.

“I’ll do everything I can to help you,” she promised. She looked like she was going to say more, but after a long look at my face, her eyes fell to the ground.

“I wish I had your skill sometimes,” I confessed. She clearly had had it rough when she was younger, but I wanted her to see her gift as more of a blessing than a curse.

“I guess you’ll just have to keep me around then,” she joked. “So you can use me to my full potential. ”

The heat was back. I could think of a few ways to use her that had nothing to do with her gift. Repeatedly. I leaned forward, my eyes searching hers.

“Do you want that, sweet human? Do you want to tie yourself to me forever? You know I would happily have you forever if you allowed it.” I realized my slip of the tongue too late. “Us. Oros and I. Both of us.”

“You really think I don’t like you, don’t you?” My mouth went dry and my throat clogged. Her question caught me off guard. “Well, stop thinking that. Because I?—"

Oros burst into the room, a smile gracing her face.

“I have a plan.” She looked at us, all snuggled in bed, and added. “Actually, make that two.”