Page 18 of The Devil's Menage

Another non-answer, one he clearly had no intention of clarifying. A thought came to her, yet another potential horror lurking on the horizon.

“Can demons… procreate?”

She had never let Henri or Pierre finish inside her for obvious reasons, but that had all changed this morning in the forest.

Jean-Phillipe chuckled.

“Not in the way you are thinking, my dear. Your precious womb is safe.”

When she raised a brow, he continued.

“Cambions cannot be created directly from the union of a human and a demon. Rul can sire offspring, but he requires a male and female human to do so.”

“How is that possible?” she asked, her morbid curiosity getting the better of her.

Jean-Phillipe leaned in close with an eager look on his face.

“Rul seduces a human man while in a female form and harvests his seed, then inseminates a human woman with it.”

“He can change his form like that?”

“Of course, though he much prefers presenting as a male.”

“And you? Have yousired offspring?”

“I am unable.”

“And why is that?”

“So many questions,” he said, cocking his head.

Isabelle remained stubbornly silent, waiting for him to answer.

Finally, he huffed, rolling his eyes.

“I was once human, and thus am unable to procreate any longer.”

How could that possibly be? The priestesses had taught them that le Voile was a place of punishment for your sins, one where there was no escape or salvation. But toturn intoa beast like this? What could someone have done to be cursed in that way?

“Was that your name?” she asked, taking a guess. “Jean-Phillipe.”

His smile disappeared instantly, mouth pursed into a pout.

“Yes. That was my name. But I’m Bellinor now.”

“And this was your face?” she asked again, reaching and stroking her fingers across his pale cheek.

He winced at the touch, moving from her grasp and rising to his feet. He grabbed a towel and held it out for her expectantly as he answered.

“Yes, this was. Now get out.”

Isabelle stood, feeling refreshed after the soothing bath but not letting it appease her. Such a strange reaction to her questions, especially when they aimed toward him. The human turned demon.

What did he expect of her? If she were to remain here–even for a short while–she wanted to understand what was going on. He was clearly uncomfortable with whatever had cursed him here, and she vowed to get to the bottom of it.

She stepped out of the tub and let him wrap her in the warm towel, her back pressed flush against his chest.

“How did you get here?”