The spark had ignited the minute he’d strolled into Styx’s dungeon.
And the mating had only intensified the hunger until it was almost unbearable.
Their squabbling was a necessary barrier.
“What?” she demanded as he continued to stare at her.
“I haven’t forgotten your impressive appetite.”
She blushed, remembering his shock when she’d eaten enough food to feed a football team during her incarceration. Her magic, both human and demon, burned through calories at an accelerated rate.
“I’m a growing girl.”
He shook his head, his brows drawing together as his gaze took a slow inventory of her slender body.
“No, you’re not,” he denied in gruff tones, his hands lifting to cup her face. “In fact, you’re shrinking.”
She shivered beneath his gentle touch, her hands reaching to grasp his wrists.
“Roke.”
“And you have shadows beneath your eyes.” He ignored her protest, his thumb brushing the purple bruises that marred her pale skin. “Why haven’t you taken better care of yourself?”
She shivered, the cool brush of his fingers sending tiny jolts of pleasure through her.
“I’ve been busy.”
“That’s why you should never have run from me.”
She scowled, but she made no effort to pull away from the soft stroke of thumbs.
“If you try to tell me you would have done a better job searching for my father, I’ll turn you into a toad,” she warned.
“I was going to point out that if I had been with you I would have made sure you ate proper meals and rested when you were tired.”
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“No, you need your mate,” he growled. “You allowed your pride to deny the natural instinct to be with me and your body suffered the consequences.”
Her breath caught.
Okay, she’d been unreasonably weary. And her enormous appetite had faded. And she hadn’t been able to shake the gnawing sense of emptiness.
But that could be stress, couldn’t it?
The Goddess knew she had enough of that in her life.
“Witches don’t mate,” she muttered.
“Perhaps not, but demons do.” His thumb skimmed down her cheek to tease the corner of her mouth. “And you, my love, are most definitely demon.”
Their eyes clashed. The air sizzled with that ever-ready hunger.
His thumb slipped between her lips . . . and just that quickly, she was desperate for his kiss.
She needed the hungry press of his mouth, the dangerous scrape of his fangs, the intoxicating heat that scorched through her body.
Shocked by the raw, potent yearning, Sally turned away.