Shadow's Seduction (Immortals After Dark #16) - Kresley Cole Page 0,84

the past.

He grabbed her arm to teleport her again. They arrived back in the tower, dripping water. He released his grip on her—only to catch her when her legs buckled.

“Damn it, stop tracing me, demon!”

He stepped away, letting her drop to her knees. He shook his hair out and sluiced water from his skin.

She stayed down, pressing the back of her hand against her mouth to stifle her coughs.

At the sight of his mate in naught but tiny scraps of pink silk, he shuffled his feet apart to keep himself standing.

Though Kari had teased him in the past, allowing him a sliver of hope that she would be his, she’d never offered him a glimpse of her body.

His eyes drank her in, blood pooling in his groin. She was a touch slimmer than she’d been before, but still entrancing.

Her bra molded to her breasts and nipples, highlighting more than concealing. His fists opened and closed, the urge to knead her nigh overwhelming him. Cock gone hard as stone, he raked his gaze down her torso, then lower.

Gods almighty. The thin material of her panties clung to her, giving him maddening hints of what her sex would look like. His horns straightened as he imagined tonguing his mate, tasting her orgasm at last. . . .

He took a step back to see her from behind. Her panties had ridden up to reveal the taut cleft of her ass. He barely stifled a growl.

“Enjoying the view of my ass, demon?” She scrambled to stand.

He had to clear his throat before he could speak. “It’s adequate.”

“Then you’ll have no trouble tearing your gaze away.”

He faced her, daring her to say something about his swollen shaft, but she refused to look at him. “When were you born, female?” If he’d found her mere months ago, he would’ve still possessed his old looks, would’ve been a physical match for such a beauty.

She didn’t seem to hear him—or she was ignoring him. She backed up to lean against a wall, only to scream and stumble forward. Tears welling, she glanced wildly behind her. She’d brushed against one of the fire vines. The contact had left a burn on her skin, as if it’d been a flame.

“Those are fire vines. They cover the exterior of the tower as well, in case you’re stupid enough to attempt climbing down.”

Her fists balled, as if she were willing back her tears.

“I’m told the pain is intense, even for an immortal. You’ll sicken from that poison over the night.”

Misery radiated off her. Despite his hatred, he still struggled against his primal need to care for his mate.

So he recalled some of the last words Kari had ever spoken to him. As blood had streamed down his face, she’d said, “You almost look like a person now.”

Rage seethed. Punish her. His gaze darted. Perhaps she’d retained phobias from her previous life. “Do you still have a deathly fear of spiders?” Her shudder told him yes.

Ah, a tool to use against her. He waved a hand, conjuring a spinning wheel and a chair. “Harvest all the cobwebs in this tower and spin them into thread before dawn.”

She glanced from the wheel to him and back. “Are you joking? I don’t know how to spin.”

Using magic, he dragged down a matted wad of webbing from a doorway. As if an invisible person manned the wheel, the pedal began to move, the wheel to turn. Bits of the thick web attached to a starter length of thread. “Finish all of the webs before sunrise, or their inhabitants will return to wrap you in silk. Blood-meal spiders are quite large—and poisonous.”

Her face paled even more. “I’ll jump.” Her coughing started up again.

“If you want to meet my legions, all you have to do is ask.” Before he traced away, he said, “Take care not to prick your finger on the spindle.”

When he returned to the throne room, Uthyr awaited him.

—That could have gone better.— With his acute senses, the dragon would’ve heard everything. He probably knew as much of the castle’s intrigues as Sian did. —You believe she’s working for N?x?—

“Yes, wittingly or not.” Pacing in front of his marble throne, he said, “My mate satisfies me not at all! She is senseless.” Kari had been one of the most intelligent beings he’d ever known. He’d expected the same of her in this life.

What a disappointment.

—Or she is bold. Demon, your mind is suffering from your change, and your thoughts are in chaos. If you mistreat