ENTANGLED (#2 The Valkyries)

Chapter 24 - Enemy Revealed

And he tried, I'd give him that. I'd yet to meet any demon here who failed to prioritize a female's enjoyment. As arrogant as they were, it was still our choice to accept them or not. Any demon that was bad or selfish in sex gained a reputation and found it hard to find an acolyte willing to accommodate them.

But I knew.

I knew what he was, the liar behind the superior mask. So as he grunted and thrust inside me, working my unresponsive clit to bring me to climax, I taunted him.

"Does it arouse you to fuck that which belongs to your prince?" I murmured.

"By the Abyss, yes," he groaned.

"Yet you can't make me moan the way he did. Maybe you aren't as talented, as clever as you think?"

"I am... fuck, yes I am. I fooled him, didn't I?"

I scoffed. "Fooled him? I don't believe it."

He growled, "I did!"

"How? Prove it to me and I'll tell you how to make me scream like he did," I purred into his panting ear.

"I contaminated the palace food supplies, making everyone sick. It was easy to give Melac the wrong oil as a preservative."

"Clever, but why would you do that?"

"Others recognize my intelligence, my skill. It was a test I had to pass to be offered advancement in another lord's kingdom. As soon as I get the word, I'm gone from Pazunia," he crowed.

"You're right. That is amazing. Now tilt your hips so you rub that big lion knot over my g-spot," I moaned, clenching around him and imagining another in his place until I shrieked my pleasure and orgasmed. A pale imitation compared to the mind-shattering ones I'd had only a few hours ago with Pazuzu, but it satisfied the arrogant Leto.

After I finished my session with him, I considered what I'd learned. Someone was indeed clever, but it wasn't the lion demon. He'd been played by an expert manipulator, and based on what Pazuzu had told me, I was willing to bet the shadowy figure in the background was Lamashtu. As the harpies chased the last patrons out of the temple for the meal break, I scrubbed myself head to toe.

"Are you okay, Mist?" Bloudewedd asked, taking the wash station next to me. "I didn't expect to see you back in the temple."

I shot her a smile as I rinsed my body. "I'm good. Just enjoying a slight break since the prince is busy today."

Her eyebrows rose. "And he doesn't mind? He didn't exactly strike me as the type to... share."

I chuckled. She wasn't wrong, but I wouldn't reveal my true purpose here. "Variety is the spice of life and all that," I said, winking.

Bloudewedd scoffed but returned my smile with one of her own. When she turned her back to continue washing, I dried my body with a wave of power, pretending to pat myself dry with the towel.

"See you inside. I'll save you a seat," I told her as I started towards the dormitory. She acknowledged my words with a waved hand and I strode up the steps, diverting to get a clean shift and tugging it over my naked body before entering the dining hall.

"Yo, Mist!" A black arm with a splash of white waved among the sea of tables and acolytes, and I headed toward it. Ethan was attached to it when I got close enough to see through the bodies.

"Save a seat for Bloudewedd too," I shouted back, then got in line to fill my tray.

He gave me a nod and took a bite of the sandwich in his other hand.

After selecting a hearty vegetable stew and bread, I joined Ethan to find Marcus and Marnie had also joined him. I sat beside her, across from Ethan and kicked him in the shin. "How's it going?"