Page 26 of Craving Demons
I turn to him. “And you?”
“My power is The Hunt: conquest and acquisition.” He quirked a grin that got my blood pumping. I had a hunch what was coming next. “And the only thing in this office that isn’t already mine is you. Would you like me toconqueryou, Miss Baker?” Those dark eyes pulled me in.
Hell yes!I clamped my mouth shut, only just managing to avoid saying so. Still, I felt a raw, ragged heat bloom all over me.
Grey continued. “I think human resources would have something to say about that.”
“Given she just turned red enough to match her dress, I think she might just want to be conquered,” Ramsey said behind me.
God but Iwassuper-heated. I looked down and indeed my skin was flushed a deep red. Fucking traitorous skin.
“If it’s consensual, HR doesn’t have to get involved,” Ramsey said, then he laughed. “If it’s an orgy, then get HR involved, the more the merrier.”
I rose. Enough of this, I was leaving. “I need… I need to…” I stammered.
“Sit.” Grey’s tone was firm and, like the puppy I was, I sat again instantly. Fucking traitorous body.
I couldn’t look at Grey or Ramsey, so I looked out the window at that stunning view of the park.
“We haven’t even gotten to the reason I asked you here,” Grey said with a huff. “We want to protect you.”
I inched my head toward him enough to give him some side-eye. “Protect me? I don’t need—”
“Yes, you do, Miss Baker. Remember what I said about daemons on the street, with the tearing-off of clothes and the rutting. It’s a miracle you’ve lasted this long. If you don’t want that, then you need our help.”
“I’m listening,” I said, still not sure about any of this.
“Ramsey and I are both respected and feared by other daemons.”
That reminded me of something. Harmonia had said Ramsey was a lord. “Are you a daemon lord too?” I asked Grey.
“Yes. More a prince, actually.”
Right… yes, that had been mentioned as well. “So your father’s a king? King of what?”
“Hades. My father is Hades, the King of Hades. Yes, that’s confusing, I know.”
I may not have known much Greek mythology, but I knew that name. Well, fuck me with a gilded dildo.
“Oh.” And what had started all of this? Yes, right. “And you want to protect me?”
“Yes. My rank, along with Ramsey’s is enough that if we claim you as ours, then other daemons should stay away from you, even if your power is driving them crazy. Fear of us is a pretty primal thing as well.”
“You’re that powerful?” I looked at Grey with slightly more front-eye and less side-eye.
He grinned. “Yes.”
“Oh.” I sensed power from him, but if he was actually like princely powerful…? “And you’ll… claim me?” I asked. “What does that involve?” I was very curious about this claiming process and if there was a physical element to it.
“Ramsey and I will both claim you,” Grey said, serious. “We’ll say we’ve both claimed you and are fighting for you. If there’s anything more dangerous than one daemon prince, it’s two. As for what that entails… nothing really. It’s all just words. As soon as the word gets around that you’re being fought over by two daemon lords everyone else will stay far away from you.”
“Oh.” I tried not to let there be too much disappointment in my voice.
“Well, actually,” Ramsey said, and I flinched. He sounded like he was right behind me.
I spun around and there he was, tall and looming and dangerous, next to my chair. I hadn’t heard him move at all. A man that big moving so quietly? That was frightening indeed. Although the reason my heart was pounding wasn’t all fear.
“I think we’d need to be seen with her to really get the message out. So, perhaps we can go on a few dates with her.” That dangerous smile of his spread on his face as his voice lowered to a conspiratorial whisper. “And if anything should happen on a date, well, then that’s what happens on dates, now isn’t it?”