had bunched his wings in tight and bowed his head, and there, standing a few strides away, was Allard. Stay submissive, Torrent.
“That was some display, half blood.” Allard looked at Torrent the same way I’d seen him look at the more impressive catches confined to his stock, with a slow, hungry, salacious appraisal. It was a thorough gaze, one that dug deep and rooted around in your soul.
Tearing my gaze away from Allard, I scanned the pier for Joseph, expecting retaliation, but he’d vanished, hopefully over the side of the pier. Scrambling to my feet, I flicked my wet hair out of my face and waited for Allard to make his move.
He circled Torrent, lifting his gaze to admire the wings, leaving no inch of him unexamined. Under that gaze, a shudder trembled through Torrent’s wings. Allard noticed and smiled. “You’ve flushed my muscle into the sea.” He came to a stop in front of Torrent. He paused, waiting for Torrent to explain perhaps or considering whether his next words might be a death sentence.
Torrent’s actions could have been construed as an attack. The fact he held himself in a submissive position probably saved his life, but it also left him vulnerable. Allard could slash his claws across the back of Torrent’s neck, and he’d never see the killing blow coming. But the look on Allard’s face—the parted lips, the keen glare—wasn’t anger. Lust shone in his dark eyes. He wanted Torrent.
Torrent stayed quiet, kept his head low, and tucked his wings in close, their swirl of color now dull. He knew his place. I gritted my teeth, stopping them from chattering, and tried to soothe the rattle of nerves at the same time. If Allard killed Torrent, he might not stop at the death of one half blood.
Allard drew in a breath, blinked slowly, and turned his gaze on me. “I assume there’s a reason you’ve bought me Vanessa’s half blood because she’ll tear Fairhaven apart to get this one back.”
Torrent dropped to one knee, kept his eyes down, and flattened his wings against the pier, spreading them out like a leather cloak. He couldn’t get any lower without rolling onto his back and offering Allard his vulnerable parts. “My lord, I know what you want. With your most gracious assistance, we can retrieve the coronam from Vanessa. I only ask that you consider me yours.”
Allard blinked down at Torrent. “That’s an offer a demon can’t refuse.” He slid his gaze back to me, but a smile had swept across his lips—a hungry, demon smile.
I bowed my head, mostly to keep from Allard seeing the concern and fear on my face. The twisting, slippery eels of unease were back in my gut, making me wonder what it was I was so afraid of, Allard’s easy acceptance, or Torrent’s perfectly attuned groveling.
Chapter 12
A llard didn’t give me time to pull Torrent aside and speak with him in private, although even if he had, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. I hadn’t expected Torrent to be so thoroughly demon , which was ridiculous. He’d survived the Fall, the sundering of worlds, so I should have known he’d be formidable. I’d clearly underestimated him.
We strode wordlessly back down the pier, up Ocean Avenue, and into Fairhaven. My clothes squelched and chafed. Torrent had shaken off his demon, remaining dry throughout the whole display. He kept his gaze ahead, barely sparing me a glance. His expression was set and bleak with a slight downturn of his lips. He regarded Fairhaven and its mix of demons as though it was all perfectly normal. Inside, he was probably wondering what I’d gotten him into. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t warned him.
We trailed Allard into the bar. He snapped at the handful of demons inside, scattering them, and closed the door, sealing Torrent and me inside with him.
“Half blood…” Allard smirked. “Torrent,” he corrected, softening his snarl and sweeping a hand at the dozen or so tables and collection of scattered chairs. “Please sit. Explain what
“That was some display, half blood.” Allard looked at Torrent the same way I’d seen him look at the more impressive catches confined to his stock, with a slow, hungry, salacious appraisal. It was a thorough gaze, one that dug deep and rooted around in your soul.
Tearing my gaze away from Allard, I scanned the pier for Joseph, expecting retaliation, but he’d vanished, hopefully over the side of the pier. Scrambling to my feet, I flicked my wet hair out of my face and waited for Allard to make his move.
He circled Torrent, lifting his gaze to admire the wings, leaving no inch of him unexamined. Under that gaze, a shudder trembled through Torrent’s wings. Allard noticed and smiled. “You’ve flushed my muscle into the sea.” He came to a stop in front of Torrent. He paused, waiting for Torrent to explain perhaps or considering whether his next words might be a death sentence.
Torrent’s actions could have been construed as an attack. The fact he held himself in a submissive position probably saved his life, but it also left him vulnerable. Allard could slash his claws across the back of Torrent’s neck, and he’d never see the killing blow coming. But the look on Allard’s face—the parted lips, the keen glare—wasn’t anger. Lust shone in his dark eyes. He wanted Torrent.
Torrent stayed quiet, kept his head low, and tucked his wings in close, their swirl of color now dull. He knew his place. I gritted my teeth, stopping them from chattering, and tried to soothe the rattle of nerves at the same time. If Allard killed Torrent, he might not stop at the death of one half blood.
Allard drew in a breath, blinked slowly, and turned his gaze on me. “I assume there’s a reason you’ve bought me Vanessa’s half blood because she’ll tear Fairhaven apart to get this one back.”
Torrent dropped to one knee, kept his eyes down, and flattened his wings against the pier, spreading them out like a leather cloak. He couldn’t get any lower without rolling onto his back and offering Allard his vulnerable parts. “My lord, I know what you want. With your most gracious assistance, we can retrieve the coronam from Vanessa. I only ask that you consider me yours.”
Allard blinked down at Torrent. “That’s an offer a demon can’t refuse.” He slid his gaze back to me, but a smile had swept across his lips—a hungry, demon smile.
I bowed my head, mostly to keep from Allard seeing the concern and fear on my face. The twisting, slippery eels of unease were back in my gut, making me wonder what it was I was so afraid of, Allard’s easy acceptance, or Torrent’s perfectly attuned groveling.
Chapter 12
A llard didn’t give me time to pull Torrent aside and speak with him in private, although even if he had, I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. I hadn’t expected Torrent to be so thoroughly demon , which was ridiculous. He’d survived the Fall, the sundering of worlds, so I should have known he’d be formidable. I’d clearly underestimated him.
We strode wordlessly back down the pier, up Ocean Avenue, and into Fairhaven. My clothes squelched and chafed. Torrent had shaken off his demon, remaining dry throughout the whole display. He kept his gaze ahead, barely sparing me a glance. His expression was set and bleak with a slight downturn of his lips. He regarded Fairhaven and its mix of demons as though it was all perfectly normal. Inside, he was probably wondering what I’d gotten him into. It wasn’t as if I hadn’t warned him.
We trailed Allard into the bar. He snapped at the handful of demons inside, scattering them, and closed the door, sealing Torrent and me inside with him.
“Half blood…” Allard smirked. “Torrent,” he corrected, softening his snarl and sweeping a hand at the dozen or so tables and collection of scattered chairs. “Please sit. Explain what
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