would die for another kiss from her. It was as simple as that.
“Yes,” he said.
“Then you need to figure out what kind of armor will repel the dark lord, including weapons. Perhaps you’ll need witchcraft. I know a witch or two. And it’s time you placed your heart on your sleeve and showed the damsel you are worthy.”
“That’s all I want, to be worthy of her admiration.”
“Spoken like a true romantic. I’ll have you in velvets and lace in no time, my friend.”
“Velvet, I can do. But the lace? I prefer studs and shit-kickers.”
Dante sighed, and Johnny laughed because he’d found a means to release the anxiety and now he knew what he had to do. It wouldn’t be easy, but every step would be worth the trial that would lead him closer to Kam’s heart.
Chapter Nine
Kam pushed away the fang junkie who had been delivered to the courtyard below her penthouse. He dropped to the grass, a smile on his face, blood purling around his neck. In minutes he would be gone from where he lay. They had a way of disappearing after she ceased considering them. Himself’s work.
Savoring the lingering warmth of blood on her tongue, she stood and clutched the arabesqued ironwork gate linking her building’s courtyard to another. Closing her eyes, tears spilled freely.
She’d needed blood, yet the taste of it did not satisfy. She wanted more. She wanted different. She wanted sex and blood and rock n’ roll spilling down her throat.
She wanted safety.
“I shouldn’t have said I hated him. He’ll never return now.”
But his words had cut into her heart. She’d reacted by slapping him. Had she spoiled any chance of escape from Himself?
She was trapped in a loveless relationship with a creature that controlled her soul. He would never command her completely. She would be sure of that. She yet maintained some strength, some inner power over her body. And when she knew he took things from her memory, and gave her compulsions and desires for things she could never need, she clung to the one piece of herself that was hers to give to another.
Yet, if she gave herself—in body and blood—to another man, would that then make her like all the others, another woman lacking purity, no longer a golden prize to dangle before the devil Himself?
Kam sniffed away tears. Something in her chest opened, and a lightness within blossomed. Why hadn’t she considered this before? If she seduced Johnny and made love with him, then she would cease to be that golden prize. There would be nothing about her the dark prince could then desire.
It was so simple.
Yet to perform such a seduction under the watchful eye of Himself was another consideration. For she knew, even when she was alone, he watched. It had something to do with the tattoos that she knew were never in the same place in the mornings when she glanced to her shoulder.
Himself had appeared at Nôtre Dame to show Johnny he was out of his league. She belonged to Himself. Let no man dally with the epitome of evil and expect to live.
Perhaps she should let Johnny go? Release him from the expectations she’d alluded to regarding him helping her find freedom? It would be the kindest thing to do.
Desperation pounded in her shivering heart. Or was that the fluttering from the multitude souls she stole with each bite?
Kam pressed a palm over her chest. “I’m sorry. I need to find freedom, if only to free the souls. I’ve been selfish. And I must be even more selfish and lure Johnny into helping me.”
It would kill him, surely. But in order to release the souls and win her freedom it must be done.
* * *
Kambriel strolled through her closet, stroking the fine fabrics and shaking her head as one after the other didn’t feel right. The black chiffon was meh , and satin felt too dire and moody. A few colors existed within: red, pink, purple. She loved purple, but the
“Yes,” he said.
“Then you need to figure out what kind of armor will repel the dark lord, including weapons. Perhaps you’ll need witchcraft. I know a witch or two. And it’s time you placed your heart on your sleeve and showed the damsel you are worthy.”
“That’s all I want, to be worthy of her admiration.”
“Spoken like a true romantic. I’ll have you in velvets and lace in no time, my friend.”
“Velvet, I can do. But the lace? I prefer studs and shit-kickers.”
Dante sighed, and Johnny laughed because he’d found a means to release the anxiety and now he knew what he had to do. It wouldn’t be easy, but every step would be worth the trial that would lead him closer to Kam’s heart.
Chapter Nine
Kam pushed away the fang junkie who had been delivered to the courtyard below her penthouse. He dropped to the grass, a smile on his face, blood purling around his neck. In minutes he would be gone from where he lay. They had a way of disappearing after she ceased considering them. Himself’s work.
Savoring the lingering warmth of blood on her tongue, she stood and clutched the arabesqued ironwork gate linking her building’s courtyard to another. Closing her eyes, tears spilled freely.
She’d needed blood, yet the taste of it did not satisfy. She wanted more. She wanted different. She wanted sex and blood and rock n’ roll spilling down her throat.
She wanted safety.
“I shouldn’t have said I hated him. He’ll never return now.”
But his words had cut into her heart. She’d reacted by slapping him. Had she spoiled any chance of escape from Himself?
She was trapped in a loveless relationship with a creature that controlled her soul. He would never command her completely. She would be sure of that. She yet maintained some strength, some inner power over her body. And when she knew he took things from her memory, and gave her compulsions and desires for things she could never need, she clung to the one piece of herself that was hers to give to another.
Yet, if she gave herself—in body and blood—to another man, would that then make her like all the others, another woman lacking purity, no longer a golden prize to dangle before the devil Himself?
Kam sniffed away tears. Something in her chest opened, and a lightness within blossomed. Why hadn’t she considered this before? If she seduced Johnny and made love with him, then she would cease to be that golden prize. There would be nothing about her the dark prince could then desire.
It was so simple.
Yet to perform such a seduction under the watchful eye of Himself was another consideration. For she knew, even when she was alone, he watched. It had something to do with the tattoos that she knew were never in the same place in the mornings when she glanced to her shoulder.
Himself had appeared at Nôtre Dame to show Johnny he was out of his league. She belonged to Himself. Let no man dally with the epitome of evil and expect to live.
Perhaps she should let Johnny go? Release him from the expectations she’d alluded to regarding him helping her find freedom? It would be the kindest thing to do.
Desperation pounded in her shivering heart. Or was that the fluttering from the multitude souls she stole with each bite?
Kam pressed a palm over her chest. “I’m sorry. I need to find freedom, if only to free the souls. I’ve been selfish. And I must be even more selfish and lure Johnny into helping me.”
It would kill him, surely. But in order to release the souls and win her freedom it must be done.
* * *
Kambriel strolled through her closet, stroking the fine fabrics and shaking her head as one after the other didn’t feel right. The black chiffon was meh , and satin felt too dire and moody. A few colors existed within: red, pink, purple. She loved purple, but the
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