Downworld

Chapter 16

The second time I woke that day was to Malik getting up to go to the bathroom. He came back a moment later to lie down again. 'What's for breakfast?' he muttered, still half asleep. Though he woke up pretty quickly when I straddled his lap and let him know I was feeling much better by kissing him good morning, and then he let me know he was glad by giving me a blowjob. I was almost certain that was not what he'd meant when he'd asked about breakfast, but a man can dream. At some point during the morning, we ended up in the shower, water drumming on my skin as I pushed into him and his fingers tightening their hold on mine as we came together.

Too soon, it was time to go, and we were walking the paths to the castle, where the Red King's people met us at the gate and gave me a too interested look. Malik guided me through the winding halls and to a smallish -- in comparison to some of the other rooms, anyway -- dining room, where his father waited.

'Good to see you, Jay.'

'Hi, Daud,' I replied, addressing him by his name.

The Red King seemed amused at my casual attitude. But honestly, I'd told him all about how another man repeatedly raped me, and I'd been seeing his son for a year, if he wanted formality, he was going to have to ask really nicely and then give up any hope of it ever happening.

There was another royal in the room, a woman with knee length, glossy black hair, and eyes heavily outlined with powder. The family resemblance between her and the Red King was subtle but obvious. Same ears, same bright hot aura, same arrogant posture.

'I don't believe you've met my cousin, the Smoke Princess Afra,' the Red King said, 'she came here with me from the Ashlands when we were both young, though she was much younger than I.'

His words were intentional and it would have been hard for me to miss their meaning. He was pointing out that the Smoke Princess was Malik's competition for ruler of the Glen after he died and the one who had the most reason to kill Malik. And what perfect competition she was; beautiful, powerful, overconfident. I had no doubt the Smoke Princess thought she was better than Malik, and I had no doubt she would hesitate to kill him if she thought she needed to.

The predator in me recognized the predator in her. I decided I would need to be very careful with her and concluded it would be better for everyone if I could convince her I wasn't a threat.

I stepped forward and bowed. Yes, I can bow. I can also playact well enough so that people like this Smoke Princess won't see anything more than they want to see. I was an incubus, she'd expect me to be a harmless flirt, and that's what I would be to her.

She didn't seem surprised by my obeisance; I supposed she thought she was entitled. If this had been about anything other than Malik's safety, I probably would have snapped then and proceeded to prove to her that being royal didn't entitle her to anything but my contempt. I controlled myself, barely.

When she offered me her hand, I kissed it, gazing up into her eyes. 'Smoke Princess,' I murmured. She smiled, smug and superior.

'I've heard so much about you,' she said with a voice like rich honey. 'But you are not what I expected.'

I moved my lips into something resembling a smile. 'I don't doubt that.'

Malik cleared his throat to get out attention.

'My little cousin thinks you are paying too much attention to me.'

'Maybe my lover thinks you're paying too much attention to me.'

She laughed and took her hand away.

Malik had been watching us with an expression of concern. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he looked away. I figured then that just like Afra thought she was better than him, he thought she was too. I'd have to find a way to convince him that wasn't true.