Page 136 of Knight’s Retribution

Kyler didn’t allow herself to flinch, or react in any way. No, she held him like he wanted, running her hands over the cold, scarred skin of his back and making soothing noises until he fell asleep.

Chapter 6

Hell

Three days later, Kyler lay in bed, watching blood slowly slide down the walls. Today the portal would open. This might be the last day she spent in this room, the last time she was forced to sleep beside that monster. She’d done her best to win Diemos’s trust—or at least convince him she didn’t despise him anymore.

She needed him to let her out of the room, and it had to happen today. He’d promised. In the dark while she’d held him again, forcing herself to endure his arms around her, so tight it hurt, he’d promised to let her leave this room.

Kyler turned as Diemos walked out of the bathroom dressed in black from head to toe. His gaze came to her, and he closed in.

It was now or never. As he approached, she sat up. “Are you leaving?”

“Yes, precious one. There are things I need to do elsewhere.” He sat on the edge of the bed and cupped her face. One of his long fingernails grazed her scalp and a shudder of revulsion washed through her before she could stop it.

He stilled, his yellow eyes locking on hers. “What was that? The way you just moved?”

“Your touch, it makes me…” She dipped her gaze, going for shy and hoping like hell he fell for it because if he looked in her eyes now, all he’d see was disgust. “You know.”

“No, I don’t,” he said, steel creeping into his voice. “Tell me. Now.”

She thought about Rocco, letting the way he’d made her feel fill her, and looked at him again. “I could show you?”

Diemos didn’t speak, didn’t move, just kept those unnatural yellow eyes trained on her and waited. Mustering all of her courage, Kyler leaned in while he sat rigid and pressed a kiss to his cold lips. The first kiss they’d shared that he hadn’t demanded of her. His hand immediately banded around her waist, tugging her closer, and he deepened it. That awful pointed tongue of his licking into her mouth.

She had no choice but to give in to it, holding back her cry of pain when his hold became so tight it hurt. He tore his mouth from hers and hissed, “What the fuck are you doing?”

Fear had her heart racing, and she hoped he didn’t see it. “Kissing you.” His hold got tighter, more brutal.

One of his hands thrust into her hair, and he fisted it painfully. “Why?”

“B-because I wanted to,” she gasped out.

He snarled. “You think to play with me? I’m the king of Hell. You think I’m some pathetic little human you can fool so easily?”

She tried to shake her head, but he held her too tight. God, he was going to tear her hair from her scalp. “I wasn’t doing that…I…I…”

“You what?” he roared in her face.

She cringed back, but there was nowhere to go. “I care about you. I’ve grown to like…being with you.”

His eyes were wild as he searched her gaze, breathing hard, rough. “Are you saying you love me?”

Lifting a shaking hand, she made herself cup the side of his hateful face. “You don’t believe me?”

His gaze seemed to probe deeper, and his throat worked. “You find me…handsome?”

She swallowed, terror trying to choke her. “Yes.”

“And you…you want me?” he asked. “As a female wants a male?”

“Y-yes,” she rasped as the crawling sensation on her skin made her want to scream.

He shoved his face against her throat, his tongue darting out and slicing over her skin. “If I let myself believe you…if you’re…” He pulled back suddenly, his grip on her hair growing tighter still. “If you’re lying to me, if you’re toying with me?” He hissed again. “I will tear you down piece by piece, and I will break every part of you.”

She pulled on the hold he had on her hair and pressed her lips to his again. “I’m not lying,” she said. “I wouldn’t lie about that.”

He yanked her head back, and those yellow eyes bore into hers again. “Tonight, you will prove it to me? You will give me all of you? You will prove your love for me, won’t you, Kyler?”