Darkyn's Mate

She dropped her gaze.

"You will soon learn that those who lose deals with me are a desperate lot. They will see you as a target. Do you remember what I taught you about killing?"

She placed her hand on his heart. He remained relaxed despite giving her a loaded weapon then telling her to take the kill shot.

"To summon me, simply say my name," he added. Darkyn tipped her chin up to meet her gaze. "You think I'm sending you to him."

"It would be awkward," she said in a hushed voice.

"Then you'll have to trust me, won't you."

"You enjoy baiting me too much for me to trust you."

"So honest, so pure," he said.

"Don't mock me," she said, thinking about how Fate did the same. "I get it. This is your game. You don't lose. You'd send me to Gabriel on a silver platter to get your point across. I assume that's where I'm going."

"You'll find out."

Deidre wanted to deck him again. And cry. And run. She hated that he'd always known exactly what to say to get to her. From the moment he first offered her the deal that landed her in Hell, he read her.

Darkyn flicked a nail against the pad of his thumb. The blood ensnared her senses at once, compelling her attention to the maroon droplets. Her hunger demanded action. The wound healed, leaving the drops on his thumb. He pressed the pad to her lips. They parted instinctively, and she tasted him.

She closed her eyes and shuddered in pleasure. He'd worked her into a frenzy the night before by dribbling a similar amount of blood, enough to tease her without satisfying her. This time, the few drops quelled the hunger and her distress. It left her calm.

"When you're finished, call a portal," he instructed.

Her eyes opened. His attention was on a point behind her, and she turned to see a portal waiting.

Deidre's hand dropped from his chest. This had to be a test. He was sending her out and expecting her to return. Did he trust her or assume she knew better than to run?

She ran her tongue over her teeth to capture the last of his blood. She'd seen how hungry he was last night. He wasn't going to let her go for long, since she was his singular food source.

One of the yellow portals beckoned her. Deidre entered the shadow world and shivered, her exposed skin chilled. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Darkyn standing where she left him, hands clasped behind his back, watching her with the cold smile that told her there was more going on than she suspected.