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They escorted ilded hallways to the receiving roohtnails, and bloodred eyes He dressed for effect, all in black And when he sawthe six who had escorted ate I let the silence build Left them on their knees Let theues Let them remember what it meant to displease me

Then, when the fear had reached paralyzing levels, I said coolly, “Rise”

The Dohan failed to do so with their custo on the hard stone floor A smile curled ht cleared his throat and then gestured for the roo to learn they had not lost all wisdoes past

“My queen,” Azon whispered “So the stories are true You are risen”

I inclinedhave I been bound to the Solomon line, and at last it coht of the Dohan caste You may follow me…and receive my favor Or I will crush you here and now”

It was not a choice I never gave true choices That would offer my subjects the erroneous idea that they had any control over their futile, wretched lives And in Sheol, I held all the power

Behind me, the Imaron and my consort kept silent Their behavior pleased me If either one dared put hiotten aith such behavior in private because I needed the In public, my response to presumption never varied

“There is only one answer,” Azon said reverently “You own us, my queen Simply tell me what you would have and I shall see it done”

The huirl scrabbled weakly, but I pressed her to silence She’d had soain their cooperation I would never stoop to bribery My as sufficient to get what I wanted It always had been Like a worm, she squirmed at the back of my mind, too weak to wrest control from me

“You will tellabout your business with the Hazo”

The Demon Queen

It was a beautifully illu discussion Afterward, I demanded acco them scramble to please ant The reason I had never favored theh a corridor swar with quasits The Drinkers were all too fond of the little pests

“I suspect we have an answer to the question as to as spying on us,” the Imaron said to my consort

The idea of anyone daring to invade my privacy made me want to have everyone in the corand suite, the nicest the couarded the doors while I explored the bedchamber

Shortly after I retired to organize my schemes, my quasit turned into a s with such a creature I approached with interest, but it snarled and tried to biteinof his throat

“Is there sohness?” The proper subservience in his tone soothed me

I skimmed him from head to toe He was…beautiful I understood why I kept him close; even the Luren lacked such pure physical perfection And that made me…curious He wasn’t fully human Of that I was sure I flicked my vision over to the astral and surveyed hie

A blink restored ht, and I stalked toward hiround, head bowed He didn’tI wanted in a male I would keep this one…forever

“Are youthe answer already

“Completely” His voice thrummed with conviction

And oh, I liked it

“So II ith you?”

“Anything”

I didn’t need his invitation, of course He belonged toin Sheol, but there wasslave I withdrew my athame and took his hand He shuddered at my touch because I put a thread of power in it, pulled it through hi for this, unable to perform with anyone else I kne to enthrall er Not as asp aroused ertip betweenhis secrets

The revelation was stunning Delightful This one orthy of me

I sucked a little longer than I had to, after I possessed the knowledge I sought And he reacted with all of the alacrity I could wish His lean, lovely body tensed and I scented the heat of his arousal He wanted to be taken in every manner I could devise

When I freed his hand from my lips, he reclaimed it slowly Reluctantly

“You don’t knohat you are,” I said softly “Do you?”

Mute, dazed with desire, he shook his head

“What will you give me if I tell you?”

I knew his response before he spoke it But it pleased me nonetheless

“Anything,” he whispered

“Come, sit with me”

Other lovers would know to be wary of gentleness But he was so deliciously brand-new that he came without hesitation It ale bed with him at my feet He obviously wanted to touch me, but he wouldn’t dare without an invitation I could keep hi for hours My poashed over hi hazy

“Please,” he whispered

“Then let irl fro in Japan She was special, this girl She had great healing gifts There, sheman He seemed to be a simple fisherman They courted And eventually, beneath the cherry blossoms, they made a child”

“Me?” The question h his veins

“Yes,Are you ready to find out who your father is?”