A Token's Worth (Spawn of Darkness Book 1) Read online

  With all the other women he does this with? Lovely fucking image right there, thanks. Makes me feel special.

  “Dell …” He takes a step forward, but I raise a hand.

  “Don’t.”

  I feel violated, exposed. Even though he didn’t mean to, he promised he wouldn’t without my permission. He didn’t get far, not far at all really … perhaps it would’ve been different if he wasn’t asleep. He still dug up some painful shit …

  I’m checking to see that my high waisted panties still cover my scar, which they do. Thankfully. That shits ugly. I hate looking at it, and I hate other people looking at it. Hard to avoid when you’re a courtesan, but I have special pieces which give those literal fuckers access to all the important bits while keeping the scar covered. We all do.

  Now he’s growling like a beast, his eyes hooded and shadowed.

  “Woah, calm the fuck down.” I shuffle back along the pillows, because his wings are coming out and he looks positively menacing. Like he’s ready to slit some throats and shed some blood, then probably fucking dance in it.

  He’s pacing along the front of the hearth with his wings puckered high on his back. They keep flexing then tugging in close again, like they want to fly on their own.

  Why the fuck is he angry? I’m the one whose mind’s been violated!

  He moves so fast he’s a blur, and he’s suddenly on top of me, wings fanned out around us, making a small cave in which only the two of us exist. And my vagina of course. It’s warm and smells like citrus and sage. Not my vagina, the space we’re sharing. It would be strange to have a citrus and sage smelling vagina. I’m kind of forgetting just why I’m angry at him with all this sharing of breath that’s going on.

  “I didn’t want to see it, but I fucking did, and now I can’t un-see it, Dell.” His breath feels hot on my face, his voice a low rumble. “Let me in again, please.”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  His arms, bent at the elbows, tremble with the effort of holding himself above me. “I’m not kidding, mortal. Let me in.”

  I very nearly do, because, while this living man cave is intimidating as fuck, I can feel the press of his half naked body against mine … I’m no saint. My vagina likes it rough, I know that much, and I know Aero would give it to me just the way she likes it. And now I’m picturing things and my pussy’s throbbing, dampening. Fuck. I can’t really blame my vagina for this one, I’m pretty sure my mind’s doing half the dirty work.

  A bulge is growing against my thigh. I suck in a gasp, my body automatically pressing closer to him … screw you, body, you traitor. You’ve changed.

  “Fuck.” Aero growls, nostrils flaring as he undoubtably scents my unsanctioned desire. He pushes himself away from me and stalks up the stairs of the fire landing, heading straight to the balcony door. His wings are flared, all six or whatever the hell metres of them. He puckers them in to get through the door and then throws himself off the side and disappears into the deep of the night.

  Fucking gone, just like that.

  Chapter Nine

  “What have you done to him?”

  I’m jolted awake from where I fell asleep by the door, waiting for Aero to return like a desperate fucking housewife. Day’s staring down at me, those glacial eyes positively sinister, like I’m some sort of criminal. Why does he look angry at me?

  “Nothing!” I sit up, tugging the thick blanket around my neck. I managed to track down some white silk pyjamas in one of the drawers, but the air has a chill to it, like the sun has been gone just a little too long …

  Oh fuck …

  I clear my throat, school my features and peer up at him through my lashes. “It’s not supposed to be night still, is it?”

  “No, it isn’t.” Day’s features sharpen as he continues to study me, but his answer is calculated and paced, like he’s repressing his baser urges.

  Yeah, I can spot that.

  “While Kal’s basking in the glory of having night drag on, the power should’ve shifted to me three hours ago. So, tell me … what did you do to Aero? Because he’s never missed a fucking sunrise, not in all his very, very long existence.”

  Okay, so he’s old. Like, great-great-great and then times it by fifteen grandpas old. Yeah, my vagina still wants to ride his god cock while he pounds her into oblivion, but only once I’m no longer angry at him, because my mind still has some fucking sense left, even if my vagina hasn’t. Someone’s got to be the sensible one.

  I know! Then I’ll head to the East and start my modest little life selling fruit, or something else mundane and boring as shit. Then I’ll get old, wither away, and die—with all this knowledge that bears such a weight on me tucked away in my god-forsaken head, as I leave this world to their shit. Good plan.

  I shrug. “I have no idea. He took off hours ago and hasn’t returned. His eyes were all black and fucked up and his wings seemed to have a mind of their own.”

  Day kneels and takes my shoulders in his hands, his features softening. “What happened leading up to it, Dell?” His tone is sincere, probably because he wants information from me. I take note that he hasn’t compelled me again, yet …

  Perhaps someone hates being in the sin bin. Or, shit list bin. Awww, maybe he cares a little. Cute. Maybe I’ll start calling him Sol after all. Fuck, not gonna lie, he’s nice to look at. All that white hair and shoulders that would be good for hanging my knees over, and I know Sol would give it to me rough. The fact that he hasn’t compelled me to fuck him yet, even though he has me entirely to himself right now, has scored him brownie points in my eyes.

  Woah, fucking woah. Think I’m forgetting about the big issue here …

  “Mortal?” Sol’s nostrils flare, probably scenting my desire, sending my mind even deeper into the ditch where my vagina has built herself permanent lodgings. I shake my head. Concentrate, woman. Don’t be lulled by her hormonal trickery.

  “So … he brought me men to slaughter, then I almost froze to death.” I shiver at the thought. “Then we fell asleep practising some very PG skin to skin, and he tried to pry into my head while I was sleeping, which I didn’t fucking appreciate. Then he lost his shit, went all freaky Fae on me, and left. End of story.” I hiss a little because Sol’s hands have tightened their grip on my shoulders, likely bruising the skin. My vagina’s bowing down in submission because she loves the way he’s grabbing at me.

  Next thing, he’s dropping his hands and yanking the blanket right the hell off me. He tosses it to the side and scans my body, which is fully clothed, I’d just like to reiterate.

  His nostrils flare. “You’re fucking hurt again, I can smell it.”

  I roll my eyes. What is it with these men and wounds? They seem offended by them, which is weird. Most men get off on them. “Yeah, I took on a set of stairs and lost. I’ll heal.” I glance down at the smudge of blood that’s seeped through the white silk. Oops.

  He pushes up the pants leg, exposing the wound on my shin and hissing, before swiftly tearing it all the way to mid-thigh. I almost slap the bastard, which would probably garner me a one-way ticket to the guillotine.

  “What the fuck? Are you allergic to manners?”

  He peers at me through thick lashes as he rips at my other pants leg and quirks a condescending smile. “I’m done pretending to be gentle.”

  Ahh …

  He stands, eyeing me all over, then huffs out a sigh. “Stand, walk inside to the tub, then wait at the edge for me to undress you further.”

  I choke on my own surprise, even as my traitorous body heeds the command from his fucking compulsion, and obeys. This is ridiculous, he’s way too overpowered for one Sun God.

  I’m all disappointed now. Guess this is what happens when you’re led down the garden path by the fucking vagina. Idiot. She got my hopes up, even convinced me Sol was actually a good sort who deserved her juices.

  I’m growling as I walk through my chambers, with Sol at my heels. No, not Sol. Day the Soul Sucker now and forever
because he manipulated me into thinking he deserved my vagina, and now I really want to rip him a new arsehole as I stand at the edge of this ridiculously overstated bath, large enough to fit thirty compelled Dells—waiting for him to fucking undress me.

  Fuck my life. How did I get here?

  “Turn,” he commands, and I turn to face him.

  “Smile.”

  His mouth quirks a little as a smile tugs at my angry face. He nimbly works the tiny buttons of my top undone, probably because he’s done this a trillion times, to a trillion different women.

  Wow, that thought really dried up the dam.

  “Why are you doing this?” I chime, through the biggest goddamn smile I’ve ever graced this world with. He pushes the silk top from my shoulders and watches it pool to the ground.

  Next, he hooks his fingers through the waistband of my pants, the skin there clenching disloyally from his touch. He tugs them down, giving the material extra leverage as it catches on the round of my arse. “Step out of the pants.”

  I fucking obey, rolling my eyes as I do so. I bet that looks strange with a fake smile plastered on my face. This arsehole’s at the top of my shit list for the rest of his immortal goddamn life.

  I stand there in my chest wrap and high waisted panties, which display my arse perfectly, if I do say so myself. Not that he deserves such a sight right now. If I could move, I’d be smacking that smirk clean off his gorgeous face.

  My shredded skin is on full display, looking very out of place in this massive, ornate bathing chamber that’s all pristine and blushing pink. The wounds have started to scab a little, though most of them still look angry and red around the edges. Shit, I should’ve cleaned them before they started to heal, like Marion taught me.

  He starts to unravel my chest wrap with sturdy, confident hands. I sigh through my stupid smile that’s making my jaw ache, dropping myself into the mentally numb state I initiate whenever I’m about to be pounded by yet another unsanctioned penis …

  But yeah, that’s about as far as that thought goes.

  There’s a sudden whoosh of air and a great deal of feral Fae hissing as Day’s pinned against the wall by Aero, looking brutal, primal and … I’m not going to lie, fucking hot.

  Dressed in brown leather pants with nothing on his top half, his wings are spread wide, taking up a vast amount of space in the room I thought was rather spacious before. Now it seems small.

  Do I break them up? Day looks calm as a fucking cucumber. Maybe he has this. I can’t bloody move anyway so the point is moot. Actually … why the fuck does he look so calm?

  “You’re smarter than that.” Aero hisses at Day again, who’s smiling like a psycho. That’s weird …

  Oh … I get it! Aero probably got some sort of telepathic godly ‘ping’ when Sol entered his Kingdom!

  Bastard.

  I whip my chest band back into place with the fierceness of a wolf who just caught the scent of blood. At least Day’s hold on my will seems to have been severed—speaking of which, I can’t wait to cut his testicles off for using that shit on me again.

  “You used me as bait!” I bellow at Day as I stride towards them.

  Neither of them looks at me though … too busy having an unspoken conversation between themselves as Aero keeps Sol pinned against that blushing pink wall like a rag doll. Though something tells me Day’s letting Aero get the better of him …

  “You’re good bait. He can hear your thoughts wherever you are.” Day keeps his gaze pinned on Aero.

  “Fuck off,” I say, pausing a couple of metres from them, where I figure it’s a safe distance to stand. Don’t want to cop a feather to the eye and lose an eyeball. “What makes you think that?” Because that’s suddenly more important to me than the fact that I just got used as Fae God bait. Good priorities are important.

  Aero’s muscles are bunching and shifting, like he’s fighting against some unseen force.

  Day shifts his gaze to me. “I know he can, because I can now feel your life force no matter how far I am from you. Now, be a good little mortal and get in the bath. Your scent is sending him rabid right now.”

  What the hell does he mean by that?

  Aero peers over his shoulder at me, and it’s enough to send me scampering back a few steps, because he looks fucking criminal. His features have darkened, sharpened, his canines have elongated, and the whites of his eyes are completely gone.

  “What the devil …” I step back and stumble on the edge of a rug.

  Aero catches me before I hit the ground, his movement so swift it was a blur. But he’s rough, as if he doesn’t know how to be gentle right now. I scramble out of his arms and dash behind a lounger that probably doubles as a sex prop. Aero crouches, watching me with hooded eyes. Maybe I’m prey right now, I’m not entirely sure …

  “’Devil’ is probably the appropriate terminology.” Day straightens his tunic and pants that hug the bulge between his legs like a fucking candy wrapper.

  Aero hisses.

  Day lifts a brow, before returning his attention to me. “We’re equal parts light and dark, Dell. We’re the perfect balance … most of the time. But somehow, you’ve managed to tip Dawn the reliable here, too far over the edge and now he’s all instinct and predatory compulsion with zero goddamn sense.” He gestures towards Aero.

  There’s something about Aero’s feral leer, the darkness seeping from the man that was so bright earlier.

  Yeah, I know …

  I recognise it.

  This … this is his monster within.

  “She’s scared of you, Aero,” Sol drawls, picking at an invisible piece of lint on his sleeve like he’s bored fucking shitless.

  Aero’s nostrils flare and his gaze narrows. He stands, unfurling his body bit by glorious, frightening bit. Fuck …

  I’m shaking. Whole body trembling because he literally seeps an aura of malice right now. I know he could likely fuck us all up with little more than a mere thought, taking the dawn with him. What would happen to the rest of the sun cycle then? And my vagina chooses this moment to think about what it would be like for him to be fucking her in this state.

  His wings flare, feathers ruffling, chest heaving. He bunches his fists, breathing sharply through his teeth.

  Oops, did I do that?

  Day rolls his eyes.

  Apparently my scent is sending Aero crazy; I think my thoughts might be doing the same.

  This is my fault. Dawn hasn’t initiated, and we’re immersed in an endless night because of me. He came because he thought I was in trouble. He came because he thought Day was about to get physical with me, which it turns out he wasn’t. But that’s not the point. He came to save me even though he knew I’d be frightened of him this way; even though he didn’t want me to see it. He came.

  The thought gives me courage, even though my body’s slow to catch up. I force myself to take a step forward, stepping around the sex lounger and towards my broken Dawn God. Then another. He’s watching me like a hawk scanning his prey.

  “Mortal,” Day warns, and he’s no longer calm. “He could break you right now …”

  Yeah, I get that.

  I steady my hands, except for the slight tremble I just can’t still, and take another step towards the God of Dawn. Then another, and another.

  “Whoever said a mortal pet was a good fucking idea,” Day mutters.

  Ouch, that stung. But hey, this was not my bright idea, fucker!

  “Aero,” I say, when I’m four steps away. “I need you back.” I pause, because I’m not sure how close I should get. “I need you to come back to the light.”

  “You need me inside you, that’s what you need.” Aero takes a sudden step forward. I flinch but resist the temptation to fucking run.

  Woah horsey.

  I’m aware of Day’s wings coming out. They’re hard to miss when they’re so fucking big. And silver.

  Aero turns to face Day, hissing through his teeth. “Mine!”

  Ahhh, say
what?

  Yeah, this whole situation needs to come to an end. I draw a deep breath to steady myself and take that last bridging step forward, placing myself in the centre of Aero’s wide chest. He doesn’t take his eyes from Day until I place both of my hands on his chest. His attention snaps down and his wings wrap around me, creating an Aero cocoon and washing his scent all over me. Peering up, I take his regal darkness right in, finding a comfortable place for it to sit inside me.

  I need to give him something, something to take the edge off. To claw his way out he needs to dive back into the pit that set this off in the first place. I can’t believe I’m even entertaining this idea. I’m definitely going crazy. Well … crazier.

  “You can go back in, but please, only go where I allow you to …” I ignore the tremor in my voice, the banging of my heart against my chest wall, the taste of bile rising in my throat. I’m facing my worst fear right now.

  He nods his recognition, and I hope, acceptance of my terms. His hands leave my waist and creep up to the sides of my face. I take a deep breath.

  Sweet, sadistic Dawn God.

  The pain hits me like a blunt force to the head. It’s more painful than I remember, more invasive, probably because the bastards conscious and all dark and scary. I crunch my eyes shut. Whose great idea was this?

  The pain subsides and my mother and I are in our small shack we call home. I’ve just woken and we’re snuggling on her bed, our bed. She’s running her hands through my curls and there’s a smile blooming across her distorted face. She tickles me and I laugh, the sound like a chime of the sweetest bell.

  I was happy once, Aero. See the smile on my face as my mother wraps me in a thick woven throw? Do you feel it? How happy my heart was?

  She picks me up, cradling me in her arms. Her little blanket sausage. Then she throws me, and I bounce on the bed in a rolling fit of giggles, my hair fanning out across the sheets.

  I’m happy, Aero.

  Happy.

  She’s unwrapping me, and I’m so lost in the moment that I almost forget what’s coming next …

  I need him out of my head. Right now … because I’m about to come tumbling out of that fucking throw, and he can’t see it.