Free Demon Slave by Kiersten Fay Page A

protection from the cold, but because his desire for her
was already at a dangerous point. He’d been hiding it well, and for
good reason. She didn’t trust him.
    Though demons were mostly civilized, and
could usually control their more primitive impulses, they were
still slaves to their baser instincts, as Marik was well aware. And
his baser instincts were telling him to go back to that cave and
explore every inch of the woman he’d left inside, before taking her
up against the wall.
    Once he got back to Marada , he’d need to find
a willing female fast, to relieve the building pressure.
    Marik snatched the furs and gathered a few
more items before making his way to his next target. The scent of
cooked meat guided him to a fire pit, manned by a solitary soldier
who was twirling a carcass on a spit. Procuring an edisdon would be
far too conspicuous, but this meal would be easy to pilfer, and
might be their last for a while.
    Using a nearby tent as cover, Marik stalked
closer. But voices from inside had him halting in his tracks.
    “— and I both witnessed her
final moments. Continuing the search is pointless. I have no doubt
that the queen has left this world. We will resume our journey home
at first light.”
    “ But to return without a
body? We will be unable to perform an honorable burial.”
    “ The demon is long gone.
Who knows if we will ever find a body? No, we must return home
quickly and look to our new queen for guidance.”
    So, they’re claiming Marik killed Nadua,
anyway. That would enforce the heavily ingrained prejudice against
his kind. Of course, it didn’t really matter. Both he and Nadua
would be off this planet soon. He hoped.
    A small prick of fear
tingled his nerves. What if the Marada never came?
     
    * * *
     
    Crouching behind a large boulder, Nadua
waited. The rock in her hand was growing heavy, but soon it would
be the instrument of her survival. The sound of his footsteps
echoed through the passageways, warning of his approach. She would
need to be fast.
    He stepped through the threshold, arms
filled with a heaping pile of logs and twigs. By the looks of it,
her fur blanket was being used as an oversized satchel, heaped full
of stuff. Adrenalin coursed through her as her arm swung out.
    “ Ow!” The demon dropped his
bundle, and reached for his head.
    Damn!
    She was counting on him going down with the
first hit, but she’d planned for this, just in case. Reaching down
to her pile of rocks, Nadua readied to strike again.
    Before she could release her second throw,
he was ripping it from her grip and positioning his body firmly
behind hers. Her arms, easily restrained with one of his hands,
were drawn above her head as he effortlessly twirled her body,
pushing her back against the cavern wall.
    In a low but threatening voice, he said,
“I’m losing my patience with you, luv.”
    She struggled as best she could but it was
no use. He used his body like a steel cage.
    His lips came to her ear and his voice went
even lower. “You are not going to get away from me. Our journey
will be long, and I will drag you kicking and screaming the entire
way if I have to.” He seemed to take a moment to gather her scent.
The act made her shudder. “I was hoping to give you your furs, but
now I know you’ll try to escape while I sleep. But if you promise
to be good, I’ll give you your other present.”
    “ Fuck you,
demon!”
    “ That’s another thing. I
have a name, and you will use it. It’s Marik, since you’ve never
bothered to ask.”
    “ I’ll call you whatever I
want. Demon .”
    He let out a frustrated sigh. “Stubborn
wench.” Releasing her, he went to the scattered pile. He’d gathered
more twigs and sticks to replenish the makeshift pallet, and more
logs for the fire. On top of the pallet, he spread out her
blanket.
    Nadua eyed her fur clothing, buried in the
mess. When the demon noticed her line of sight, he grabbed them and
placed them high on a ledge where she could not