Free Snowballs in Hell by Eve Langlais Page B

wanted it now.
    David looked at me with raised brows. “Are you nuts? Leave? We just got attacked by demons and you’re about as strong as a newborn kitten right now. No way am I leaving you alone.”
    I hissed at him. Why not? I felt petty.
    “Listen,” said David pacing back and forth, his nude body slimmer than Auric’s but just as well toned. I kept looking away but he kept walking into my line of sight distracting me. His nudity called to the depleted magical in me which screamed, Fuck him. We’re weak.
    Realizing I was eyeing David like a lion eyes a gazelle–hungrily–I looked away and dug my nails into my palm and tried to pay attention to David who still spoke.
    “Auric had a talk with me before he left.”
    “About?” I knew I didn’t want to hear this and wondered if I stuck my fingers in my ears and hummed if David would get the point and go away.
    “He was afraid that you’d be forced to use your powers while he was gone. He told me how you need to replenish your magic, through sex. He didn’t just leave me behind to guard you, Muriel, he left me behind to act a surrogate for him in case you needed to fill your magic back up.”
    I shook my head. “No. He just wants me to get used to the idea of having a threesome to get rid of the spell in my head. There’s no way he’d want me to betray him by sleeping with his best friend while he was gone. You’re lying.”
    “It’s precisely because I’m his best friend that he asked me. I know you love him and he loves you. But your power needs sex. He asked me to give it to you while he was gone if you needed it.”
    I wanted to scream he lied. I wanted to tell him to get out. But I knew he told the truth. Auric had pretty much said it in not so many words when he’d left me, on purpose I now realized. “Put some clothes on.” I demanded.
    “Why?” asked David stopping to stand in front of me, his cock half erect in a nest of blond curls.
    I licked my lips and fought a temptation to lean forward and touch it. My magic, like an alter ego, struggled within me, as I fought the arousal flushing my body. I bit my lip hard, tasting blood and turned my face. To my shame, I felt hot tears run down my cheeks. I hated what my magic was doing to me to me. I loved Auric. I wanted to wait for him. I had to be stronger than the magic. I couldn’t give in. “I just can’t. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to bed.” With heavy limbs, I dragged myself to the bathroom to change into some night clothes. My energy sapped body screamed at me to get some sex, some stimulation, anything, but I found myself too mentally and physically exhausted to listen. A t-shirt and shorts felt confining compared to my usual sleep wear–nothing at all–
    I clambered into the gigantic bed, alone.
    Tears of betrayal leaked from my eyes and soaked my pillow. Auric might be convinced we had to betray what we had, but I’d show him it didn’t have to be that way.
    I’d be strong and resist and when he got back, we’d look for another way to cure me. A way that didn’t involve another man.

    * * * *
    The dream started as it usually did–with me alone in Hell. Where it changed was how long the pain went on. I could feel my body being shaken. I could hear someone calling me. But the pain held me prisoner. I writhed and screamed with it, wishing I could die. Then I felt comforting arms wrap around me. Holding me tight. Auric had returned.
    He’d saved me from my nightmare. I snuggled into the safety and warmth of his arms and body, the memory of the agony slowly receding. When I stopped whimpering and shaking, I took a deep breath and smelled… David, not Auric.
    Horrified, I tried to push out of his arms, but he tightened his grip.
    “Shhh. Calm down, Muriel.”
    “Why are you holding me?” I asked indignantly.
    “You wouldn’t stop screaming, and I couldn’t wake you up.”
    “I’m fine now. You can let me go.” Never mind that it felt almost as nice as when Auric