Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
“Some other time,” I said, starting to walk again.
Daemon squeezed my hand, seeming to sense my inner battle but also understanding my determination to get what we needed and get back out.
“We need to cross here,” Daemon said when we realized we were surrounded on all sides by rivers, but none of them offering what we needed. “Want a ride?” he asked, bending down again.
I wanted to say I could walk. But my bones were starting to ache again, that familiar feeling of ‘unwell’ settling upon me once more.
So I climbed on as he waded into the waist-high water, only putting me down on the other side when he was sure there were no threats.
“Wow,” I said, figuring we were in the Asphodel Meadows, the place where most of the dead spirits resided. “Hey, are those… poppies?” I asked, pointing toward some red I saw dancing in a breeze in the distance.
“Think they might be,” Daemon said as we started to walk again. “We could just take those. Save us the rest of the trip.”
He was still antsy to get out of the Underworld, even though this was more of a paradise than the hell he’d escaped from.
“You’re worried about Hades, aren’t you?”
“Well, he’s not exactly known as a kind and forgiving god,” Daemon said. “And we’re about to steal from him. I figure… the closer to an exit we are, the better.”
“How do we get back up?” I asked. “Since there was a drop,” I added.
“There was a tree right beside the hole. I figure I can climb it then… hope for the best,” he said, grimacing.
“Well, it’s good to know we have such a rock-solid plan,” I said, smiling. “Let’s take the poppies then,” I agreed, and we both turned in their direction.
“It’s beautiful,” I said when we were standing at the edge of the poppy field.
“Yeah,” he agreed, but his gaze was on me, making my belly flip-flop.
“Focus,” I demanded, even if my heart wanted nothing more than for him to keep saying sweet things.
“Fiiiine,” he grumbled, making a little laugh escape me. “Now, they might be pretty, but maybe we shouldn’t be touching them with our bare hands. Don’t need to be tripping balls as unwelcome guests in the Underworld.”
I was reasonably sure, given that I had a power with sleep myself, that the poppies wouldn’t affect me the same as they would someone else. But I wasn’t taking any chances with Tartarus hanging overhead as a possible punishment. A place that made Daemon, a demon from Hell, look a little pale.
“Here,” Daemon said, finding a sharp rock. “I’ll use this to cut them. You take off one of your shirts to tie them all up in, so we don’t accidentally touch them.”
That was just what we did, working tirelessly until the entire sweatshirt was full of pretty red flowers.
Then I watched as Daemon carefully wrapped them up.
It wasn’t until we were done that it happened.
The ground below our feet started to crack, to fall inward. A sinkhole of sorts.
Only I had a feeling this wasn’t some natural phenomenon. But, rather, it was punishment for theft.
“We run. Now,” Daemon said, grabbing my hand and taking off at a sprint.
I tried to keep up, forcing my aching legs to keep going, even as the ground grew even more uneven, cracking and caving beneath our feet, leaving me stumbling and tripping over stones.
Sensing I was losing the battle with my stupid, useless body, Daemon twisted and swept me into his arms, barely losing a step.
“Fucking not the time,” he said as I felt a familiar tightening in my core. But his voice was a mix of amused and frustrated. Like he wanted nothing more than to stop and ease some of the growing ache.
“I can’t help it,” I confessed, snuggling into him, loving the way his arms instinctively tightened.
I wanted the ground to grow solid again, so Daemon could slam me back against one of the lovely trees around us, strip off my pants, and surge inside me.
I never imagined having a fantasy for fucking in the Underworld. But there was no stopping it, either.
Somewhere behind us, a sound started that had a shiver moving down my spine.
A growling.
A growling in the Underworld.
I mean, sure, maybe it was just another flesh-eating demon. But it could also be, you know, a freaking three-headed demon dog.
A growl moved through Daemon in response, and I could feel his talons elongating, biting into my flesh.
Which, yeah, wasn’t helping the whole attraction thing.
I, apparently, had a thing for his wicked side.
“Wrap me up,” Daemon said, pressing the shirt with the poppies between us as I turned in his arms, wrapping my arms and legs around him just before he jumped up, grabbing the lower limb of the tree and hauling us up.
I didn’t mean to look down.