I clamber onto the bed as he enters, forehead wrinkling in confusion. “Did you really think that would stop me?”
“Fucking magic!” I spit, lunging for a pillow to use as a shield. A better idea strokes me, and I lob it at him. It hits him across the stomach and we both stare down at it as it falls lamely to the floor.
“Did you just throw a pillow at me?” he asks, etched in perplexity before he breaks with a laugh. “What did you think that would do, exactly?”
“I was trying to hit your burns.”
“You missed.”
“I have more,” I threaten, diving for another one.
“You do know I could lock your limbs, right? I’m trying to be nice,” he says, waving the knife wildly.
“Nice?” I’d hardly call you chasing me around with a knifenice!”
He looks down at the knife in a manner that suggests he’s only just realized that’s what he’s doing and lowers it, heaving a sigh. “I only need some of your blood.”
“I’m quite attached to my blood, thanks!”
“A couple drops,” he clarifies. “I only need a couple drops of your blood.”
“Why?” I’m practically shouting at this point, and the daemon ratchets up in intensity. “You promised me! That there were no ulterior motives for my being here!”
He chuckles under his breath. “Look, I’m on a time constraint here. Do this for me right quick, and then I’ll explain.” He takes a step forward, and I hurl the pillow. It hits home this time, thumping directly into the burns across his chest.
He winces. “Ow?” He says, sounding more confused than anything. I dart for another pillow, and he throws up his arms to shield his burns.
“No! Tell me what you need it for first, and then I’ll decide if I want to be a part of your little experiment.” I rear the pillow behind my head to illustrate that I’m dead serious and he takes a few paces back, not a stitch of amusement left in his eyes.
“Why do you have to besuch a brat?”
“I want to know what it’s for! It could do something to me for all I know!”
He snorts. “What would it possibly do to you?”
“I don’t know! It could make someone obey or…turn someone into your thrall or make them want…”I trail off, a flush creeping across my cheeks.
“Want what?”
“Make them…want you or fall in love with you,” I mumble, each word quieter than the last.
His eyes turn cold, jaw flexing. “And where did you hear that, pet?”
“So you’re saying it’s true! There really are potions like that!”
“Potions have to be ingested or enter your bloodstream in some way. No potion is going to affect you by me taking a few drops of your blood.” He rolls his eyes and drags his fingers across his forehead, smearing soot, before he points the knife in my direction. “You know, sometimes, in the context of this relationship, it is really easy to see why noughts and magi have been at war for all these years.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He only lets out a tired breath. “I want to know what it’s for,” I say, determinedly.
“You remember when you high-tailed it out of here a few days ago in your very poorly planned escape attempt? And that I was only able to save you because I used a dragon-altering potion?” He pauses, waiting for my confirmation.
“I remember,” I huff.
“Well, you see, I was saving that potion so I could obtain more dragon’s blood, as it’s one of the requirements to makethatpotion. And as I just explained it’s a hell of a lot easier to obtain the blood of a dragon when you’re in theform of a dragon! So it's because I had to use it to find you, that made obtaining the dragon’s blood a lot more fucking difficult,” he spits, gesturing to his burns.
“You’re saying those are my fault?”
“Yes. These are at least partly your fault. But—“ He holds up a single finger. “You can make it up to me. I need a couple of drops of blood from a virgin.” He flattens his palm in my direction before pulling out a pocket watch from his pocket. “And dragon blood is only viable for roughly four hours after it’s been removed from the host, which gives me about thirty-seven minutes to get this done or this—“ He gestures wildly to his burns again. “Will have been for nothing. I could try to find some other young person to accost, but I find the whole thing rather unseemly.”
