“Wasn’t that the original plan?”
I shook my head. “No, plan A was to buy a horse and abscond into the night.”
The man in question paused from his work. “Did you need something?” he asked.
“She wants to know how you eat pasta!” the sword shouted.
“Alexis!”
“What? Oh, was that told in confidence?” She turned back to Dante and took on a chipper tone. “Disregard that! We have no pasta-related questions at this time.”
A white ball of fluff came waddling out from the trees. Rebekah’s belly was rounded so far, I feared she might very well burst. The kitten dragged herself to the edge of the blanket and let out a burp at a volume you normally associate with a large drunkard, not a small kitten. Bits of feathers came out of her mouth and floated onto the sand.
“Looks like she caught her own dinner.” I reached over to pick her up but found that I couldn’t. The kitten flicked her tail in annoyance as I struggled to heave her onto my lap. “Shrieking pumas, did you eat rocks?” I asked. There was no way such a small thing could be so heavy. When she had enough of my fussing, Rebekah’s claws unsheathed while an angry rumble shook the kitten’s body. I took the hint and backed off.
Once the firewood had been rearranged into a neat stack, and the rest of our belongings had been tidied up, Dante finally joined Alexis and me. He took out a jar of purple liquid and set it on the table.
“What is this?” I asked.
“It’s the Kiboon honey,” he said, taking a seat on the edge of the blanket. “Rub a bit on your hands and it should soothe any remaining pain. Kiboon bees are venomous, but their honey temporarily increases your magic. Since you now have half of mine, it should heal you faster if given the push. It’s also much sweeter than regular honey, though you’ll be in for a nasty stomach ache if you overindulge.”
I opened the jar and sniffed at the purple honey inside. It smelled fine, but I had never seen honey any other color than well… honey. “Is it safe for humans?”
“I don’t know why it wouldn’t be,” he yawned.
“Guess that’s good enough,” I muttered. The dull ache in my hands finally vanished when I spread the honey over my palms. Curious, I licked some off my wrist. Impossibly sweet goodness invaded my tongue in a hostile takeover, and to my utter shame, I moaned. Loudly.
Dante cleared his throat. “You’re supposed to keep it on your hands, Princess,” he said, pointing to the palms I’d nearly licked clean.
Quickly, I slathered more honey on my hands then shoveled a spoonful in my mouth. Through the bliss, I was able to eke out a meager response. “I told you to stop calling me Princess.”
“You’re right, I’m starting to think honey badger is more apt.” He turned his back to me and laid down, the tips of his ears turning a dark shade of red. If the divine taste of the honey didn’t have me so caught up, I might have felt embarrassed at the noises I was making. But fuck, I’d sell my soul for another jar.
I greedily shoveled another spoonful in my mouth. “Dante, we have to go back.”
“Back to where?”
“Your castle. I need more honey.” Mentally, I was kicking myself for running out of the bee room so quickly. If I had known bee demons made something so precious, I would’ve bowed down and erected a shrine in their honor hoping to be given some of their bounty.
“You’re going to make yourself sick,” he scolded.
“It’s worth it,” I sighed. “Please, dear husband, just keep me in an endless supply of this stuff and I’ll be yours forever.”
“Keep testing me and all those wicked assumptions of yours will come true.” His voice lowered to something hungry and hot. The deep baritone of his words sank into my body to caress my core.
I tilted my head back, groaning, and licked the remaining demon honey from my lips, savoring its impossible sweetness. “Say that again.”
He let off a frustrated growl as his back tensed. With his cloak cast off, I could see the hard muscles straining against the fabric of his shirt. The thin layer of white loosened around the collar, allowing glimpses of tawny skin, as if it was tempting me to grant it freedom.
It should be free.
I realized then that fabric was the true evil of this rotten word. And it had to go.
I crawled on top of him and ran my fingers over the bare skin of his collar. The sensation alone sent sparks of desire down my body. “Maybe you should clarify which assumptions.”
His arms came around me, sure and hard as I knew they would be. He took my chin, tilted my head and kissed me until the world spun. I didn’t waste any time slipping my hands over the broad expanse of his back. An approving growl rose from his throat, and his tongue pillaged my throat like the dragon he was. If I were a kingdom under siege, there would have been no survivors. I caved immediately, responding with each stroke of his tongue in kind, while melting in his arms.
Breaking the kiss, he fisted my curly hair at the nape, and his gaze bored into mine before he froze. “Your eyes are violet,” he said. Realization seemed to dawn. “Right,” he groaned, releasing me to bury his face into his hand. “The honeymoon magic must have been increased as well.”
