Ruby Shadows Read online

  “I said the bite of a devilkin can be fatal if they inject their venom,” he said. “It’s best you take off your dress so I can make sure you weren’t bitten. Purely for your own safety, of course…”

  The twitching of his massive, exposed genitals belied his helpful words. Ugh—he was hard again—disgusting!

  “I don’t think so…” I tried to back away from him but he caught me by the arm. “Hey, let go of me!”

  “Have to make certain you’re well my lady.” He leered at me, pulling me closer to that disgusting boar’s head as well as his uncovered crotch. A rank smell like rotten fish and dirty, hairy flesh drifted up to me, making me gag. “It would never do if Lord Laish came back to find his concubine dead from neglect on my part,” he went on.

  “And it would never do if he came back to see you molesting his lady, either,” another, deeper voice growled.

  I looked up in relief and saw Laish striding down the hallway, a look of utter fury on his face. With each step he took, he appeared to grow larger until I wasn’t sure how the hallway could contain him.

  “My Lord!” Druaga dropped my arm at once and stepped back, his erection wilting somewhat. “Forgive me—your lady was attacked and I was just—”

  “Taking advantage of the situation,” Laish finished for him, his eyes blazing. “Tell me, Druaga—how did Gwendolyn come to be attacked in the first place? And who exactly attacked her?”

  “It…it was those kids—the ones we saw outside the hotel,” I whispered, feeling faint. I thought…they seemed so harmless.”

  Laish’s eyes widened. “Devilkins are anything but harmless. Did they hurt you?”

  “I…” I shook my head, feeling too faint to answer. God, what was wrong with me? Was I still in shock or was it something else?”

  Laish rounded on Druaga who by now had put some distance between us.

  “How did the devilkins get into your oh-so-well guarded hotel? How were they able to attack Gwendolyn?”

  The boar-demon’s face grew dark and he drew himself up.

  “If you’re suggesting that I somehow planned this episode—”

  “That is exactly what I am suggesting,” Laish growled. He was at the end of the hallway now, towering over the other demon with a terrible look on his face. For a moment I thought I saw his eyes go all black, like the devilkin children’s eyes had—but I blinked and they were ruby red again.

  “You cannot believe such a thing,” Druaga protested. “Or even if you do, you have no proof. I came and rescued your lady from certain death and despoilment! You owe me a debt for saving her life and her honor—not unwarranted threats.”

  I expected Laish to disagree with him—or maybe rip his head off his shoulders—he certainly looked angry enough to do it. Instead, he nodded briefly.

  “You are correct—I have incurred a debt to you.” He glared at the boar-headed demon. “Though I am certain you engineered the situation for that exact purpose.”

  Druaga put a hairy hand to his chest, looking offended.

  “Most certainly not, Lord Laish! And just to show that I would never do such a thing, the only payment I ask is that the two of you break bread with me on the morrow, before you leave.”

  “So…” I cleared my throat. “You want us to have breakfast with you? That’s all?”

  “That is all, lovely lady.” He leered at me, making me feel sick. Or was it the shock again? Whatever it was, I was feeling more and more faint and dizzy by the minute. “I simply want to be able to say that I broke bread with one of the Princes of Darkness. It will increase my status in Baator immeasurably.”

  Laish nodded curtly and seemed to shrink back to his normal size.

  “Very well, I have no time to argue with you,” he growled, frowning at Druaga. “One meal together—just you and me.”

  “And your lovely lady, of course.” The human eyes in the boar’s face gleamed. “She must come too.”

  “All right—but I want it known that this meal will pay the debt for saving her life.”

  “Yes, yes…of course, my lord.” Druaga nodded and bowed obsequiously. “I will send an imp to lead you to my private quarters tomorrow morning.”

  “No,” Laish said sharply. “Not your quarters—here will do.”

  “As you wish.”

  “Fine. And now I must see to my concubine.” Heedless of the smashed sandwich and the plastic shards of the ruined Sponge Bob container, Laish gripped me by the arm and pulled me back into the suite.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Laish

  “Strip!” I said at once, as soon as I had the door closed and securely fastened.

  “What?” Gwendolyn took a step back from me, fear flashing in her eyes. “What do you…?”

  There was no time to explain. What Druaga had been telling her about the venom of a devilkin’s bite was no lie. I had to be certain she wasn’t bitten anywhere—if she was, I had to get rid of the venom immediately and cleanse the wound. Without saying a word, I quickly began peeling the red silk dress from her lush body, needing to see for myself that she was safe and unharmed.

  “No, wait…please!” Gwendolyn tried to bat my hands away but I couldn’t afford to be gentle. Devilkin venom begins working at once and, if left in the system too long, is completely lethal.

  I disposed of the red dress, throwing it in a ball into the corner and reached for her panties.

  “Stop!” She tried to take a step backwards and almost fell. “Oh…” She put a hand to her head. “So dizzy.”

  I swore to myself in the Black Tongue and she flinched back, away from the harsh language. I didn’t want her to fear me but I had to know where they had bitten her—and how many times. I felt panic growing in me—fear that she was in danger past my ability to save her.

  “Let me see you,” I demanded, trying to make my voice a little more gentle. “I need to count the bites and get rid of the venom.”

  “Oh…it was just once.” She held out an arm to me and I saw something red on her café au lait skin.

  Grasping her wrist, I licked it quickly, trying to ascertain from the taste how much venom had been injected. But instead of the bitter, chalky taste of devilkin venom, my mouth filled with something fruity and cloyingly sweet.

  “What’s this?” I pulled back, frowning. “This isn’t blood.”

  “No—it’s strawberry jam,” Gwendolyn said. She was half laughing, half crying—as though she was just on the edge of hysteria. I wasn’t surprised—being swarmed by a pack of devilkins is a disorienting experience—and a deadly one. Most don’t live to tell about it. But I was determined that she would.

  “Come,” I said, pulling her wrist. I meant to take her into the bathroom where the lighting was better but she wobbled again and sank down to the floor. Damn it—the venom must already be working on her!

  I swung her up in my arms and carried her through the suite, past the massive four poster bed with its fur coverlet and into the bathroom where the deep marble tub was about to overflow.

  “My bubble bath!” Gwendolyn struggled weakly in my arms. “I forgot all about it.”

  “Understandable considering the circumstances,” I said. Sitting her on the black marble counter that ran the length of one wall, I turned off the taps quickly and went back to her.

  “Laish…I’m sorry. I should have listened to you,” she whispered, her voice soft and weak.

  “Yes, you should have but never mind that now. Where were you bitten?”

  “Here.” She held out her arm again and this time I saw what the smear of fruit spread had been hiding—an oval ring of wickedly deep bite marks ran around the inside of her forearm. Already black streaks were beginning to climb up her creamy brown skin.

  The sight made me swear again—damn it, we might be too late! Anger and grim determination flared in me.

  No—she must not die. I will not allow it! I will not lose her!

  Quickly, I took her arm in my hands, fit my mouth over the bite marks