Page 93 of Sinful Curses
Her lips curved into a snarl that revealed her elongated fangs before she stalked toward him again. “What would you call it when you have a nymph draped all over you and other women parading in and out of your arms the day after we slept together? What was all that, if not one.Big. Lie?”
“A misdirection, but not a lie.”
She gawked at him before snorting in disbelief. “You’re way more fucked up than I ever realized. I don’t know if all dark fae are like you or if it’s justyou, but I refuse to be your punching bag anymore.”
With that, she lowered her shoulder, shoved it into his chest, and pushed him back. She stormed over to the door and flung it open.
He didn’t try to stop her as he gazed helplessly after her until the door closed again. Rage boiled up inside him and spilled over in a torrent he couldn’t control.
Grasping the sink, he tore it from the wall, lifted it over his head, and smashed it down. Porcelain shattered around his feet and scattered to the corners of the room.
The breaking sink didn’t appease his wrath but enflamed it as he punched and tore at the wall. His fists battered the plaster and wood until pieces of it littered the ground at his feet.
He hit the wood and plaster so often that his knuckles split open and streaks of blood splattered the wall. It dripped onto the ground, marking it as much as the debris he sent flying.
Turning, he kicked the toilet so hard with his booted foot that he tore it from the floor. It skittered a foot across the ground before crashing into the wall and stopping.
Some of his wrath disintegrated as he stood with his shoulders heaving while trying to control himself. He’d never done anything like this, but as he glanced around the ruined room, with all the holes in the walls, he saw how much control he’d lost.
Running a hand through his sweaty hair, he tugged at the ends as blood ran down his wrist and arm before spilling onto the floor. What had he done, and not just with the room, but also withher?
He’d never meant to hurt her, but he had. And their conversation had gone so much worse than he anticipated. He’d known she wouldn’t start jumping for joy when he told her the truth and would most likely be annoyed with him, but he hadn’t expected so much fury.
For someone who’s been with countless women, you’re clueless.
He hadn’t considered it a possibility until Sahira, but it was true. He had no idea what to do with a woman outside a bed, and all this had completely proven it.
At least she knew the truth about there not being any other women. He had no idea what she’d do with that truth or what would come of it, but if one of them died, at least she would have this knowledge.
This had all blown up in his face, but he felt better knowing that. Even if she hated him forever—and he would ensure that didn’t happen—he’d done the right thing.
Normally, doing the right thing wasn’t something he cared about, and plenty of times, he’d done the completelywrongthing to suit his needs, but this time, he was glad for his annoying, new conscience. She was incensed with him, and he was happy about it.
He would figure this out; no matter what it took, he’d make things right with her.
CHAPTEREIGHTY
By the time everyone woke,Sahira still wasn’t talking to him. No one noticed, as the demon was doing much better, and they’d all focused on him.
Zeth’s gait was still stiff and his skin color duller, but the green hue was gone from his face. He moved on his own as they searched the town.
No one had gone into the bathroom he’d trashed yet either, and when he emerged, they’d woken up but wisely chosen not to comment on the noise. Sahira must have heard him but kept her nose in the air and ignored him.
Orin hadn’t expected much from this town and wasn’t disappointed. With his eyes on the sky as they walked through the settlement, he searched for some sign of life amid all the endless blue… there was none.
He missed crows. He hadn’t realized how much he enjoyed the sound of their caws, their black feathers shining in the sun, or their talons gripping his arm as he sent or received a letter from them. The barren sky was another reminder of everything he’d lost when he became trapped in this realm.
Like the pub, the other buildings in town were empty. If he hadn’t known what they were supposed to be, it would have been difficult to figure it out.
Even the stable, though it retained its rectangular shape and sliding doors, was barren of anything inside. No walls had been erected to form stalls.
Despite their emptiness, every structure still contained a symbol; each symbol was the same as the one in the pub. Orin scowled at the final one in the mercantile before turning and walking out the door. He hated those things as much as this realm.
Besides the pub, the library was the only other building with footprints inside. Their crispy, immortal friend hadn’t explored any other structures but had been here too.
After the buildings, they investigated the surrounding landscape. He wasn’t surprised that no stream flowed behind the buildings and there wasn’t a lake.
They wouldn’t get any water from this place, which meant they might be screwed. He didn’t regret giving Sahira his water last night; he wished she’d taken more because she wouldn’t now that they knew for sure there wasn’t any water here.
