Page 213 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
He heaves a thoughtful sigh, shifting his weight to one leg as he props a hand on his hip. The action looks bizarrely human.
“The challenge I’m excited about. I may not be the best at roughing it—I’ll be the first to admit, I do love my creature comforts—but so long as I’m with you two, I’ll be happy as a piglet suckling on a teat.”
I can’t help but chuckle, even as my heart warms. “How very specific.”
Azrael huffs a laugh. “And should we run into any trouble, we can stay at my estate in Narudi…” He gives Violette a tender look. “Oleander is still there.”
Violette gives him a sad smile, communicating something I’m clueless about, and make a mental note to ask later.
“Can your shadowfoldus there?”
Azrael’s gaze slides to his phantom. Faint twin points of light stare back at us and I swear I see something shift, but there’s no intelligible response.
Azrael heaves a sigh. “To my estate? You’re guess is as good as mine.”
I give a thoughtful grunt. “And Sinsól itself? How difficult will it be to reach her father?”
He shakes his head, brows forming a hard line of tension.
“I’d be far less concerned if I had my powers. The fact that it’s in the largest, most populous city in the entire realm, whichalsohappens to bebeneath the sea…”
I rear back in shock. Azrael chuckles. “She didn’t tell you?”
“Pardon the oversight, darling.”
Violette saunters down the steps dressed in tight leather pants—the kind I’ve only ever seen warriors or superheroes wear in movies—and a matching leather corset with a frilly blouse that emphasizes her generous cleavage.
She might look like a fancy pirate, but my cock thickens all the same, and I’m forced to readjust myself. Even Azrael’s shadow seems wholly enamored by her; rotating his entire canvas-cloaked body and drifting closer to her.
“Fear not, the city is housed within an impenetrable dome with plenty of air. Though we will have to swim there.”
Violette is taller than most human women—nearly six feet—and has a curvy frame, so she’s not small by human standards, but when she comes to stand between us, she looks so very petite, sandwiched between Azrael and me. Especially now with my enhancements... some of which I am still discovering as I go.
Mysoulbound’sface grows serious as she gazes between the two of us, eyes sliding for a moment to where Azrael’s shadow hovers nearby, before opening her palms and passing a vial of a softly glowing purplish-blue, iridescent liquid to me. “Drink this so you can speak and read Selcarimi fluently.”
Azrael arches a brow. “Is that water from The Well of Tongues?”
Violette gives him a haughty look. “No. It is an elixir of my own making.”
Pride and adoration shines in Azrael’s eyes. “Truly, you are a stunning creature. Capable of so much greatness.”
His words make my appreciation of him heighten even further.
“Do you require one?”
Azrael shakes his head, smiling. “Thank you, little seraphim, but I drank from the well an aeon ago.”
Violette nods, watching as I down the vile, andwillsanother into her hand—this one gold. “I figured as much. Drink another of these... Just to ensure your,” her fingers graze her throat, “... healing endures.”
The corners of Azrael’s smile weaken before his mouth presses into a grim line and he nods. “Yes, ma’am.”
Violette watches, ensuring he drinks even the final drop beforewillingaway our vials. “We need to lay a few ground rules... One: Always stay together. Two: Leave no one behind. Three: Trust no one—even if they look like us. If something feels off—trust your instinct. There are a few cunning creatures capable of creating illusions to lure you into a false sense of security so they may feed from you.”
Unease twists in my gut even as my heart kicks up with excitement. I’m moments away from living the lore I’ve only ever read about.
My expression is stone cold, but my inner nerd is skipping and jumping with delight as Violette continues.
“We need a parlay to confirm our identities. Something random and peculiar no one else could guess. Any suggestions?”
