Page 188 of A Kingdom of Wild and Power
Asmodeus glanced lazily at the sword aimed at him and laughed, clearly entertained. Then he leaned forward and ran his tongue slowly along the edge of the blade.
Mal tilted her head slightly. ‘Not wearing six arms this time?’
‘Don’t need them when I have this.’
Asmodeus reached down, and Mal’s eyes widened at the sight. She had not realised before because the girl had been busy at work, but the king of this ring possessed three arousals at once, all unmistakably his.
‘Would you like to try me?’ the king of Hell purred, his hand sliding lazily over himself.
‘No, she wouldn’t,’ a voice said from behind.
Mal spun sharply, lifting her weapon and pressing the edge of her sword firmly against the newcomer’s throat.
She froze when she saw who it was.
Thanatos merely arched an eyebrow.
‘What are you doing here?’ Mal asked, irritation flashing across her face. ‘Are you following me?’
Thanatos snorted and casually pushed the swordaside.
‘Silly question, woman.’
He stepped forward, his attention shifting to the king of Hell lounging on the sofa.
‘Put that thing away before you give my wife an eyesore.’
Asmodeus snarled at the remark, though his irritation quickly faded into lazy amusement. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he gestured towards the exit.
‘Leave,’ he said. ‘Before I change my mind.’
Mal was just about to drive her sword forward and skewer the king of Hell where he lounged, but Thanatos caught her arm and tugged her away.
‘Put that away before you go poking someone with it.’
‘Don’t tell me what to do,’ she snapped. ‘Or I might pokeyouwith this.’ She gestured sharply with the blade, but Thanatos merely chuckled. His hand was still wrapped around her arm, his pale fingers firm against her skin. Mal noticed it and, judging by the sudden flicker in his expression, so did he. He released her at once and cleared his throat.
‘Let’s go,’ he said.
‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded as she turned back towards the tables where she had left Wren. ‘I told you to stay behind in case Persephone—’ She stopped mid-sentence when she saw the tension settle along his jaw.
‘She knows I’m here,’ Mal finished with a curse.
‘She does.’
Mal swore under her breath again. The words grew harsher when she reached Wren’s table and found it empty.
Spinning around, she searched the room, her gaze darting across the bodies, the tables, the lounging souls, but there was no sign of her friend.
‘There are back rooms,’ Thanatos said quietly, his voice brushing close to her ear.
‘Do I want to know what thoseare?’
‘Probably not.’
Mal ignored the trace of amusement in his voice. ‘Lead the way.’
He guided her to one side of the room where a narrow door stood half concealed. Beyond it stretched a long corridor lined with arches. Each opening revealed a small chamber—beds draped in silk, bodies tangled together upon them in languid indulgence.
