Demon Chained (Shadowfae Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF Page B

checks a sigh. He doesn't care, doesn't want to know. "Bugger off, scarlet. I'm not interested."
    She blinks at him. Her skimpy golden dress sparkles. "What?"
    "I said, I don't do torture parties, little girl. Not for you and your sick frat-girl friends. Not for anyone. So get that damn songspell off me before I crack your face apart."
    The music dies in her throat. Pink discomfort floods her cheeks, and she whirls away, her angry hum buzzing.
    Truth: people don't like it when Gavain does that. They don't like their thoughts laid bare.
    Well, Gavain's creeping fae-mad insight can crawl back under whichever fucking rock it came from, for all he cares. They all think the same thing, and it's never flattering: Pretty child. Plaything. Crazy fairy whore.
    He leans sharp elbows on the glass, inhaling the soothing smells of alcohol and ice and the doe-eyed bar slut's hair product. The music changes, darker, sweeter, pouring like scented water. The notes tickle his skin, summer raindrops. He flicks a scuttling bug from his cash and hands it over. The bar slut pours pale fae wine. Sparkling golden froth climbs in the carafe, fairy mischief dancing in bright bubbles.
    His mouth waters, sorrow sweetening his spit. He doesn't bother to decant. The glass carafe clinks on his teeth as he swallows. The wine stings his throat, warm fingers of delight creeping into his blood.
    "I hope that's not the last of your cash, sweetie."
    Gavain swallows one more time, and lowers the still half-full carafe just enough to lick his lips clean. It's Delilah, Kane's demon rival, lithe and beautiful, her eyes fresh-cut green. The one who sold Gavain the helltrip for fifteen bucks and an unclean promise. Delilah, low-caste demon upstart, new in town. Already she and Kane are snarling at each other like warring cats over territory, souls, the best way to torture their minions, whatever it is that immortal demon aristocrats argue about.
    Thick merlot hair curls to her shoulders. Her long dark limbs are graceful like a swan's neck and dusted with freckles. Sparks arc through the copper mesh that sheathes her body over black lace. Around her throat, a necklace woven of blue lightning crackles, and wisps of steam hiss upwards.
    Gavain wrinkles his nose at the stink of hellfire. He plonks the carafe down, golden charm swilling. Already, mad fae esprit cavorts in petal-strewn circles in his head. His limbs twitch with the need to leap, twist, fly. "Leave me alone, Delilah. I've already got all the helljuice I need."
    Delilah pouts her plump brown lips. "I've something you want more."
    "Doubt that very much." He chugs another mouthful of fae wine, spilling golden froth over his chin. There's nothing he wants more than a few hours of blessed bloody peace in hell. Not unless it's Tam, and there's no point even going there.
    Delilah watches him, smoke curling from her nostrils. "You're a shitty liar, fairy. See if you can go five minutes without thinking of him. Tam, isn't it, the slanty-eyed one with the cute muscles and the pulse deficiency?"
    Fury savages Gavain's fragile nerves like a hungry rat. He grabs a handful of her hair and drags her face to within an inch. A growl boils up in his throat. "Fuck. Off. Don't you dirty his name in your mouth."
    Her hot ashen breath stings his lips as she smiles. "Imagine it, Gavain. You know you do. Imagine what he'd be like. I can give you that."
    Her body heat soaks him, delicious. Gavain can smell her, ash and roses, and his own fairy blood leaks into his sweat in sympathy, pleasuring his pores like a rough caress. Desire awakens. He fights the need to drag her onto him, smear her face in it, kiss it clean. Delilah is a demon, a temptress. He knows he doesn't really want her. It's all a trick.
    The wine seeps into his blood, and the air shimmers infra-red, heat haloes flickering like fairy fire. Sounds veer into sharp focus. He can hear Delilah breathing, the blood sliding under her skin, the flow of digestive juice in her