Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 14761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 14761 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 74(@200wpm)___ 59(@250wpm)___ 49(@300wpm)
Except this human’s gasp sounds a little strange. Off.
I peer down at him, pausing to ensure I’m leering in a scary way instead of appearing absolutely terrified myself, expecting to see wide eyes rolling in their sockets. Instead, he’s staring at me and there’s . . . What is that look on his face?
There’s something there, some emotion I can’t quite grasp, but it’s weak and there isn’t enough to pull forth. Worse, the burst of terror that will chase away my hunger pains doesn’t appear.
Cursing internally, I lean forward and let him take a little more of my weight. No matter how strangely he’s looking at me, surely the worry about not being able to breathe will accomplish that surge of fear . . .
A stirring behind me has me twisting to look over my shoulder. My eyes go wide as I see the blanket distend at his waist, rising in a long line and . . . “What the fuck?”
I know what an erection is. Of course I do. Young demons are educated on all the ways we might be utilized once we reach our majority, and feeding off lust is just as common as feeding off anger or fear or greed. I just had no affinity for it—any of it. I’m too awkward to seduce even the most willing human. I’m terrible at bargaining and inevitably get taken advantage of. Every other department rejected me, which is how I ended up being trained as a sleep paralysis demon. It’s the easiest job. Anyone can do it.
Anyone except, apparently, me. Because nowhere in the sleep paralysis demon manual was there a section containing “What to Do If Your Human Gets a Boner.”
He makes a sound that almost resembles a word, but with my magic holding him in place, he can’t speak. It’s good he can’t speak. I don’t need a human telling me that I’m doing a terrible job.
Desperation rises, the wave so intense that tears prick the back of my eyes. I’m so hungry. Ralph has been weaning me off his leftovers in an attempt to force me into doing this myself, and if I don’t eat tonight, I don’t know what I’ll do.
I turn back around and get in this human’s face. He’s got the prettiest green eyes, and they’re glassy with some strange combination of lust and fear and flat-out confusion, which is swallowing both the other emotions. I can’t feed on confusion.
“I’m going to fucking kill you,” I snarl. I wrap my claws around his throat for good measure. Surely this will work, and tip him over the edge and . . .
He grunts, a surge of pure emotion pouring forth so quickly I have to rush to swallow it down. I’m already grimacing, expecting fear, but it’s . . . spicy? And a little sweet?
Oh no. No, no, no, no.
I scramble off his chest as fast as I can. It’s not fast enough to avoid seeing that the tent pole he was sporting has disappeared . . . or that there’s a wet spot in its place. He just orgasmed. When he was supposed to be scared. Because I really am that terrible at my job.
“Wait.”
I freeze. In my panic, my magic slipped from my grasp and I didn’t even realize it. He’s free, and he’s sitting up, a blush flaming his pale cheeks, turning them nearly the same color as his freckles. He reaches out a hand. “Just wait. I’m sorry. I could—”
He’s sorry.
It’s not possible to die from mortification. I know, because I would perish on the spot. Instead, I’m left standing here as this human apologizes for orgasming, as if this isn’t a perfect demonstration of how inadequate I am. I take one step back and then another. My throat is so tight, I know I’m not breathing, but I can’t seem to break through the thick feeling there.
“Don’t go. I—”
It’s too late. The portal opens behind me, triggered by my proximity, and I tumble out of his bedroom and back into the demon realm. I land on my back and gasp in some much-needed oxygen. I don’t remember closing my eyes, but when I open them, it’s to find Ralph’s skull face hovering over mine.
He’s always grinning, but there’s clear amusement in his tone now. “See. I told you you could do it.”
He doesn’t know. He didn’t shadow me on this one. It was my first time solo, and all he can tell is that I’m well fed. I open my mouth to confess exactly how wrong it all went, but the words die in the face of his approval. When’s the last time I actually made someone proud?
I force a weak smile. “Yeah. You told me I could do it.” I’ll do better next time. I have to. I don’t want to disappoint Ralph. More than that, I don’t know what happens to demons who don’t do their jobs well . . .